"You don't need to answer them, Dariantha."

I looked at who pulled me out of the crowd. It was Ackley, my half-brother.

"How did you know that we're here? At saka, okay lang naman if I will answer them," I told him, remembering what I read. 

"Direk Davis, sinabing hindi raw tinanggap nila Dariantha Fernsby ang kanyang project dahil umano may narinig siyang sinabi ng nasabing director na mariing itinanggi naman ng director."

That was what I read. Also shocking, right? May naglabas lang naman ng another issue about sa akin. Well, kung sasagutin ko ang reporter, I might say something bad about the director kaya mabuti na rin na hinila na ako ni Ackley. 

Ha! Such a liar director! 

"Your phone's location, Dariantha. I also went sa place kung saan kayo nag-shooting pero wala na kayo, so here am I," he smiled, then ginulo na naman niya ang buhok ko. "Don't worry about Direk Davis, ako na ang kakausap sa kanya about that issue. Pero can I ask something?"

I nodded. "Go ahead, Ackley."

"If it isn't because of what he said about your manager, will you accept his project?" He already knew what Direk Davis said kasi nasabi ko na sa kanya one time when we had a conversation. 

"Maybe, maybe not, I don't know," I shrugged my shoulders. Hindi rin naman talaga ako sure. I would accept it if Kaid accepted it. Besides, we're a love team. 

"But what if he offered it to me, then I accepted it? I will be the leading man pero gusto kong ikaw ang maging leading woman ko. Is that alright for you? Besides, teen fiction lang naman ang genre ng project na 'yun ni Direk Davis."

My eyes widened. "You accepted it, really?!Congrats!" I exclaimed. It was really a big project kaya kung tinanggap nga niya talaga, he really deserves a congratulations. 

"Hindi pa. But I will if you will agree to be my leading woman."

I looked at him with a questioning look. "Huh? But I have a current project as of now, Ackley. May project kami nina Dalton at Lynn na mystery/thriller movie, 'di ba?" 

He pouted. "Please?"

"Why don't you just get a woman para naman kasi may ka-love team ka na? Lonely man ka tuloy from the beginning pa lang ng acting career mo. Gwapo ka pa naman," I chuckled and so as he.

"It's fine for me to have a love team if you will be my partner. Also, mabilis lang naman ang project na ginagawa niyo ngayon. We won't start yet, and we will wait for you. So, please?" Nag-puppy eyes pa siya that made me laughed more. 

"Fine, but I will talk to my manager first. Nakakahiya naman kasi I didn't accept it sa unang beses. Then, there is an issue about me not accepting Direk Davis' project. At hindi na ako magtataka if I would be scowled by him," I told him.

"I told you, ako na ang bahala kay Direk. I just needed you to accept it, and we can be partners for that project now." Ginulo na naman niya 'yung buhok ko, but now, I tried to stop him, pero he didn't stop at nagulo pa rin niya. "It's a deal now, ha? Don't try to left me just to have a date with Kaiden."

"Of course, I won't. I will have another issue if I will do that, right? Pagod na rin naman akong magawan ng issue."

We both laughed again. "Don't you want to go home now? Hapon na rin, baka hinahanap ka na ni Tita Delayza sa bahay niyo." We bid farewell to each other before we parted ways. Pumunta na siya sa sasakyan niya while I was approached by my manager.

"The reporters aren't there anymore. You can go back there now." And so we did. Wala na roon si Dalton and Lynn when we came back because they went to our director now, pinapatawag daw kasi. Well, good thing he didn't call for me.

We went outside her car, so that we can avoid reporters again. She told someone to get my car and bring it to our house before she started to drive.

"Allairy, I have someㅡ"

"Don't worry, I will try to fix the issue by talking to Direk," she halted me.

I swallowed hard before I spoke again. "Allairy, is it okay if we're going to accept that project now?" She took a glance at me, forehead twitched as if she's asking me 'what are you talking about?' "Ackley accepted it, and he wants me to be his leading woman. Can we?"

"What are you talking about, Dariantha? You have a project and your love team is Kaiden, hindi si Ackley." I explained her and told her that we can start to shoot after my current project. "Okay, fine, fine. Just make sure that Ackley really talked to Direk already para hindi tayo mapahiya bukas kapag tatanggapin na natin 'yang project na 'yan."

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Allairy! You're really the best manager!" I told her, but she just winced that made me chuckled. Ayaw kasi niyang sinasabiha ng ganoon. She will tell me that she's just doing her work.

