She's the Real Challenge

6: XGF

"Huh?"

Iyon lang ang nasabi ni Ken. Hinihintay niyang magsabi si Lily na nagbibiro lang ito. But the punchline never came and there was just complete silence for a whole minute.

Hindi pa rin nagsalita si Lily kaya si Ken na ang nauna. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm joking. Pero joke lang. Okay na? Sasali ka na ba?" Lily pouted at her. "Forty dapat 'yong contestants. Tinawagan ako ni Daddy, sabi niya, I should have planned better. Bakit daw ganito, et cetera. Tagos sa 'kin 'yong disappointment niya so I said SRU will fix this, that I can get at least twenty contestants. I can't join 'cause I'm already a judge. Ikaw na lang ang pag-asa ko. Ayaw mo bang mapatunayan sa board na worth it ang paggawa ng Special Resolutions Unit?"

Lily had a point. The SRU had always been a controversial part of Zafiro Inc. Maraming company executives ang nagsasabing hindi sila kailangan and lately, they didn't have any chances to prove their worth. Ken also didn't want to let her best friend down. She knows that as an heiress, maraming expectations kay Lily. Kaya niya bang dagdagan pa ang stress nito?

"Please, will you do this? I will owe you big time," Lily said.

"Wala na ba talagang iba? Si Heidi?" Hindi iiwan ni Ken si Lily sa ere pero gagawin niya lang talaga 'to kung wala na silang choice.

"Emcee siya."

"Mas bagay sa kanyang maging contestant, palit na lang kami!"

"'Di pwede. You're not welcoming or lively enough, you'll be a terrible emcee."

"I'll be a more terrible contestant."

"I know, pero hindi mo naman kailangan manalo. Kailangan lang ng contestants. Kaya 'wag ka nang humirit. We're running out of time. Kumpleto naman na 'yong mga gamit and I've already asked Matt to prepare the props for your talent portion—"

"May talent portion?!"

"Speed talent portion lang, one minute per contestant. Alam ko na kung anong gagawin mo and I'm sure na kayang-kaya mo 'yon. Please, sali ka na."

Ken was horrified with the sudden turn of events but she had no time to think of other solutions. Huminga siya nang malalim at tinanggap ang kapalaran. "If you really want me to do this, may conditions lang ako. Let's talk in private."

* * *

Sage watched as the two girls walked away. Parang nakalimutan na ni Lily ang existence niya matapos makuha ang kailangan nito. Medyo naaawa naman siya kay Ken sa kailangan nitong gawin but a larger part of him was looking forward to seeing her in a pageant.

"Oh. My. God. Sage!" a high-pitched voice squealed. He knew exactly who it belonged to. Sana mga kukong kumakaskas sa chalkboard na lang ang narinig niya. Ayaw niyang lumingon. He didn't want to deal with her.

Tumatakbo sa isipan ni Sage ang mga pwede niyang gawin para maiwasan ang interaction na magaganap and the choices were just ridiculous.

A. Hindi siya lilingon. Tatakbo na lang pabalik sa kotse niya at hindi na babalik sa mall na iyon kahit kailan.

Tsk, hindi pwede. Paano na lang 'yong pagporma ko kay Lily? At 'di ko makikitang ma-torture si Ken bilang pageant contestant! Ganda pa naman no'ng gown na pinili ko.

B. Magpapanggap na hindi siya si Sage.

Tsk, hindi gagana 'to. I already agreed to be a judge at wala na akong kawala kapag tinawag na 'yong pangalan ko.

C. Magpapanggap na may amnesia at sasabihing hindi niya naaalala ang babaeng ito.

Ito, ito na ang paraan! Kunwari naaksidente ako kaya di ko siya naaalala. Pero wait, kung 'di ko siya naaalala, magkakaroon na naman siya ng chance na lalong dumikit sa 'kin—

Bago pa siya makaisip ng effective na excuse, ang babae na mismo ang naglakad papunta sa tapat niya. "I missed you," Claire said as she threw her arms around his neck to hug him. Sinubukan niyang kumawala pero mas humigpit ang yakap nito. He stood there stiffly, appalled at the audacity of his ex.

