JERUSALEM MCBRIDE (Wild Men Series #6)

Chapter 15: The Perfect Scandal

DAMIRA

“SERIOUSLY?” halos mapasigaw si Kate, hawak pa ang baso niya. "Wait. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. You mean ginawa talaga 'yon ni Gov? Talaga bang hinanap pa niya si Jeru McBride para lang ipakasal sa 'yo?"

Ngumiti ako, trying to play it cool. “Yeah. As in yes, ginawa talaga ni Dad ‘yon. He literally looked for Jeru McBride just to marry me off.”

“Wait lang—‘yung Jeru McBride?” bulalas ni Guia, eyes wide. “As in the Jeru McBride? Pogi nga ba talaga sa personal?”

Nandito kami sa Velvet Eve which is a favorite naming hangouts place. After nang nangyaring usapan kanina ay tinawagan ko ang lahat ng friends ko to announce that Jeru McBride is going to marry me soon.

I smirked, lifting my mojito. “He pinned me against the door and kissed me passionately.” Of course, that was a lie. Hindi niya naman talaga ako hinalikan — iniiwasan ko pa nga. Pero kung alam lang nila kung gaano ko ‘yong gustong mangyari.

God knows how long I’ve been watching him.

Not the actor, not the billionaire, but Jerusalem McBride — the boy who used to live next door but I never told my dad the truth–not a single word, dahil alam ko kung anong ginawa niya 13 years ago.

“Grabe, Damira!” singit ni Kate, humahagalpak. “Anak ni Gov, tapos fiancé si Jeru McBride? Iba ka talaga!”

“Then ano pa nangyari?” tanong naman ni Mau, halatang kinikilig.

"Wala na, 'no! Hanggang do'n na lang muna 'yon syempre, ibibigay ko ba naman sa kaniya agad lahat. Dapat munang matapos ang kasal bago niya ko matikman, 'no!" I added.

“Girl, kahit may ka-share ako kay Jeru, okay lang,” sabi ni Guia, halos malaglag sa kinauupuan. “’Yung tipong kahit one night lang, okay na!”

“Excuse me,” tumaas kilay ko. “Hindi ako share type. If Jeru wants me, he has to be mine alone.”

Pero deep down, I wasn’t so sure.

Jeru was my first love. At hanggang ngayon, hindi ko maitatago 'yong totoong nararamdaman ko para sa kaniya. I was just trying to be civil, even if it wasn't easy, at ang totoo na-starstruck talaga ako sa kaniya kanina, mas guwapo siya sa personal at mas naging gwapo siya ngayon kaysa no'ng mga bata pa kami.

Pero kilala ko si Jeru. Alam kong may dahilan kung bakit siya bumalik. Alam kong may kinalaman ‘yon sa past—sa ginawa ng pamilya ko sa kaniya.

He’s planning something. At kung balak niyang wasakin ang mundo ko, then fine. I’ll make him fall first.

“Wait!” sigaw ni Kate, sabay kalabit sa amin. “Did you see the viral video of Jeru at the airport? May kasamang girl!”

Natigilan ako. “What?”

“Eto, wait…” She scrolled through her phone and showed us the video.

“Kung hindi ikaw ‘yan, Damira, then who’s she?” tanong ni Guia, her voice teasing but curious. Everyone gave me a questioning look.

"The way he protected that girl, everyone speculated na siya 'yong the one ni Jeru. You know naman, 'di ba? Ang daming issue naman na lumabas about kay Jeru pero nothing came out something like that before. Never siya nakitang lumabas with other girl, pero 'yan grabe iba 'yong yakap sa kaniya ni Jeru in public. Parang ang sarap na lang i-wish na ako 'yong nasa bisig ni Jeru that time!"

Tahimik lang ako, pinanood ulit ‘yong clip, slow motion. At doon, nakumpirma ko

She’s the girl from earlier — the one who ruined my moment with Jeru.

“Yeah,” I said, trying to sound calm. “I know who she is.”

