KHAILA WAS more than thankful because she didn't get sick the next day. Her womanhood was just sore, her legs, and her throat. Nakauwi pa rin naman siya kinabukasan at laking pasasalamat niya na wala ang mga Tito at Papa niya nang makauwi siya.

"Did you two fight?" Tally asked her. Kasama niya ito ngayon sa school. She's helping her cutting papers and folding origami, para sa activity na ipapagawa niya sa mga estudyante niya.

Bahagya siyang umiling. "Hindi naman."

"Then, why is he avoiding you? I don't know if that's the right term, ate, pero parang ganun kasi?" naiirita na sabi nito.

Khaila chuckled and softly flicked her forehead. "Bakit ba sobrang invested mo sa amin? Why don't you just continue folding origami and let's do your assignment later."

She's busy as it is, pero nakikinig pa rin naman siya sa hinaing ng mga kapatid niya. Ky was busy with his group mates kaya wala ito ngayon. Tally, on the other hand, was here because of her assignments— na hindi raw nito maintindihan. Saka lang ito nag-decide na tumulong nang mainip kakahintay.

"Of course, I am invested! Look, Ate… You have a very handsome boyfriend!"

Khaila shushed her sister. "He's not."

"Okay! May ka-date na gwapo ang kapatid ko." Tally corrected herself. "But they acted like a freaking married couple? Seriously? That's not dating, Ate." Sarkastiko na sabi nito at inirapan siya.

She shrugged her shoulders and got back to her work. Khaila finished her presentation first before checking her students papers, and even their assignments. She was too busy to even notice her sister talking to Atticus. Hindi pa niya malalaman kung hindi nito nilapag ang avocado milkshake sa harap niya.

"Kailangan mo rin magpahinga, ma'am." Atticus smiled.

Khaila smiled back at him and side-eyed her sister. Tally avoided her gaze and did something to make her look busy.

"Salamat," aniya.

Atticus just shrugged his shoulders and left the faculty. Napabuntong hininga siya nang makita na nakatingin din sa kanya ang ibang kasama nila sa loob. Pagkatapos niya sa ginagawa, si Tally naman ang pinagtuunan niya ng pansin.

Tally did her homework beside her while she's studying her lesson for tomorrow. And while waiting for Atticus to finish his last class.

He asked her earlier if she could go home with him, hinahanap na raw kasi siya ni Fleair. Khaila was more than willing to go with him. Na-miss na rin kasi niya ang bata.

"You're not going home?" Tally asked.

"Uuwi ako, Tally," sagot niya.

"If you say so…" Tally trailed.

Atticus picked up her bag and nodded to acknowledge her sister's presence. Tally didn't smile, pero bahagya itong tumango.

Khaila was smiling brightly every time na may estudyante na binabati sila okaya naman ay nagpapaalam. She went inside the car and put the seatbelt on her own.

"You're so silent. Akala tuloy ni Tally nag-away tayo." Tiningnan niya ito at nakita si Atticus na halos isandal na ang buong katawan sa pintuan ng sasakyan habang nagmamaneho. "What are you doing?"

"Driving, ma'am." Atticus answered.

"Alam ko. Iniiwasan mo ba talaga ako? Baka lumabas ka na sa sasakyan sa ginagawa mo." Sita niya sa lalaki.

Atticus cleared his throat and fixed his sitting posture. Mahina siyang natawa sa lalaki. Of course, she's not blind. Alam niya at napapansin niya na. He's being careful around her after they did it that night. Everytime na pumupunta siya sa bahay ni Atticus, hindi nito hinahayaan na silang dalawa lang ang maiwan. Laging nasa gitna nila si Fleair.

It made her think if he didn't like what happened between them that night. Pero kung hindi, hindi rin naman 'yon mauulit pagkatapos ng isang round.

Nadatnan nila sa bahay ang Mama ni Atticus. Khaila politely greeted her, nagmano rin siya dito kahit na ayaw na nito.

"Kayo na ba nitong anak ko, Khaila? Hindi naman sa ayaw kita na nakikita dito sa bahay namin. Ang kaso, hindi ka ba hinahanap sa inyo? O baka tinanan ka na nitong anak ko?" His mother asked her.

Napangiwi si Khaila.

"Tinanan mo, Atticus?!" tumaas ang boses nito at galit na tiningnan si Atticus.

