Aya wasn't able to sleep that night. Iniisip niya ang mga sinabi ni Nick sa kanya. Walang nangyari sa kanila nang gabing iyon. Nick just dropped her in her condo building and kissed her goodbye. Which was new to her considering Nick's appetite in sex. Akala nga niya ay mauuwi na naman sa car fun ang pagpapahatid niya rito. Surprisingly, he didn't even mention sex to her. Maybe he was sick or something.

Ngunit bukod doon ay hindi mawala sa isip niya ang mga sinabi nito sa kanya habang magkausap sila sa party ni Thea. She was confused to where their relationship was headed. Akala ba niya ay no love and just sex? Ano ba itong mga ipinaparamdam ni Nick sa kanya? They were supposed to just indulge in sinful, no strings attached sexual relationship. Kung magsalita ito ay tila ba may iba pa itong gusto sa kanya. And it confuses the hell out of her.

Hanggang sa pagpasok niya sa trabaho kinalunesan ay wala siyang iniisip kundi ang lalaki. She stared blankly in the screen in front of her while Belinda kept ranting to her about her recent beau.

"All I'm saying is, what's a minute of your time to compose a text saying na you're going to be busy? Kailangan ba talaga na kapag hindi siya nag-reply I will just automatically assume that he's busy? I'm a lady! Normal lang sa ating mga babae na mag-overthink from time to time! I know that I'm a grown up and an independent woman but I need assurances, too! Hindi pwedeng he will just expect me to understand him all the fucking time! Are you even listening to me, Aya Valderama?!"

Napakurap siya nang lumagapak sa mesa niya ang dalawa ng palad ni Belinda.

"I'm sorry, what was it we're talking about again?"

Belinda narrowed her eyes at her. "Nevermind. Napagod na yung bunganga ko kaku-kwento. Besides, alam ko namang wala kang matinong advise sa'kin, knowing your lack of experience in relationship." pabagsak na naupo ito sa swivel chair sa tapat ng mesa niya. "I just need to let this out. Kailangan ko lang mag-vent."

Aya smiled at the pouting Belinda. Naiintindihan naman niya ito but she's right na wala nga siyang maibibigay na matinong advice rito. Kung ang sarili nga niyang problema kay Nick--na hindi naman niya karelasyon--ay hindi niya masolusyunan, iyon pa kanyang relationship problem ni Belle? Kaya naman umisip na lamang siya ng ibang paraan para matulungan ito. She grinned. "Do you wanna go out tonight?"

Mabilis na umangat ang mata ni Belinda sa kanya. She looked at her as if there were hair sprouting out of her ears. "Seriously? It's a monday."

She chuckled. Normally, she would never go out on a work night. But since she's feeling guilty about not listening to her friend rant about her boy problems, what harm could one night in club do? Besides, hindi naman sila gaano mag-lalasing. She just need to get her friend's mind off her shitty boyfriend. At kailangan rin niyang kalimutan pansamantala si Nick Ferrera.

They met up with Kylie after work. Kasama nito si Sean na boyfriend nito at ilan sa mga kaibigan nitong lalaki na minsan na ring na-meet ni Aya. They all decided to go to Desideria which made Aya groan. She haven't told her friends about her hair raising experience in that bar. Alam niya kasing kapag kinuwento niya iyon ay malamang na maungkat rin ang tungkol sa kanila ni Nick. For sure they would ask who saved her from that crazy son of a bitch. Alangan mag-imbento siya ng kung anong kwento. Isa pa, isa ang gabing iyon sa mga bagay na ayaw na sana niyang malala pa.

She felt instantly uncomfortable upon entering the place. Wala sa isip na hinapit niya ang suot na putting blazer sa ibabaw ng sequined dress niya. Although Nick reassured her before that he had the man banned from this bar and that everything has been taken cared of, hindi pa rin mapakali si Aya. It's giving her the creeps thinking that somewhere inside this bar could be another sexual predator. What if someone out there is getting harassed and there's no Nick Ferrera to save them? That sent a chill down her spine.

They all went up to the VIP area. Isa kasi sa mga kaibigan ni Sean ay may VIP pass sa Desideria. Once they are seated, her friends started ordering drinks. Nagpa-order na lamang siya ng Daiquiri at sinimulan nang sipatin ang lugar. Mukhang safe naman sa mga sex offenders and lugar nila dahil nasa VIP section nga sila ng bar. And since it was a Monday night, they almost had the whole floor to themselves except for another group of people two couches away from them.

Aya was sipping on her first drink when she saw Kylie get up and dance with her boyfriend. Si Belinda naman ay nanatiling nakaupo sa tabi niya at nakikipagkwentuhan kay Jason, isa sa mga kaibigan ni Sean. Nagkasya na lamang siya na makinig sa usapan ng mga ito habang in-enjoy ang musika sa background. She set down her drink to check on her phone when Craig sat on Kylie's vacant seat.

"Would you like me to order you another drink?"

Ikinumpas niya ang kamay dito. "No, thanks. I have work tomorrow."

Tumawa naman ang lalaki. "Same here. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit sumama ako sa mga 'to eh. By the way, I'm Craig Fernandez."

"Aya Valderama." nakangiting sagot niya sabay tanggap sa kamay na inilahad nito sa kanya. He had a firm grasp which Aya thought was nice without it feeling like he was flirting. He was actually good looking, too. Nalaman din niyang isa itong engineer which made their conversations more interesting. Lalo na nang sabihin nitong he's working on a project with Caleb Yung, isang sikat na hotelier.

