"Red, wake up. We're late!"

Napahawak siya sa ulo. Bigla iyong dumagundong dahil sa lakas ng boses nung nagsalita. She opened one eye and it was directly hit by sunlight. Hawing-hawi ang kurtinang nakatabing sa bintana niya. She felt like puking.

"Go away," she managed to muster.

Ramdam niya ang paghila ng kumot na tumatalukbong sa kanya.

"You have a meeting by ten. Alas nwebe na, Red! Ang tagal-tagal mo pa namang maligo!"

Hinatak siya ni Vico pabangon. The sudden movement almost made her throw up. Buti ay napigilan niya ang sarili. Kinusot niya ang mata at saka pinanlisikan si Vico. Bihis na bihis na ito.

"It's a fucking Sunday!" paasik niyang sabi. "Can't I fucking rest on a fucking Sunday?!"

"Red, Troy's family is expecting us by ten. Hindi mo ba nabasa ang text ko kagabi?"

She hit her forehead with her palm. What meeting? Wala siyang maalala. Did she check her phone last night? Hindi niya maalala.

"Where's my phone?"

"Here."

She squinted at the screen. There's a lot of missed calls and new messages. Paubos na rin ang charge ng phone niya. She opened some and saw that they're from Vico, telling her about the so-called meeting.

"If the horse will come, I will not go."

"Horse?" Comprehension donned on Vico's face. "Oh, Tanya?"

"Who else?"

"I think she has an appointment with her derma and a certain spa today. She won't be around."

"She better not be. Ugh! Ang sakit ng ulo ko!"

Pinamay-awangan sya ni Vico. "E bakit ka ba kasi naglasing ha? Saka bigla ka na lang nawala kagabi. Pa'no ka nakauwi?"

"Vince."

"Ohhhh." He sat next to her, his face expectant. "Make kwento."

She rolled her eyes and grunted. "Masakit ang ulo ko, Vico. Huwag mong hintaying pasakitin ko rin ang ulo mo," she threatened.

"Come on, Red. Just tell me something. Anything! May nangyari ba last night?"

Binatukan niya ito ng malakas.

"Okay!" He raised his hands in defense. "Hindi na ako magtatanong."

He stood up and made her bed. Pinababa na rin siya nito para maligo.

"I'll cook you breakfast. What would you like to eat?"

"I don't feel like eating."

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Okay. Kakain ka rin naman mamaya pagdating sa venue. Coffee?"

"As usual."

--

Sa kamamadali ni Vico sa kanya ay hindi na siya nakaligo ng maayos. It usually takes her more than an hour to take a proper bath, but she doesn't have that much time. Pagkaligo ay humugot na lamang siya ng kahit anong pula mula sa closet niya.

"No, you can't wear red, Red. May ipinadalang damit si Troy. Yun daw ang isuot mo."

"I don't want to."

"Don't make me force you into those clothes, Red."

Her eyes widened in unwanted surprise when she saw Troy leaning on the doorway. Kanina pa ba ito roon? Ni hindi man lang niya napansing pumasok na pala ito ng bahay.

"Lumabas ka nga!"

He eyed her appreciatively. Loose wet tendrils of hair are still clinging on her face. She tightened the towel around her. Mabuti na lamang at nasa kwarto rin si Vico. She didn't want to be alone with Troy wearing nothing but a towel. It's a disadvantage.

"You're not so tough without clothes on," puna ni Troy.

"Get the fuck out!"

His jaw clenched. "Can you not cuss on a Sunday? Umagang-umaga pa naman."

Imbes na sumagot ay kay Vico siya bumaling. "Make him leave."

Napakamot na lang ng ulo si Vico. He gave Troy a pleading look. Alam nitong maghuhuramentado na naman siya kapag hindi nasunod ang gusto.

"Fine, I'll leave. But wear this. Please."

Troy left a paper bag by the door saka ito bumaba ng hagdan. Agad naman niyang ini-lock ang pintuan. Tiningnan niya ang laman ng paper bag. She pulled out a pastel green blouse na may cuffed sleeves. Puti ang collar noon na lacy. May isang gold button sa hugpungan.

She made a disgusted face. "Sa lola nya ba 'to?"

May kasamang white cream cordoroy pants iyon na bitin sa dulo at isang pares ng cream strappy low heels.

"Isuot mo na lang kasi," sabi ni Vico sa kanya bago ito lumabas ng kwarto niya.

While contemplating on whether to wear the clothes that Troy brought her or to totally piss him off by wearing a red dress, she blow-dried her hair and did her makeup. She just finished putting on her red matte lipstick when she received a text message from the devil.

Don't try to piss me off, it said. Mukhang alam na nito ang nasa isip niya.

Sighing, isinuot na niya ang damit. Bumagay naman ito sa kanya. She was even quite surprised on how well it looks good on her. Hindi kasi siya sanay sa ganoong klase ng damit. Sobrang conservative. Parang ang tamlay pa ng kulay kasi pastel. Parang gulamang kulay green na may halong Alaska evaporada.

