Chapter 9: Let's Just Pretend

(Day of the Mystery Ball)

Julia and I are preparing for the mystery ball. It's four in the afternoon, and the ball will start at six in the evening.

Tinignan ko ng mabuti ang dark blue gown na aking susuotin. It's simple but very elegant. It has glitter all over.

I prepared the pair of dark blue stilettos that I will be wearing tonight. Pagkatapos kong maisuot ang aking gown at ang aking sapatos, tinignan ko ng mabuti ang aking sarili.

I look... great. I never thought that it would turn out like this...

Kinuha ko na ang curlers na nasa aking buhok and I let my hair fall on my shoulders. I turned around, and I looked like the sparkle of the night. I touched my gown, and it's so soft. My gown really fits perfectly on me. When I first laid my eyes on it, I felt like it's the one. And yeah, it really is.

Nang natapos na akong mag-ayos, lumabas na ako.

Nakita ko si Julia. Sobrang ganda niya! She is wearing an orange gown with glitter all over. Ang ganda rin ng pagkaayos ng buhok niya! She really prepared for this.

"Omg, Zaya! Ang ganda-ganda mo!" She complimented.

"Ikaw kaya ang maganda!"

After a little while, we arrived at the venue where the mystery ball is held. Bago kami pumasok sa loob ng venue, sinuot muna namin ang aming mga maskara.

"Hey, let's dance! Find a partner!" Ani Julia.

"H-Huh? No! Ikaw na lang ang sumayaw." Sabi ko naman sabay iling. I cleared my throat. "I'm... nervous."

"This is the fun you should try, Zaya. Masasayahan ka kung susubukan mo lang." She said with a smile. "I'll just be within your reach."

"O-Okay. Have fun, Juls!" I said, and I went to the table full of drinks.

I found a glass of champagne. I grabbed the glass and sipped a little bit.

Nang hindi pa ako mapadpad dito sa DU, I go to bars. I drink tequila, champagne, beer, whiskey, etc. I also drink Jack Daniels, o di kaya'y Black Label, pero minsan lang. I am not a heavy drinker. Hindi ako lasinggera. Minsan lang naman ako umiinom. I have to control myself because I'm the type of person who gets drunk easily.

Nang naubos ko na ang champagne ay may lumapit sa akin na isang lalake. "Miss, can we dance?"

"Maybe later," I said with a smile.

The guy just smiled with his perfect white teeth! He also has these beautiful gray eyes and lips, and I was kind of surprised with his eyes because it's the first time I saw that kind of eye.

Ano ba yan, Zaya, you had the chance to dance with an unknown person, but you didn't grab it!

Another man approached me. "Hey, can we dance?"

"Yeah—"

"Back off,"

I immediately turned around when I heard another guy's voice behind me. He was tall, lean, and muscular. But still, I couldn't see who it was because he had a mask on.

"S-Sorry. Y-Yeah, I-I'll back off." Sabi nung nagyaya sa akin na may takot. Umalis siya agad. The hell?

"Excuse me?" I scoffed.

"Let's dance," He coolly said and immediately grabbed my waist, and he placed my hand on his shoulders.

The next song for the dance is played by a pianist. The song was a popular one by Chopin.

"What do you think you're doing, Mister?" I irritatedly said.

"Oh, come on, honey, don't be mad. Minsan lang to. Huwag mo naman akong sungitan." He said with a chuckle.

That voice and that chuckle... So familiar. So damn familiar. But I can't seem to remember where I heard it.

"The fuck, 'honey'?" I spat. Nagulat ako sa tinawag niya sa'kin!

"Watch your beautiful mouth,"

"Sino ka ba kasi, ha?"

"This is a mystery ball, honey. This will be no fun if I tell you my name," He said in a husky tone.

"Hmm... your voice is familiar, though. Have we met before?" I suspiciously asked.

"We have met, alright. A couple of times." Nakangiti niyang sagot.

"What?! That is so unfair! Kilala mo na pala ako. Eh ako naman, hindi kita kilala." I said and I pouted.

He chuckled.

Those eyes of his are so mesmerizing! Bigla akong nag-iwas ng tingin sa kanya. And I could say that this guy is handsome too. Like he has it all.

My heart was beating fast na para bang sasabog na 'to.

The piece, Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 by Chopin, that's played by the pianist, is so good to hear while we're dancing.

The guy I am dancing with twirled me, and when I turned back, I slammed onto his chest and I could hear his heart beating so fast and loud.

A new song played after the Nocturne piano piece.

🎶Come up to meet you
Tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are🎶

🎶I had to find you, tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart🎶

🎶Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions
Oh let's go back to the start🎶

🎶Running in circles,
Coming up tails
Heads on a silence apart🎶

🎶Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part

Nobody said it was easy
Nobody said it would be this hard...
Oh take me back to the start🎶

My heart started beating faster, and so did his. It's like our hearts are beating on the same rhythm.

What the heck is this feeling? Hindi ko nga kilala itong lalakeng kasayaw ko tapos ganito ang nararamdaman ko? No, I think this is just infatuation again. I really am overthinking!

🎶I was just guessing the numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart🎶

🎶Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart🎶

🎶Tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start🎶

🎶Runnin' in circles
Chaising our tails
Coming back as we are🎶

🎶Nobody said it was easy
Oh its such a shame for us to part 🎶

🎶Nobody said it was easy
Nobody said it would be this hard
I'm going back to the start🎶

"I love that song," Aniya at namumungay ang kanyang mga mata.

"Me too," I said, and I immediately stood straight dahil hindi ko pala namamalayan na kanina pa ako nakasandal sa dibdib niya. "S-Sorry."

"It's okay," He said and smiled again, his hazelnut-colored eyes also smiling. "I hope we can still stay like this, but we will get back to normal."

"W-What?" I asked, confused.

"After this night, you will never find out who I am." He said.

I was shattered like hell. What does he mean?

"W-Why?"

"I think you don't have to find out who you are dancing with." He said that shattered my heart.

"Is this still a part of the mystery ball? And have I done anything wrong?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong sa kanya. What's with him?

"Let's just pretend that it is a part of the ball. And no, you haven't done anything wrong." He said. "Bye, Zaya."

I was shocked. He really knows me! He knows my name!

After he said his last words, he blended in the crowd, leaving me na parang tangang iniwan.

I wish he didn't dance with me at all. I wish that the dance never happened. Iiwan niya naman pala ako sa bandang huli. Such a bastard! Sana hindi niya na lang ako isinayaw. Iniwan niya lang ako sa ere.

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