"Then, who's that lucky girl?" curious na tanong ni Mau.

“A stalker,” I lied, my voice sharp. “Kanina pa ‘yon nang-iistorbo.” Pero kita ko sa mga mukha nila — hindi sila naniniwala.

“Come on, Dams,” sabi ni Guia, nakataas ang kilay. “Kitang-kita naman sa video kung paano siya alagaan ni Jeru. Hindi mukhang stalker ‘yon.”

“Believe me, stalker 'yang girl na 'yan,” pilit kong sabi. "“He was just being nice. Actually, kanina nga no'ng magkasama kami ni Jeru bigla na lang nanggulo 'yang babaeng 'yan," paliwanag ko pa rin trying to convince them—or maybe just trying to convince myself.

Kasi katulad ng sinabi nila, never ko pang nakitang may gano'ng klaseng issue si Jeru. Never siya lumabas na may ibang kasama, may nai-issue man sa kaniya, lahat 'yon speculations lang—like may same picture lang sa place na 'yon or may nakasabay mag-post na almost same captions— issues something like that 'yong lumalabas about kay Jeru.

Then, may narinig pa kong nagtanong kay Jeru do'n sa video kung girlfriend ba niya 'yong girl na kasama niya pero Jeru said nothing—not even a 'no' to that question.

Kahit ako ayokong isipin na may something sa kanila no'ng girl na 'yon kanina. Pero hindi rin mawala sa isip ko...

Bakit siya ang hinatid?

Bakit hindi ako?

"Seryoso ka ba, Damira? Kasi honestly, hindi talaga kami naniniwala na stalker 'yan ni Jeru," prangka naman na sabi ni Guia.

"Sure ka ba na may something sa pagitan niyo ni Jeru?" natatawang sabi naman ni Kate. I felt so insulted by the words they threw at me. “Baka ikaw lang ‘tong nag-iilusyon, girl,” dagdag ni Kate, natatawa.

"Alam niyo kung ayaw niyong maniwala, okay lang naman, eh! Basta huwag na huwag kayong lalapit sa 'kin once na kasama ko si Jeru dahil siguradong ipapahiya ko kayo sa harap niya." Naiinis nang sabi ko sa kanila. Sa inis ko mabilis kong tinungga 'yong mojito na kanina ko pa hawak.

Natahimik silang tatlo, then nagkatinginan at sabay natawa.

"Okay, fine!" sabi ni Kate, nakangisi. “Then prove it. I have a friend sa Bulletin Sentinel. If you really are engaged, let’s make it official. Headline material ‘yan, girl!”

Napataas kilay ko. “You mean... tell the press?”

“Exactly!” tili ni Guia. “Para matapos na lahat ng chismis kay Jeru. You’ll be the fiancée!”

"At sigurado naman na kung totoo ngang inaya ka magpakasal ni Jeru ay hindi niya itatanggi 'yang news na lalabas, 'di ba?" dagdag pa ni Mau.

At doon ko naramdaman ang excitement na matagal kong hindi naramdaman.

“Fine,” I said, smiling slyly. “Let’s do that. Gusto ko rin naman makita kung ano’ng reaction niya once the news breaks.”

“Wait, are you serious?” tanong ni Mau, half-shocked, half-thrilled.

I nodded. “If Jeru won’t admit it himself, then I’ll make him.”

“Girl, ang tapang mo!” tawa ni Kate habang tinatawagan na ang kaibigan niya.

“Wait,” sabi ko, pinigilan ko muna siya. “Send me the viral video. I’ll use it.”

Her brow arched. “You’re not going to confront him, right?”

I smirked, taking another sip of mojito. “Of course not. Hindi ako insecure. I’m just rewriting the story.”

“Rewriting?” Mau blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Secret.” I leaned back, smiling as the lights of Velvet Eve reflected in my glass. “Basta bukas, when the news drops, you’ll see two headlines—one from Jeru... and one from me.”

Alam kong wala nang atrasan ‘to. If Jeru wants to play with fire, then fine— he just found his match.