Kanina pa nakahiga si Red pero hindi pa rin siya makatulog. It's not like Troy's her first kiss. But there's something about that moment, that situation, the exact time that it happened that put a huge lump on her throat.

It was so picturesque. And there's nothing picturesque about her life. If anything, it was miserable and sad and gloomy. Oh boo hoo.

But for a while, that moment felt right. It felt so right, that she knew something's wrong. Maybe she just misses her old family. Maybe she just wasn't getting enough love. Whatever it is, she needs to figure it out soon.

The soft knock at the door jolted her back to reality.

"Red?"

"What?"

Vico opened the door and let himself in. Naupo ito sa gilid ng kama niya.

"Hindi ka rin makatulog?"

"I was about to," she lied. "What do you want?"

The light from the window illuminated Vico's face. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?" patay-malisya niyang tanong. Of course, he's asking about the kiss. Kung makapagtanong naman ito, akala mo'y hindi pa nahahalikan ng boyfriend nito.

"Come on, you know what I'm talking about."

She just stared blankly at him.

"The kiss!" he said excitedly.

"Kiss? You call that a kiss?"

"E ano pa pala yun?"

"That's just two pairs of lips touching, for acting purposes. It was nothing more than that."

"Right. And pigs can fly."

"It wasn't even that great, Vico. Get over it."

"If it wasn't that great, then why are you still up, thinking about it?"

Lalong lumaki ang ngiti nito nang hindi siya nakasagot.

"I wasn't."

"Asus! Maglolokohan pa ba tayo, Red?"

Tumagilid siya ng higa at saka nagtalukbong ng kumot. "Matulog ka na."

"Okay, fine. But if you need someone to listen to you when you can finally admit to yourself that you're starting to like Troy, then I'm just here. I'll be your ear. Good night, Red."

--

She didn't sleep well. It felt like she didn't even sleep at all. Mag-a-alas singko na yata nang makatulog siya. Pakiramdam niya ay limang minuto lang siyang nakatulog. When she woke up, it was already eight and Vico's already dressed for work.

Ayaw pa niyang bumangon. Pagod na pagod siya this past weekend. Ni hindi man lang siya nakapagpahinga ng maayos. Tapos ngayon, Monday na naman. Trabaho na naman.

Vico forced her inside the shower. "Maligo ka na. We'll be late again! Monday traffic, remember?"

"Kung mali-late man tayo, it's your entire fault. Ang layo kasi sa office ng binili mong bahay."

Vico rolled his eyes. "Fine, kasalanan ko na. Would you just hurry up?"

She slammed the door on his face.

She stepped out of the shower after an hour. Napakunot agad ang noo niya nang wala siyang marinig na ingay. Vico should be fuming mad by now. But the house was empty. Nang pumunta siya sa kusina ay ang pagkain na lamang niya ang nadatnan niya.

Umalis na 'ko. Ang tagal mo. Ang dami ko pang gagawin. Si Vince na raw ang bahala sa 'yo. –Your Prettiest Cousin

"Crap."

Bumalik siya sa kwarto niya para magbihis. It took her thirty minutes to get dressed and do her makeup. Tutunganga pa sana siya nang maalala niyang si Vince nga pala ang magsasabay sa kanya papuntang office.

"Crap!"

Dali-dali siyang bumaba sa kusina para kumain. Pasado alas diyes na nang makalabas siya ng bahay. She found Vince scowling in the frontyard.

"What took you so long?!"

"Hindi minamadali ang kagandahan."

"It would have been easier if you were just born with it."

She gaped at his comeback. "What did you mean by that?"

"Nothing." He opened the car's door. "Get in."

Sumunod na lamang siya since late na talaga sila. And because it was Monday, halos tanghalian na silang nakarating sa office.

"Next time, ride your own car," inis nitong sabi sa kanya pagka-park nito ng sasakyan.

"Sinabi ko bang ihatid mo 'ko?"

"Don't worry, hindi ko na uulitin."

They stepped inside the elevator. The air was heavy, as it always is when they're alone. Umuna siyang lumabas ng elevator sa lobby. Separate kasi ang elevators ng parking at kainan sa elevators ng offices.

"Good morning, ma'am," lakas-loob na bati sa kanya ng isang empleyado when she boarded the car.

Tinanguan lamang niya ito. But that was saying something, considering that she doesn't really acknowledge those who she deem are below her. They gave her ample space as always. They still kept their distance, especially when Vince boarded right next to her.

