CHAPTER ONE

"CLEO! My gosh! Are you seriously going to be a geek for your whole life? C'mon! Loosen up! Leave your damn books for once. Geez! This girl!" rinig kong bulahaw ni Savannah when she opened my dorm room and threw those words at me.

"Can't I have my day off to be literally just reading my favorite books?" I asked her when she started checking my books on the other side of my room. I hissed and signaled her to do not touch any of my babies.

Savannah chuckled and raised her both arms in the air. She made a face before she hugged me. "Oh, gosh, Na-miss kita ng sobra, girl! This is what? Your first vacation leave? You filed for two weeks VL and yet you're just here, wearing those cheap pajamas with a lion prints, having your coffee latte over there and read your shitty books? Nagbakasyon ka pa?"

I raised my brows at her. "This is my way to rejuvenate, Sav."

Itinaas ni Savannah isa-isa ang mga koleksyon ko. "Really? Twilight Series, Harry Potter Series, and oh hey dang girl! Fifty Shades collection?" my face turned red and I quickly ran over her to get it but Sav just gave me her malicious grin. "I didn't know that you have this naughty side of you, Cleopatra Selene."

"Akin na nga iyan!" I told her then managed to get a hold of my books. Isa-isa ko iyon inilagay sa bookshelf ko. "Those are my favorites," I whispered.

Sav chuckled and I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't stop teasing me now that she knew I'm reading those kinds of... stuff. "Nagbasa ka pa, sana nag-porn ka nalang, girl. May visual demonstration pa. Hindi ka mahihirapang mag-imagine."

"S-Savannah!" I scandalously called her out. I'm gasping with her words.

"What? Parang hindi mo naman ako kilala. Hindi ka pa ba sanay?" She asked me as if I'm being ridiculous.

Savannah Valentine Albert is one of my closest friends in my boring world. She's a half-Romanian and Filipina with a porcelain skin and a natural blonde hair matching her green-orb eyes. We both graduated college here in the Philippines but she left the country when his Romanian father wanted her to be with him for his last moments. Ngayon lang nakabalik ang babaeng ito pagkatapos ng tatlong taon.

"You're really asking me that, Sav? You know the answer. Never." I replied then I just started fixing my things up.

One thing that I like about Sav is her happy-go-lucky vibe that somehow affects my boring life. I am programmed not to be sociable. Reading books is my sweet escape from the heavy workloads that I'm having right now. Now that she's here, I know for sure that she won't stop bugging me so might as well, fix my well-coordinated life for my vacation leave.

"Where did you learn my vacation leave by the way?" I asked her while I'm washing my cup with the coffee on it a while ago. The coffee that I made become cold so instead of trashing it off, I drank it. Nagtitipid ako. Mag-p-petsa de peligro na dahil medyo malayo pa ang sahod ko at naubos ang budget ko from the last cut-off.

Humiga sa maliit kong kama si Savannah and I even heard her yawned. Hindi iyan inaantok. When did I saw her party dress? It's pretty obvious where she would lead me to.

"I have my ways, Bes. You know I'm getting what I want." She replied with a smirk on her lips. I grinned while I'm wincing my hands when I turned off the faucet.

"Seducing my Team Leader was really part of your plan when you visited me two weeks ago, right?" I asked her to confirm. I know her too well.

"Well, it's not my fault if he's been seduced by your bestie. Puhunan ko rin ito ano." She retorted back with confidence and proud.

I can give her that. She's indeed beautiful. Huwag mo lang talagang pagsasalitain minsan ay masasabi mong mala-anghel siyang inihulog ng langit.

"So, which bar you want us to crash-in tonight?" I asked her while I'm choosing what to wear in my tidy closet. I only have few dresses here so I think, hindi naman ako mahihirapang mamili.

"You really do know me. At talagang ikaw na ang nagpresinta ngayon, you even opened your closet? Wow, VL is really something. Ask ko kaya ang TL mo na bigyan ka lagi ng VL every Friday para we can always do night outs?" she stated while dreaming with evil.

