"HERE!" hinto ni Piccollo nang malagpasan ang mga tao.

"Excuse me," Stacey murmured as she passed by a guest before stopping right behind his shoulder. Nilibot niya ang mga mata sa paligid at nakita ang mga lobo. It read: Happy 25th Pico in separate gold-colored foil balloons taped on the wall side by side the word where they belong. Sa baba niyon ang mahahabang buffet table. Walang ideya si Stacey kung saan tinabi ang dining table ng mga Hawthorne para lumuwag ng ganoon roon. There were waiters roaming around courtesy of the hired catering services.

"Oh, thank you, Piccollo," lapit niya sa magkakapatong na platito para kumuha ng isa.

Sa totoo lang, gutom na siya. Hindi kasi siya naghapunan, dumeretso na lang siya sa party. Iyon din ang pinagtatawanan nila kanina ni Piccollo, 'yung kararating lang daw niya, imbes na batiin ito ng Happy Birthday, pagkain ang una niyang hinahanap.

There were no heavy meals, just some good snacks that would match the wine and juices available. Stacey took some ham slices and cheese. Habang hawak ang platito ng isang kamay, kumuha siya ng isang stick ng puting marshmallow at sinawsaw iyon ng kaunti sa chocolate fountain.

Magandang ideya ang pagpunta sa birthday party ni Piccollo. May sense ang katwiran ni Renante na kailangan niyang pumunta para hindi maiwang mag-isa sa bahay, at mahihirapang makakilos ang stalker niya dahil sa dami ng tao rito. Pero, ang katwiran niya ay para sa kaligtasan ni Renante at Piccollo.

In contrast with Renante's deduction, she believed that her stalker would be more free to cause trouble in this setting. Maraming tao sa paligid. Ibig sabihin, mahihirapan silang ma-pinpoint kung sino sa mga ito ang kanyang stalker. This party would be a good opportunity for her stalker to mess with their heads a lot more.

And also hurt either Renante or Piccollo.

Mas malaki ang tsansa na si Piccollo ang unahin ng stalker niya. Lalo na kung aware na ito sa kung bakit umaaligid sa kanya ngayon ang binata. Kung si Marty nga na walang malisya ang pakikipagkita sa kanya, minasama na ng kanyang stalker... si Piccollo pa kaya na talagang may gusto sa kanya?

Bumalik sa tabi niya si Piccollo para abutan siya ng isang baso ng kulay dilaw na moscato wine.

She felt a little relief to see that he's alright, dapper and smiling.

Stacey finished eating the marshmallow, placed the stick on the allotted rectangular plate, and turned to take the wine glass.

She lifted it. "Thank you."

Siyang inom niya. The sweet fruity flavor made her smack her lips and smile.

"Like it?" pangangamusta ni Piccollo.

The young man looked dashing in his jeans and fitting three-fourths grey shirt with white sleeves.

"What like?" mahina niyang tawa. "I love it, Piccollo!"

Lumapad ang ngiti nito. "I am glad you're loving the food here. Something's going to make you stay longer in this party, finally."

"Ano ka ba?" harap niya rito. "Siyempre, ikaw ang pinakamahalagang reason para mag-stay sa party na ito. It's your birthday!"

"Yeah," pasada nito ng tingin sa kanya. "But I can see that you didn't brought any gift."

Pabirong pinaningkita niya ng mga mata ang lalaki. "So, regalo lang pala ang habol mo?"

"Hindi naman sa ganoon!" kamot nito sa batok. His eyes seemed to scan her every detail again, admiring her. "What I am really after is to see you here. That's why I invited you. You look really great tonight, Stacey."

She gave him an underlook. "Thank you."

In her peripheral vision, she saw Renante. Akay ng lalaki si Aurora, palayo sa kumpol ng mga tao sa party na iyon. Kung papanoorin ang direksyon na tinatahak ng dalawa, tila papunta ito sa labas, sa pool area ng mansyon. Halos kabisado na niya ang Hawthorne mansion dahil pabalik-balik si Stacey dito noong magkaibigan pa sila ni Sondra.

