CHAPTER ONE

"SERIOUSLY, Kai, all you had to do was date the guy for a week and make him kiss you. Paanong hindi mo nagawa?" natatawang pang-asar ni Joffy sa nakadekwatro at nakangusong babae.

Katrina rolled her eyes before glaring at the swaying tree outside their vacation house. "It wasn't my fault that he was scared of the act. He even told me that a kiss could make a baby!" she exclaimed while staring at her friends in disbelief.

"Well, it's not considered a dare kung madadalian ka lang naman," pagpapaliwanag ni Mary Raven na siyang tinatawanan din siya. "Though the kiss and baby is something we did not know of."

Muling inikot ni Katrina ang mga mata. "What the hell ever. Paying for both of your vacation trips would be a lot easier than that dare," she mumbled, her arms crossed over her chest. Sabay namang umangat ang mga kilay ng mga kaibigan niya. Nagkatinginan pa ang dalawa bago parehong natawa na ikinataka ni Katrina. "What's funny?"

"You," sagot ni Joffy na siyang unang nahimasmasan. "I can't believe that you actually thought that would be your punishment."

Mas lumalim naman ang pagkakakunot ng noo ni Kai. "What do you mean? Ain't that the normal punishment to whoever loses a dare?"

"Well, may iba kaming gustong gawin ngayon," nakangising sagot ni Mary Raven.

Bigla namang napatayo si Katrina. "What? You suddenly changed it? Isn't that unfair on my part?" pagrereklamo ng babae na siyang nagsisimula nang mairita. It is unfair!

Umiling naman ang dalawang babae. "Not really," Joffy started. "Bumalik sa 'yo ang ikot ng dares natin, therefore, sa 'yo magsisimula ang bago nating rule. I mean aren't you bored with just traveling around the world or unli shopping? Because I am. Also, as if naman hindi natin kayang gawin 'yon with our own money."

Katrina gets her friend's point in this argument but she could not help but feel nervous about what they're about to propose as the alternative. "So... What do you plan to do then?" she carefully asked, making her two best friends grin like Chesire.

"Well," Mary Raven sat properly and took a deep breath, "It's another dare, but of course, you can't say o, because you'll face a way worse punishment."

Sumalampak na lamang ulit ng upo si Kai saka pinagkrus ang mga braso at dumekwatro muli ng upo. She then glared at her friends. "What now?"

Umayos naman ng pagkakaupo ang dalawang dalaga saka sila nagkatinginan. It was obvious to Katrina that they're mixing up a pretty tough punishement for her. Besides, kauuwi niya lang mula sa Australia after so many years, and yes, siya lang ang umuwi ng Pilipinas at hindi kasama ang mga magulang niya. According to her parents, they still have to manage their chains of shopping malls in Australia called The Golden Palace.

So over all, ngayon lang din ulit sila nagkasamang tatlong magkakaibigan kaya mukhang lulubusin iyon ng dalawa. Katrina couldn't help but let out a pissed sigh after staring at those two ladies who were exchanging information through their eyes. "Just spill it! God damn it!"

Tinawanan lang naman siya ng dalawa at sanay na ang mga ito sa ugali niyang iyon. She was the only daughter of the Graciadas, and it made her a spoiled brat that only her two friends can handle her rude attitude and mouth. "Well, our dear Kai," panimula ni Joffy, "We punish you — and yes, you really can't say no — by..." Ngumisi si Joffy bago sinenyasan si Mary Raven.

"With what? Spill it out already," iritadong sabi ni Kai. Halata kasing nagpapa-intense lang at inaasar lang siya ng dalawa.

"By being a maid inside the Royalty Village for a month," mabilis na bigkas ni Mary Raven na akala mo ay rapper.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kai saka ilang beses na kumurap. Napatuwid din siya ng upo dahil sa sinabi ng kaibigan. "Say it again. Tell me I heard you wrong."

Mas lalong lumaki ang ngisi ni Mary Raven saka inulit ang sinabi, but this time, in a normal pace. "We punish you by making you work as a maid inside the Royalty Village for a month—"

"Are you out of your freaking mind‽" Napatayo pa talaga siya sa sobrang gulat. It was a good thing that they were somehow far from the other houses so there would be no other people shocked by the loudness of her voice. "Me‽ A maid‽ Are you both sick‽" Tumawa lang naman ang dalawa, making Kai think that they're just pulling a prank on her. They can't do that to me. I'm Katrina Catalina freaking Graciadas!

"Sorry, my Kai, but that's your punishment," natatawang sabi ni Joffy. "Well, my plan was for you to be a maid, and Raven wants to punish you for a month. So, we just combined them into one. Aren't we great?"

With every word that came out of Joffy's mouth, Katrina's face became redder and redder. Halatang galit na galit ito at malapit nang sumabog — ulit. "No way in hell! Nope! Just make me pay or buy you anything you want—"

Naiiling naman habang nakangiti sa kaniya si Mary Raven. Parang tuwang-tuwa ito habang naglalakad pabalik-balik si Katrina. "Kai, punishments are supposed to mae yo suffer — per se. But anyway, if you don't do that, then we'll ask Tito Darwin and Tita Kazey to freeze all of your bank accounts for a year."

