"Like when are you going to tell us who this mystery man is?" Kylie leaned over the bar and waved for the bartender to take their order. They are inside one of the most prestigious bars in the country, Remix. It was high-end and you can see na halos lahat ng mga taong pumapasok rito ay may mga sinabi sa buhay. It was quite different from the other bars that they used to go to where some people can get all rowdy and sleazy. And although she could see some people trying to hook-up with each other, hindi pa rin nawawala ang class ng mga tao rito. There are even some famous personalities and celebrities that are present. Most of them are in the VIP area but Aya could name some businessmen who prefers staying at the bar like the three handsome men sitting a few seats away from her. Looks like they are deep in a serious discussion.

Ayaw sana making ni Aya sa mga ito ngunit may kalakasan kasi ang boses ng isa sa kanila.

"I say let's try to hook him up with someone. Blind date or something. Paano makakapag-asawa iyan kung panay trabaho ang alam? Nakapagpakasal na lang si Scor at lahat--which by the way, akala ko hindi na rin mangyayari. But Randall's still...working." sabi ng isang lalaki na nakilala niya bilang si Aramis Sobrevega, the famous race care driver who's also the husband of her client, Charlize Sobrevega.

"I heard he invested on some architectural company?" the other one mused, he looked like he has chinese blood judging from his chinky eyes. "He's all over the place. Hindi mo na malamang kung ano talagang gusto ng isang iyan."

The other man groaned. He's wearing a black shirt and dark jeans na sobrang taliwas sa mga suot ng kasama nitong mga naka-business casual na attire. "Can't you give the guy a break? If we're going to keep on talking about RD's business as if it were yours, uuwi na lang ako."

"Ikaw, kahit kailan badtrip ka kasama! We're just worried about our friend, I don't want him to grow old alone."

"Let him be, Ram. RD's young and it's not okay for us to talk about him while we're sitting here, drinking his whiskey while he's out of earshot."

"And in front of his co-workers."

"He's used to it. And RD's not young! He's what? Lampas lampasan na sa kalendaryo! Baka mabuntis ko na lang ulit ang asawa ko, single pa rin siya." sagot ni Ram na ikinukumpas ang kamay. He took a chug of his beer. "Am I the only one who's concern about him?"

"We all are concern, man." Napangiti si Aya sa tinutungo ng usapan nila. Whoever that RD they are talking about, he has good friends. But although naiintindihan niya ang nararamdaman ng mga kaibigan nito ay nauunawaan din ni Aya ang kalagayan ng kung sinumang RD na iyon. Maybe he's just not ready to commit? Or maybe he's screwing someone just like she is. Hindi lamang nito masabi sa mga kaibigan. Again, just like her.

Naputol ang pakiki-Marites niya sa usapan ng tatlo nang yugyugin ni Belinda ang balikat niya. "What's going on with you? Kanina pa kami salita nang salita dito and you're not even listening?"

Aya sheepishly smiled. "Sorry." umayos siya ng upo at hinarap ang mga kaibigan. Nahiya naman siya sa mga ito. They all went out just to talk about her non-existent relationship at heto siya nasa ibang tao ang atensyon. "Have you ordered our drink?"

"Yes. I already did and God! Ang gwapo ng bartender nila dito, ha?" Kylie said while fanning herself.

Napahagikgik naman si Aya. Tinunton niya ang direskyon kung saan nakatanaw ang kaibigan niya. Standing there was a tall guy with messy dark hair and a cute dimple. He's busy mixing their drinks that he's oblivious to three women ogling at him. Napahawak pa nga si Belinda sa braso niya at pinisil iyon dala siguro ng gigil nito sa poging bartender. "Oh my goodness, If I weren't dating Pancho, i would definitely hit on him."

"Tell me about it," Kylie groaned. "Now, I kind of wanna break up with Jason just to flirt with him. Tapos balikan ko na lang ulit siya bukas." binuntunan nito iyon nang isang hagikgik.

Aya rolled her eyes at her friends. "Kayo talaga!"

"Why don't you try, Aya?" Belinda nudged her.

"Huh? bakit ako?"