"My actual birth time is 10:35, that's why on that exact time, ilalabas 'yung birthday cake ko para sa candle blowing."

"That's nice," she smiled, half distracted. Hindi niya alam kung uunahin ba ang pakikipag-eye contact kay Piccollo o susundan ng tingin sila Renante.

"I'm excited kasi first time ko lang matitikman ang cake na mismong si Sonny ang nag-bake. I never knew that she's into baking and stuff," mahina nitong tawa.

Nang ibalik ang mga mata kay Piccollo, medyo nakaramdam siya ng pagka-guilty. Nandito siya para binata, dapat nakatuon lang dito ang buong atensyon niya.

And yet, her heart seemed to enjoy hurting itself. Panay ang tanaw niya kina Renante at Aurora. Bakit magkukubli yata ang mga ito? Hindi ba dapat, nakikisalamuha sila sa iba pang mga bisita dahil isa itong salu-salo? Bakit kailangan nilang solohin ang isa't isa? Ano ang importanteng pag-uusapan ng mga ito?

Ano ang gagawin ng mga ito na hindi dapat makita ng ibang mga tao?

They were heading to the pool side. Renante and Aurora only. To her assessment, if the stalker decided to attack Renante there, Aurora would not be that much of help. Nanganganib pa rin ang buhay ng binata.

"Oh."

Piccollo's change of tone snapped her back to reality. Nang ibalik ang tingin sa binata, nakatanaw na rin ito sa sinusundan niya ng tingin.

"May ihahabilin ka ba kay Renante?" harap sa kanya ni Piccollo. "Go ahead then. I'll give you ten minutes."

"Ano naman ang ihahabilin ko?"

"Like, you know," he shrugged. Piccollo's smile didn't match his eyes. "Baka makumbinsi kitang mag-overnight dito, kaya ngayon pa lang, ihabilin mo na sa kanya ang tinitirahan ninyong bahay."

Tinanaw niya ulit ang dalawa, palabas na ito ng door way. Lumiko kaya natakpan na ng pader.

She's Aurora Ejercito, anak ng isa sa mga kaibigan ni Dad... You know my case with Sonny? Iyon din ang kaso namin ni Aurora... I'm just entertaining her or else, Dad will keep beating my ass until I go along with what he wants to happen.

Hindi naman kita hinihingian ng paliwanag, Mr. Villaluz

But it doesn't mean you don't deserve it, Stace.

Mabilis ako maka-pick up. At alam ko ang lugar ko. Marunong na ako. Huwag kang mag-alala.

Alam nga ba talaga niya kung saan siya lulugar? Was one week enough to prove that? Isang linggo niyang sinikap na huwag masyadong makausap si Renante. Binuhos ang karamihan sa oras sa trabaho at panonood sa kopya ng mga CCTV videos na may kinalaman sa panggugulo ng kanyang stalker. Nagtiis siyang wala nang mangyaring sekswal pa ulit sa kanila. Dahil kahit sabihin pang hindi talaga sila ni Aurora, pakiramdam niya ay nang-aagaw siya ng lalaki ng iba kapag ginawa iyon.

Aurora obviously like Renante. So...

"Talk to your friends muna, Piccollo," paalam niya sa binata sabay abot ng pagkain at inumin niya rito. "I'll just talk to Renante."

"Okay. Pero tingnan mo muna kung makakaistorbo ka," ngiti nito. "Mukhang... gusto kasi nilang magsolo nung Aurora."

She managed a smile. "I will."

Dumeretso na siya, nakakiskisang braso ang ilan sa mga bisita habang tinatahak ang daan papunta sa pool area. As she was nearing, her heart began pounding louder making Stacey ignore the party music floating in the air. Huminto siya sa gilid ng doorway, humawak sa pader na katabi niyon at maingat na sumilip.