Bagay na bagay ang maamong mukha ni Claire sa personality ng mga bidang ginagampanan nito sa mga pelikula and this greatly helped in tricking a whole country into believing that she was a saint. A hot saint. What people didn't know was that she was hot because she probably came from a place with fiery lakes.

"I didn't miss you at all," Sage said, looking at the girl with an empty expression. He had no intention of returning the hug at lalong wala siyang balak na makipagplastikan dito. They both knew what she did.

Claire Monterro's fame as a starlet was quickly rising when Sage caught her cheating on him earlier this year. Alalang-alala ni Sage ang gulat sa mga mata ni Claire nang makita niya itong nakikipaglampungan sa ibang lalaki sa sarili nitong dressing room. He broke up with her right then and there. Her manager was able to do some damage control and it was very easy. Sino ba naman ang mas kapani-paniwalang victim, 'yong first time lang daw magka-boyfriend o yung mas madalas pang magpalit ng girlfriend kaysa magpalit ng toothbrush?

Sage didn't really care about the rumors, 'di naman nabawasan ang kagwapuhan niya. He was just annoyed that less than a week after their split, Claire started begging him to take her back. The audacity. She found ways to always mention him on social media and talk shows. Sage couldn't care less, he had been successful in avoiding her. Until today.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito, Babe? Have you finally realized that we belong together?" tanong ng babaeng ilusyonada na hindi na nahiya kay Mariah Carey.

"No," malamig na sagot ni Sage.

Claire grabbed his arm as he started to walk away. "Wait, Sage. How can you be so cold to me? After everything we've been through? Isang beses lang ako nagkamali. I'm sure na may feelings ka pa para sa 'kin."

Dalawang buwan lang naging sila, ano kayang pinagsasabi nitong 'everything'? Sage didn't even try to hide his cringe. "Sure, I have feelings for you but I can't really decide. Ano ba sa tingin mo ang nararamdaman ko, pity, irritation, o disgust?" It was probably all of the above. But before Claire could answer, Lily showed up beside them.

"Claire? Sage? Let me introduce you to each other." Apparently, Lily wasn't aware of his connection to Claire. Or nagpapanggap lang ito para maiwasan 'yong awkwardness. Either way, he was thankful.

"No need, Lily. Sage and I are very close. Pero hindi niya pa sinasabi kung bakit siya nandito," sagot ni Claire at saka nito ipinakita ang kanyang mala-anghel na ngiti. Hindi na nagsalita si Sage pero mukhang malapit na siyang masuka sa mga pinagsasabi ni Claire.

"Pareho kayong magiging judge ng pageant," sabi ni Lily. Napangiwi na lang si Sage. He dreaded the next couple of hours that he'll be forced to spend close to Claire.

* * *

Ken clicked her tongue as she rummaged through the items she had for the pageant. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya mag-uumpisa sa pag-aayos. Kung alam ko lang na ako pala ang magsusuot nito... Tinititigan niya ang two-piece swimsuit at four-inch heels na binili niya. The regret was unmistakable in her eyes.

"Ken? Okay ka lang? Kanina ka pa tulala ah," Matt asked. Tall, reserved, and blind without his glasses, Matt Lin is a skilled programmer and is also part of the Special Resolutions Unit.

"Marunong ka bang mag-makeup?" tanong ni Ken. She kinda knew how but her anxiety was building. Ayaw niya namang magmukhang clown kung pumalpak ang makeup niya.

Natawa si Matt sa tanong niya. "Sorry, 'di ko kayang i-code 'yan. For what it's worth, I think you look good kahit walang makeup. I'll go prepare your boards."

Bumuntong-hininga si Ken pero nginitian niya ang kausap pagkatapos. "Thanks, Matt."

"Good luck," Matt replied, looking apologetically at Ken before leaving.

Gustuhin mang umasa ni Ken sa magic, wala nang oras para maghintay ng fairy godmother. Nag-umpisa na siyang maglagay ng primer sa mukha niya. Habang pinag-iisipan kung anong kulay ng eye shadow ang gagamitin, minabuti niyang buksan ang garment bag na naglalaman ng gown na binili ni Sage.

Muntik na lumuwa ang mga mata niya. "What the fuck?"