Red woke up early the next morning. Akala niya'y panaginip lang ang lahat ng nangyari kagabi. But the unfamiliar bedroom told her otherwise. And the man sleeping beside her is not Vico, that's for sure.

Maingat niyang inalis ang kamay nito na nakapaikot sa bewang niya. Her breath hitched when he stirred. Dahan-dahan niya itong nilingon. He was still asleep. Relieved, she removed his hand and got up. Hinanap niya ang damit at saka iyon isinuot. Then she went downstairs.

Gutom na gutom na siya. Isang piraso ng apple lang ang kinain nya kagabi. Bago siya bumalik sa sailing bahay ay naghanap muna siya ng makakain sa kusina ni Troy. Baka bombahin siya ng tanong ni Vico mamaya, lalo lang siyang magutom.

Nadismaya siya nang makitang walang laman ang ref kundi beer, itlog at bacon. Hindi naman siya marunong magluto. Wala ring sinaing. Paano sya kakain nito? Ni walang biskwit o tinapay na naka-stock.

"Morning."

She felt his warmth on her back as he enveloped her in his arms. Isinarado niya ang pintuan ng ref at saka ito hinarap.

"Nagugutom ako."

"That's why I'm here."

"Eww, no!"

Troy laughed. "Ang dumi ng utak mo. I just meant na ipagluluto kita."

"Marunong ka?" taka niyang tanong.

Ngayon lang siya nakaramdam ng hiya dahil hindi siya marunong magluto. Kahit simpleng prito, hindi nya kaya.

"Omelette lang ang alam kong lutuin. So it's omelette or nothing. Is omelette okay?"

"May choice ba 'ko?"

"Wala," nakangiti nitong sagot. He made her sit and wait on the breakfast nook.

Troy went to the bathroom first. Naghilamos yata ito. Saka ito bumalik ng kusina para magluto. Nakamasid lamang siya rito. He didn't even bother to put a shirt on. Nadi-distract tuloy siya.

"Okay lang kung lalagyan ko ng bacon?" tanong nito maya-maya.

She simply shrugged. "Ikaw ang bahala."

"Huh... they don't usually like bacon," she heard him mutter.

"They?"

Ngumiti ito. "Wala."

Sinimangutan niya ito.

"Lahat ba sila, ipinagluto mo rin ng omelette after the deed?" Lalo siyang nainis nang hindi ito sumagot. "Ayoko na pala ng omelette."

She headed to the door.

"Red! Hey—wait!" He grabbed her by the arm. "Are you mad?"

She simply glared at him.

"Why are you mad? Nagseselos ka?"

"No, just disappointed," sagot niya. "Don't think that I'll fall for the same tricks you used to get those women, Troy."

Troy sighed. "Look, hindi naman ako nagmamalinis. I've been with other women before. But don't act like you haven't been with any man besides me."

"So ano'ng gusto mong gawin natin? Magpahabaan tayo ng listahan? Because you already went ahead and jotted down the names of every guy I ever dated since second year high school."

"Pwede bang kumalma ka muna?"

"I am calm!"

"Don't be unfair. I'm not judging you for your mistakes so please don't judge me for mine."

"I'm not judging you for your mistakes. I'm judging you for your decisions."

"So this is how you like this played? Fine! Then I'll judge you for your decisions too!" he snapped. "Ang sarap mong sukuan, alam mo ba yun? You're very tiring, Red. Masyadong high maintenance. Masyadong arogante. And you still wonder why no one loves you?"

That stung. It brought her spirit down. Yung galit niya, biglang napalitan ng depression. She tried hard not to cry. Gusto sana niya itong sampalin pero parang bumigat ang kamay niya. Bumigat ang buong katawan niya.

Mukhang na-realize din ni Troy kung gaano kasama ang dating ng sinabi nito sa kanya. He looked apologetic, but she didn't give him the chance to apologize.

"Save your apology, Troy. Hindi lang ikaw ang nagpamukha sa 'kin nyan. I'm already used to it."

"Red—"

"Thanks for last night, by the way."

--

"Hey! How's last night?" salubong sa kanya ni Vico. Nagluluto na ito ng almusal.

"It was great! Best fuck I've ever had!" she exclaimed.

Vico stopped what he's doing to study her face. "Uh-oh, what did he do?"

"What do you mean? Didn't you hear what I said?"

"Red, you're scaring me right now. What's wrong?"

"You're just imagining things, Vico. Bilisan mong magluto. Nagugutom na 'ko."

Umakyat siya sa taas para tingnan ang magkapatid. The two were still sleeping in Vico's bed. Nagkalat ang mga gamit ng pinsan niya. Mukhang nagkaroon ng dress up kagabi. Pumunta siya sa kwarto niya at nagkulong.

