｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. NARRATION

Gucci knew almost everything about the pictures — Crow was aware of that. He also expected that she would get the most votes. Her impulsiveness made her choose the picture that will send her off the cliff.

Kaya ngayon, she has to bear the weight of her consequences.

One... Having her best friend die.

Two... Watch her love mourn for his dead girlfriend.

And three... sSffer for what she did.

Alam ni Gucci na wala siyang ibang masisisi kundi ang sarili niya. After all, when you are in panic, you tend to do something you will regret.

Nagising ang dalaga nang may maramdamang masakit at mabigat sa mga palapulsuhan niya. Slowly waking up, she sees a heavy handcuff attached to her wrists.

Kung siguro nagwo-workout siya ay kaya niya 'yon. However, she preferred to ditch the gym.

Not only that, she also noticed the dress she's wearing. It was so familiar.

Too familiar even.

That was the dress she wore on her debut, the day the video went viral. It was the supposedly the best day of her life, not until the group was betrayed by that one video.

She was losing her breath again and this time, Chanel would not have her inhaler.

Maybe I depended on them too much. Gucci thought.

Wala pang gising sa mga kaibigan niya and she did not have the strength to wake them up. After all, mabigat ang kamay niya ngayon. It was nearly impossible for her to move.

One was oddly strange.

Bakit nakaposas din si Apollo?

If anything, it should be Prada because the two of them were the most suspected.

"G-gago..." Dior, the second one to wake up, immediately noticed Gucci's wrists before the location itself.

Agad na lumapit si Dior sa nakababatang kaibigan at sinuri ang mga palapulsuhan nito. For some reason, Gucci always felt safe with Dior kaya tumulo na ang luha niyang kanina pang nagbabadya.

"Ate..." Iyak nito. "It hurts."

"Ate is sorry." Dior's voice cracked as she caressed Gucci's face, wiping the tears of the younger. "I'm sorry I did this to you."

Patuloy lang na umiyak si Gucci habang tiningnan ni Dior ang damit niya. Pinagmasdan ni Dior ang lugar na kinaroroonan nila. Natigilan si Dior nang mapagtanto ang lokasyon na ito.

"Monster," bulong ni Dior, pertaining to Crow.

Dumikit ang mga mata ni Dior kay Apollo, particularly to his wrists. The girl was wondering bakit siya nakagapos e hindi naman siya natalo?

Bago ito lumapit kay Apollo, tiningnan muna ni Dior kung gising na ang iba. Kinapkap niya ang mga bulsa ng lalaki matapos masiguradong walang makakakita.

Mabuti nalang at nakatalikod din si Dior kay Gucci. However, Gucci was like a cat, she was curious as hell.

Fuck. Napamura si Dior sa isip niya nang matuklasan ang tela sa isang bulsa ni Apollo. The cloth that was so familiar.

Was this the cloth that Crow asked us to find? Nababaliw na si Dior kaiisip.

Napatitig saglit ang dalaga sa lalaki at saka tinago ang tela sa bulsa ng rompers niya. Napabuntong-hininga siya nang mapagtanto na he was protecting someone all these time.

Dior stole a glance at Gucci who was staring at her with cold eyes. Neither of them wanted to talk because, just like everyone else, may sikreto rin sila.

"Tangina, bakit kayo nakaposas?" The two girls flinched at Hades' voice. Napatingin sila sa lalaking nakaturo kina Gucci at Apollo.

"I believe this is my penalty as most suspected," sagot ni Gucci. "I don't know about kuya Apollo, though."

"Ano nanaman kayang ginawa nito?" Bulong ni Hades at pinagmasdan si Apollo.

Silence engulfed them for minutes. Because of guilt? Maybe. Because of anger? Definitely. Crow was a monster to take them to the place that marked their downfall.

"Gucci..." Tawag ni Hades na nakayuko. "I'm sorry."

At this point, Gucci was already numb. She was betrayed by the man she loved her whole life. Pinrotektahan niya ito sa lahat but it would take Yves for him to turn his back on her.

Wala nang natitirang buhay kay Gucci.

