"Ang glowing mo ngayon. Did something good happen?" Olive asked first thing in the morning. Pagkarating sa school ay 'yon agad ang bungad niya.

But seriously? Do I really look glowing? Mukhang 'di naman. Sa totoo lang ay hirap na hirap akong maglakad dahil ang sakit ng ano ko. I'm sore because of what happened to us last night.

I giggled. Ang sarap palang matulog at maggising na katabi siya. Kakaiba sa pakiramdam. It's addicting.

"Huh? Talaga? Hindi naman ah," nakangisi kong sagot.

She raised a brow. "Weh? Talaga?"

"Oo nga! Grabe naman 'to. Syempre masaya lang ako."

"Masaya? Yieee! Kayo na ba?"

Pakiramdam ko ay bigla akong namula. Oo nga, kami na nga pala, at hindi lang iyon. Hmm. Damn. Nasaan na ba kasi boyfriend ko?

"Well..." I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling too wide, baka kasi isipin bigla ni Olive na nagmamayabang ako.

"OMG!" She shrieked and pinched my arm. "Kayo na nga! Ang landi mo! Nauna ka pa sa akin!"

"Aray! Kaw kasi e, huwag mo nang hintayin 'yon!" Pagbibiro ko at hinampas lang niya ako.

"Landi at yabang mo! Libre mo nga ako, total may lovelife ka naman!"

"Tse!"

We were busy bickering with each other in front of our classroom nang makita kong papalapit na sa amin si Lazarus na dala ang coffee namin.

"Baby!" I smiled and waved at him. Dumiretso naman siya sa akin.

I smirked and held his right hand.

"Tangina ang sakit niyo sa mata, papasok na nga lang ako." Ani Olive at nagmamadali nang tinalikuran kami.

I just chuckled. Nasa gano'ng ayos kami nang biglang may tumikhim sa likod namin and when I turned my back, I saw our new professor, Sir Marcus, looking at us.

Lazarus let go of my hand. Agad din akong lumayo sa kanya. Nahiya ako bigla dahil nakita niya pa kaming magkahawak ng kamay.

"Good morning, Sir." I shyly greeted.

Ngumiti siya sa akin. "Good morning, Miss Gonzales. You look great today."

Hala, pati siya? Teka...

Nakakahiya naman, ang gwapo pa ni Sir.

"Let's go inside, stop looking so happy that he greeted you." Ani Lazarus.

Napataas ako ng kilay. Selos ba ang bebe? Ang cute naman.

"Bakit? Ang cute kaya ni Sir." Nakangisi kong sagot.

Bigla siyang sumeryoso. "Don't go near him."

Ases. Selos lang e. Cute cute.

"Oo na, chill." I chuckled before diverting my attention to the class.

Since Lazarus and I agreed to go to his friends' party, right after the class ay nagready na kami. It's a pool party kaya casual lang din ang outfit na sinuot ko. Just a chiffon floral cropped top and a skirt. Saka nalang ako magsusuot ng two-piece pagkarating doon.

Nag-ayos din ako ng konti, light make-up lang para maemphasize ang features ko.

"You ready?" He asked when I boarded the car.

Tumango naman ako.

It wasn't a long drive dahil sa Makati lang din naman pala ang house ng friend niyang host ng party. Sa isa itong exclusive village kung saan mayayaman lang din ang naroon.

Nakakapagtaka tuloy, pakiramdam ko kasi ang yayaman din ng mga nakapaligid kay Lazarus. What if secret billionaire din pala siya?

"Are you okay?" He asked when he saw my reaction, hindi ko namalayang napatulala na pala ako sa kanya.

"Uh, yeah," I chuckled and looked away.

Medyo nakakahiya pero boyfriend ko naman siya, kaya okay lang naman sigurong tumitig?

He held my hand after that, as if he's trying to calm me from my thoughts. And I find that sweet. Nakaramdam ako ng butterflies sa tiyan ko. Totoo nga pala iyon, siya ang patunay.

When the car stopped, he suddenly pulled me close to him and gently kissed my lips.

"Will you really be okay?" He asked.

Ngumiti naman ako at tumango.

"Hindi naman siguro nangangagat mga kaibigan mo?" I chuckled.