Muling natigilan si Kai saka nanghihinang napaupo sa kaninang inuupuan. She knew how much her parents trusted her two best friends. She knew that if these two said those, it would surely happen without any question or even consideration from her.

Oo nga at spoiled siya ng mga magulang niya, but whenever she does something so rule-breaking, they punish her. Just like when she almost got jailed for trespassing after getting caught climbing the gates of Nathan Binoya's home before he resided inside the Royalty Village.

Sa tuwing wala rin ang mga magulang niya sa Pilipinas ay pinababantayan siya ng mga ito sa dalawa niyang kaibigan. And that's exactly how her parents would immediately freeze her accounts for a year if she did not do their dare.

Napabuga naman ng hangin si Katrina. "Why does it have to be a month?" she mumbled but her friends clearly heard her.

Joffy chuckled before answering her question. "The employees in the village have to stay inside for a month before being able to visit the outside world. It's like Bahay Ni Kuya, but with a lot of Kuyas." Tumawa pa ito sa sariling joke. "And besides, wouldn't you want to grab the opportunity na? You'll get to see your Nathan for a month, Kai. We all know that that man doesn't leave that village unless he has a very important meeting to attend. He even does his paperwork inside that village."

Para namang nakakita ng sunshine in the middle of the storm si Kai nang dahil sa narinig. Nagningning pa ang mga mata niya sa pagbikas ng pangalan ng long time crush niya. Katrina then cleared her throat and acted as if she still did not like the idea and was being forced to do it. "F-Fine. I don't like this but I need to take the punishment like a real woman," paglilitanya niya pa na siyang ikinatawa na naman ng mga kaibigan niya.

Obvious naman na kasi sa kanila kung bakit pumayag si Kai sa ganoong punishment eh ni hindi nga ito marunong humawak ng walis o kahit man lang feather duster. Masyado kasing lumaki bilang prinsesa ang babae kaya kahit anong gawaing bahay ay wala itong kaalam-alam.

Tuluyan naman na silang umalis na tatlo sa vacation house nila saka ipinaliwanag sa kaniya ni Mary Raven kung paano siya makapapasok sa loob ng village bilang isang katulong. Nagkataon kasi raw na may kakilala ang kaibigan niyang iyon sa HR ng lugar na iyon kaya naman masisigurong mai-interview siya first thing in the morning of the next day. Sakto rin daw kasing kulang sa mga tao sa loob dahil sa may mga nag-quit daw sa hindi nila malamang dahilan.

Nang makarating naman na si Kai sa mansyon nila ay naligo lang siya at nagpalit ng pantulog bago dumiretso sa sarili niyang kwarto. Kumain na rin naman silang tatlo sa isang restaurant bago sila nagsi-uwian kaya busog na rin siya.

Hindi pa man tumatagal sa pagkakaupo at kasalukuyang pagbo-blower ng basa niyang buhok ay narinig na ni Katrina ang pagtunog ng phone niya. She then saw an email from Joffy and when she opened it, Katrina had to download the PDF File attached to it.

Once done, she printed the file just as her best friend instructed her to do. Ang printed file na iyon na mismo ang binasa niya habang nakaupo pa rin siya sa tapat ng vanity mirror niya.

Naningkit naman ang mga mata ni Kai sa mga nababasa. "They obviously planned this." The lady sucked her teeth. "I swear I'll have my revenge for this," aniya pa pero alam naman niya sa sariling hindi niya iyon magagawa sa mga kaibigan. Ito na nga lang ang may kayang tanggapin siya nang buong-buo maliban sa mga magulang niya, tapos bibigyan niya pa ang mga ito ng rason para lang iwan siya?

Pilit na inintindi, inaral, at mine-memorize ni Katrina ang mga iyon. That would be her response to the interviewer. At least those are the common questions asked.

"So I am portrayed as the daughter of a wet market vendor and a farmer?" Muling nalukot ang mukha ni Katrina. "And I have to make sure to use the name Kai Graciadas instead of Katrina?" The lady groaned and stood up to lie down on her comfy bed. "God! So many things to do!" Katrina kept on complaining and complaining until she remembered the reason why she agreed to this. "Whatever, I'm pretty sure Nathan is worth all this. And while I'm there, I'll do my best to get his attention." Kai had this determined look on her face. "Yes, for my Nathan."

Huminga siya nang malalim bago iyon binuga. Surely the day after tomorrow would challenge her acting and memorizing skills, but whatever, she can do anything she puts her mind to. And just to get a chance with Nathaniel Binoya, Katrina Catalina Graciadas would surely do anything. Even if it means acting like a maid.

Unfortunately, the woman had no idea that she was not going to enjoy her month planning to have the attention of the green eyed-man, but instead, her life is about to clash with the man owning dangerous and sharp hazel eyes.

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