"Look, are you really that serious with your guy na? Sure na sure ka na ba d'yan?" Belinda asked with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Sa ginawa nito ay halos lumuwa ang dalawa ng suso nito sa lalim ng neckline ng suot na blouse.

Aya hesitated.

Kylie shoved Belinda aside. "But if she willingly gave up her virginity for him, it means she's serious!" bumaling ito sa kanya. "Am I correct?"

Hindi ulit siya nakasagot. How is she going to tell her friends that it's not really a relationship? That it's just a friends with benefits type of hook-up? Baka kasi bigla siyang sabunutan ng mga ito. They don't know her as the wild type of girl. But she has to tell them one way or another. She doesn't want to keep them in the dark.

"Actually," nakangiwing panimula niya. The attention of her two friends are both pinned on her. Belinda nodded encouragingly while Kylie's eyes were wide with curiousity. "Uhm? How do I put this? it was uhmm.."

"What?"

"It's just a one night stand." Aya lied. She figured that if she told them that it was just a one night thing that they would stop asking her questions. If there are no more questions from her friends, she could continue her whatever she and Nick has in peace. Ika nga nila, less talk, less mistakes. Pag hindi na nagtatanong ang mga ito ay hindi na niya kailangan pang maghagilap ng isasagot dito at hindi na rin niya kailangan pang magsinungaling pa.

Belinda groaned. "And here I am already planning a vacation in my mind with just the three of us and our boyfriends! Akala ko pa naman ay friendship goals na, olats pala!"

Kylie laughed. "That's good then! You're free to flirt with the bartender who's walking towards us." All three of them watched the gorgeous piece of meat walking towards them.

"Mamaya mo na ikuwento yung about sa one night stand mo na yan."

Hindi na nagkaron pa ng pagkakataon si Aya upang tumutol sa sinasabi Kylie nang makarating sa harap nila ang gwapong bartender at ilatag sa harapan nila ang kanila ng order. "Three lemon drops for the lovely ladies."

"Thank you!" pa-demure na sagot ng dalawa niyang kaibigan.

"Alright, I will let you ladies enjoy your evening--"

"Wait!" Si Kylie.

Bumaling muli sa kanila ang bartender. Sa malapitan ay tila mas gwapo pa yata ito. Bumagay sa gayak nito ang magulo nitong buhok at ang pinaka maganda dito, bukod pa sa dimples nito, sa opinyon ni Aya, ay ang mga mata nito na kakaiba ang kulay. It was gray with silver specs in them. She couldn't help but stare in them.

"Do you need anything else?"

"My friend here wants to know your name." Kylie gave her a sideways glance.

Gusto sana niyang sawayin ang kaibigan. But the bartender's piercing gray eyes already shifted on her, flashing her with a panty dropping smile. Lalo tuloy naging evident and dimples nito na sa hindi malamang dahilan ay gustong sundutin ni Aya ng daliri.

"Uhm," she tried to find the words to say. Hindi siya sanay na makipagkilala sa opposite sex sa ganitong klaseng sitwasyon. She fought the urge to wring her fingers in front of the good looking guy and make herself look like a fool.

Thankfully, mukhang naiintindihan naman ng lalaki ang inakto niya at ito na mismo ang nag-abot sa kanya ng kamay nito. "Hi, my name is Randall, and you are..?"

"Aya. Aya Valderama."

Nagitla siya nang biglaang makarinig ng sigawan mula sa tatlong lalaki sa kabilang dulo ng bar. She heard a couple of "that's my boy!" and "sheesh!" from them as they look at their direction.

Randall laughed. "Don't mind them. They're my friends and they made it a habit to behave like idiots."

Aya giggled nervously. So this is the RD they were talking about just a few moments ago. The one who doesn't have a lovelife. She could understood now why they just hooted at them.

"Sorry, I was holding your hand for too long." nagulat na lang si Aya nang bigla nitong bitawan ang kamay niya. She didn't realize she was holding on to his hand as well.

Naramdaman niyang nag-init ang tanga niya.

"You know what? Bagay kayo. Are you single, Randall?" Belinda asked, pretending to sip on her lemon drop.

"Yes, I am." he answered without taking his eyes off her.

