Chapter 1: Attraction
1606 Words
—2 Years Ago—
"What are you doing, Misty?" Kunot noong tanong ni Kiara sa kaibigan niyang abala sa pagsusulat.
Mabilis namang nag-angat ng tingin si Misty sa kanya at idinuldol pa sa kanyang mukha ang notebook na sinusulatan nito. "I'm filling up a slam book, Kiara."
Kiara rolled her eyes at her friend. "Isn't it too childish? We're already on our seniors, Misty. Uso pa ba yan?" She pouted before leaning her back on her chair.
She was Kiara Emiliana Castellanos. The bratty blue-eyed princess of the influential couple Damon and Katerina Castellanos. Kasalukuyan siyang nag-aaral sa Del Fierro University as a senior highschool student at the age of sixteen.
"Hello? This is a remembrance Kiara and besides, we're still children you know," Misty chuckled.
"Tsss, ewan ko sayo."
"C'mon just fill up this one," pamimilit ni Misty at inilapag sa kanyang desk ang slam book.
Her forehead creased as she read what Misty had answered. The crush section had caught her attention. Pinanliitan niya ng mata ang babae. "You had a crush on Neon?" Tukoy niya sa pinsan niyang lalaki.
Bahagyang namula ang pisngi nito.
"Yuck! Your taste is so baduy," she wrinkled her nose.
"Grabe ka naman sa pinsan mo," sabat naman ni Laura, one of her close friend.
"You two are cousins?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Misty.
She tsk. Ilang taon na ba silang magkaklase ni Misty and yet she didn't know about it. "Of course! Mamita Felice and Mamita Luisa are siblings. It's just that Mamita Luisa married a Saavedra that's why it became Neon's surname," kwento pa niya.
"Talaga? Oh my, I'm so blindsided. I should've known para matulungan mo akong ilakad sa kanya," Misty said with her fascinated eyes.
Asa! Akala mo naman papatulan ito ni Neon. "Neon will pay attention on you kapag naging libro ka na. Why do you like him anyway? That guy smelled like old books."
"Studious kasi siya kaya siguro amoy libro siya," ani Laura.
"You should have seen the twins Saavedra from Mindanao Misty, they are hotter than Neon," singit naman ni Serene.
She nodded in agreement. Hindi naman sa sinasabi niyang pangit si Neon. It's just that everything about him is so baduy. From the way he acts to the way he dresses. Not to mention his thick glasses and braces. He looks so nerdy.
"Whatever. I like genius guys, you know," Misty rolled her eyes to the three of them.
She just shrugged her shoulders and flip the pages backward. There she saw Laura's autograph. Kumunot ang kanyang noo ng mabasa ang crush nito.
"Who's Reed Laxamana, Laura?" She asked.
"My brother's professor. He was effin' hot, Kiara. Yung tipong malalaglag talaga ang panty mo kapag nakita mo siya," kinikilig nitong sambit.
Nalukot ang kanyang mukha. "Yuck Laura, you like old men?" She grimaced.
"He's not old! He's just in his mid thirties, Kiara," Laura hissed. Pinanlakihan pa siya nito ng mata.
She heard Misty and Serene laughing at them.
"But still that's too old!" She argued. Gosh! How can a sixteen year old like a man in his thirties? That's gross! "Can't you have a crush on someone who's as young as us? Baka pag nakatuluyan mo yan uugod-ugod na yan. That guy would probably smell like white flower and efficascent oil." Maarte niyang sambit.
"Bakit sino bang crush mo? Kung makasabi ka ng matanda kay Reed 'kala mo di tayo papunta doon," Laura pouted.
"King Spencer Solace. He was the epitome of perfection," paglalarawan niya sa anak ng kanyang Tito Xerxes.
Spencer was her ideal man. He's smart but not nerd. He's just a bit older than her dahil kaedad lang naman ito ng Kuya Archer niya. Spencer was very famous in their school too. He got the looks, the body and money. Sayang lang at college na ito ngayon kaya minsan na lang niya itong makita.
"Ah, basta for me, Reed is the perfect definition of an ideal man. Naniniwala parin ako that men age like fine wine Kiara. The more they get old, the more they taste like heaven," Laura blabbered and even waved her hands at them.
Hindi na siya nakipag-argumento at sinulatan na lang ang slam book. This is what makes school boring, kapag malapit na ang graduation, halos wala ng teachers ang nagtuturo.
Minutes later, her phone rang. Napangiti naman siya nang makitang ang Mommy Katerina niya ang tumatawag.
"Hello, My?" Masigla niyang bungad.
"Hello, Sweetie. What time will your class end?" Tanong nito sa kabilang linya.
Oh, how much she likes her Mom's voice. She almost got all of her mother's features except her eyes that she got from her handsome father.
"I still have ten minutes, Mom? Are you going to pick me up?" Malambing niyang sambit.
"No. Archer will be picking you up, sweetie. I think he's already outside the gate."