Sa totoo lang ay medyo kinakabahan ako dahil baka hindi nila ako magustuhan, lagi naman kasing gano'n ang nangyayari. But I want to do this, pakiramdam ko kasi ay ito lang ang paraang mayroon ako ngayon para mas makilala ang taong mahal ko.

"No, they don't. But they're messy."

I laughed. "Okay lang 'yan, messy rin ako."

We went inside after that, the house is actually very modernized. Ang ganda ng pagkakadesign, halatang expensive.

"Hey! What a miracle!" The guy from last time smirked when he saw us, may hawak siyang wine sa kanang kamay niya.

Cire is his name sa pagkakaalala ko.

"Yeah, I thought it's just talk shit, pero totoo pala." Leon added.

I already met them last time kaya pamilyar na sila sa akin.

"Ohh..." Cire suddenly threw a knowing look when he saw our intertwined fingers. "Kayo na?" He asked.

"Shut up." Lazarus uttered and pulled me with him.

Cire laughed while Leon was eyeing us with his serious eyes. Bigla tuloy akong kinabahan.

"Brace yourself, Lui. Georgia's inside, as well as Moreen and Suzuyo."

Georgia, Moreen, and Suzuyo?

Before I could ask ay pumasok na kami sa loob. Tumambad sa amin ang isang malawak na sila. May isang naroon at gulat na napatingin sa amin.

"Lui? Seriously? Ngayon ka lang nagpakita?" Gulat niyang saad at agad na lumapit kay Laz. Muntik naman akong napasigaw nang umamba ito ng suntok, but Lazarus swiftly avoided that.

"Don't scare her, Jasper." Aniya gamit ang kanyang nakakatakot na boses.

"Whoa whoa, you got yourself a girlfriend?" Tila hindi niya makapaniwalang tanong bago bumaling sa akin. "Nauto ka nito, Miss? Paano? Ang ganda mo pa naman tapos pumatol ka sa kanya?"

H-ha?

Tila natutop ko ang dila ko, biglang 'di ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko.

"Ah...eh."

He smiled and I was surprised when he extended his hand.

"Chill, huwag kang matakot sa akin. I'm Jasper, one of the—."

"My friend." Lazarus cut him off as his blazing eyes pierced unto him, tila may pinag-uusapan gamit ang mata, and I suddenly wonder what? O baka naman namamalikmata lang ako?

"Yes, his friend." Aniya at tumango.

Ngumiti ako. "I'm Kelssey. Lazarus' girlfriend."

"Oh, sweet. Sana all nalang."

Muli ay hinila ako ni Lazarus palayo pagkatapos. Tawang-tawa naman 'yong Jasper.

I think ang weird?

Lazarus opened a sliding door which revealed the pool.

"Lui?" A familiar girl emerged from the lounge chair.

Teka... hindi ba't siya 'yong?

"So we meet again," aniya nang mapunta sa akin ang tingin niya.

Bigla akong nanlamig sa napagtanto. Siya 'yong babae sa convenience store no'ng nasa Albay kami. So magkakilala pala talaga sila? Sino ba siya?

She smiled at me. "Hi, I'm Suzuyo. Your boyfriend's friend, I guess?" Aniya at ngumisi kay Laz.

"Shut it. You're scaring her."

She chuckled. "You're the one who'll scare her, Lui. Trust me." Aniya at nilampasan na kami.

That girl is so pretty but she's also kind of weird... and scary. I don't want to be alone with her.

And what she just said makes me think. Like... what does she mean by that?

"So sa wakas nagka girlfriend ka na rin ulit? Is that the reason kung bakit halos hindi ka na namin makontak? Gosh, you freak. We almost thought you already left the country pero nandito ka lang naman pala." Another girl from the pool talked. Nakasuot siya ng sunglasses no'ng una ngunit nang hubarin na niya iyon ay napatulala nalang ako.

She's like a goddess! And heck, she also looks familiar! Parang nakita ko na sa magazine or something. Hindi kaya model siya?

Grabe, ang big time naman ng mga friends ni Lazarus.

"I'm busy." Ani Lazarus at mariing tiningnan ang babae.

The girl sighed and emerged from the pool, revealing her slender body na parang model nga.

"Busy? Flirting?" Aniya at tiningnan ang kamay naming magkahawak. Ngumisi siya. "Kidding. I'm happy for you, Lui. Finally."

