"Sigurado ka bang gagana ito? No side effects? No consequences? Baka karmahin tayo."

For the first time since they formed their little band of misfits, Caelum was the one being skeptical. To this, the ever enthusiastic psychic grinned in assurance. Although the mischievous glint in her eyes wasn't too assuring.

"NONESENSE! Kita mo nga si Tantan walang reklamo. Besides, even if the love potion does end up being permanent, baka nga pasalamatan pa ako ng isang 'yan hehe!"

Kumunot ang noo ni Caelum at tiningnan ulit ang direksyon kung saan nakaupo't naghihintay si Naythan. Through the tea house's glass window, he noticed the way his clubmate fidgeted as if he was really going on a first date. Mula sa kotseng nakaparada sa kalapit na parking lot, kitang-kita niyang hindi mapakali si Naythan sa pag-aayos ng kanyang polong hiniram kay Damien. He kept glancing at the wallclock and sniffing his breath on his hand, making sure he won't be a turn off. Lalong nagtaka si Caleum. 'Kailan pa naging mahiyain si Naythan? Eh social anxiety na mismo ang nagkaka-anxiety sa kanya,' he wondered.

Nang mapansin ni Rio ang pagtataka sa ekspresyon ng kanyang kasama, she laughed.

The paranormal book nerd frowned.

"What's so funny?"

Rio shook her head, her bushy hair following the movement. "Oh, nothing... It seems to me that you've read all the books about the supernatural, but you haven't even read any romance novels yet, have you?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Caelum.

"Ano naman ang kinalaman nito sa'kin?"

Finally, Rio sighed and leaned her back on the backseat, as if defeated with his obliviousness.

"Sabihin mo, Burin..."

"Again with the nicknames!"

"Anyways~ have you ever fallen in love before? Or, at least, liked someone?"

With her question, Caelum immediately thought of someone. A pair of fesity brown eyes unconsciously burned its image on the back of his mind. Agad siyang nag-iwas ng tingin at umaktong inuubo. Ngumisi naman nang mapang-asar si Rio, lumundag sa upuan, at tinuro ang namumula nitong tainga. Hindi nakatulong na magkatabi lang sila.

"OH MY! So you DO like someone! I knew it! Come on, don't be shy, I can keep a secret!"

Caleum glared and was about to respond when Nemesis got into the passenger's seat with paperbags of takeouts.

"Phew! Ang haba ng pila, kamuntikan na akong nag-walk out sa convenience store na 'yon," she sighed before handing them their meals. "Here."

"Thanks, Nemo!"

"Dapat talaga sumama na lang ako sa'yo," nag-aalalang sabi ni Caelum. "Those paperbags must be heavy."

Nemesis blinked. "Huh? Oh, no! I'm good. I can handle it. Mag-almusal na kayo dahil mukhang matagal-tagal pa ang 'date' ni Naythan."

Dumaplis ang kamay ni Nemesis kay Caleum nang abutin nito ang cheeseburger na pinabili niya. Agad na nag-react ang binata at pabulong na nagpasalamat.

Meanwhile, Rio was watching the exchange in curiosity.

A teasing smile played on her lips before nudging the book nerd.

"Ikaw, ha... Nasa malapit lang pala ang nais."

Before the poor Caelum could defend himself, tinawag ni Nemesis ang kanilang atensyon.

"Nasa loob na ng tea house si Tasha," she observed while looking out the car window. Mabuti na lang talaga at tinted ang sasakyang ipinahiram sa kanila ng kanilang mayamang (mayabang na) lider mula sa kanyang koleksyon ng mga kotse. Nemesis remembered how they argued about it earlier because she told him they should bring something that "wasn't too flashy" or "luxurious".

Ang sagot ni Damien?

"What? That's an insult to my wealth, Silverio, but fine... Take the cheapest car I have."

And it was still a freaking BMW.

Hanggang ngayon ay nanggigigil pa rin si Nemesis sa isang 'yon, pero kung hindi dahil sa mga koneksyon ni Damien, hindi nila maisasagawa ang planong ito.