Nasa gilid ng pool ang dalawa. Renante was apparently facing the blue waters with mellow lighting beneath them. Nakatalikod naman mula sa pool si Aurora. Seryoso ang mukha ng dalaga. Masyado rin siyang malayo para marinig kung anuman ang pinag-uusapan ng mga ito.

At kung matapos ang pag-uusap ng mga ito, ano naman ang sasabihin ni Stacey kay Renante?

Na sumunod lang siya kasi nag-aalala siya? Na baka sugurin ito ng stalker niya? Takutin? Patayin? Tapos palabasing si Aurora ang may gawa? O baka isama na rin nito si Aurora sa ililigpit para walang witness?

God, why was she even thinking like this?

She just had to make sure. That's all...

That's all.

.

.

" IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND, YOU BETTER CHANGE IT NOW," sagot ni Renante nang magtanong si Aurora kung ano ang ginagawa nila ngayon sa poolside ng Hawthorne mansion.

Malamlam ang ilaw mula sa pool, pero mas lalong naging asul ang kulay ng tubig niyon dahil doon. May nakabiting mga kulay dilaw na lighting fixtures sa mga puno at sa may kalayuang pader ng mansyon. Their lights softly touched their faces with an effect similar to a bonfire.

"Why in a hurry all of a sudden?" may pagkapilya sa pino nitong ngiti.

May bahid pa rin ng gulat sa magandang mukha ng dalaga. Kanina kasi, nagulat na lang ito nang ipagpaalam sa mga kausap para masolo ito. He took Aurora to this quiet place and just decided to challenge her to change his mind right now.

Changing his mind brought Aurora back to her first conversation with Renante. Sinumpa nito sa lalaki na babaguhin ang isip nito tungkol sa hindi pagiging interesado rito.

What confused her more was that, earlier, Renante seemed to want to end their dating relationship.

But Aurora is aware that that's how you make a woman drop her defenses— confuse her.

A tactic to make a woman crave is to fill her with questions. Push and pull. Be sweet, then distant. Once distance began bothering her, it's an opportunity to strike to kill. Do a sweet thing and she'll fall harder. Kaya naman itong biglaang pagbabago ng ihip ng hangin ni Renante, hindi na kinontra pa ni Aurora.

She just had to pretend she was confused.

"Because I am taking too long in figuring things out. I want to find the answers now," matiim niyang titig dito.

Aurora leaned close to him, resting one of her hands on his shoulder. "Answers to what?"

He took in a deep breath. "To what I really feel."

"Like..." tila takam na baba ng tingin nito sa kanyang mga labi, "if I kiss you, you'll have a confirmation if you're really attracted to me?"

Her really attracted obviously meant Aurora was assuming Renante already likes her. And he just wanted to know if he was really feeling that way.

"Yes," he lied, just to be able to lure Aurora to do what he wanted her to do.

Lumapat at humagod saglit ang isa nitong kamay sa kanyang dibdib. Aurora lifted her eyes to meet his gaze.

"What if this leads to more than just a kiss? Hindi naman pwedeng... dito natin gawin iyon..."

At gumuhit ang mapanuksong ngiti mula sa mga labi nito.

Ang gusto lang naman niyang malaman ay kung in love na ba talaga siya.

Paano mo nga naman ba kasi masasabing in love ka talaga sa isang tao? 'Yung in love talaga? Hindi iyong crush lang, o libog lang, o humahanga, o gusto mo lang 'yung tao dahil binibigay niya kung ano ang mga kailangan mo? Paano mo masasabing in love ka sa isang tao? He tried helping Stacey with her problems. May nagsasabi kasi na kung kaya mo raw magsakrispisyo at gawin ang lahat, mahal mo raw ang isang tao. But it didn't feel right because he has a lot of money. Hindi sakripisyo ang pakiramdam niya sa paglalagak ng pera at paglipat ng bahay para masabing in love talaga siya kay Stacey. He tried having sex with her again, and yet he thought that love wasn't just a sexual connection. Dahil nung unang nag-sex sila, alam niya sa sarili na hindi pa siya noon in love dito.

