The Rival's Agenda

Special Chapter #1

Happy New Year! Thank you for being here with me in my 2022 writing journey.

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SPECIAL CHAPTER #1

MY HANDS WERE clammy as I stood in Apple's living room, her siblings staring at me with wide eyes. Even with the knowledge that she was living with other people that weren't her biological family, it still surprises me how different her siblings looked. They were both maybe a few years younger than her, their eyes wide and skin two shades fairer than Apple's.

I cleared my throat and offered a smile that I hope wasn't crooked. "Hi, I'm Monty. Apple's, uh, friend."

"Hello, Kuya Monty! Wait lang po kasi nagbibihis pa si Ate." The youngest, Asha, prompted me to sit on the couch.

Their place was very homey, most of the house's foundations were made of strong wood and glass doors, so a lot of the light came from outside. And since it was the holiday season, a huge Christmas tree was propped up in their living area.

I'm glad that it seems like she found the right family for her. And I hope that in the future, I can become a part of it. Someone she can lean on and someone who can make her happy beyond words. I'm working on it though. Baby steps.

"Asha, saan 'yong heels ko? Hiniram mo nung nakaraan 'yon. Binalik mo ba sa lalagyan?" Apple shouted on top of the stairs. Even though I haven't seen her, I smiled at the familiarity of her voice.

Asha ran upstairs, probably to get her shoes, while I made myself comfortable. It was our annual Christmas dinner—me, Jass, Rafa, and the girls. But now, they invited Apple because they knew she's my plus one. Not that we made anything official yet—not even to my friends—but it's still out there and very obvious.

After a few minutes, I heard a loud thumping of footsteps like someone was running down the stairs, and it turned out that it was Apple.

"Nandito ka na? Akala ko mamaya pa!" Apple pinched my arm as soon as she was within my reach.

I paid no attention to the sudden sharp pain on my arm, but instead, I was focused on her. Only her. She wore her hair down in long gorgeous waves and her white off-shoulder dress that flowed just past mid-thigh complimented her tan skin well. I knew I was staring too much but I didn't care.

Her gentle beauty is beyond anything that, for a moment, I lost my breath.

"Monty?" she called and waved a hand in front of my face.

That shook me out of my daydreaming. "What? Uh, yeah. They had other plans so we moved the dinner an hour earlier. Sorry, I wasn't able to inform you."

She must've heard the embarrassment in my voice because I saw her sly smirk. She knew her power over me and didn't hesitate to use it. I'm fine with that, after all, I'm in love with her. There's no denying how much I want her.

"So maaga tayong aalis? Dapat mag-aayos pa akong nails, but whatever. Hindi naman siguro nila titignan 'no?"

I took a step towards her and let my arm settle on her waist, my thumb running over her dress and desperately wanting to touch her skin. "They already know you, love. You've met them. This is just a formality and well, our holiday tradition."

She eyed me. "Still, I want them to like me. Kaibigan mo sila and outsider ako."

I frowned at the thought of my friends being that snob. They're not. If someone was a snob among the three of us, that would be me, if I'm being honest.

"You're not an outsider. You're my. . . uh, friend," I hesitated and then looked down at my hands that were still resting on her waist.

Apple smirked and snaked her arms around my torso. "May friends bang ganyan kung makayakap?"