The god of love is an asshole.

In Greek Mythology, Eros is a love-stricken being, arrowing hearts and making people fall in love with each other.

This Eros in front of me is a full-time jerk.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a cold voice.

I equaled the hard look on my face and stepped forward, carrying my Birkin briefcase.

"I work here now."

"Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath, not even trying to hide the disappointment on his face.

His expression reminded me of my mother's usual expression each time I disappointed her with my actions.

A shaky breath left my lips unexpectedly. Nag-angat ng tingin si Eros, sinusuri ang mukha ko. I looked away quickly and wished the time to speed up. Sa lahat ba naman ng makakasabay ko sa elevator, siya pa?

The worst part is, we are alone together.

I used to love the comfortable silence between us, but now it is killing me. I used to ache for his touch, but now I just want to be as far as possible from him. I used to be devoted to the god of love, but now I despise all the myths.

I don't need to look at him. Even without glancing, and a gun pointed to my head, I could memorize his features out loud. A small mole located near his temple. His skin is raw and smooth and milk-white, especially at his clenched jaw bedded with a week's worth of shave. His lips curved delicately, and with a cigarette hanging lazily in his young days. His hair is thick and dark with both sides partly shaved and the rest unruly yet sexy. He's the only person who can style his hair that way and still look very prominent in a suit.

When the doors opened, I immediately stepped out and was greeted by a hubbub of paparazzo, their cameras shuttering away and firing questions to us.

"Attorney Roman, did you really transfer to this firm just to defend the ex-convict, Corazon?"

"Attorney Roman, what is your statement about the victim's family who wants you to step down from your profession?"

"Please give us a comment!"

I turned, just in time when a huge camera came into view. The flash went off, I blinked.

"Keep your posture, Shantel," Mommy whispered discreetly while standing next to me.

Lumawak ang ngiti ko habang kinukunan kaming tatlo ng litrato. Dad stood firm next to me while my mother looks like a model rather than a devoted wife. The photographer signaled a thumbs up and then we went inside to join the party.

There were pumpkins hanging everywhere with glowing eyes and a Cheshire cat's smile. The once-bright mansion is haunted and dim, while the chatters of the guests echoed everywhere. Music is playing somewhere. One of the helpers went down with a bucket of candies for the kid's trick-or-treat.

Lumayo muna ako kina Mommy nang makita nila ang isa sa mga kaibigan at nakipag-usap. A waitress offered me rosé. I gladly accepted it and smiled at her. Sa kanang kamay niya ay bahagya niyang itinaas ang isang pumpkin bucket at ipinakita sa akin ang laman nito.

It was filled with plush animal ear headbands. Napangisi ako. I saw the ears of cats, zebras, rabbits, and elephants.

"Bagay po 'to sa inyo,"

Pumili ako ng isa at isinuot iyon. It was a soft, velvet rabbit's ears. I giggled at the thought of it. Whatever. I came here as Jessica Rabbit anyway.

"Shantel..."

Nilingon ko si Mommy na bahagya akong tinapik. She looked really stunning tonight, dress in liquid gold dress and her signature red nails. The makeup artist has outdone herself because she looked 10 years younger than her actual age. She carried herself with elegance and splendor as she usually did, and she's basking with the muted desired looks from men in the party. I pretended not to notice, but I can see it each time she walks past them. They can't open their mouths or take a step closer. She, after all, is the governor's wife.

She eyed me from head to toe, then sighed.

Hindi pa man nakakapagsalita si Mommy, pakiramdam ko disappointment na ako.

"What are you even supposed to be?"

"Jessica Rabbit, mommy." Siniglahan ko ang boses para hindi niya mapansin ang panginginig nito. I cower under her gaze and regret rebelling against her but I really wanted to wear the red dress for this Halloween party.

Napailing nalang si mommy at hindi na ako pinansin nang lumapit ang isa sa mga amiga niya. The two of them talked and walked away, leaving me alone in the crowd. Nagpalinga-linga ako.

I wished I tried harder in convincing Stormie to attend this party.

I pulled the sheer violet gloves higher and walked aimlessly. It's so funny because I know everyone here but somehow, I still ended up alone. Feeling alone in the crowd is one of the worst feelings ever.

Everyone says that I'm lucky. Lucky to have both the face and the money. A person should only have one of the two. To be born with both is considered el afortunado. They all assume that I only need to breathe and lead this beautiful, glamorous life that we painted in the public's eyes.