Kaya paano? Paano niya makukumpirma na in love siya sa isang tao?

He wanted to know. He wanted to make sure that if it's love then it is really love that he's feeling.

Because he could not afford to keep Stacey's hopes high again, just to break her heart.

Hindi niya kakayanin kapag naulit na naman ang naging pagkakamali niya noon sa dalaga.

All this time, he intended to return to her life to follow Sam's— Sondra's father— advise: to give him and Stacey's relationship a try.

Be open for second chances.

Second chances in love.

That if it's not Sondra, then it must be Stacey.

Because of the way their eyes talk to each other.

Damn it. Damn that old man.

Or maybe, Sondra was really right.

He was in denial of something that he was feeling.

He was denying something that he didn't know. Maybe because it's normal for people to be afraid of venturing out, taking a risk in finding out the things they didn't know. That's why people loves familiar things, that's why people keep going to the same places, that's why people like the clichés... Because when something is familiar, it made us feel safe.

And all his life, Renante made it a point to always play safe.

And trying to acknowledge how he felt for Stacey or bringing it out to the open was dangerous for him. Because he could not name it. He didn't know what this feeling is. He never felt like this before.

He never felt confused.

He always knew what to do with his business, with his problem with Sondra and Maximillian before, with Aurora, and with Stacey's stalker.

But not with Stacey.

As Aurora was about to kiss him, Renante sees Stacey's face. Imagined how hurt she would feel, how pained her crying eyes looked.

How the very thought of those crushed his heart.

He didn't want this. He knew now.

Hindi ka in-love sa isang tao dahil lang napapasaya ka niya. Hindi ka in-love sa isang tao dahil kailangan ka niya at kailangan mo siya. Hindi ka in-love sa isang tao dahil convenient para sa inyong dalawa na magsama kayo.

Hindi ka talaga in-love sa isang tao kung hindi mo kayang masaktan sa isiping nasasaktan siya.

Kung hindi ka natatakot para sa kaligtasan niya.

Kung hindi nadudurog ang puso mo sa isiping umiiyak siya ng dahil sa iyo at sa mga ginawa mo.

The answer... he had it all along.

Pinagpipilitan niyang makabawi sa atraso kay Stacey noon dahil sa loob-loob niya, hindi niya kayang indahin ang isipin na nasasaktan ito nang dahil sa kanya.

Aurora slowly parted her lips from his'. She slowly opened her eyes. Namintana ang pagkalito sa namumungay nitong mga mata bago hinagilap ang kanyang mga mata.

"You're not kissing back," her hand encouragingly stroked his jaw line, gently dragging some of her nails on his skin.

Renante took in a deep breath and took her hand away from his jaw. Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ng babae. He looked cold now, no remorse in the way Aurora looked pained at the hint of his rejection.

Dahan-dahan siyang umatras, binitawan ang kamay ng babae.

"Let me guess. It did not change your mind," mabigat nitong akusasyon. "You're still not interested with me."

Titig lang ang sinagot niya sa dalaga.

"Ano? Bakit hindi ka makasagot?" kontrol nito sa tining para hindi siya mapagtaasan.

"I'm sorry if I just used you to figure out how I really feel."

Malutong ang sampal na lumagapak sa kanyang pisngi. Yet, Renante remained firm, his face turned to the left as a result of Aurora's slap.

What hurt Aurora more aside from the rejection was how she miscalculated Renante.

"You may have outsmarted me, Renante Villaluz," she hissed. "But there's karma."