"That's not going to happen, Sav. I'm not really into your nightlife. Pinagbibigyan lang kita ngayon kasi first VL ko naman." I replied and I smiled when I already found the dress that I'm going to wear.

"You're not really serious you will wear that don't you?" her aristocratic facial features scream a big No for this dress.

"What? Ano'ng problema sa damit na 'to?"

I chose a simple peach pastel blazer with a V-neck styled sando inside and lengthy trouser. Okay naman, ah! I think I made improvements from the last time we made an argument about how the way I dress in a club.

"I must commend that you improved... somehow. Pero hindi ka a-attend ng interview, girl. The upper tops are good but you need to choose something short on the lower part and there are no buts! Ang sabi mo pagbibigyan mo ako ngayon so... please, get some skirt." I made a face when she finished lecturing me.

Ugh! Paano ba ako nagkaroon ng kaibigan na opposite sa way of life ko?

"ALAM mo? Kung lalaki ako ngayon? Baka naikama na kita ngayon palang, girl. Dang it, you're hot, Cleo!" Napalabi ako sa papuring natanggap kay Savannah. Kakababa lang kasi namin ng kotseng ni-rentahan at ibinaba kami sa isang ekslusibong bar.

"Stop it, Savannah." Nahihiya kong tugon habang pilit na ibinaba ang skirt na suot kahit na alam kong wala na iyong ikahahaba pa. She chose the bloody maroon skirt na medyo hapit ang upper part. Then as for my pumps? Pinahiram niya sa akin ang killer heels niyang puti na kahit paano ay bumagay sa get up ko.

"Bakit ba? You have a fair share of porcelain legs, Cleo! Flown it! Made them drool at you. And... don't forget, it's on me. Hindi mo kasi ako pinahirapang kombinsihin kang mag-club ngayon. So, kung gusto mong magpakalasing? G na G! Have fun tonight, okay?" I just nodded to end this discussion. I won't win anyway.

Nahihiya akong pumasok sa club. Savannah is holding me while she's already on her party vibe. Umiindayog na kaagad ito kahit normal beat palang naman ang bumabalot sa lugar.

I'm not really into this. Sa t'wing sinasama niya ako sa ganitong lugar it's either I'm going to go the farthest corner of the area and just drink juice while I'm keeping my eyes on Sav. Kapag may gustong lumapit sa akin o makipagkilala man lang, I'm moving right away, giving those polygamous men an impression that I'm not up for something exquisite.

But tonight, I think I'm going to make an exemption. I don't know what had gotten into me but it seems the positive vibe of Sav is really doing something good on my system. Wala naman sigurong masama if I'm going to mingle right? Sa kanya na rin naman nanggaling that I'm doing great with my fashion sense. Try ko kayang isagad tonight ang improvements?

"Stay here, you boring girl. Kapag may lumapit sa'yo? Sabihan mo lang itong bartender na 'to. Sagot ka niya sa mga manyak okay?" Sav said when I think she finally saw the people she will be partying too.

Tiningnan ko ang lalaking sinasabi ni Sav. Well, he's decent. Plain looking pero malamig kung tumingin. Mapagkakatiwalaan naman siguro ito. Or might as well, siya nalang kaya ang kausapin ko para malibang ako. I don't want to mingle with Sav's circle of friends. When I decided to mingle, I want to do it alone... with strangers. I just have to be careful though.

"Give her Tequila, Romanov. Be nice, okay?" utos ni Sav sa lalaki tapos ay inabutan na ito ng pera.

"Uhh, can you give me that one?" I shyly asked when I pointed the one named Jose Cuervo.

Sav grinned at me. "Mukhang magpapakalasing ka nga. But don't drink too much okay? Baka mas malala ka pa sa'kin malasing. Hindi kita masasalo, girl."

Tinawanan ko siya. That's true. Madalas kasi ako ang nag-uuwi sa kanya kapag lasing ito. "I'll have few, Sav. Don't worry. Makakaya pa kita ihatid."