Lumapit siya sa amin pagkatapos at inilahad ang kamay sa akin.

"I'm Moreen. Isabella Moreen. And you're?"

I smiled and held her hand. "Kelssey. Kelssey Resziele."

I don't know why, but her eyes widened a bit upon hearing my name.

"Kelssey is your name?" She asked.

Tumango ako, now curious on why she's acting like something is strange.

"Ah, okay. Sorry. Pakiramdam ko kasi narinig ko na ang pangalan mo dati, nakalimutan ko na nga lang kung saan. Sorry!" Bawi niya at muli akong nginitian.

"It's okay." Nakangiti ko ring tugon.

"By the way, you should change into swimwear! Swim tayo!" She enthusiastically said and held my hand. "Sensya ka na, Lui. Akin muna girlfriend mo ngayon." Aniya at hinila na ako papasok.

"Hey, Moreen." Lazarus tried to snatch me from her but I motioned him to stop.

Okay lang naman. Moreen seems nice and friendly.

"Tara, I'll show you Lui's room here. Doon ka na rin magpalit."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "May room siya rito?"

"Yeah, kaming lahat meron actually. Hideout naming magkakaibigan 'to e. We like it here because Cire's security is good!" She answered.

Tumango naman ako.

She opened a room near the stairs at agad naman akong namangha pagkapasok. It's spacious and the color palette accurately represents Lazarus' personality. Cold and dark.

Moreen sighed as she held the door of Lazarus' room.

"You know what? I'm really happy right now. Akala ko kasi noon imposible na sa kanya na magmahal pagkatapos ng nangyari, akala ko habang-buhay na lang siyang mababalot ng lamig, galit, at pagsisisi, but here he is now... he finally found a new love with you."

Uh... what should I say.

"Is this... about what happened to her ex?" I asked with my trembling lips.

"So you already know about her?" She asked.

I nodded. "I just heard a little."

Moreen smiled. "So you accepted him even with that kind of past?"

"Y-yes..." I uttered.

She sighed. "I hope you won't leave him, Kelssey. He's been through a lot already. And when time comes..." she suddenly stopped. "I mean when tough times come, I hope you'll still stay with him."

I bit my lip and nodded. I didn't anticipate this kaya hindi ako nakapaghanda ng maayos na sasabihin, parang nakakahiya tuloy.

"I know she would always hold a special place in his heart, maybe he would never forget about her, but I could see that his feelings for you are genuine. Afterall, you're the one who melted that ice around him, you must really mean a lot to him. And you two really look good together, kaya I'll support you!"

Whoa. Ang bait naman niya. I suddenly want to cry. And her words... means a lot to me.

"Thank you, Moreen." I thanked her and gave her a genuine smile.

"Nako, ang drama na. Sige na nga, magbihis ka na d'yan."

Tumango ako at pumasok na sa room.

I changed into swimwear and fixed my hair, ngunit bigla naman akong nabother dahil parang ang gulo naman yata ng buhok ko. I suddenly want to put it into ponytail, kaso parang wala akong dalawang pantali.

A handkerchief will do sana, I suddenly wonder if Laz got one.

I reached for my phone and dialled his number dahil tinatamad akong lumabas ng kwarto, good thing sinagot din naman agad niya.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

I chuckled, ang OA naman ng bungad niya.

"Chill, I'm just wondering kung may handkerchief ka rito sa room mo? I'm just gonna tie my hair."

"Oh, yeah. I have. Check the lower drawer."

Tumango ako at binuksan ang drawer na sinasabi niya. Muntik ko namang mabitawan ang phone ko dahil sa bumungad sa akin no'ng binuksan ko ang drawer.

Isang larawan.

Sino...

"Baby? Are you okay? Did you find it?" He asked from the other line but my attention was already focused on the photo I was holding.

Is she...

My hands started trembling.

"Baby? Are you there? Should I help you?"

Napaupo ako sa sahig. Damn.

"N-no. Nakita ko na." I answered and ended the call immediately.

My hands continued trembling as I flipped the photo I was holding.

I read what was written at the back, which was obviously written by Lazarus.

"Marian Ariza Ferrer... mi amoré."

Fuck... I know her... I know his ex fiancé!