"Hey, guys. . . Is everything okay?" Morriah checked in with Daia and Kenny. Naabutan ni Morriah na pinapakalma ng boyfriend nito ang girlfriend niya. She doesn't want to bother them, but as their host, and seemingly during the event they hosted where it all happened. 

"I'm fine," tipid, pero matalas na sagot ni Daia.

"Oh, okay. . . I'm glad to know that. Kung gusto niyo bumalik sa bar area and join the others, you can do that. I'm sorry that it happened."

Tinapon ni Daia ang tingin kay Morriah. Ngumiti naman ito sa kanya. "Wala ka naman pong kasalana, so you don't have to say sorry to me. I was having fun din naman po. Babalik na lang din po kami ro'n. Magpapahangin lang talaga ko rito."

"Is the beachside free to go?" tanong pa ni Kenny.

Tumango si Morriah. "Yes, pwede naman kayong pumunta ro'n. 'Wag lang kayong lalayo dahil walang ilaw 'yong ibang parte ro'n."

"Okay, we'll go there, but don't tell anyone, please?" Morriah nodded upon Kenny's request. "Thank you so much. . . We'll see you guys later. . ."

"Okay. . . Job's not done yet tonight," Morriah said to herself.

Pagkabalik naman ni Morriah sa bar area ay sinimulan na ni Rik ang sunod na game. It was two truths and a lie. Magsasabi ang isang tao ng two truths at isang lie. One will guess kung ano ang lie sa mga statement na sinabi niya. If the guesser got it correct, iinom ang nagsabi ng lie isang shot ng vodka at kung magkamali man ang guesser ay siya ang iinom ng shot. Anyone can only guess twice at kapag hindi nahulaan ay safe from getting a shot ang nagpapahula. Everyone was excited, pero mga ayaw namang mag-shot.

"Ako una!" pagpresenta ni Willimar kasabay ng pagtaas niya ng kamay. "Alright! First, I have a dog name Peter Parker. Second, this is my third time in Baler. Third, I have a crush in one of the people here. . ."

Walang nagtaas ng kamay at natawa naman si Rik.

"Anyone?" pagtatawag ni Rik. "That should be easy. . ."

Nagtaas naman ng kamay si Domnique. "The lie is the third one."

"No!" sabi pa ni Cara. "It was so obvious!"

"Shot ka ngayon, Dom!" sabi pa ng iba at binigyan naman ng isang shot glass ng vodka sa Dom at kanya iyong ininom nang mabilisan. 

May isang guest naman ang nagtaas ng kamay at isinagot nito na lie ang pangalang statement na sinabi niya. Dahil correct ang naisagot nito ay pinag-shot naman si Willimar. It was followed by the next few guests who all took a shot for giving easy statements. Nagtaas naman ng kamay si Deni at tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo.

"Okay. This should be interesting and I hope no one would get it." Ngiti pa nito. "First, I've been to thirty-plus countries doing backpacking. Second, I almost drowned when I was nine years old. Lastly, I've got a crush on Rik since Bali."

"What?!" Rik laughed at the last thing she said. "I don't know if that's true or not, but would like to guess?"

Nagtaas ng kamay si Cara. "I'm not sure. . . But I think the second one."

"You're wrong, Cara." Hagikgik pa ni Deni.

"I would like to answer," ani Morriah sabay taas ng kamay. Tumapon naman sa kanya ang atensyon ng lahat maging si Rik. He was confused why she would answer, but thought also it would be fun. "The lie you mentioned is. . . Number one."

Deni snapped her finger. "Gosh! You got it, Morriah! Yeah, you're right. I haven't been into thirty-plus countries, yet, but I'm on my twenty-fifth so I'm nearly close to the truth!"

"You should take a shot now. . . I guess your lie statement," sabi pa ni Morriah.