She grinned at me and bumped her ass to me. "Have fun, a'right? Makikipagplastikan lang ako." I just nodded then she walked away.

"Your Cuervo. Taste the lime after you drink it. Masyadong matapang ang lasa niyan. Mukha ka pa namang baguhan." Turan sa akin ng lalaking pinagkatiwala sa akin ni Sav. I just smiled at him. Buti narinig ko siya kahit sobrang lakas na ng tugtugan.

Kung alam lang nito that liquor doesn't affect me. If malalaman n'ya kung ano'ng klaseng bagay ako? He would scream like a girl by now.

"Thanks," I tried at least to pronounce it properly. Para kahit hindi nito marinig ang sinabi ko ay mabasa naman ng binata kung paano ko iyon sinabi.

Totoo nga. The tequila is strong to take without any sour taste to relieve its bitterness. Napahiyaw pa ako dahil naramdaman ko na kaagad ang init na dumaan sa t'yan ko. Gosh, ganito pala 'to.

"Here, Nachos." The man offered in front of me. Nagulat ako ng kaunti dahil sa inilapag nito.

"Uhm, thanks." Ang tangi kong nasabi. Tumango naman ito at nagbalik sa paglilinis ng mga wine glasses and other stuffs.

Ano ba Cleopatra Selene? I thought you're going to mingle? Mukhang maayos naman siya. Mukhang hindi gagawa ng kababalaghan.

"Uhm, matagal ka na rito?" I shyly asked the man. Natigil ang paglilinis nito pagkatapos ay muling nagpatuloy. I think narinig naman niya ako. Nako, snobber pa pala ito.

Or I think I'm just getting rusty? I've been partying even before I met Savannah. Nawala lang iyon nang... oh gosh, I don't want to remember it. I sniffed when I was not able to stop myself from remembering my... parents.

Napatungga ako ng isa pa and sniffed again. Napapikit ako when the memories of them being with me lingered and I just can't stop myself from being emotional again. Napahawak ako sa gold bangle that I'm wearing. Ito ang huling regalo nila sa akin bago sila nawala.

"Drink. They say drinking liquor can somehow relieve the pain." Napadilat ako nang salinan muli ako ng lalaking tinawag ni Sav na Romanov. He's looking at me impassively. It seems he doesn't know how to smile. Pero napangiti niya ako ng tipid.

"Is it true?" I asked him. Tila hindi naman nito na-gets ang relevance ng tanong ko. "I mean, is it true that liquor can remove the pain for a while? I've been carrying this guilt for a long time now. I tried drinking but it didn't relieve any of the pain that I have."

"For some I guess. Pero hindi sa lahat. I think it depends on the gravity of pain a person is dealing." He replied then he attended one of the customers' order. "I don't believe it either. Liquor can make you numb but not the pain."

Napangiti ako sa sinabi niya at muling napainom. He has a point. Hindi ko akalain na kahit masungit ang isang 'to ay may sense naman pala ang sinasabi niya.

"Your name's Romanov, right? Is that your surname? Perhaps, nickname? Are you a Russian? Kasi kung oo, I'm impressed with your Tagalog." I asked him.

"You don't need to know." He replied then he went back to work.

I hissed with his rudeness. Napakasungit!

I stared at my shot glass when I think Romanov doesn't really want to talk with me but I'm thankful that he's still attending my needs.

It depends on the gravity of pain a person is dealing? How do we weigh the pain then? Pasok na ba ang nakaraan ko sa pinakamabigat na sakit that I'm dealing with?

Napatingin ako sa gold bangle na bigay ng mga magulang ko. Hindi ko maiwasan na muling maalala sila.

"CLEO. That's going to be your name from now on." Iyon ang sabi ng isang babaeng nakasuot ng puting roba habang ngiting ngiti na nakatingin sa'kin. I even saw her tears starting to swell on her eyes.