Kagaya ng dati ay wala na namang salitaang namagitan sa dalawa. At dahil tahimik sila ay tahimik na rin ang mga empleyadong kasabay nila. Para tuloy mortal sin ang magsalita.

Halos lahat ng nakasakay sa elevator ay bumaba sa floor nila. They immediately dispersed into their own cubicles and offices. Pagkarating niya sa office ay may nakahanda na siyang kape. But Vico's not around. Agad niya itong tinawagan.

"Where are you?"

"Lunch," he curtly replied.

"It's early. Get your ass back here!"

"Hello! It's eleven freaking thirty na, couz! Ang tagal mo kaya! And besides, I'm with important people right now."

Her eyebrow arched. "May mas importante pa ba bukod sa 'kin?"

"Marami," sagot nito.

"Ibabawas ko 'to sa sweldo mo," banta nya, which Vico just laughed off.

"They want to say hi. Hold on." He put her on speaker.

"Ate!"

A smile automatically formed on her lips when she heard the girls' voices.

"Ariesa, Ela..."

"Have you eaten? Come have lunch with us! Kao-order lang namin."

"Busog pa ako e. Some other time na lang."

"Aww... sige na, ate. We missed you!"

"Wala pa kasi akong nasisimulang trabaho."

"Ano ka ba naman, Red. Wala ka namang sisimulang trabaho e," singit ni Vico. "Nandito lang kami sa patio. Come down."

She hesitated. Alam kasi niyang pagdi-diskitahan na naman siya ng mga ito. Nakahanap pa kasi ng kakampi ang pinsan niya. Now, there's three of them to pester her.

"I'm not really hungry."

"You don't have to eat."

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng pag-iisip nang mamataan niya si Vince sa 'di kalayuan. Sinenyasan niya ito at saka nilapitan.

"May lakad kasi kami ni Vince e."

"Vince? Who's Vince?"

"He's my..."

She shoved the phone on Vince's face. Kunot-noo naman nito iyong tinanggap.

He cleared his throat. "Her boss."

Kinuha niyang muli ang phone. "See? We'll be having a lunch meeting in five. So bad timing, guys. I'll see you next time na lang."

"Aww... okay, ate."

"Sorry sa abala."

She ended the call. Vince was waiting for an explanation.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing. Pwede ka nang bumalik sa office mo."

"I believe I just did you a favor," he said, as the corner of his lips curve up to a smile. "So pay me with lunch."

"You're rich, Vince. Treat yourself to lunch."

"I know I'm rich, but that doesn't change the fact that you owe me. Plus, you made me wait for an hour."

"Fine!" she spat, para matahimik lang ito. People seemed to be enjoying her annoyance. Ang dami kasing nambibwisit sa kanya.

Wala naman siyang problema sa panlilibre e. It's his company that's bothering her. She told him na huwag sila sa patio kumain dahil nandoon sina Ela. Baka magtampo ang mga ito sa kanya. To her surprise, sa likuran ng company siya nito dinala.

May mga food trucks doon. Maraming empleyado mula sa iba't ibang kumpanya ang kumakain nang nakatayo. Sa tabi naman ng mga ito, may mga naninigarilyo.

"Vince, I'm not broke. You can choose a more refined place to eat."

"I eat here often," he said nonchalantly.

She didn't buy that. And why would she? Vince is rich enough to buy an establishment. Why would he eat in such a place? But he was telling the truth. Kilala nito ang mga nandoon, mapa-tindero o empleyado man.

Sa pinakamalayong food truck nito naisipang kumain. Samu't saring pagkain ang nandoon. May kwek-kwek at tokneneng pa, which Vince readily bought.

"Akala ko ba libre ko?" tanong niya.

"I changed my mind. Eat those and we're even."

She grimaced at the food. The eggs were coated in orange batter na mukhang nilagyan ng food coloring. The people around her it those with a stick. Saka may sweet sauce na pwedeng sawsawan.

"Kung gusto mong magka-hepa, sana hindi ka na nandamay," she told him.

"Masarap yan."

"I don't care. It looks disgusting."

He just shrugged and ate his food with gusto. He even asked for seconds! Nang mapansin nitong hindi niya ginagalaw ang pagkain niya ay tumusok ito ng isang kwek-kwek at saka iniumang sa bibig niya. He forced her to take a bite.

"Things aren't always as bad as they seem," he said. "If you will just open up yourself to life, you'll find it really enjoyable, Regina."

He gave her his most genuine smile to date.