3...

2...

1...

"I'm just doing my work as your manager, Dariantha. No need to say that."

See? I told you.

She brought me home first and we bid farewell bago siya umalis. I ate dinner with Mom dahil wala pa si Dalton. I did my night care routine before sleeping.

💐💐💐

"Dari, may flower ulit for you!"

While I'm going downstairs, I heard Mom shouted, so I became faster. I saw a hydrangea flower on our counter. I got it and smiled after seeing my name and how beautiful the flower is. 

"Ngayon na lang ulit yata siya nagbigay?"

I looked up at Mom, then I shook my head. "He's still giving me flowers, Mom. Ako lang ang unang nakakakita." I didn't tell her na 'yung about sa halos isang week na hindi siya nagbigay. Because whatever his reason is, I will truly understand him.

We saw Dalton approached us. "What kind of flower is that? Parang ang pangit naman niyan, Dariantha."

I glared at him. "This is hydrangea! And this is beautiful, Dalton!" I hissed. How dare he na sabihing pangit ito?

"Whatever. By the way, tinatawagan kita kahapon, but hindi mo sinasagot. Is there something happened?" His face suddenly turned to worried. Told you, naga-alala rin sa akin 'yang kapatid ko even if ganito kami, halos laging magka-away.

"My phone just died, don't worry. Why, are you that worried para sa akin?" I smirked.

He rolled his eyes. "Asa ka, Dariantha. I'm worried for your phone kasi baka may ginawa ka sa phone mo kaya hindi ko matawagan."

I winced. "Hindi naman masamang umamin, Dalton. Anyway, why are you late yesterday night, huh? Don't tell me that..." I covered my mouth. "Don't tell me that you and Lynn dated?!" I exclaimed.

Bigla naman niyang naibuga nag iniinom niyang tubig bago tumingin sa akin ng masama. "What the hell?! Hoy, Dariantha, kahit siya na lang ang babae rito sa mundo, hindi ko ide-date. She's not my cup of tea for Pete's sake!"

When I heard 'for Pete's sake' came out from his mouth, tinignan ko siya ng nanga-asar na tingin "So my manager is your cup of tea, huh?"

"At paano mo naman nasabi, huh?" 

"Easy, nahawa ka na sa kanya. You just said 'for Pete's sake', and she's the only one na mahilig magsabi ng ganyan. Except from the fact that you looked like a gay nang sabihin mo 'yun," I chuckled. "Which doesn't really suit you, so I chose the first reason that I thought of. May gusto ka sa manager ko, right?"

"No way! Ano ba 'yang mga lumalabas sa bibig mo, Dariantha?! Subukan mong hugasan 'yan, so that hindi naman ganyan kadu-dumi ang mga lumalabas."

I pouted. "Why? Allairy's pretty, even Lynn. Anong masama sa kanila? You should even be thankful na may gusto sa'yo si Lynn because I'm telling you, Dalton, she's one of a kind. Bot her and her sister."

"I don't like both of them. Tapos!" He then went to the table at nagsimula nang kumain. Mom and I looked at each other before laughing.

"Your brother didn't really change. Kahit kailan, ganyan siya kung makapagsalita. Well, tama naman ang sinabi mo. They are one of a kind. So if isa sa kanila ang magiging girlfriend ni Dalton, I will really be happy," she smiled, a genuine one. "At magiging sobrang saya ko rin for you kahit si Kaiden pa o ang misteryosong lalaki ang sasagutin mo. I will be happy for you and for Dalton."

I hugged her. "You're really the best Mom ever, Mom. Natatangi ka lang. Kaya nga, I'm happy that you're my mother. Imagine, you raised us like this kahit wala masyadong tulong si Dad."

Bumitaw na kami and ended laughing again. "Sige na, kumain ka na ng breakfast. You will go to the studio early today, right?"

Yup, Mom knew already ang tungkol sa gagawin kong pagtanggap sa project ni Direk Davis. She also knew the issue, so she asked me about it yesterday night, and I told her the truth. Kahit nga raw siya ang nasa pwesto ko, kapag narinig niyang may nagsabi ng ganoon about her manager, she will also really do the same thing. 

We ate, and I told Dalton that I will go somewhere first kaya nauna na siya sa shooting. Buti naman, hindi na siya nagtanong kasi I don't want to explain it again. 

I went to our parking lot, and my car is parked there. Nagpa-alam na ako kay Mom before going to the studio.

~💐To be continued💐~