"Tita, calm down… Hindi po kami nagtanan, at hindi rin po kami. Hindi ko pa po siya sinasagot. Nandito lang po ako para kay Fleair…" mahinahon na sabi niya.

Nang tumingin siya kay Atticus, bakas ang gulat sa mukha nito. He was looking at her as if she betrayed him. Mula sa gulat na mukha nito, his facial expressions quickly turned into a calm and relaxed expression.

Hindi na narinig ni Khaila ang pinagsasabi ng nanay ni Atticus. She was too focused watching Atticus' facial expression and his Adam's apple gobbled up and down as his eyes were sharp and fixated on her.

"Can we talk?" Atticus asked. He breathed heavily. "Sa kwarto ko…"

Her forehead creased. Pasimple niyang tiningnan ang magulang ni Atticus na inaasikaso ang hapag kainan.

"We're just going to talk, ma'am," he said. Much clearer this time.

Tahimik lang siya na sumunod kay Atticus papunta sa kwarto nito. Napalunok siya nang makapasok sila sa loob. Memories of that night flooded her mind. Khaila remembered how Atticus bend her back and fucked her from behind.

Pumitik si Atticus sa harap niya, dahilan para bumalik siya sa kasalukuyan.

"What was that?" iritado na tanong nito. Salubong ang mga kilay nito, the way he looked at her was sharp yet it looks calm…

She tilted her head a little. "What was what?"

"Please enlighten me, ma'am. We're still not in a relationship…?" dahan-dahan na tanong nito.

Sunod-sunod ang naging pagtango niya sa lalaki.

Tumalikod si Atticus sa kanya at nasapo nito ang sariling noo. He exhaled loudly before facing her again.

"After what happened between us? After we… we, made it?" hindi makapaniwala na tanong nito. Hindi alam ni Khaila kung galit ito sa kanya dahil sa lambing ng boses ni Atticus.

Khaila answered carefully, "We're not… Did you, ahm… Um-oo ba ako sayo noong gabi na 'yon?"

He scoffed. Namaywang ito sa harap niya at mariin siyang tinitigan.

"Umungol ka lang naman, Khaila," he answered bluntly.

Namula siya at agad na tinalikuran si Atticus. They're not on the same page.

"Are we… in a relationship now?" Khaila asked. She didn't bother to face him.

Bahagya siyang nagulat nang yumapos ang mga braso nito sa kanya at ipinatong ang baba nito sa balikat niya. Atticus kissed her hair and smelled it. Humigpit ang yakap nito sa kanya.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong. I don't intend to pressure you or something, ma'am. Don't worry about it, hm?"

Mariin na pumikit si Khaila sa lambing ng boses nito. Para siyang hinehele. They stay inside their room while Atticus was explaining to her over and over again not to overthink too much about their label because he can wait.

ATTICUS LAUGHED at himself when he remembered their conversation. Lhey, who was with him, looked at him worriedly.

"Ayos ka lang?" tanong agad nito sa kanya.

"May naalala lang…"

"Sir Atti! May tatanong kami sayo!"

Tumaas ang kilay niya sa isang guro. They're now inside the faculty and Khaila was probably on her mother's office. Napapadalas na ang tambay nito doon.

"Ano ho 'yon?" Atticus asked back.

Malisyoso ito na ngumiti sa kanya at pinagtiklop ang mga kamay sa ibabaw ng lamesa nito. Atticus feels like they're going to interrogate him.

"May something ba sa inyo ni Ma'am Khaila?" nakangisi na tanong nito. Tumaas agad ang sulok ng labi niya at nag-iwas ng tingin. "May something nga?!" napatayo pa ito sa gulat.

He shyly rubbed his nape and answered, "Nanliligaw po ako."

"Nanliligaw? Ikaw? Sa dating niyo na 'yon?" hindi makapaniwala na tanong sa kanya ni Lhey.

Tumaas ang mga kilay niya kay Lhey. Naghahamon.

They're not acting. Sinasanay niya lang si Khaila sa kanya, sa mga kilos niya, habang nanliligaw pa siya. He wanted her to be comfortable around him, as well as he wanted to be comfortable around her, too.

"Pre, mukha na kayong mag-asawa!" Lhey hissed.

"Ano naman ngayon?" masungit na tanong niya sa kaibigan.

Umiling si Lhey sa kanya at pangiti-ngiti na bumalik sa sarili nitong lamesa. Simula nang malaman nito na nanliligaw siya kay Khaila, isa o nasa tatlong oras na lang siya na nasa computer laboratory, mas madalas ito ngayon sa faculty para maki-tsismis.

