"ARE YOU all packed?"

I sighed before facing Mom. I love her, but sometimes she's too much. Kagaya ngayon, she's sending me back to the Philippines because things have become chaotic here again. She and my stepdad were always in a fight that led to their business being cluttered.

"Yes, Mom. Kahapon pa." I replied. She nodded, habang pinagmamasdan 'yung buong kuwarto ko.

Mga damit ko lang naman ang puwede kong dalhin pabalik sa Manila. My Aunt Via – Mom's sister will be my guardian in the Philippines, and I'll be staying at my cousin's condo muna habang hinahantay na umalis 'yung nakatira sa lilipatan kong condo na kinuha ni Mom for me.

"I'm going to miss you, Sera." Mom said before hugging me.

"Mami-miss din kita Mom. So, please fix everything as soon as you can so I can come back here in LA." I said as I hugged her back.

My life is in LA. I've been living here my whole life with my Mom and stepdad and I'm really scared to leave her alone in here. Alam kong kaya naman ni Mom na mag-isa, but I can't stop worrying about her.

She's all that I have, and I don't want to lose her, too.

Mom nodded her head while hugging me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan pa niya akong ipadala sa Manila para lang maayos 'yung gulo nila dito. Wala silang sinasabi sa'kin kahit na gusto kong tumulong maayos 'yung gulo sa business nila.

I only have less than a week to stay here in LA bago ako bumalik ng Manila. Kaya as much as possible, I want to spend time with Mom but she's always busy at mag-isa lang ako parati sa bahay.

I grabbed my phone and texted Curtis, the only friend that stayed beside me. I asked him if we could meet because I'm really bored.

I replied, "OK" when he replied, and said, na magkita kami sa Braxton later.

And because I'm so bored and I have 3 hours to spare before I meet Curtis, I decided to just clean my almost empty room. Sinimulan kong linisin 'yung cabinet kung saan nakatago lahat nang binigay niya sa'kin.

I took the stuffed toys, the necklace, our pictures together, and everything else that he gave me and put them all in a box.

Maybe... maybe this is for the better. Na bumalik nalang muna ako sa Manila para makalimutan ko lahat nang nangyari sa'kin. I love LA a lot. But unfortunately, every guy that I've dated and met here was a jerk who always had a plan to break my heart.

My first boyfriend just made a bet on my virginity. I was 17 and stupid enough to fall for his words. Akala ko natuto na ako pagkatapos non but I was wrong. The second guy that I've dated is a gold digger. He didn't like me, he just like my money.

Mom was so mad at me dahil halos naubos 'yung savings ko dahil sa lalaking 'yon. After my second heartbreak, I've decided to just stop dating and meeting other people. I sticked with my friends instead.

And that's how I started dating Kyro – my friend. We've dated for almost 2 and half years. Things were going well between us dahil nga magkaibigan kami simula college. We're 6 people in the group. Sila 'yong naging ka-close ko simula nang mag-aral ako sa UCLA at kami lang ni Curtis 'yung Pinoy at lahat sila Americans. Well, Curtis is half-French din so basically, ako lang talaga 'yung pure Pinoy.

But then just a month ago – before I told him that I'm going back to Manila, I found out that Kyro is cheating on me. And the worst part is, isa sa group of friends namin ang babae niya at nahuli ko silang nagse-sex sa kuwarto niya.

I was so mad at him... actually, I was mad at myself because I let another guy to ruin me... to break my heart into pieces.

Hindi na ako natuto.

I always let my heart overpower me...

And that's why I've decided to just fool around with anyone – strangers, random guy asking me out at the bar, you name it... But no strings attached. It was way better than being in a relationship and risking your heart again.

It should be mind over heart... always!

By the time, I was done cleaning all the trash it was already 8 PM and I started fixing myself up. I only got less than a week so I might as well enjoy my remaining nights here in LA.

Sinundo ako ni Curtis sa bahay at saka kami nagpunta sa Braxton.

When we got there, we sat in our favourite booth and immediately ordered our drinks.

"Are you really going back to Manila?" he asked while I was sipping on my whiskey and coke.

