Misbehave

Chapter 1

I walked towards Stella's office at ten in the morning because she said that she has something to discuss with me pero pag bukas ko ng pinto, hangin lang ang sumalubong sa akin.

I really expected that she's already here because Stella's the type who hates latecomers. For her, she doesn't mind that you're dumb or whatever basta hindi lang late.

Her air conditioner is already opened and may mga papers na na naka kalat sa desk niya, meaning, she's already here somewhere in the company building.

Tinanggal ko ang shades ko at ipinatong sa coffee table beside my hundred-thousand-dollar Azura Allaire bag but there is something that caught my eyes.

It's a pile of movie and drama scripts sent by the writers and I already know for a fact na it's offered to me because I am the only one that she handles.

I get hundreds of scripts every month with the hopes of me bringing the character into life but every year, a maximum of only three are chosen to be portrayed by me after a long time of filtering and deciding what role I should do.

Dahil wala naman akong magawa, I rummaged through the scripts and see if I would like anything and one script intrigued me.

It's titled End of August.

I flipped the cover and started to read the script and it got me hooked.

It is a story of a wealthy young lady Augusta who fell in love with Marion, a boy who can only offer her his hopes and dreams.

Like the typical 'you and me against the world' stories, both of their family opposed their love by breaking them apart so they fled to an island and started anew.

Only to find out that Augusta has cancer and Marion is torn between giving her up to her parents for her treatment or staying on the island as long as they're together.

Naninikip ang dibdib ko sa binabasa ko until I amost jumped to the seat nang bumukas ang pinto ng office niya.

"You're here," Stella said when she saw me at bumaba ang tingin nya sa hawak ko. "Oh, that? I am not yet finished reviewing the scripts. I have to thoroughly check bago ko i- submit sa ‘yo iyong mga chance. Anyway, what's up?"

Umupo si Stella on the seat in front of me. Ibinaba ko ang script sa table and she's eyeing it.

Huminga ako ng malalim and crossed my legs. "You know what's up."

Stella laughed at sumandal sya. "How's your rest? Did you enjoy it?"

"Rest? For three days?" hindi makapaniwalang sabi ko. My annoyance with her started to rise again. "I might as well retire if I rested that long!"

Yung isang araw na pag cancel nila ng sched ko, naging dalawa hanggang sa pumangatlo. I am so mad! They know too well na ayaw na ayaw kong nababakante ako but they did it still!

"But you're here looking energetic, fresh, and never been better than before. I hope you didn't give Morty hell."

Umirap ako. "I did."

I called Morty everyday so he won't forget na nakipag kuntsaba siya kay Stella para pagkaisahan ako and he's done when I see him.

She chuckled.

"Anyway, you already saw the scripts so I think you already know what we're going to talk about and that's also the reasom kung bakit kita pinag pahinga," aniya saka tumango ako.

It's obvious to see na it's the time of the year again. The management will accept a movie for me to shoot. Actually, I just finished one short drama that I shot for three months an ongoing pa rin airing ng drama sa local TV.

"As you know, the people love Memoirs of a Lover and your chemistry with Joshua. So, the management are thinking of elevating things to the big screen and make a banger movie habang ma- init pa ang mga pangalan niyo. But of course, we still need both of your permission on this."

"And if we agree, they are gonna make us a love team? You know I don't wanna be dependent sa love team when it comes to my craft. I don't even want at love team to begin with," sabi ko.

There are a lot of veteran and rising actors that are eager to be paired up with me because I am Alanis Ray. Ma- dikit lang ang pangalan ko sa pangalan nila, they'd definitely garner not just some but a massive attention.

Stella knowingly nodded. "We know. Lagi kong ni re- remind sa kanila 'yan. For now, we are coordinating sa JQS Ent. for this and as far I know, Joshua also don't want to be in a love team. Ano? Ibigay ko na ba sa kanila 'yung go signal mo?"

Huminga ako ng malalim saka tumango. "Yes."

Stella plastered a triumphant smile on her lips dahil napa payag nya ako.

"Sulitin mo yung pahinga mo because tomorrow, you will be back from your activities and it's full until January. The shooting will probably start in March."

"On March? How about Maxence's show on mid- April? I can't miss that, Stel. I am his muse," nag a-alalang sabi ko.

Maxence will definitely haunt me kapag wala ako sa upcoming release of his collection. Usually, when I tape for a movie, lock in kami hanggang matapos because of the location and all my other activities will be put to rest for a while.

"Don't worry, gagawan ko ng paraan. Saka grabe ka naman! Mag hinay- hinay ka namn sa work so we could rest too," pabirong sabi nya but I know that she means it.

The more work that I accept means more work for them too because they have to arrange everything for me and they have it really tough. Hindi na ako nagtataka whenever I accept a deal, they'd almost curse me with their stares.

Handling me, my fans, and my haters is too much for them already.

"You guys can request leave to the management and rest. I sure they'll let you," sabi ko.

One of the requirements yata to be part of my staff is to have long patience towards me because I am a walking headache but never in a degrading way and they know that.

Pumikit sya at umiling sandali. "Isang araw pa nga lang kaming mawala, it's already a chaos. Vacation pa kaya?"

I feel sorry for them that they can't have a proper rest because of me but at the same time, I am not because I like working. It occupies my mind and it makes me busy.