A short scream startled them. Matalim pa rin ang mga mata ni Aurora sa kanya Tumalikod na lang si Renante. Nakipagkarerahan sa kanya ang babae para i-check kung sino ang sumigaw. Pero nang makapasok, wala silang nakita na malapit sa doorway patungo sa pool area ng mansyon.

.

.

THEY KISSED. Stacey was pained, yet chose to compose herself and left from her hiding place. Muntikan pa silang magkabanggaan ni Piccollo na balak siyang gulatin. Her short scream surprised Renante and Aurora but they were quick to leave that spot.

Stacey managed to pull Piccollo back to the living room.

"Loko ka talaga!" inis na palo niya sa braso nito.

Tatawa-tawang hinarap siya ng binata. "I've never seen you that shocked, Stace! Lagi ka kasing seryoso at tipid kung ngumiti at—"

Namewang siya at tinaasan ito ng isang kilay. "Umuwi na lang kaya ako?"

Bumait kaagad ang lalaki. "Stacey naman. Ikaw talaga, hindi ka na mabiro."

"Paano kung nakita ako nila Renante?" bulong niya rito.

"Bakit kasi sisilip-silip ka doon? Kung busy sila, eh 'di mamaya mo na lang siya kausapin. Hindi ba makakapaghintay 'yung sasabihin mo?" Kalma na nito mula sa katatawa kanina. "Nangangalay na pati ako kakahawak sa food at drinks mo."

Stacey took in a deep breath. "Oh, eh, nasaan na 'yung pagkain ko?"

"Binilin ko sa waiter," Piccollo nodded to invite her with him. "Tara."

Nang makuha na ulit ang pagkain, mahaba-habang kwentuhan na naman ang namagitan sa kanila ni Piccollo. No matter how hard she tried, the picture of Renante and Aurora's kiss never went away.

Ni hindi man lang siya makaramdam ng galit kay Renante sa ginawa nito. Imbes na galit, mas naging payapa ang isip niya dahil ibig sabihin nito, tuluyang hindi na pag-iinteresang saktan ng stalker niya si Renante. Once Renante and Aurora made it public that they were official or something, her stalker would not dare to hurt him.

At least, he's safe now, right?

Fuck. She already prepared herself for this, why does it still hurt?

Why does it still fucking hurt? And why was she such a good actress? Paano niya natitiis na kinikimkim itong sakit at sama ng loob na kumakalat sa buo niyang katawan? Ang pagseselos? Ang pagkadurog sa paulit-ulit na pagbabalik-tanaw sa paghahalikan nung dalawang iyon?

Wala sa loob na sinaid niya ang laman ng hawak na wine glass.

The liquid made her feel more hot. It was indeed a sunny night. So sunny she became so enlightened, heated with this pain that burned her.

But she had to control. Like what she always do. Control. Control. Control.

She could not afford being the loud, furious, lashing out version of Stacey that she was once. Lalo na at para na rin sa ikasasaya ni Piccollo sa espesyal nitong araw.

"Wala ka namang office bukas, 'di ba?" patuloy ni Piccollo. "Sumama ka na kaya sa Zambales?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Bakit naman?"

"Come on," Piccollo groaned, "you won't feel out of place, I promise. Malalaman mo pa kung sino sa amin ni Maximillian ang mas magaling mag-surf."

Now that she's done with Renante, it's Piccollo that she has to worry about.

Umiling siya. "Naku, huwag na. Parang family time niyo na rin naman iyon, no. Isasali mo pa ako."

"Exactly," makahulugan nitong ngiti.

"Waiter!" tawag ni Stacey sa kakalagpas lang na waiter. Napahinto ito at binalikan siya.

Tinaas niya ang wine glass at awtomatikong sinalinan na iyon nito ng alak mula sa boteng nasa dala nitong tray. Hindi pa tapos magsalin ang waiter nang mapunta ang tingin nila kay Renante. Nakalapit na ito sa kanila at kinabahan siya sa pagkakatitig ng mga mata nito.

His eyes seemed to be saying that they needed to talk.