"Oh, you finally had the courage to speak to her?" Kylie was smiling so widely at them when she came back from the dance floor. Humihingal pa ito at naglalandas ang pawis sa senti do nito at leeg. "I told you, may resting bitch face lang siya but she's nice." iyon lang at basta na lang mulling umalis ang kaibigan niya. She heard her ordering more drinks which worried her. She don't want Belinda to get too drunk dahil baka magwala ito. Nasa ugali pa naman nitong bigla na lang magsasayaw sa ibabaw ng lamesa.

She tsked. Napatingin siya kay Craig who's now wiping his own sweat from his forehead and smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that. I don't want you to think we were talking behind your back."

She smiled. "It's okay, pagpasensyahan mo na si Kylie, taklesa talaga yan."

"I'm really sorry," he said as he scratch the back of his neck. "I actually asked to be introduced to you. I once saw you before, I think you're the project manager of a condominium built in Ortigas. Then I found out you're friends with her." he shrugged. "Oh, this is awkward."

Tumawa si Aya. "No, really, it's fine."

That seemed to relax him a bit and they went back to their previous topic. Noon naman biglang nag-vibrate ang telepono ni Aya. She fished out her phone from her purse and saw that there was a message from Nick. She excused herself from Craig to read the message.

"Are you free tonight?"

"I'm actually out with my friends."

"Oh."

Hindi na siya sumagot doon. Then another message from him came through. "Where?"

She was about to type in her response when Belinda came at her bawling her eyes out. Halatang lasing na ito at ngumangawa tungkol sa boyfriend nitong hanggang ngayon ay hindi nito ma-contact. Ito na nga ba ang sinasabi niya.

"Baka meron na siyang iba!!!" she wailed. Napaluhod ito sa sahig ng VIP area at agad namang napatayo si Aya upang tulungan ito.

Dinaluhan din agad siya ni Craig at tinulungan siyang paupuin si Belinda sa couch. Kylie was busy recording everything and laughing. She already snapped at her but her friend was obviously too drunk to care. She sighed. "Maybe I should take her home."

NICK let out a frustrated sigh as he once again checked his phone for Aya's message and find none. How could she not answer his texts? Gaano ba ito nag-enjoy sa kung saan mang lupalop ng daigdig ito naroon para hindi nito magawang sagutin ang text niya? And why is she out with her friends on a work night? He growled under his breath. Hindi man lang nito nagawa ng magparamdam sa kanya buong weekend tapos ngayon nasa gimikan ito?

Gusto niyang batukan ang sarili. Maybe he scared her by telling her those things. He knew he shouldn't have said it but he was too overwhelmed that night. He saw her being introduced to a lot of men in Thea's party. And it didn't sit well with him. Nagselos siya. Ilang beses na gusto niyang hatakin ito palayo pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. Why should he do that? She's not his girlfriend. There's nothing going on between the two of them except sex. iyon naman ang usapan nila. Pero hindi mapigilan na magselos sa twing may lalaking tumitingin dito na tila ba gusto nitong lamunin si Aya nang buo. And she looked really beautiful that night. No man in his right mind would not be attracted to Aya Valderama.

"Damn it!"

Napalingon sa kanya ang mga katabi niyang nakaupo sa tapat ng bar. "What's up with you?" tanong ni Zion. He's one of his closest friends, he's the new investor of Illicit, a sex club owned by Spencer Zarch. They were in a business meeting earlier and they decided to visit his brother Randall in his bar. Pagdating naman niya sa bar na pag-aari nito ay hindi pa daw ito pumapasok mula nung Friday according to his bartender, Mickey.

"Nothing." He's not about to talk to his friends about his problem with Aya. Alam niyang tutuksuhin siya ng mga ito.

"What nothing?" Beau, his other friend and Zion's younger brother sat in the other side of him. He ordered another round of whiskey for them before turning his head towards him. He's a doctor who specialises in sexual reassignment and vaginoplasty. "You've been so wound up since we ended the meeting. What's going on?"

"Babae problems ba yan?"

"It's not."

"Oh, cmon!" natawa si Beau as he took his shot of whiskey. "Babae lang naman ang possible na dahilan ng kunot dyan sa noo mo. At babae lang rin ang sagot d'yan."

"Why don't you take that advise yourself and stop carrying a torch for a married woman?" Zion asked.

Muntik na niyang bigyan ng high-five ang kaibigan kung hindi lamang sa masamang tingin na binato ni Beau sa nakatatandang kapatid. "You're not funny, man."

"I'm not joking, Beau. Seriously."

Napailing na lamang si Nick. Natural na alam niya ang ibig ipakahulugan ni Zion sa kapatid nito. But it's not something he has to concern himself with. Besides, Diandra is also a good friend of his. So as Luke, her husband. He's in enough trouble as it is.

"Why don't we just go to Desideria? I think the crowd's better there."

Muntik na tumirik ang mata ni Nick sa sinabi ni Beau. There are more women to score there is what he means. Masyadong tame ang crowd dito sa bar ng kapatid niya. And Desideria has been quite known for it's wild crowd nowadays. Even if it's a Monday night.

Muli niyang naalala si Aya at napamura. He has to stop wondering what she's thinking and why she's not answering his messages. He needed to take his mind off of her. This isn't healthy anymore! Mas mabuti pa nga yatang sa Desideria sila pumunta at baka mas maaliw siya sa mga tao doon kumpara sa mga yuppies dito sa Remix. He threw a bunch of bills on the bar and stood up. "Cmon."