Napabuntong-hininga siya. Her mom used to make that. Namiss tuloy ulit niya ito.

Bago pa siya maiyak ay lumabas na siya ng kwarto.

--

Sa isang malawak na golf course sila pumunta. Member ng isang pang-mayamang men's club ang daddy ni Troy. And he owns half of the place. She tried not to look impressed.

May isang parabola tent sa tabi ng mga puno. May mga nakalagay doong tables. Naggu-golf na sina Ela at Ariesa kasama ang daddy nila.

"You're in for a long day, Vico," sabi niya sa pinsan na nasa backseat.

He simple grimaced.

Troy chuckled. "I'm sorry, Vico. My sisters seem to like you."

"Okay lang naman," sagot nito. "Medyo may pagka-clingy lang sila minsan."

They parked the car on a nearby parking lot tapos ay sumakay sila sa nakahandang golf cart papunta sa pamilya ni Troy. Agad na sumalubong sa kanila ang mga kapatid nito. She didn't know why they were so excited to see her. Parang unang beses yatang may natuwa pagkakita sa kanya.

"Yay! You wore the clothes we picked for you!"

"They look so nice on you, ate!"

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa ni Vico. She felt quite relieved na sinunod niya ang gusto ni Troy. There's this feeling na ayaw niyang ma-disappoint ang mga kapatid nito sa kanya. Kung sabagay, halos lahat kasi ng babaeng nakakasalamuha niya ay may galit sa kanya. It's just refreshing to be liked by females.

Nagpaalam ang dalawang babalik sa paglalaro ng golf. They made Vico come with them. Naiwan siyang nakatayo sa tabi ni Troy.

"You should have told me that they picked the clothes for me."

"Why? Would it make things easier?"

The corners of his lips curved up to a smile. Inismiran lang niya ito. She walked towards her mother. May kausap itong dalawang babae. Ang isa ay mukhang kaedaran nito at ang isa naman ay mukhang kasingtanda niya.

"Red, hija! I'm so glad you came!"

Nakipag-beso sa kanya si Henrietta.

"Hi, tita," bati niya sa matanda.

"I'd like to introduce you to Santina, she's Troy's best friend. And this is her mother, Antoinette."

Nakipag-beso sa kanya ang mag-ina. Santina looks a lot like Lily Collins, panipisin lang ang eyebrows. Maputi na mamula-mula ang kutis nito. May suot itong hat, the kind na isinusuot ng mga British women para sa tea party nila.

The mother wears the same kind of hat. They're both wearing pastel-colored dresses and strings of huge pearls on their delicate necks.

"Nasa party sila kahapon but you didn't get a chance to meet. Umuwi ka ba ng maaga?"

"Yes, I did. Sumakit kasi ang ulo ko."

Troy sat between Santina and her. Agad na kumapit ang dalaga sa braso ni Troy at ngumiti ng pagkatamis-tamis. The sight was so sickeningly perfect and the urge to hurl was so damn high. Huminga siya ng malalim para hindi masuka.

There's something about Santina that's off. Kuha agad ng radar niya ang kaplastikan nitong taglay. Unlike Ela's and Ariesa's, Santina's smiles are forced and tight. Aral ang bawat kilos at pananalita nito. In her years of existence, natutunan niyang huwag masyadong magtiwala sa taong masyadong kalkulado.

Nang magkwentuhan ang mga babae ay ramdam niyang parang ayaw siyang isali sa usapan ng mag-ina. Hindi umaabot sa kanya ang conversation bubble. Hanggang kay Troy lang. Si Henrietta lamang ang nagtatanong sa kanya. Tuwing sasagot naman siya, puputulin ni Antoinette ang usapan at ibabaling sa anak nito.

Kung hindi nga lamang dahil sa respeto niya sa mommy ni Troy ay baka kanina pa niya napatulan ang mga ito.

Napansin yata ni Troy ang pagiging uncomfortable nya.

"Do you want to play golf?" he asked.

"Yes," mabilis niyang sagot.

They excused themselves and headed towards Vico and the others. She doesn't really like golf. It's a boring game for her. Noong dinadala-dala siya ng daddy niya sa mga kagayang event ay nagpapaiwan siya sa golf cart at naggagalang mag-isa.

She didn't even bother learning the game.

"I'm not much of a golfer," she told Troy.

"We can fix that," he said with a smile.

Pumwesto ito sa likuran niya. Hinawakan siya nito sa kamay. She gripped the stick tighter, ready to bash his head with it if he did something funny. A few loud clicks made them both turn. Tatlong phones ang kumukuha ng pictures nila.

"I'll instagram this. May wifi naman, di ba?" tanong ni Ariesa kay Ela.

"Sa hotel, meron. Just use your mobile data."

Nagtawanan ang tatlo nang mapansing nakasimangot siya.

"You look good together," kumento naman ni Vico.

Siniko niya si Troy palayo.

"Ayoko na palang mag-golf."