"How about a rest after you shot your movies for a month? We can still accept but much lesser than now," she proposed.

Umiling ako. "Just file a leave or whatsoever."

"You heartless overworking monster!" Stella rolled her eyes at me saka sinadyang marinig ko ang pag hinga nya ng malalim. "Just think about it. Malayo pa naman."

"Still no."

"Kill joy!" tunogmasama ang loob na sabi nya pero naka ngiti naman. "It's almost christmas. What's your plan?"

"Nothing. It's just christmas. Nothing's really special," sagot ko at naka tanggap naman ako ng masamang titig from her.

"Hindi ba uuwi si Tita Aliana?" tanong nya habang yumuko at inayos yung mga script na hinalukat ko kanina.

I shrugged. "Hindi ko alam. We don't really talk these days."

"But she's always calling you, 'di ba?" kunot noong sabi niya't nagtataka.

Tumango ako. "Yeah, and I don't really answer because it's just either asking me to send her more money or telling me how she spent the money."

Pagak na tumawa si Stella. "Naku, that's tough. Mukhang kailangan mo nga na kumayod nang kumayod. But if you want, you can spend christmas with us. Miss na raw ni Liv ang pretty tita ninang nya."

"Hindi na. You guys should enjoy I'll just sleep or whatever. It will just pass," pag tanggi ko at wala syang nagawa kundi ang huminga ng malalim.

Sumimangot sya. "You know you're always welcome to our home, right"

Tumango ako. "I know and I'm really fine. It's just Christmas."

I just don't want other people to look down on me and pity me because I don't have a family here with me. Ayaw ko na rin makarinig ng sorry mula sa ibang tao lalo na't hindi naman nila kasalanan na mag isa ako.

Hindi na nag salita pa si Stella and I just watched her na ipinatong sa pinaka unahan 'yong script na binabasa ko saka tumayo para ilagay iyon sa isang shelf.

I heard my phone beeped so immediately got it inside my bag. When I opened it, it was because of a text message from the bank.

Your transaction using your BDI GOLD MASTERCARD Credit Card ending in 0218 in Blankev Co. for USD 1550 has been processed. Thank you.

"What's with the long face? Ano na naman ang problema?" tanong niya.

Ihinarap ko ang phone ko to her. Lumapit naman siya agad sa akin to see what was it about.

"See? This is why I need to grind well."

My mother, Aliana Manolo- Gonzaga, spent thousands of my hard-earned money in just a day.

Nice, right?

"And one more thing pala," aniya at tinitigan ako, mukhang seryoso. "May nakita na namang pack ng sigarilyo sa van. I told you to stop, right? I thought you already stopped?"

Ipinikit ko ang mata ko at yumuko while clenching my teeth really hard. For all I know, si Morty na naman ang nag sumbong.

"That was just one time because I was so stressed of you and Morty!" pag ta- tanggol ko sa sarili ko.

I was once a heavy smoker when I was just starting but I quit. I didn't wanna get in trouble, especially since my name was already rising at that time.

"Don't you have anything else to do to release stress than sucking a cigarette?"

And then, out of nowhere, I remembered the lollipop that the guy handed me in front of the lake at the park. Hindi ko 'yun kinain. I remember throwing it out on the trash can out of frustration.

"I'll look for something," sabi ko but I cannot promise that I will do.

"You better be," aniya saka huminga ng malalim.

After that short meeting with Stella na we could've talked over a video call or whatsoever naman, I drove myself back to my house.

Mas okay na naka labas ako kahit sandali rito because I am so sick of seeing this place for third day now every day from dawn to dusk.

That is why I like working. I get to shut down anything else and I could refrain from thinking about what I don't wanna think about.

My mind has too much noise that I want the noise from the world to silence it.

Because I don't have any better thing to do, humiga ako sa kama ko and then I stared at the expensive chandelier that I bought to hang on my ceiling so my room would look fancy and bright.

They say that this million-dollar house is truly a castle where a princess like me resides. That I am truly a royalty. A princess. A diamond.

But no matter how they envy me for this, it never felt like home. It's just a cold, empty, and soulless house.

Many people love and wish to live in a place like this but I, the owner, hate it.

Because this house is a great representation of me. The real me, being Alanis Ray Gonzaga, and not as Alanis Ray, the actress, and influencer who holds so much power in media.

What they see are rainbows, clouds, and sun on the outside but when they dive inside, they'd realize that it's a raging storm with loud thunder and strong lightning.

Well, hindi na rin naman ako uma- asa na everything will suddenly change and my life would be vibrant with just a snap at sanay na rin naman ako sa ganitong buhay.

Laging nag i-isa.

My father died when I was young and my mom never included me in her priorities. Syempre, who am I to demand affection and care from her when she initially wanted to abort me.

Yes, she wanted me gone.

She was an actress like me. People are showering her with love and praise because of her impact but then, she got pregnant with me and it was during her prime.

And that is why she hated me for being born and she said that when I was young pero hindi iyon nawala sa akin.

She said I ruined her career.

Her life.

And I have to repay her for giving birth to me now that I am big and known.

So now, I am breaking my back and selling myself for entertainment and that makes me hate her so much.

Because I still think that she's the reason why Dad left us.

The only person on earth who showed me true love.