My hands unconsciously raised to touch her cheeks and wipe it off. I feel numb. This is the first time I opened my eyes and I can't remember when I've been sleeping.

"Her cognitive features are functioning good, Love." Napalingon ako sa isang lalaking nakatabi lang sa aking tabi. He's holding a tablet and swiping his fingers up and down.

"That's great to hear, Love." Napabalik ang aking tingin sa babaeng umiiyak na ngayon. Sa hindi malamang dahilan my body moved voluntarily to hug the woman. My face is impassive but I have this feeling of being... sad? It's too heavy on my chest to feel. I even caressed her hair and hush silently so she can stop crying.

"Her EQ is rarely unexpected, Love. Though, we need to do something on her facial reactions. Her face is too cold. But we are improving from the numerous tests that we had." The man spoke.

"Thank you, Love. This project means a lot to me." The woman whom I'm hugging said and I can even feel her tears dropping on my shoulder.

"We are going to perfect this, Love. We are going to make sure that she will be the first humanoid that ever existed." The man said.

I'm now standing and looking straight in front. I'm not moving but I'm totally aware what's happening around me. Both of them are too busy clicking on several machines. They're opening up my chest most of the time and I can sense their exhaustion.

"You are still seventy percent human and the remaining thirty percent is you being an android. We found your body almost on the edge of death and this is the only solution that we come up. Your body has been damaged when we found you. Your organs are not functioning except with your heart and brain. You don't have your eyes when we found you so we put that highly-specialized eyeballs and connect it with your brain so you can still see. You rarely breathing as well. And this..." the woman made me see a certain gemstone and put it inside of my chest. "... this will make you feel more human even we installed several programs on your systemized-brain. I hope this works."

What the hell are they talking about? Hindi ko sila maintindihan.

HINDI ko napansin na basang basa na pala ng luha ang mga mata ko. Napahawak rin ako sa aking batok at bahagyang napahawak sa table dahil pakiramdam ko'y yumanig ang paligid ko. Am I drunk?

I shouldn't be, right? Damn it, I feel my head is going to explode.

"Oh, shit. Naubos mo iyong isang bote ng Cuervo without the lime?" rinig kong tanong sa akin ni Romanov while he's looking at me with his mouth gaping.

Nginitian ko siya pero dahil alam kong lasing na ako at mapungay na ang mata ay inilagay ko ang aking hintuturo sa aking bibig to signaled him to keep his mouth shut. "C-CR l-lang ako." Paalam ko rito then I started standing up from my chair.

He's insisting on assisting me but I convinced him that I'm okay. Malapit lang naman ang rest room dito. Teka, sa'n nga ba 'yon?

Sobrang hilong hilo na ako nang makalabas ng banyo. I think I really have to go home. Pero kailangan ko munang hanapin kung nasaan si Savannah. Sabay kaming pumunta dapat sabay din kaming aalis.

Nakakabunggo na ako ng ilang tao dahil bigla yatang mas dumami pa. I'm always saying sorry for those who I'm bumping with pero may isa akong nabunggo dahilan para mapaupo ako sa sahig.

"Aray ko po." Daing ko habang sapo ang pwetan ko. Para akong nabangga sa dingding. Pero dingding ba iyon?

"Grab my hand." Rinig kong wika ng isang lalaki at itinapat ang kamay nito sa aking mukha. I can't see his face because of the dim light of the bar. Pero may una akong napansin.

Inabot ko ang kanyang kamay. My eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar tattoo incised on his wrist.

A Spade symbol.

My eyes became dilated upon realizing the symbol that I have seen. I gasped loudly at napatingin ako sa taas ng todo when a vision enshrouded my being.

Four men are standing in front and facing against me with their silhouette. All of them are wearing crowns on their heads. Then, one of them looked at the back where I'm standing at. Sa paglingon n'ya, a light started to beam on the side of his wrist. A symbol of something I don't know what's for.

♠️

S'ya na ba ang isa sa mga sinasabi ni Dad noon na dapat kong hanapin?

The King of Spade?