Aya blushed furiously. She suddenly felt conscious of herself. Hindi iyon madalas na mangyari ngunit kung tititigan naman siya ni Randall nang ganito ay talagang napapaisip siya if really looked good with her burgundy slip dress.

"Are you single, Aya?"

She blinked. Ano nga bang isasagot niya doon? Technically, she's really single. Ngunit paano niya sasabihin dito na wala siyang boyfriend but she's fucking someone? Tiyak na mati-turn off ito sa kanya. She need to figure out a way to turn him down, but in a nice way. And not in front of her friends. She decided to play it cool. "Yes. I'm single."

"That's nice." he smiled. He even liked his lips but surprisingly, hindi iyon mukhang nakakabastos. It just made her heart flutter.

"That's nice? Anong that's nice? Ask for her number, for Christ's sake!" Hindi na napigilan ng mga kaibigan ni Randall na makisali sa usapan nila. "Forgive my intrusion and excuse my friend," Ram faced her. "he's really new to this. I'm--"

"Aramis Sobrevega. I know. Your wife's my client." she held her hand out to him which he gladly acccepted.

"You're that Aya? Aya Valderama? She speaks so highly of you." Ram introduced his other friends to them, Caleb Yung who's the CEO of Yung Motors and the owner of a famous hotel. And Scorpio Ledesma, the CEO of Ledesma Group of Companies. Hindi pala biro ang mga ito, how come they are friends with a bartender?

"Baka nagtatakang kayo why we are friends with RD?" Ram ordered another round of shots for them. "He's not just a bartender here."

"Ram." Randall shook his head at his friend.

"What? Masyado kang pa-lowkey." hinarap silang muli ni Ram. "He's actually the owner of this bar. And also a stockholder of several other companies including Peralta Buildings Corp."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Aya. "Peralta Buildings? You're a stockholder?"

Randall flushed. Napakamot ito ng ulo. "Actually, it was recently acquired."

"You're the new stockholder? I'm actually working there!" She have heard na maroon ngang bumili ng stocks ng kumpanya kung saan siya nagta-trabaho. Ang balita pa nga niya ay one percent na lamang at ito na ang may hawak ng controlling stocks.

"Really?"

Nagpatuloy ang usapan nilang pito and surprisingly, she enjoyed their company, specially Randall's. He's good in the conversation, he's a gentleman and Aya felt that he was genuinely interested with her. She felt bad that she had to turn him down.

Obvious din na nag-enjoy ang mga kaibigan niya na makipagkwentuhan sa new found friends nila. Although strictly no monkey business sila, since Ram, Caleb and Scor are all married.

Makailang beses na ring sumulyap si Aya sa kanyang telepono na panay ang vibrate. She found several messages from Nick, which she ignored. Hindi naman siguro iyon importante dahil hindi naman ito tumatawag. Isa pa, kailangan rin naman niya ng oras para sa mga kaibigan niya at hindi naman umiikot ang mundo niya sa pakikipag-sex dito.

They were still in the middle of a conversation regarding the country's economy when she excused herself to go to the ladies room. Both of her friends offered to come with her but she refused.

Matapos niyang magbanyo ay humarap siya sa salamin upang mag-retouch ng kanyang make-up. Sakto namang tumunog ang kanyang telepono. It was Nick.

"Are you busy?" Ang baritonong tinig nito ang bumungad sa kanya.

"I'm out with my friends, actually."

"Oh."

"You need something?"

"Nothing." he answered quickly. "Enjoy your time with you friends then." he ended the call.

Napakunot siya sa ginawa nito. After retouching her lipstick, she checked her messages. Napakagat labi siya at sayang iniiwasan ang screen ng kanyang telepono upang hindi makita ng mga katabi niyang nag-ayos sa ladies room ang ipinadalang larawan ni Nick.

He sent her a half naked photo of him. Aya instantly felt that familiar knot in her lower abdomen. Her mouth watered at the sight of him doing a mirror selfie with only a white towel around his waist and his hair dripping with water. "Facetime?" was the message attached to the photo. Malamang ay ipinadala nito iyon bago pa nito malamang nasa labas siya kasama ang mga kaibigan.

She quickly typed a message for him. "I'll be home in a few."