"Don't worry about that, kuya." Binigyan siya ng bahagyang ngiti ng bunso. "Lahat naman tayo rito may pinoprotektahan."

As soon as she said that, the three darted their eyes to the people they were protecting. Alam nila na hahaba lang itong peligro kapag walang umamin ng mga sikreto nila but love made them stupid.

"Chanel!" Bati ni Dior kay Chanel na kagigising lang. "Ayos ka lang?"

Tumango si Chanel habang ginigising ang diwa niya. Lumapit siya agad kay Gucci at naluha nang makita ang napakalaki at napakabigat na posas nito sa kamay.

Chanel wanted to say sorry. Someone else was suffering because of her mistakes.

Just like Tiffany, marami ring alam si Chanel tungkol sa nangyari. However, given their inabilities, she can only watch her friends suffer. Sa puntong ito, Chanel was already ready to expose everything... Kahit masira pa ang friendship nila na pilit niyang pinoprotektahan.

After all, Chanel personally investigated the case of her friends.

Hades stood up and went to Chanel to comfort her. Inalalayan niya itong umupo habang niyayakap.

He was hurting too. Bago pa namatay sina Yves and Achilles, the former couple always had misunderstandings because of what happened to their friends. Ayan tuloy, pati sila ay naapektuhan.

They were both lost causes of this situation because they were fighting for different sides.

"Gucci." Gising na si Hermés na tinitingnan si Gucci with widened eyes. "I am sorry."

Mukha mang hindi approachable si Hermés sa ibang tao, sobrang mapagmahal siya sa mga kaibigan niya. He broke his walls for them. Being in a toxic family was death for him but the group kept him alive.

Tumango si Gucci at napansing gising na rin si Prada na umiiyak habang nakatingin sa kanya. Prada was sorry as well because she was one of the many people who lied about their pictures.

All of them were just playing safe.

Tiffany, who was sitting beside Gucci, was hugging her from the side. Umiiyak siya sa kanilang bunso because of her mistakes.

"Apollo is wearing handcuffs too," Hermés pointed out. Mas maliit at magaan kasi ang mga posas nito kaya hindi agad napansin ng barkada.

Ares, who just woke up, could not look at Gucci in the eye. Siya na ang tumayong father figure ng grupo kaya it hurts him so much that his decisions led his friend to vain.

Lumapit nalang siya kay Apollo at marahang tinapik ang pisngi nito para magising, pero wala, tulog mantika ang binata.

"May tubig ba tayo?" Tanong ni Hades. "Buhusan kaya natin?"

"Isigaw kaya natin ang pangalan ng mga babae niya?" Hermés chuckled. Ares, who was serious, could not help but to laugh.

However, one felt uncomfortable. Tiffany knows who.

"Gago, alin doon?" Hades asked. "Wala akong listahan!"

The ones awake were scanning the place they were in. Oh, they know so well kung nasaan sila ngayon. That was the proof of how much their friendship was failing.

Among everyone, Ares took it hard. Sa kanya umaasa ang lahat dahil siya ang nakakaalam. Siya ang umaktong tatay nila. All the members could testify to that.

Kapag nagpupunta sa bar sina Dior, Apollo, Achilles, at Hades, siya ang sumusundo. Kapag nahihirapan sa lessons sina Prada, Chanel, Gucci, at Zeus, siya ang nagtuturo. Kapag humihingi ng family advice sina Tiffany, Hermés, at Yves, siya ang umaaktong unan nila para maiyakan. At ni minsan, hindi niya hinayaang umuwi ang mga babae mag-isa.

Ano nalang ang silbi niya ngayon?

Hindi lang pagkakaibigan ang nasira sa kanila, pati ang buhay na rin. Bakit? Dahil alam na alam niya kaninong buhay ang sinira niya.

On the other hand, Gucci stole a glance at Zeus who, surprisingly, was awake. Nagtama saglit ang tingin nila pero agad ding umiwas si Zeus. He was guilty. Hindi niya lubos maisip na kaya niyang talikuran si Gucci, his best friend, nang gano'n-gano'n lang.

