After a little touch up and change of outfit, Red looked like a completely different person from earlier that day. She smiled approvingly at herself in the mirror. Her lips went from being pink and sweet to feisty red.

"Are you done admiring yourself?"

She looked back at Vico and smiled. Halos thirty minutes rin siyang nag-ayos. Madaling-madali na ito dahil kanina pa nasa lobby si Mitch.

"Red, maganda ka na. I'm sure that he won't be able to take his eyes off of you. Can we please go now?"

Natuwa siya sa narinig. Nginitian niya ang pinsan at saka siya lumabas ng executive bathroom. Sumunod ito sa kanya papuntang elevator.

"Oo nga pala, sino yung date mo?" Vico asked.

"You'll see."

Her date was waiting for her outside at the lobby. Napangiti siya nang malaglag ang panga ni Vico. Of course, he'd seen him before. Vico had a crush on him. Baka nga ngayon ay mayroon pa rin.

"Godfrey."

The man smiled. "Regina."

She made a face. "I think it's better that we use nicknames, Frey."

Tumawa ito. "Right. You look ravishing."

"Thank you." She glanced at Vico. "By the way, you remember Vico, right? My cousin."

"Yeah," simple nitong sagot. Inilahad nito ang kamay kay Vico, who was looking like he was about to pass out.

She nudged Vico. Tuliro naman nitong inabot ang kamay ni Frey.

"Are you okay? You're shaking," kunot-noong tanong dito ng date nya.

"He's just very excited for tonight," dahilan niya. "Oh look! Here's Mitch!"

Agad na bumitaw si Vico at hinarap ang papalapit na fiancé. "Honey!"

Gusto niyang matawa. Halatang-halata na aligaga ito. Kaya naman nang mag-aya na si Mitch ay sama ito kaagad. Vico likes men, in different degrees. Bukod kay Mitch, kabi-kabila ang crush nitong lalaki. He's also crushing on Vince, kahit noong mga bata pa lamang sila. But it's just a mere crush. Paghanga lang. Kahit kay Troy.

But Frey's the only guy who could make her cousin's knees weak. Mabuti na nga lamang at sobrang mahal nito si Mitch kaya hindi ito nagpapadala sa tukso.

She can't blame him though. Frey has a magnetic personality. He'd make you want to be around him. Masaya kasi itong kasama. And that makes him sexier. He's not afraid to goof around. At imbes na magmukhang tanga, mas nagmumukha pa itong adorable.

She hopes that's enough to make Troy jealous.

--

Inilagay ni Frey ang kamay nito sa bewang niya bago sila pumasok ng club. Hindi naman siya nagreklamo. After all, they're good friends. And she has to make Troy jealous. She just couldn't set aside the fact that his actions made her uncomfortable, in a not so good way.

It's as if she doesn't want any guy holding her like that.

But she smiled and did her best to look happy with him. Unfortunately for her, that smile did not live that long. Maingay na sa loob ng club. People were already dancing to the music. Ang ilan naman ay nakaupo sa isang mahabang upuan na may design na LED lights sa bandang likod. There are spotlights for each table and under one blue spotlight sits Mitch, Vico and Vince. Beside Vince sits Troy, with Little Ms. Teacup in his arms.

Santina's wearing a teal dress with short sleeves and a dainty neckline. Lampas-tuhod ang haba ng dress nito. Her blood boiled in an instant.

"Red, your nails are digging in my arm," reklamo ni Frey.

She heaved out a sigh and loosened her grip. Pinuntahan nila ang mga kasama. May pizza sa gitna ng lamesa. Hapunan na yata ng mga ito. They have already started drinking too.

"Tea party's next door," she told Santina.

Ngumiti lamang ito sa kanya. "Hello, Red."

She sat on the separate chair, next to Mitch. Si Frey naman ay tumabi sa kanya.

"Bakit nakaupo lang kayo?" halos pasigaw niyang tanong. May pumailanlang kasing sikat na kanta. The crowd suddenly erupted into cheers.

"We were waiting for you!" sagot ni Vico. Tumayo ito at hinila si Mitch. "We're going to dance now!"

Tumayo rin si Troy at niyakag si Santina para sumayaw. Nagkatinginan naman sila ni Vince. He's giving her a knowing look. Inirapan lamang niya ito at saka itinuon ang atensyon sa date niya.

"Frey, do you want to dance?"

"I'd love to."

Vince sighed. Pasimple itong umiling. Alam naman niyang hindi ito sang-ayon sa mga pinaggagagawa niya. But she simply doesn't care about what he thinks. Or anybody else's thoughts for that matter. Right now, she's just pissed.

