This Could End

Chapter Five

My face contorted in disbelief. "Friends?"

Bigla siyang humagalakpak sa tawa. "You look like you expected something else. Friendship lang kaya kong i-offer sa'yo, Persephone."

"Buti ka pa meron kayang i-offer. Ako kasi wala," pasinghal kong sagot.

He placed his hand over his chest and looked at me with a pained expression.. Para bang sinaksak ko 'yon kaya biglang sumakit. "Ang sakit mo naman magsalita. Is this your way of thanking me for last time?"

Umirap na lang ako. I already thanked him for that. One thank you is enough. "Thank you for the offer but I already have friends."

"Really? You didn't seem like you had one last time," he casually stated.

"Can you stop bringing that up?" I sneered at him.

"Ang sungit. Grabe," nakatawa niyang sabi. Mukhang tuwang-tuwa pa siya na sinusungitan ko siya. Nang hindi ko siya sinagot ay napanguso siya. Mukhang pinipilit niya magseryoso. "What's wrong with being friends?"

Friends? With a face like that? I swear it's written in some rule book somewhere that it's illegal for any girl to be just friends with someone as hot as him. Unless friends is followed with benefits.

"What?" Nakangisi niyang tanong sa akin.

"Why would you want to be friends with me?" I genuinely asked.

He shrugged. "You just look so lonely."

Umuwang ang labi ko. Hindi inaasahan ang sagot niya. And he didn't say it in a teasing way either.

What made him think that? Do I really look lonely?

Bago ko pa siya matanong ay may bumusinang sasakyan. It was Kuya Victor. Tinapunan ko ulit ng tingin si Hades.

Hindi ko alam kung magpapaalam ba ako o hindi. Sa huli ay iniwan ko na lang siya basta at pumasok sa loob ng sasakyan.

Hindi nagtanong si Kuya tungkol sa kausap ko at pinaandar na agad ang sasakyan. The whole drive, his statement remained a mystery in my mind. The last thing that I remember that night is Hades and the word lonely.

🍷🍷🍷

"Asia's party trended and so is your photo with her," my manager noted.

I just nodded and took a sip from my coffee fix in the morning, careful not to burn my tongue. It's a struggle 'cos the vehicle is moving.

Kasama si Mama Ton na sumundo sa akin sa condo unit. Since he's here to accompany me to two meetings, wala ang road manager ko. Emma's present, like always.

"There's a Facebook post that trended, debunking the issue between you and Asia. It highlighted how you actually seem more like sisters. Lumabas din ang mga behind the scene photos, pati kuha ng mga fans sa mga old tapings niyo," Mama Ton explained.

"There are still a few haters, pero 'di naman mawawala ang mga inggitera sa mundo. The important thing here is natabunan na ang mga naunang issue sa 'yo and the news about your new deals will only bury the rumors even more."

The first meeting is with an international makeup brand. They're launching a new lippie collection and they want me to be the brand ambassador for Asia.

While the second meeting is with a mobile phone brand. They're launching their new phone next month and I heard from my manager that they have plans for a TVC.

Dressed in a pretty yellow short suit with killer heels and my hair tied in a bun, I was ready to sign deals.

My morning schedule was light 'cos meeting lang naman. Lunch time, I went to the venue for my magazine shoot.