Gucci mattered to him just as much as Yves. Kahit hindi niya maibalik ang feelings ng dalaga, his love for her was almost unmatched.

He was not even entertaining friends before. Makapaglaban lang siya ay ayos na sa kanya. If his father beats him at home, then he should know how to fight back. The only downside was that Zeus thought all his life na ganoon kasama ang mga tao.

Not until he met the people with him now.

"Alam ko na!" Dior suddenly exclaimed kaya napatingin sa kanya ang lahat. "Hermés, halika rito! Ibubulong ko."

Hermés immediately obeyed as everyone, except Apollo, watched as how the girl whispered to the boy. Saglit na natawa ang binata at binulong din ito kay Hades.

"Baka background lang tayo rito, guys," komento ni Zeus na ikinatawa ng marami.

"MAY BANYO NA!" Sigaw ni Hades kaya napatalon si Apollo paggising. Tumawa ang lahat habang pinapanood siyang mapilit na magising.

"Putangina, nasaan?" Mabilis na nilibot ni Apollo sa kapaligiran ang paningin niya. "Takte, bakit ang sakit?"

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kamay niyang nakaposas. Tumaas ang kilay nito, nagtataka bakit siya nakagapos pero ang mas nakakapagtaka ay nasaan ang banyo.

"Gago, bakit ako nakaposas? Nanalo naman ako." Tanong ni Apollo. "Nasaan pala ang banyo?"

Oo, mas mahalaga ang banyo.

"There's no comfort room here," sabi ni Ares. "They just pranked you."

Hindi maipinta ang itsura ngayon ni Apollo. Mas masakit pa ito kaysa sa nangyari noon. 'De, biro.

"Pakyu kayo!" Hiyaw nito at pinagmasdan ang kapaligiran. Para bang nahugutan siya ng hininga nang mapagtantong nasaan sila. Tiningnan niya rin ang suot niya at ng kay Dior.

Pinakyuhan din niya ang sarili niya. Oo, tama lamang na parusahan din siya ngayon. Oras na rin naman na para pagbayaran niya ang mga kasalanan niya.

"Sa tingin mo, kuya, bakit ka nakaposas?" Tanong ni Gucci sa kanya. Kung hindi lang dahil sa fast reflexes ni Apollo, hindi siya makakasagot.

"Ewan ko..." Kinakabahan niyang pagsisinungaling.

Apollo was always cool pero ngayon lang siya nakitang ganito kataranta. His chill nature felt like a breath of fresh air na tanyag sa buong campus. All his jokes were enough to make people smile.

It was new seeing Apollo Andigre so disturbed. Or maybe they did not knew him enough.

"My little ones are awake!" Napairap ang karamihan nang marinig ang boses na 'yon. "I would like to greet Gucci first. Do your wrists hurt?"

"Curious ka?" Mataray na tanong nito. "Edi subukan mo."

"No thanks!" Natawa si Crow. "Apollo, I can almost hear you thinking. Curious about your penalty?"

"Huwag mo akong ginagago," galit nitong sabi na ikinatuwa ni Crow.

"In the first challenge, you found the wrong cloth." Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Hermés kasi siya ang nakahanap noon. On the other hand, Tiffany felt triumphant. She was right. "And, Apollo hid it."

Yumuko nalang ang binata habang ang lahat ay nakatingin sa kanya. He was ashamed of himself pero pakiramdam niya ay wala siyang choice. Mas pipiliin niyang saluhin ang mga parata sa kanya kaysa mapahamak siya.

However, Dior was looking at him with pity. Bakit niya gustong protektahan ang taong may maruming nakaraan?

Tiffany scoffed. Her eyes would never fool her — tama rin ang suspetya niya. Noong unang tiningnan ni Ares ang bulsa ni Apollo, she was disappointed kasi wala. One more thing, Tiffany is rarely wrong.

"Why don't you check his pockets?" Napaangat ng ulo si Apollo sa narinig.