Inabutan ni Rik si Deni ng isang shot ng vodka at kanya itong tinungga. Her face scrunched as she drink it down. There were teases naman dahil ang isa sa mga totoong sinabi ni Deni ay may gusto ito kay Rik. He was only laughing at it, but Deni was blushing. Morriah felt something deeply when they all tease her to her ex-fiance. She doesn't want it to happen.

"I would love to be my turn now," sabi pa ni Morriah at natigil ang pang-aasar nila sa dalawa.

"Alright, alright. Go for it, Mo," Rik said, facing her.

Morriah swallowed before she could start. Lahat ng mata ay nasa kanya. Hindi niya alam kung bakit pa siya nagpresenta na gawin ito.

"You can't answer, okay?" Pagturo pa ni Morriah kay Rik. Tumango naman na parang sundalo ang lalaki. "First, I'm the only child of my parents. Second, I was engaged with a Dutchman before. Third, I think I still have feelings for that Dutchman."

When Morriah met Rik's eyes, she quickly avoided his gaze as she knew he was surprised by everything she stated. Gusto niyang sumali para malaman ang sagot, pero binalalaan na siya nito na huwag sumagot. Some of the guests, especially, Cara, Alleah, and Dominique knew about their history and could easily answer that one, but it might throw them off since they don't know if the first statement was correct.

"Let me guess one," pagpresenta ni Alleah. "The lie was the third statement?"

Rik would answer that statement as well kaya nakaabang ito sa isasagot ng dalaga. Pero nang umiling si Morriah para kompirmahin na mali ang isinagot nito ay uminom siya ng isang shot ng vodka. Speechless naman si Rik dahil hindi niya inaasahan na maririnig niya kay Morriah iyon.

"The lie is that you engaged!" sigaw pa ni Willimar.

Natawa naman si Morriah at inakala ni Willimar na tama na siya hangga't sa umiling ang dalaga. "Nope. You're wrong. Mag-shot ka na. . ."

"Putang ina naman, oh! Puro na lang ako shot!" angal pa ni Willimar, pero mabilis din naman niyang tinanggap ang shot ng vodka mula kay Rik.

Rik was trying to catch Morriah's eyes, but he couldn't even glimpse it. He knew he had to talk to Morriah after tonight since he wasn't expecting her to state those words out loud when for the past few days, ramdam na niya na hindi na magbubukas ang puso ni Morriah para sa kanya.

Nagpatuloy naman ang paglalaro at si Mando naman ang nagpresenta na magbigay ng kanyang two truths and a lie.

Mando cleared his throat. "Okay, my first one would be. . . I didn't plan on coming to Baler. Second, I made a huge mistake of breaking up with the girl I loved before. Third, I would be leaving Baler tomorrow."

"That's interesting," ani Rik. "So, who would like to guess what is the lie, huh?"

Nagtaas naman ng kamay si Willimar. "The lie is he would be leaving Baler tomorrow."

Mando smirked, shaking his head. "Nope. That's one of the truth. . ."

Alleah wanted to raise her hands, but something happened before anyone could take a final guess. Biglang dumating sina Kenny at Daia at nakuha ng lahat ang atensyon ng dalawa dahil sa lakas ng tawa nila. Naka-topless si Kenny habang mabuhangin ang mga shorts nila. Hindi na natuloy ang pagsagot sa two truths and a lie ni Mando na nauwi na lamang sa inuman at sayawan.

Lumapit naman si Dominique sa kapatid nito at hinawakan sa braso. "Lasing ka na naman."

"E, ano naman, kuya?" pabalang nitong sagot. "Don't be such a kill joy. We're having fun. 'Wag ako ang pinupulis mo palagi."

"We talked about this earlier."

"I know," sagot ni Daia. "Then you should mind your own business na lang. You've got a whole mess to take care of out there. 'Wag na lang ako palagi ang pinupuna mo. I'm not a mess you should always have an eye on. Mabuti pa siguro, umuwi na lang kami ni Kenny tomorrow sa Manila. Have fun."

"What the fuck are you saying?"

