Lena didn't like staring games, but it's always like that with Lacey. Her sister's still glaring silently. She didn't like confrontations either, but it seemed like she needed to be the first one to speak up. Mukhang walang balak magsalita si Lacey.

"So... hi?"

And just like that, Lacey's tongue loosened. "What are you doing here?"

"You're not answering my calls," she answered, her expression pained.

"Obligasyon ko bang sagutin ang mga tawag mo?"

"Lacey..."

"Go home, Lena." Lacey's voice was laced with irritation. Salubong na salubong ang kilay nito.

"After we talk."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"You're already talking to me," she pointed out, grinning sheepishly. Lacey scowled. She reached out to hold her sister's arm. Umiwas naman ito. "Lace, mas maniniwala ka pa ba sa interviewer na 'yon kesa sa 'kin?"

"Well, he's not wrong. Martin admitted that he liked your gift better."

"Kahit na. It doesn't mean that he's in love with me." She hoped that she made her statement ridiculous enough. "Lace, hanggang kailan ka ba ganito, ha? When will you stop feeling threatened?"

Lacey's face contorted, but she didn't answer. Humalukipkip ito at sumandal sa pader, saka ibinaling ang atensyon sa nakabukas na laptop. Her gaze followed.

"Have you been reading bad comments about you again?" She sighed when Lacey didn't answer. She folded the laptop and held Lacey's face. Napansin niyang may nangingilid na luha sa mga mata nito.

Fame is both a blessing and a curse. May panahon na masayang maging sikat. Pakiramdam mo, mahal na mahal ka ng mga tao. Pero isang pagkakamali mo lang, maybe a bad outfit or a grammatically incorrect statement, the people will turn on you.

Lacey had been dealing with this for years. Kung siya ang masusunod, patitigilin na lamang niya sa pag-aartista ang kapatid. But Lacey loves the craft. She's not in it for fame. Gustong-gusto talaga nitong umarte. She could be anyone. She could walk in anyone else's shoes. This is freedom for Lacey, an escape from being herself.

"What did they say this time?"

It took Lacey a while to open up, but she waited patiently. If there's one thing that she knew better than anyone about her sister, it was to always look passed the anger and recognize the pain behind it. Most of the time, Lacey gets angry when she's hurt. Kung sasabayan niya ang galit nito, hinding-hindi na sila magkakasundo.

"They say that you're prettier than me," sagot nito. Lacey wiped her tears gingerly. "T-They say that you and Martin look better together."

"And you believe them?"

Simangot itong tumango. "Mas maganda ka naman talaga, Ate, e."

She made a disgusted face. "Hindi totoo 'yan."

"It's true. Kahit naman noon pa, mas maganda ka na talaga. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ako 'yong pinatulan ni Martin, e. Siguro naawa lang sya sa 'kin."

She swatted Lacey's forehead. Tumama ang ulo nito sa pader. Napasapo ito at sinamaan siya ng tingin.

"What was that for?!"

"I'm knocking some sense into you," she said grimly. "Martin loves you that's why he chose to be with you. Huwag mo namang insultuhin 'yong tao by thinking that he only went out with you because he pitied you. He's better than that."

Nagyuko ito ng ulo, mukhang tinamaan sa sinabi niya.

"Stop listening to them, Lace. Hindi ka naman nila kilala. They criticize other people to entertain themselves kasi malungkot ang buhay nila. They can never have what you have, so they constantly try to bring you down. Mas maniwala ka sa mga taong kilala mo at nakakakilala sa 'yo ng lubos. Remember, those who matter don't mind--"

"--and those who mind, don't matter."

Tumango siya. "So believe me when I say that you're beautiful. Stop comparing yourself to me. I'm not worth the trouble."

Lacey's face softened. It looked like she finally got where she's coming from.

"I'm sorry, Ate."

She smiled and touched her sister's cheek. "It's okay. But I hope this is the last time that this will happen."

Tumango ito at ngumiti na rin. "I promise."

"Good. Anyway, I brought you something."

Hinila niya ito palabas ng kwarto, papunta sa kusina. They met their mom there, naglilinis ito. They don't question why their mom cleans the house kahit may maid. Pagagalitan kasi sila. They knew that mom's side of the family's not rich. Sanay ito sa mga gawaing-bahay at kahit napangasawa na nito ang daddy nila, hindi pa rin ito nagbago. Their dad also helps sometimes. Paborito nitong gawain ang paglilinis ng isda. But that's another story.

"Bati na kayo?" nakangiti nitong tanong.

Parehas silang tumango. She pulled Lacey to the fridge.

"What did you bring me?"

"Cake."