Napasimangot siya sa narinig. She doesn't like seeing her strict brother who always shoo her admirers away. Nakakainis! She can't even have a boyfriend dahil lagi itong nakabantay. Now that he is in college, that baduy Neon always reports to Archer kung may kalokohan siyang ginagawa. Napakasumbungero! Palibhasa walang lovelife at sexlife unlike their other male cousins.
"Sweetie, are you still there?" Untag ng kanyang ina.
"Yes mom," matamlay niyang tugon.
She heard her mother chuckled. "C'mon Kiara. That's your brother's love language so stop sulking, okay." Anito na parang nababasa na kung ano ang iniisip niya.
"Yeah, Mom, I know."
"I'll hang this up, okay? You need to go home straight. We'll be attending your Tita Semira's birthday."
When their class ended, magkasabay silang apat na lumabas ng room at naglakad patungo sa gate. Almost all of the guy students turned their heads on them. Well, wala namang bago. This is the usual scenery all throughout her school days.
Pagkalabas nila ng gate, her mother was right. Her brother, Archer was leaning on his redsports car habang pinaglalaruan nito ang sariling key fob. A lot of female students are ogling at his brother. Kulang nalang tumulo ang laway ng nga ito.
Duhhh! It's so annoying! She's sure that this dickhead is enjoying the privilege. He's stealing her spotlight!
Archer waved his hands at her na hindi niya pinansin. Nagpaalam na siya sa kanyang tatlong bestfriend bago nilapitan ang kanyang kapatid. Mas lalo lang siyang napasimangot nang guluhin nito ang kanyang buhok.
"Stop it, Kuya," she hissed.
"Ang bagal mo kasing maglakad tapos ang pangit pangit mo pa," natatawa nitong wika at pinagbuksan siya ng pinto.
She rolled her eyes and effortlessly slip inside the car and so was Acher. Pagdating nila sa bahay, nakabihis na ang kanyang Mommy and so was her Dad.
"Come up, sweetie, I already prepared your dress," bungad ng kanyang mommy.
She was the one who even attended with her light makeup. She's wearing a baby pink above the knee fitted dress. It's a conservative type as her arms and boobs were covered. Her mom made her dark brown hair loose ends and put hairpins on her head.
"Ayan, ang pretty, pretty talaga ng prinsesa namin," magiliw na bigkas ng kanyang mommy.
She smiled at her reflection. Nakita niyang pumasok ang kanyang daddy Damon and so is her annoying brother.
"Wow, you are my daughter indeed. So gorgeous, right, agapi?" Her father looked at her with admiration in his electric blue eyes that mirrored hers.
"Really, Dad?"
"Of course sweetie," anito bago ipinulupot ang kamay sa bewang ng mommy niya.
She saw her Dad planting a soft kiss on her Mom's temple. What a lovely view. She just hopes that someday, she will find the kind of love they had. Thinking about it reminds her of Spencer. He will be a perfect husband for her.
"You're right, Dad. She's pretty like some kid from kindergarten," her brother interfered.
"Dad oh, si kuya!" She whined.
Her dad patted her shoulders habang sinamaan naman ito ng tingin ng mommy niya. After their short bickering, nakarating na sila sa mga mansion ng Moretti.
She looked around the venue and found out that it was just a solemn birthday party yet hindi maipagkakaila na marami paring bigatin na bisita. They sat on the table with Tito Connor and Tita Semira. Their children, Cara and Clark were also present.
"Where's your brother, Connor. I haven't seen him for quite a long time now," komento ng kanyang daddy Damon.
Tito Connor chuckled before taking a sip from his wine glass. "Nah, maybe he's enjoying his honeymoon."
"Honeymoon? Pang ilang asawa na ba yan?" Natatawang tanong ng kanyang ama.
"It's his fifth," Tita Semira answered. "Damn, that jerk is such a skirt-chaser. Mabuti na lang at hindi kayo magkatulad dahil puputulin ko talaga yang alaga mo." Matalim ang mga matang baling nito sa asawa.
"Hey stop...We have kids on the table," natatawang saway ng Tito Connor niya.
The party went on that made her bored. Though Cara is with her, she's so timid kaya hindi sila masyadong nag-uusap unlike her brother, Kuya Clark who was talking nonstop to her brother. Ayaw naman niyang makisali sa usapan ng dalawa because she knew it's all about their flings and one night stands.
"Oh, I think Helios is here," ani ng kanyang Mommy.
Napalingon siya sa gawi kung saan makatingin ang mga ito. A man dazzling with his dark maroon sleeves na nakabukas ang tatlong butones, showing his chiseled chest was walking towards their table.
Napalunok siya. She knew her Tito Helios since she was young but damn he had changed a lot! At habang papalapit na ito, napag-isip isip niyang mukhang kakainin niya yata lahat ng sinabi niya kay Laura kani-kanina lang...
- Writer