I nodded my head, "Uh-huh... Bakit? Mami-miss mo 'ko?"

"Of course," he immediately replied kaya natawa ako. Mami-miss ko rin naman siya. Si Curtis lang kasi 'yung kumampi sa'kin sa lahat ng kaibigan namin simula nang maghiwalay kami ni Kyro.

"Sama ka nalang kasi sa'kin. Your brothers can handle themselves. Especially Luca, that jerk." sabi ko at sabay kaming natawa. Black sheep kasi 'yung Kuya niyang 'yon! Sobrang layo ng ugali kay Curtis at sa panganay nilang Kuya.

"I'll try to convince Dad," he said and gave me a wink. "Dad's just very busy with the company right now... Actually, I forgot to tell you, but I have a cousin and uncle who flew here from Manila to help Dad with our business. I wanted to invite him over to have fun but he's always at my Dad's office and talking about businesses and stuff."

"Bakit hindi ka tumulong? Sayang naman 'yung pinaghirapan mo ng apat na taon," I suggested, but he was quick to shake his head in disagreement, kaya natawa ako.

"No way in hell! I'd rather work for someone else company than to work with Dad and Kuya. They're devil when it comes to business and I don't want to involve myself with them." sabi niya na parang iniisip palang niyang katrabaho sila e kinikilabutan na siya kaya mas natawa ako.

"Fair enough," I said while nodding my head in agreement.

"So... is your cousin hot?" I asked while wiggling my eyebrows at him.

He just rolled his eyes at me kaya natawa ako. "What? Can't I fool around before I leave LA?"

"You've been fooling around since you broke up with that douchebag, Sera."

"Well, he was the one who fooled around with that skank while dating me," I said, still a little bit hurt. I really thought Kyro's the one for me, but I guess he's just another jerk who can't keep his dick on his pants.

"It was his lost anyway... He doesn't deserve you,"

"You betcha!" I replied, and we started laughing.

We just hang out while talking about random stuff. Around 11 PM nag-aya na akong umuwi dahil nag text na si Mom na umuwi na daw ako.

I rolled my eyes while replying back to Mom. Pag kasi sinabi niya, dapat susundin ko agad.

"Washroom lang ako. Una kana sa kotse, sunod nalang ako after." I told Curtis and he nodded before exiting the bar.

Mabilis akong nag-washroom at noong palabas na ako ng bar napansin kong nandito na naman 'yung guy na palagi kong nakikita simula last week pa.

Sinadya kong bagalan 'yung pag lalakad ko while gawking at him, and then he suddenly looks in my direction. Hindi ko pa rin inaalis 'yung pagtitig ko sakaniya at ganon din siya.

Target locked.

I grinned at him, habang hindi ako nagpapatalo sa pakikipag titigan sakaniya. I saw the side of his lips rise, and that made me want him more...

His face is the definition of perfection! And he looks sexier when he grins—just like what he is doing right now. I couldn't take my eyes off of him and I couldn't stop imagining what was under his suit and tie. He's just so... sexy as fuck!

I've been seeing this guy every night here at Braxton for a week now. Minsan nagkakatagpo 'yung tingin namin o minsan nahuhuli ko siyang nakatingin sa'kin but he never approaches me.

But tonight, he's actually staring back at me...like he wants to talk to me.

I got excited when I saw him stood up from his seat and started walking towards me, but then I felt my phone vibrating and I saw Mom's already calling me!

Arg! I groaned internally!

Napaka-wrong timing naman ni Mom!

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi sagutin 'yung tawag ni Mom at saka nagsimulang maglakad paalis. Pero bago ako tuluyang lumabas ng bar, I took another glance at him and gave him an apologetic smile.

"What's wrong?" Curtis asked when I got inside his car. Halos padabog kong sinara 'yung pinto ng kotse niya.

I sighed, "Nothing. Uwi na tayo." I replied. I was quiet the whole ride hanggang maihatid ako ni Curtis.

One more week... and my goal is to at least talk to that guy, so at least there's something good that will happen to me here in LA before I leave.

W H A T Y A S E Y