Promiscuous (Who's the slut?)

Chapter Four

"I remembered the day we met." He startled me by reminding me of that day. That day when I felt numbed walking out of the hotel room after the paparazzi had done their job. Making a big scoop out of my already damned life. I didn't look at the guy whose face was turned away from me. I would have described him a hunk if the circumstances were different.

"Yeah..." My thoughts wandered. I was walking, and walking. Wanting to run away. I was ruined. I don't know how I'd gotten in the park. But I did. Time stood still, hours and hours of silence amongst the noisy street and children playing. I wanted to cry. Then I touched my necklace my mother gave me, just as suddenly. I found myself going back.

"I saw you at the hotel lobby that day, looking lost. You were hysterical when they told you that there was no necklace found on the room you... occupied that night."

"Riel, what were you doing at the same hotel that day? You have your own townhouse." That was the first time I get to ask him about it. He looked... guilty. No. He lend her a hand when she needed him.

"Coincidences." He shrugged. Of course.

Who's the guy? Where's my necklace? For a year, I tried to get it out of my system. Now all I have to do is make the best out of my sorry excuse of a life. I smiled lazily. Time to get the party started.

"Ms. Laina Enriquez, at the age of 18 you're now hosting a charity event. How was that for a young woman like you? They say that you specifically wanted to teach young children. You must be a gem to your family?"

Yes, Laina was really a gem. To be the role model of the youth for father's image. To dance attendance upon grandmother's social religious calls. And to take a man that has never been hers. Sweet, sweet Laina.

"Yes, I'm really flattered about the gem part. But as you can see I really like children. It makes my heart ache..." my thoughts trailed off...

To see you lying Laina.

I grimaced and then smiled. It's time for some excitement. I walked down the staircase slowly. Very, very... slowly. The crowd looked at me from head to foot. What is there to be ashamed of? Maybe because of the evening gown. I saw my grandmother's friends gulped and put on a sign of a cross.

Everybody turned their attention on me. The reporter who was interviewing Laina stopped in midsentence. She was still talking when I saw them run towards me.

Camera flashes in. I posed here and there.

I saw my father grind his teeth. I wanted to laugh aloud. He was the replica of the daughter he never wanted. He used my mother. His looks. His power to get what he desired.

I used his kind. To ruin the family. Come to think of it, he is really my father.

I don't get mad. I get even. My mother's exact words.

"Ms. Marie Claire Enrique, I thought your grandmother told the press that you're sick and out of the country."

"Ms. Enrique, you're stunning. There's a rumor that you're going to join a prestigious pageant."

"Really? Out of the country? I haven't thought of it for quite a while. Perhaps my grandmother is getting old and ill these days." She heard the gasps of some of her mamita's amiga. Some snorted. Others smirked.

"Prestigious pageant, you say? I'll leave that to Laina. That's not my cup of tea. I don't fake smiles." Everybody gasped. Her mamita turned wild eyes on her. I grinned at Laina. She was sure as hell furious. But she still held her smile in place.

Before I could say anything my father grabbed my arm. "That's all gentlemen. We're here to launch Kalinga Foundation. This is a charity ball."

"What do you think are you doing? You are being rude. Look at what you're wearing! That's not a decent gown. You look like... you look like a..." he muttered under his breath angrily.

"Rude? Oh..." I raised my eyebrow. I feigned innocence. "Answering questions when being asked is rude? I didn't know that... father. Mamita's priest hadn't preached about that."

My father warned me before he went away. There was a phone call. Maybe from one of his favored mistresses. I only smiled at the guests. They were polite. Too polite to the extent of rudeness. Then I saw Laina walking to the stage. I sipped my wine. Mamita called on me. I only raised my eyebrow.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm young yes, but at a young age. I knew what I wanted. I'm 18 now, I wanted to help children." I rolled my eyes.

"And I wanted to be a good mother and a wife." everybody was listening attentively. Ano naman bang niluluto nila para sa eleksyon?

"I'm engaged." Okay. The voyeurs gasped. Someone stepped into the stage.

My heart stopped beating. My glass crashed down on the floor. I saw Laina smiled at me triumphantly. Did the world stop revolving? Why did the ghost from the past have to haunt me?

Then they were cheering. Making hearty congratulations.

And damn. They were making their way toward her. Would she let Laina win again?

Move Marie Claire. Dammit. Smile.

But she was nailed to the ground. She would have wished that the earth would swallow her. Four feet away. Three feet away. Two---

They were already in front of her. She would have opened her mouth to say something. When somebody took hold of her arm, turning her to face him. Too quickly.

Some Jerk kissed her on the lips!

She heard a gasp. She would have groaned herself. It was so.. haste that she hadn't even seen the Jerk's face. God, his lips was soft. She closed her eyes. But he was almost devouring her. His kiss was blatant. Hot. Potent.

She would have raised her arms toward his neck when he stopped. Why did he stop? She was afraid to look at him, she might get disappointed. He tipped her chin up. She opened her eyes. She felt her cheeks aflamed.

She'd let a stranger kiss her!

"You! You were the nerv---"

"Hello darling, miss me?" He grinned lazily. His arms were on his waist, their bodies were still molded to each other. Then his eyes were giving her warning signs. About the two people standing in front of them. Oh my God, nakalimutan ko sila... ito ba epekto niya sakin?

"Marie Claire, surely you remember Brix?" I slowly turned to Laina introducing him. Him. The ghost of my past. Brix. How could I forget?