"Oh no... Ms. Tasha is about to leave!" Nag-aalalang sabi ni Rio habang pinapanood ang eksena.

True enough, the young actress Tashira Gomez looked pissed to see Naythan waiting for her at the table. Ine-expect na nilang ganito ang magiging reaksyon nito. Besides, who calls your manager at 6:00 A.M. just to tell you there's a high-paying fan who's requesting an autograph? Mabuti na lang talaga at mukhang pera rin ang manager ni Ms. Tasha.... At mabuti na lang malawak ang koneksyon nina Damien sa iba't ibang industriya sa Eastwood.

"Ang kailangan lang naman ay mainom niya ang tsaa."

Namesis observed the two with keen eyes. She didn't even realize she was gripping the paper cup too tight, causing the soda to spill.

Upon seeing this, Caelum immediately covered her hand with his.

"It's gonna be alright. Alam din ni Naythan kung ano ang nakataya sa kasong ito," pangungumbinsi niya. "Mabibigyan din natin ng katahimkan ang kaluluwa ni Agnes. Hindi na siya makakapanggulo pa pagkatapos nito."

Panandaliang naibsan ang tensyon sa dalaga. When her eyes met his, she tried to calm herself down despite the unnerving feeling that clung to her after witnessing Agnes' past. Experiencing those events through the dead girl's perspective feels like an infestation crawling under her skin. Hanggang sa mga oras na ito, hindi pa rin naaalis ang palaisipan sa nangyari sa kanya. Sinadya ba ni Agnes ipakita sa kanya ang nakaraan? Or was it just a misuse of the Oujia board? Up until this point, Nemesis couldn't help but recognize the lingering notion that there's something more to it than meets the eye.

Her eyes.

Had she stared too long into that abyss?

"LOOK! Mukhang gumagana na ang gayuma! Sabi sa inyo effective ang mga paninda namin, eh!"

Rio suddenly announced with excitment between them, forcing Caelum to bashfully pull his hand away from Nemesis'.

Nang ibalik nila ang atensyon sa nangyayari, kapansin-pansin ang pag-iiba ng mga kilos ni Tasha kay Naythan. The young actress sat in front of him, sipping the tea. Hindi mapagkakailang may lagkit na ang tingin nito sa binatang pilit nagpapa-impress sa kanya.

"There's no mistaking it," Rio happily clapped her hands. "THE LOOK OF LOVE!"

'Look of love? Parang wala namang pinagkaiba.' Nonetheless, Nemesis finally sighed in relief. "The effects will last until the night of the premiere?"

Tumango naman ang psychic. "Bingo, Nemo! Kaya may panahon pa tayo para paghandaan ito. Are you sure this is what Agnes wants?"

To relive the moment.

To see the film herself and feel like a star.

Hanggang ngayon ay may agam-agam pa rin si Nemesis. Paano kung nagkamali siya? Hindi siya isang psychic medium katulad ni Rio. Hindi siya maalam sa paranormal at myths kagaya ni Caelum. Hindi rin siya madiskarte at may physical strength na kagaya ni Naythan. Lalong wala siyang mga koneksyon, pera, at impluwensiya kagaya ni Damien.

'What if I didn't read Agnes' intentions correctly?'

Now that she thinks about it, Nemesis feels like she gives the least contribution to their club. Hindi niya gustong ikumpara ang kanyang sarili sa iba, knowing that they all have their strengths and weaknesses, but it's always easier said than done. Whether we admit it or not, self-sabotage is the gravest sin we all commit at some point in our lives.

Nang bumukas ang pinto ng driver's seat, bumungad ang nakangiting si Naythan na... ka-holding hands si Tasha?

Nagpakurap-kurap ang tatlo. Sa kabila ng epekto ng gayuma, hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa nakikita niya, especially when Naythan happily announced.

"Hi, guys! Meet my girlfriend, Tasha. Hehe!"

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