Sinadya nilang sa malapit kina Troy pumwesto. She let Frey circle her waist with his arms. It's an upbeat song but he's being really touchy. Ayaw naman niyang ipahalata na hindi siya kumportable.

She stole a glance at Ms. Teal on her left and wondered what Troy was thinking when he invited her to go clubbing. Mas mukha itong magsisimba kesa magpa-party.

And don't get me started on that beehive on her head! While the girls at the club let their hairs down, like she did, Santina has hers tied up to a prim bun. Tumaas ang kilay niya nang pasadahan niya ito ng tingin at mapadako ang mga mata sa suot nitong sapatos.

They're white and clunky. And pretentious, like the bitch herself.

--

Vince drank down his scotch and ordered another one. What happened to mingling? This is why he doesn't go to clubs. It bores him. The neon lights, the loud music, the party-goers, they don't do anything for him.

Sumandal siya sa upuan at nag-de-kwatro. Kanina pa niya napapansin ang dalawang babae sa malapit na table na tumitingin sa kanya. They might be expecting for him to approach them. Why not? tanong niya sa sarili. But he already knows why not. It's not him. He doesn't do this kind of stuff. He doesn't pick women just because he can.

Plus, he's really, really bored.

They must have sensed that he wasn't going to do anything. Ang mga ito na mismo ang tumayo at lumapit sa kanya.

"Hi."

Prenteng naupo ang dalawa sa tigkabila niya.

"Wala kang date?" asked the girl on his left.

"Kami na lang ang date mo," the other girl purred in his ear.

Tumikhim siya. "I was just here for the drink."

And to see how things unfold between two stupidly arrogant individuals.

"Oh God, you're not gay, are you?"

Hindi niya alam kung maiinis siya o matatawa sa tanong. He decided on the latter.

"No."

"Good! Because we've been checking you out for the last ten minutes and you just don't seem interested."

"Hindi namin alam kung pa-hard to get ka lang o sa iba ka interesado."

"I'm MJ, by the way." The girl with the glittery dress held out her hand.

He shook it. "Vince," pakilala niya.

"I'm Mariel," pakilala naman ng babaeng naka-halter dress.

"Hi."

"So, will you dance with us?"

Umiling siya. "I'm not a very good dancer."

"Aww... come on. We can teach you."

Bago pa siya makatanggi ay nahila na siya ng dalawa. Pero natigilan sila pare-pareho nang may biglang sumigaw. Napamaang siya nang makitang nasa sahig na si Frey. Hawak nina Mitch at Vico sa tigkabilang braso si Troy. Santina looked confused. Si Red naman ay nasa tabi ni Frey, tinutulungan itong tumayo.

--

It happened so fast. Red's head's still spinning. Nagsasayaw lang sila kanina nang bigla na lamang siyang hinalikan ni Frey. Itinulak niya ito palayo, which he took as a challenge. Akala yata nito ay nagpapaka-hard-to-get lamang siya.

He tried to steal another kiss, pero napigilan niya ito.

"Come on, Red," panunuyo nito.

"No."

But he insisted. Hawak siya nito sa bewang. His grip started to tighten and she began panicking. Then Troy butted in. Frey told him to fuck off. He didn't. Next thing she knew, nasa sahig na si Frey.

Vince interjected. Hinila nito ang kapatid palabas ng establishment. Dinala naman niya si Frey pabalik sa table nila.

"Are you okay?" tanong niya rito. Dumudugo ang gilid ng labi nito. He also has a bruise on his left cheek.

"What the fuck is his problem?!"

"He must have been drunk," sagot na lamang niya. "Hayaan mo na."

"Let's just go someplace, okay?"

"Not now, Frey," tanggi niya. "I just want to go home."

Frey frowned at her. "I thought you wanted to have some fun?"

"Well, the fun's been ruined. Sa ibang araw na lang. Please."

Bumuntong-hininga ito. "Fine. I'll take you home then."

So the fun ended abruptly. Inihatid siya ni Frey pauwi ng bahay. And throughout the ride, pilit niyang itinatago ang ngiti. Frey kept on ranting about Troy, pero parang wala syang naririnig. He was definitely jealous. He had to be. He wouldn't react that way kung hindi. He knows her. Alam nitong kapag ayaw niya, ayaw niya. She could easily slap Frey or kick him in the groin, pero inunahan siya ni Troy.

Yes, he had to be jealous.