Khaila Miller: I'm with my father. Susunduin daw kasi namin si Tally. See you tomorrow?

Atticus Klein: Sure. Ingat, ma'am!

Fleair won't see her tonight. Atticus sighed and ready himself for those little kid tantrums.

"PRINCESS? Are you busy?"

Her father asked her. Napasulyap siya sa laptop ng Mamu niya. She's actually starting to learned their school system, kung paano 'yon i-manage ng Mamu niya. Her mother assigned her to learn first kung saan ito kumukuha ng funds, saan 'yon napupunta, at paano 'yon pagkasyahin.

"Bakit po?"

"Samahan mo ako? Sunduin natin si Tally?"

Agad niyang isinara ang laptop at tumayo. "Magpapalit lang ako sandali, Pa."

Good thing, may extra siyang damit sa office ng Mamu niya. It's been a long time since the last time she visited a studio. She's kind of nervous, kahit hindi naman siya sasabak ulit sa pagmomodelo.

Inayos lang din niya ang simpleng makeup niya at inaladlad ang humahaba na niyang buhok. She instantly remembered Amanda, gustong-gusto nito na humaba ang buhok niya para mas ma-style-an nang maayos.

Tally was working with Tita Sakki's daughter, unlike her, she entertained a lot of brands. From clothes, make-up collection, and so on.

"Sa Agency ba tayo, Pa?" Excited na tanong niya nang nasa sasakyan na sila.

"Yes, they're having practice for tomorrow."

"Practice? Runway?"

Tumango lang ang Papa niya at ngumisi sa kanya. He knew her really well. Alam na alam nito kapag may gusto siyang makita kaagad. Their family car was still the same model before. Hindi nagpatinag ang Papa at Mamu niya sa Tita Isabella niya. Hindi nga lang talaga nakatakas ang Artista van niya.

"Princess… Kailan babalik si Fleair sa atin?"

Natawa si Khaila sa Papa niya. "Papa, Fleair is not ours."

"Boyfriend mo naman si Atticus." He pointed out. "Pwede mo na angkinin."

Hindi niya alam kung nagbibiro ba ito o hindi. Umiling lang si Khaila sa Papa nito. If they're bound to get married, of course, she's more than willing to take care of his niece. Kahit isama pa nila ito sa magiging bahay nila.

Nang makarating sila sa agency ng Papa niya, humiwalay ito sandali sa kanya dahil may kakausapin daw ito. As Khaila watched the models walking with their high-end fashion heels… she suddenly felt like she's missing it. Hindi siya magrereklamo sa twing ipapa-practice ni Jane ang lakad niya.

"If isn't the famous model, Khaila Miller…" Khaila sighed when she heard a familiar voice behind her back. "I'm exaggerating. Laos ka na pala. How's being a sugar baby?" pang-iinsulto nito sa kanya.

Khaila shrugged her shoulders. "Last time I checked, my bank account is doing fine. It's still loaded as fuck. I can provide for myself."

Nakagat niya ang pang-ibaba na labi sa mga katagang binitawan niya. Pinaalalahanan niya ang sarili na maging mabait.

Walang nakakaalam na nagtuturo siya ngayon sa paaralan nila. They blocked any news about her passing the LET.

She scoffed. "Malaki ba ang nahihita mo sa boyfriend mo ngayon?"

"I'm sorry. But, my boyfriend is not that old. I'm not a sugar baby." Khaila said. Malawak siyang ngumiti sa babae. "Please, don't give my sister a hard time like what you've done to me before. We're kind of different. I'm warning you."

"Ano ba ang magagawa niya? She's just a college student! She'll eventually stop modelling like what you did."

Khaila smiled at her. "Tumigil ako kasi kagustuhan ko 'yon. Don't ever think… na dahil 'yon sayo. She got our father's temper. Ingat."

Bahagya niyang tinapik ang balikat nito at nilagpasan. She's going to stay at her father's office while waiting for Tally. Nawalan siya bigla ng gana na manood dahil sa babae.

Boyfriend… Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at agad na nagchat kay Atticus.

Khaila Miller: I just told my former co-model that I have a boyfriend.

Atticus Klein: Huh? You do? Who? 😕

Kumunot ang noo niya sa sagot nito at mabilis na nagtipa.

Khaila Miller: You. Of course! Who else could it be?

☕