Namataan niya sa ulunan ng higaan ang bigay na unan ni Troy. Great, now she's going to hate the color again. Kinuha niya iyon at saka naghanap ng gunting. Sa kusina pa siya nakahanap. Vico kept on asking her what she's planning on doing with the shears pero hindi siya sumasagot. Akala yata nito'y maglalaslas na siya o ano.

She held the shears like they were knives and began stabbing the yellow pillow. Itinapon niya iyon nang makuntento siya. Nahiga muna siya sandali at pinag-isipan ang susunod na gagawin. It would be impossible to avoid Troy. His sisters will make it difficult for her. And she can't pretend that nothing happened between them, because something did.

She was actually starting to care for him, but then he had to open his mouth and ruin everything.

Natural na magseselos siya. She actually believed that there's something there other than attraction. She even let him break down her walls, made herself vulnerable. But it seems like she's just another woman for him. A bit of a challenge, maybe, but not different from the rest.

Nagmadali siya sa paliligo at ipinabalot na lamang kay Vico ang pagkain. She called her driver and waited. Nang dumating ang sundo ay agad siyang pumasok sa office. Siguradong magtataka ang mga empleyado because for the first time, darating sya sa office nang wala pang alas otso. But she didn't care. Gusto lang niyang makalayo.

Dahil maaga pa, nagpatuyo muna siya ng buhok. She didn't even manage to dry her hair dahil sa kamamadali niya. It's a good thing na kumpleto siya sa gamit kahit sa office. Nang matuyo ang buhok ay ini-lock niya ang pintuan ng office niya at saka siya umidlip sa sofa na nandoon.

She wasn't able to sleep well last night, no thanks to that asshole.

--

Akala ni Vico ay wala pa rin si Red sa office. Naka-lock kasi ang pintuan ng opisina nito saka patay ang ilaw. Good thing he has a spare key. Nakita niya itong natutulog sa sofa.

Natakot siya kay Red kanina. She's furious. Kilala na niya ito. Kahit gaano pa man kalaki ang ngiti nito, halata naman sa mata ang galit. He made her that mad before. Akala niya ay okay lang dito ang ginawa nya. But then the next day, he experienced her wrath. Kumbaga yung ganito, calm before the storm lang.

Hindi niya alam kung ano'ng ginawa ni Troy to make her mad like that.

Ayaw tuloy niya itong gisingin. Baka mapagbuntunan lang siya ng galit nito. So he went to the pantry instead and fixed her a cup of coffee. Iniwanan niya iyon sa lamesa nito. He's hoping that the smell of it would be enough to put her in a good mood.

--

Naalimpungatan si Red dahil sa sobrang sama ng panaginip niya. She was in bed with Troy, doing their thing, nang biglang may nagbukas ng pintuan ng kwarto. Pumasok ang isang babaeng may nakatapis lang na manipis na kumot. She's holding a tray, with a cup of coffee in it.

Then in came another one. And another. And another. Lahat ay nakatapis ng manipis na kumot at may dala-dalang kape.

Salubong na salubong tuloy ang kilay niya nang bumangon siya. Her anger seemed to have doubled nang makita niyang may kape sa lamesa niya.

"Vico!"

Dali-daling pumasok si Vico sa opisina niya. She could see the fear in his eyes. And she remembers the first time she put it there.

"Y-Yes?"

"Ipagtimpla mo 'ko ng hot chocolate."

"Ayaw mo nang kape?"

"Magpapatimpla ba ako sa 'yo kung gusto ko?" malumanay ngunit mariin niyang tanong.

Tumango si Vico at saka kinuha ang tasa. Saka ito lumabas ng opisina niya. Habang naghihintay ay nagsimula na siyang magtrabaho. Maya-maya pa ay bumukas ulit ang pintuan. Dinala ni Vico sa mesa niya ang bagong timplang hot chocolate.

"May package ka nga pala sa labas," sabi nito sa kanya.

"Already?"

He nodded. "Kunin ko ba?"

"Okay."

Kinuha ni Vico ang sinasabing package para sa kanya. Nakapagtataka namang ganito kaaga ang dating ng package.

Vico went back in with a bouquet of yellow roses in his hands. Inilapag nito iyon sa lamesa dahil wala syang intensyon na kunin iyon. He handed her the note.

I'm sorry for what I said earlier. –Troy

Kinuyom niya ang papel at saka itinapon sa basurahan.

"Red, he said he was sorry. Ano ba'ng ginawa nya?"

"He's not sorry enough to give this to me himself."

"Sabi ko kasi sa kanya, galit na galit ka. He's at the lobby. Shall I call him?"

She picked up the bouquet and threw it on the floor.

"Just tell him to get lost."