"Maybe that's why Mando left us!" sigaw ni Daia at muli niyang nakuha ng lahat ng guest. "He couldn't tolerate us. Kung ano-anong issue at kaartehan na lang ang palaging ico-consider just  so we can all have fun! Siguro kaya rin siya nakipag-break kay Alleah because of her pabebe attitude, pero may tinatago rin palang kalandian."

"Stop it, Daia!" Hinila na ni Dominique sa braso ang kapatid nito.

Napatayo si Alleah sa kinauupuan niya, pero sinabayan siya ni Mando sa pagtayo nito at hinawakan sa balikat.

"What the fuck are you saying, Day?"

Natawa na lamang si Daia at saka inilayo ni Dominique ang kapatid. Sumunod na lang din naman si Kenny sa kanila dahil sa pagsabog na ginawa ni Daia. She wasn't like. Something must've triggered Daia to say all those things out loud, and no one was safe from it.

"Are you okay?" Dahan-dahang iniharap ni Mando si Alleah. He looked into her eyes, but all he could read was pain from what Daia said to her. "Please, don't take it all personally. She's drunk and you know what happened when she got drunk."

Niyakap na lamang ni Mando si Alleah ngunit nang ma-realize niya ang lalaking tinutukoy ni Daia ay hindi niya maiwasang itulak siya palayo.

"Totoo ba 'yong sinabi ni Daia? You were so fed up with us kaya nakipag-break ka na lang din sa akin?"

He quickly shook his head. "No, it wasn't—"

"Fuck you, Armand. Fuck you!" she shouted and stormed her way out of the bar area.

Pipigilan pa sana ni Morriah si Alleah na umalis, pero siya ang pinigilan ni Rik. Napabitaw na lamang nang malalim na buntonghininga si Morriah. Minasahe ni Rik ang balikat nito upang maibsan ang nararamdaman.

"It's alright, Mo. . ."

She shook her head. "No, I think I messed up. . ." 

Umalis si Morriah ng bar area. Napansin iyon nang karamihan kaya nagulat din sila. Some of them believed that that was end of the event tonight and no more fun would drop at any moment. Sinundan ni Rik ang dating fiancee hangga't sa makarating ito sa bakuran at nakita niyang umiiyak ang dalaga. Mabilis na dinamayan ng lalaki ang babae at hinagkan ito sa bisig niya.

"Oh, Mo. . . I'm so sorry. . ."

Morriah continued sobbing. Rik caressed her back to comfort her and let her emotion out.

"I'm doing my best to keep the memory of my parents alive, but I was just making it worse. I don't think I can do this anymore. If I wasn't able to maintain everything, I have to shut down the hotel and then I will lose everything including the legacy they left for me. . ."

"No, no. That won't happen, alright?" Inangat ni Rik ang mukha ni Morriah upang tingnan ito sa mata. Namumugto ang mga mata ito at naaawa siya sa dating fiancee. "We might not be together like we used to be, but I'll be by your side. I will help and support you. I don't want to see you like this. I came back to the Philippines not because it was a part of my plan, but because of you. I will always come back to you. . ."

"But I hurt you and caused you a lot of pain. You don't deserve someone like me."

"Who said I don't?" he questioned. "No one in this world could say that. What you did last time was best for yourself and I understand it, and will always understand it. I'm not letting you push me away from your life once again. I will be here for you."

Without saying a word and looking into his eyes, Morriah did one thing that would make sense to her. She kissed Rik. He was surprised about what she did, but he let it happen. Missing the one he loved and went away for a year was hard for him. Now that Rik has a chance to set things right with Morriah, he wouldn't let her go away. Morriah thought the same thing, too. She wouldn't ever have a chance in this lifetime to meet Rik back so why would she let him go once again?"

"Let's forget about the guests and go to your bedroom, shall we?"

Morriah giggled at Rik's invitation. She leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "Carry me to my bedroom, Mister Sommedjik. . ."

***