"Ate, you know I'm on a diet."

"Trust me, you won't regret eating this. Cyrus's dad makes the best chocolate cake!"

Lacey gave her a teasing look. "You met his dad already?"

Her mom stopped what she's doing and waited for her answer. She frowned at the two women.

"Yeah. We went to his dad's restaurant. They own the restaurant that catered Martin's birthday party," she explained. It wasn't a big deal to her. She likes Cyrus. He's a nice guy, but nothing's really going on between them.

"Are you guys finally dating?"

She nodded casually. She opened the fridge's door but Lacey pushed it closed, gaping at her like she just dropped a bomb in the kitchen.

"Since when?!"

"Uhm... two weeks ago?"

"And you didn't even care to mention it?"

"You wouldn't talk to me," she replied, pouting. "And besides, I didn't think it was important."

"Your dad will disagree on that," her mom said, grinning. She rolled her eyes. When it comes to his girls, her father goes overboard sometimes. Well, most of the time. He freaked out when Lacey started dating Martin. He'd definitely freak out again because of Cyrus, especially since he's the first guy she ever went out with.

"It's not a big deal," she muttered. When Lacey finally let her open the fridge, agad niyang hinanap ang dalang cake. It's not there anymore.

"Mom, where's the cake?" But even before her mom could answer, she already knew who took it. "Nikola!"

--

They were too late. Nikola already consumed the cake. Puro amos pa ito nang maabutan nila sa labas ng bahay. He's sitting on the table, napapaligiran ito ng mga aso na kanina pa hinihintay na bigyan nito ng pagkain. He gave them a chocolatey grin.

"I told you not to eat it!"

"I was hungry!" himutok nito.

She sighed and turned to Lacey, whose laughing behind her.

"Sorry. Hindi ka tuloy nakatikim."

"It's okay." Nilapitan nito si Nikola. He offered her the empty box. Lacey ran her finger on the smudged chocolate and put it in her mouth. "Hmmm... masarap nga."

She grunted. "Hindi ka man lang nagtira kahit isang maliit na slice," sabi niya sa bunsong kapatid.

"Don't worry, Ate. You can always bring another one. I'm sure your boyfriend would gladly give you some," Lacey teased.

"You have a boyfriend?!" Nikola gaped.

"Yep," Lacey answered for her. "And his dad made the cake."

"I wanna meet this guy," her brother commented.

--

Lena stayed for dinner, which was the wrong thing to do given Nikola's big mouth and Lacey's excitement for her first dating experience.

The two couldn't stop talking about her 'boyfriend' and the delicious cake that Nikola ate earlier. Her father listened intently, his face etched with concern.

"You should invite him to dinner, Ate," Lacey suggested.

"It's too soon for that," she told her.

"It's too soon," her fathet agreed. Tumingin ito sa kanya ng mataman. "And you're too young to have a boyfriend."

"Dad, I'm 21. Lacey's younger than me and she's been going out with Martin since she was 19."

"That's different. We've known Martin since he was little."

"Kelvin, she's an adult," saklolo ng mommy niya.

"A 'young' adult," her father argued.

"When can I have a girlfriend?" asked Nikola.

That question started an argument. Her father was okay with Logan and Nikola dating, but forbid her and Kenna to even entertain suitors. Their mom came to their rescue and argued that he's being unfair.

Halos kalahating oras yata silang nagtatalo-talo. But it's an argument that ended in laughter and a deal. Her father agreed to let her continue to date, but he insisted that she should bring Cyrus for dinner, para raw makilatis nito.

She was against the idea and even thought of ending their own deal, but she realized that that was exactly what Lacey needed, a proof that she's not a threat to her relationship with Martin.

And so, when she got home, she called Cyrus immediately.

"Hey! I was about to call you," bungad nito. "Do you have an Instagram account?"

"Meron. But it's for my artworks." She created her social media accounts for the sole purpose of getting more exposure for her art. "Why?"

He told her to check a certain account on IG. He didn't say what it's for but he asked her to call him back once she saw it. Pagkatapos ng tawag, hinanap niya ang sinasabi nito.

It was a picture of her and Cyrus while eating at the restaurant earlier that day. Mukhang patagong kuha iyon. She can't even remember who was sitting from the camera's angle.

The caption falsified the interviewer's claim that there's rivalry between her and Lacey over Martin. May ilang nagkumento na baka promo lamang para sa movie ang interview. Whatever it was, it definitely steered people's beliefs to another direction.

Tinawagan niya si Cyrus.

"Did you see it?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, Lena. I didn't know who took the picture."

"It's okay," she told him. And she meant it. There's no way that Lacey would feel threatened by her now.