Imbes na bulsa niya ang tingnan, Apollo's eyes widened when he was gripped by the collar by Zeus. Everyone stood up in shock, even Gucci who was struggling with her cuffs. Heto na naman... Mayroong mag-aaway.

Zeus was always patient with his friends. Pero sa puntong ito, na nagtataguan na ang lahat, he knows walang mangyayari kapag wala silang malalaman. He had to put his foot forward. Bahala na ang lahat para sa kanya, kahit magkabukingan pa.

"Bitawan mo ako!" Sigaw ni Apollo na pilit kumakawala sa hawak ni Zeus.

"Zeus, let him go!" Utos ni Ares at inilayo si Zeus kay Apollo.

"I will check his pockets," Hermés said. Alam ng lahat na he has no filters. Kahit sa sarili niya pang best friend, he can always expose him. Everyone could vouch for that, especially sa nangyari noong huling challenge.

Hermés walked to his handcuffed best friend and pulled out his pockets. Nagulat ang lahat nang makitang wala mang naroon. Apollo heaved a sigh of relief. Sa kabilang banda, muling nagalit si Tiffany dahil ayaw makipag-cooperate ni Apollo sa kanila.

"Ginagago lang tayo ni Crow," Dior concluded.

Dior was always protective of the people closest to her, katulad lang noong niligawan ni Ares si Tiffany. Si Ares nga na kaibigan niya ay pinagdudahan niya, paano pa kaya itong si Crow na dayuhan lang sa kanila?

"That's sad." Crow chuckled from the speaker. "Let's just head on to our next challenge. Shall we?"

"As if naman may choice kami," bulong ni Hades.

"Yes, Mr. Van Doren, you actually have a choice." Crow said. "Just expose yours and each other's secrets then we're good to go!"

That was the problem. Neither are able to expose their own dirt.

Mas pipiliin nilang manatili sa impyernong kinalalagyan nila basta huwag lang ma-expose ang mga sikreto nila. They were puppets of love, too. Kung hindi lang sila nagmahal, there would be no secrets hidden anymore.

"So... let's get straight to the challenge!" Anunsyo nito. "This place is familiar, isn't it?"

Napapikit nang mariin sina Gucci, Zeus, at Prada.

- -

FLASHBACK

"Dapat sa 18 shots nalang ako, e!" Reklamo ni Hades sa mga kaibigan. "Baka may libreng shot ang mga 18 roses?"

"You're so reklamador." Inirapan ito ni Prada at saka sinapok siya. "As if naman you're not umiinom lagi!"

"Ayan, gago, nasabihan ka rin." Achilles chuckled as his arm was draped around Prada's shoulders.

Prada was busy admiring the decorations of the venue but what caught her eyes were the three paintings of three different girls. The vibe was so majestic.

Ngumuso nalang si Hades at lumapit sa girlfriend niyang si Chanel na kasalukuyang nagpapa-picture kina Yves, Tiffany, at Gucci.

"Ate! Dapat fierce!" Nagpakita pa ng pose si Yves. "Like this!"

"Hoy, bata!" Tawag ni Hades kay Yves, napatingin tuloy ang mga babae sa kanya. "Anong pinapagawa mo sa girlfriend ko?"

"We're doing you a favor," mataray na sabi ni Gucci at pinagpatuloy ang pagdi-direct sa pose ni Chanel. "You should pay us for this."

"Nagtatampo pa rin ako na hindi ako 18 shots, ha!" Sabi nito kay Gucci na inirapan lang siya. "Gandahan niyo nga pala ang picture ng jowa ko. Oo, maganda siya kaya dapat lang na maganda ang kuha sa kanya!"

"Hanggang kailan mo ako bobolahin, mahal?" Natatawang tanong ni Chanel sa kanya. However, Hades was right, though. Chanel could even pass as a model. Ang dami ring nanligaw kay Chanel noong single siya but Hades prevailed.

Chanel was down bad for Hades, the school's resident hothead.

"Walang bola, mahal!" Umiling nang todo si Hades. "Alam mo namang crush na crush kita, e."