Gaia greeted me, squealing. She's dressed as Juliet, I think, with a white dress and white wings. It suited her because she's pale and tall, with a slender figure and an angelic face.

"So glad you're here! Nasa pool sina Ylona," excited niyang wika at kumapit sa braso. "You know what, Daddy invited some politicians too and their sons are here. Boys from ADMU!" pinanlakihan niya ako ng mga mata.

I chuckled awkwardly, not really interested. I've had little boyfriends before but they didn't really last. For me, relationships are boring and time-consuming. Texting them good mornings and good nights felt like a chore, even kissing is exhausting especially if the guy is all clumsy and flustered and inexperienced.

Basta, ayoko sa mga ka-edad ko. Para sa akin, totoy lang sila.

"I'm gonna join you in a sec, just let me go to the ladies' room first."

"Alright!" she said chirpily. "See you."

When she was gone, I looked around to escape. Hindi ko naman talaga kailangang mag-banyo. I just didn't want to join them. They're exhausting. I know if they're not gonna talk about boys, they'll compare the price tags of dresses that each other wore to the Halloween party. At first, it was fun, but then, I realized it was senseless and a waste of time.

The dry wine isn't supposed to make me dizzy, but it did and to my utter surprise topped with the dark surroundings and chaotic dancing bodies, I crashed into a hard wall.

"Shit."

The wall cursed.

Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong nag-angat ng tingin. My throat went dry for a moment when I met the most intense, dark eyes I've ever seen. He held me captive of his gaze until I realize that he's looking down at me angrily.

"I-I'm sorry..." I stammered.

He's tall and lean and I don't know him. I freaked out for a bit. Why don't I know him? I reviewed the guest profile earlier before coming here, just in case. He's not on the list! Whose son or inheritor is he?

"Unbelievable," he muttered while pulling out a hanky from his pocket and wiping the wine that bled through his crisp black dress shirt.

I blinked.

Unbelievable.

Napaawang ang bibig ko. I thought he's going to apologize to me for crashing against me, but he made me apologize to him instead! He's so annoyed and he didn't even bother to hide it to my face. No one has ever done that to me!

Ever since I reached 14, I was so used to boys throwing themselves at my feet or literally begging for my attention. Maybe that was the reason I got so bored of them. I grew up defining them as desperate young men who just want to be seen with a pretty girl in their arms.

"I'm sorry?" maldita kong tanong sa kaniya.

He glanced at me again, brows knitted together in annoyance. If he stays still and doesn't open his mouth, he would look like a model shooting for a magazine's cover in Halloween's edition. He's wearing all black with black wings that really matched his slightly curled and unruly hair. Lumipat ang tingin ko sa tainga niya nang kuminang ang suot niyang hikaw. A thin, silver cross earring hung lazily on his left ear. This guy is so seductive, even without lifting a finger. Any woman would feel like making a deal with the devil at the sight of him.

"Move, bunny." His deep voice sounded, scattering my thoughts away.

I blinked again, dumbfounded. Did he just call me... bunny?

Hindi pa ako nakakabawi ay nilampasan na niya ako, halatang nagmamadali. My knees wobbled, trying to make out bits and pieces of him in the dark. It was like a movie ending, a lonesome dark angel disappearing in the darkness with fog trailing after him.

Only that we weren't in a movie.

"Move, bunny."

I felt Eros' arms gently pushing me to step back while his other arm guarded me from the aggressive reporter who really wanted my statement. I looked up at him in the middle of the chaos, and something in his dark eyes shifted. The same look he used to give me before when I was still his lover.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa brief case at inalis ang tingin sa kaniya. I looked back at the reporter and defiantly lifted my chin.

"I'll see them in court, then," I said briskly before walking away with Eros by my side.

I was a storm with skin. Running into him and getting ambushed by the reporters weren't my idea of my first day of work. The skin where he touched me earlier was still on fire and I had to stop walking just to pull my shit together. Eros ignored me, though, like he always does. He walked wordlessly towards his car while I was left there, standing and staring into him.

The myths are curse. Eros did descend from heaven, dressed in a purple cape with a huge arrow. He appeared from the darkness with black wings. This is what you get by loving a broken man. This is what you get from trying to fix him. He'll make you realize one thing...

I am not his Psyche.