Malaya run her fingers through her hair as the rain pours down. Naabutan lang naman siya ng ulan habang nagjojog. She forgot to check the weather update for today. Nagjog siya sa pinakamalapit na punong pwede niyang silungan. Their house is approximately 2 kilometers away from her location. 

"Miss you can have my umbrella." Someone approaches her at inalok siya ng dilaw na payong. 

"Salamat ginoo ngunit hindi na. Ako'y tatakbo na lang pauwi." Magalang na sagot niya sa lalaki. Their great grandparents taught them Tagalog. And they really appreciated the deep and straight Tagalog. Hindi gaya ng iba na may halong english words. Kahit nagtutunog silang makalumang tao ay wala silang pakealam.

They love the Filipino language, that's why they use it with much respect. 

Pinunas niya ang medyo basang bimpo sa kanyang mukha. 

"N-No, I insist. Or ihahatid na lang kita. My car was parked just around the corner." He offered. Hindi na siya muling pinansin ni Malaya. Isinuot niya ang kanyang earphones and continued jogging under the rain. 

 "Malaya! Hindi mo ba narinig ang balita kaninang umaga na may bagyo?! Basang-basa ka na! Paano na lang kung ika'y sipunin o lagnatin?!" It was Marikit, the eldest sa kanilang magpipinsan. 

"Hindi ko iyon napansin." She pants as she wiped herself gamit ang twalyang iniabot ni Marikit sa kanya. 

"Maligo ka na at magpatuyo, nakahanda na ang almusal. Gisingin mo na lang si Mayumi mamaya at sabay na kayong bumaba." Marikit added. Tumango na lang sa kanya si Malaya bago ito umakyat sa kanyang kwarto. She immediately took a bath at pinatuyo ang buhok. 

She entered Mayumi's room, they don't lock their doors, wala naman silang itatago sa isa't-isa. Mayumi is a sleepy head, walang pake sa mundo. 

"Mayumi bumangon ka na, nakahanda ang almusal." She shook her shoulder pero hindi ito nagising. Siya na nga ang unang natulog kagabi, tapos siya pa ang huling nagigising. 

"Mayumi, dali na, bumangon ka na. Baka magalit pa si Marikit." 

Mayumi groaned as she hugs her pillows. "Anong oras na ba?" She yawned and sat up rubbing her eyes. 

"Alas syete na ng umaga." Malaya said. Napatingin naman si Mayumi sa orasan and yawned. Bumangon na siya at dumiretso sa CR para mag-ayos. 

"Ngayon ilalabas ang peryodiko (Magazine) kung saan tayo ang pabalat (cover)." Marikit said habang inaayos ang mesa for breakfast. 

"Bibigyan ba nila tayo ng kopya?" Mayumi yawned while making her own cup of coffee. 

"Mmmm, ihahatid daw nila mamaya dito. Sige na kumain na tayo. Malaya yung gatas mo nasa palamigan. Ipainit mo na lang." Marikit said pertaining to the bottled milk inside the fridge. 

Marikit loves to have fruit juices in the morning, Mayumi prefers coffee and Malaya likes milk. 

Malaya's phone vibrated while they're having breakfast kaya napatingin si Mayumi at Marikit sa kanya. 

"Alam niyong hindi ako nababakante." Malaya grinned and looked at her phone to read the message she received from her current fling. Jackson Magdangal, a car racer, pantasya ng mga kababaihan but for her he's just a toy to play with. 

Jackson:

Gonna fetch you later.

Hindi niya ito sinagot. The guy is serious with her but she doesn't like him even if he gave her a yatch as gift for her birthday last month. 

"Wag mong hayaang karmahin ka sa ginagawa mo Malaya." Mayumi warned her as she sips from her cup of coffee. 

Nagkibit balikat lang siya. She finishes her breakfast before she went up to her room and fix herself dahil nakapagpromise na siya kay Jackson na sasamahan niya ito buong araw. 

She doesn't feel anything towards him, she cannot even be friends with him. Ang mga lalaki ay laruan lamang, parang plastic at styro na disposable. She wore a white floral sleeveless dress, she was brushing her hair ng marinig niya ang busina sa labas. 

"May ipapabili ba kayo?" Tanong niya kay Mayumi at Marikit na nasa kusina pa rin at nag-uusap. 

"Mag-iingat ka na lang." Marikit smiled at her. 

"Wala naman. Sa taas na rin ako, inaantok pa ko." Mayumi yawned. 

"Sige, alis na 'ko. Di ako sigurado kung makakauwi ako mamaya." She winked at Marikit na mukhang hindi naman nagustuhan ang sinabi niya. 

"Sige lang Malaya at ihahanda ko ang baril para sayo." Napalunok si Malaya sa narinig and faked a laugh. 

"Sige na alis na 'ko!" She chuckled at lumabas na ng bahay nila. The security is very tight in their area dahil na rin sa trabaho ni Marikit.

Lumabas si Malaya sa gate nila. She smiled at Jackson na agad namang lumapit sa kanila at hinalikan siya sa labi. It's no big deal for Malaya. She loves playing this kind of game. 

"I prepared the yatch, I have an eye on this specific Island and I wanna buy it for you." Jackson held her hand ng nasa loob na sila ng kotse. Napangisi si Malaya sa narinig. 

Ganito ang epekto niya sa mga lalaki, they make her feel like she's a queen. And she loves that kind of feeling.

"Hindi, ayoko ng isla." Ngumiti si Malaya sa kanya. 

"Even if you say no, I will still give it to you. I will give everything to you." He smiled at her and kissed the back of her hand. Malaya pressed her lips tightly. 

"Ayoko munang pumunta sa may dagat. Kahapon lang napabalitang may bagyo Jackson." Malamig na tugon ng dalaga. Natigilan naman si Jackson sa inasal nito. 

He didn't know about that, matagal na kasing nakaschedule ang ito at nawalan na siya ng oras para icheck ang weather forecast. 

"Where do you wanna go then?" He squeezed her hand softly habang maingat itong nagdadrive palabas ng subdivision. 

"Hmmm somewhere private?" She flirted with him. Napansin niya ang paggalaw ng adams apple ni Jackson kasabay ng muling pagpisil sa kanyang kamay. Napangisi siya sa inasal nito. 

Boys will always be boys. 

Malaya is 22 and graduating sa kursong Architecture. She's known as the youngest member of Mariposa, a girl group performing every Saturday in Casa Azul. They may not be directly related to showbiz but they were known and loved by many. 

Mayumi is 25, Marikit is 26. 

Even with her reputation as a play girl, a man breaker, Malaya is still a virgin, she may love flirting but she has a huge amount of self control. No one has deemed to be worthy of her virginity. 

Or baka akala lang niya yun?