Hindi pa nagsisimula ang program pero napagdesisyunan ng magbabarkada na magpicture agad para masulit ang oras na wala pang tao sa venue. Baka kasi mamaya ay maraming mag-photobomb sa kanilang mga litrato at wala silang mai-post sa Instagram.

Ayun ang tip ni Dior.

"Pre, sama ka sa amin!" Hinila ni Zeus si Hades sa photo booth at namili ng theme. "Gusto mo ba maging Ariel o Prince Eric?"

The Little Mermaid ang theme ng debut ni Gucci. Sakto ay pinakulay niya rin ng pula ang buhok niya. Imbes nga na Little Mermaid ang naalala nila sa buhok niya, kamukha niya raw si McDonalds.

"Ako si Ursula!" Maligayang sabi ni Ares at sumiksik sa dalawa.

Hermés was just watching them with a judging stare. Ngayon lang siya nakakita ng mga lalaking nag-eenjoy sa pagpili ng character. Dati nga ay inaya sila ni Hades na magsuot ng tuxedo noong balak nilang manood ng Minions sa sinehan.

Iisa lang ang braincell nila.

"Oy, Herm, sino ka?" Tanong ni Zeus.

"Ako nalang ang tubig." Sumiksik din si Hermés sa kanila at tinupi ang katawan para magmukhang dagat. Hindi gaya ng sabi ng iba na napakaseryoso ni Hermés, magaling din magpatawa siya pero madalas nasestress siya sa mga kaibigan niya.

"Nga pala, nasaan sina Dior at Apollo?" Tanong ni Ares matapos nilang magpakuha ng litrato. "I thought Dior would be the one to direct the photoshoot here."

"They're eating," Hermés answered, trying hard not to show na nasasaktan siya. It was not the literal definition of eating, though. "Baka kumakain or whatever."

Pero wala namang kasalanan si Dior. She rejected him multiple times pero hindi pa rin sumusuko ang binata. It just sucks for Hermés kasi ilang taon na niyang mahal si Dior; he would even give up everything for her.

"Ng pagkain o ng tao?" Natatawang tanong ni Hades. Agad na sinamaan ng tingin nina Zeus at Ares si Hades dahil nag-aalala sila na baka nasasaktan si Hermés.

Apollo and Dior were the playful people in the group. Their worlds revolve around flirting and sex — and never to commitments. While Apollo was praised for it, Dior was branded as a prostitute.

Double standards at its finest.

"Dior, tumigil ka!" Napalingon ang lahat nang makitang hinahabol ni Apollo si Dior na mukhang galit na galit ngayon.

At the same time, all their phones rang a notification tone.

"What's happening?" Tanong ni Ares habang lumalapit si Hermés para pigilan ang babae. Hermés called, "Love, what's wrong?" Subalit, kahit anong tanong nila ay diretso lamang si Dior.

"You and you!" Tinuro ni Dior sina Achilles at Yves na gulat ngayon. Kumunot ang noo ng grupo dahil hindi nila mawari bakit galit ang kanilang kaibigan. She looked so disgusted and frustrated.

"Dior, ayos ka lang?" Tanong ni Achilles at akmang lalapit kay Dior.

"Stop right there!" Sigaw ulit ng dalaga. "You disgust me."

"What do you mean, ate?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Yves when Zeus scoffed.

Zeus was holding his phone and it seemed like he's watching something. Nagbabadya ang luha ng binata at para siyang pinagbagsakan ng langit at lupa ngayon. It took him to watch a forty-five second video to have his world turned upside down.

All those years he loved Yves... Those four years... Nawala sa isang iglap.

"Nakakadiri kayo.," he said and showed them the video of Yves and Achilles having sex.

That was the living proof that they fucked up and that event will continue to fuck their life.

END

- -

"Your next challenge is still a treasure hunt!" Natawa si Crow na para bang may nakakatawa.

"You have to find ten keys which will determine your room for tonight. Five of them are real and five are duplicates so you will sleep by pairs. Be warned that each room has either a prize or a penalty," dugtong nito.

"You have an hour before I let the crows kiss your death."