Hideaway [Completed]

Chapter 1

"Bro! It's so good to see you again!" Miguel Montenegro screamed over the glaring lights and loud music of the club. Nakaupo sila ngayon sa VIP table na ni-reserve para sa intimate birthday celebration and welcoming party ni Aspen Alcaraz, his childhood best friend and confidante.

Aspen smiled at him at inabutan siya ng isang bote. "Bakit late ka na? Ngayon ka lang dumating?" 

Miguel just shrugged. "Had to drive home a friend."

Diego Tantoco II also known as Gio, now sitting on the right side of Aspen, chimed in. "Who?"

"Nothing important. Let's celebrate now that I'm here. So sinong target mo ngayon, Aspen?" And he looked around to spot some nice chicks. "Mas maganda ba ang mga babae sa US?"

Aspen just shrugged. "Same."

Natawa naman si Gio sa sagot nito. "Same? Baka naman kasi natikman mo na halos lahat ng mga babae doon at nagsawa ka na."

"That's not hard to believe," Miguel said and sat down across them, grabbing the bottle in hand. "How was the last two years of hooking up in the US? "

Aspen just laughed. "Bro, nag-aral naman ako doon kahit papano. What do you think of me?"

"A manwhore," Gio readily answered.

Aspen just playfully punched his friend at pagkatapos ay tumawag ng waitress para kumuha pa ng isang bote ng tequila. "We'll get drunk tonight. I just came back and I want to loosen up before my dad ties me down."

Sabay na nagtawanan sina Gio at Miguel.

"The great Atticus Alcaraz," Gio mockingly said. "Takot na takot ka talaga sa tatay mo."

"Man, my dad is perfect. How can I live up to that?"

Umiling na lamang si Miguel. "Pero di ba stepsister niya dati ang mama mo noong naging sila? So I guess he's not that perfect after all."

Umiling na lamang si Aspen. "My dad grew our businesses tremendously and all while raising a good family. I have a feeling may gusto na silang ipakasal sakin sometime soon."

"Yeah, my sister," Gio said. "I heard my dad talking to your dad."

"Dahlia?" gulat na tanong ni Aspen. Dahlia is the darling daughter of the Tantocos, beautiful and well educated. Just like her mother Saritha, she has taken a liking into social work. Ito ang katulong ng mommy nito ngayon sa pag-manage ng mga foundations. 

Natigilan bigla si Miguel sa sinabing iyon ni Gio. "What?" Nagdilim bigla ang mukha nito.

Gio just shrugged. "I just heard them. Can't confirm yet. But who am I to judge? My best friend will be my brother-in-law!" 

Aspen just shook his head. "Our fathers are crazy."

*****

It was already two AM nang napagdesisyunan nilang umuwi na. They were all drunk but Aspen insisted on driving alone kaya iniwanan na siya ng mga kaibigan. 

He was walking towards the parking lot na madilim na dahil wala ng halos ilaw at mga kotseng nakaparada doon. 

He was searching for his sports car nang may nakitang isang babaeng nakatayo doon at mukhang galit na galit sa kausap sa telepono.

"Hindi ho ba pwede kahit one month advance na lang? Pang-tuition ko lang po talaga. Finals na kasi namin bukas..." Aspen heard the woman said on the phone.

He looked at her back. Nakasuot ito ng puting shirt at black na pencil skirt. She looks like a waitress from somewhere. But what caught his attention was her figure. She had that model figure: just the right curves with long legs that he always falls for.

Narinig ni Aspen kung paano pinagbagsakan ito ng telepono ng kausap nito. The woman grunted in annoyance and turned around.

She was a breath of fresh air. Long lashes lining those dark eyes. Long wavy hair flowing down a fair-skinned body. Nagulat ito ng makita siyang nakatitig sa kanya.

"Sino ka? Anong tini-tingin-tingin mo?" singhal ng babae sa kanya.

Aspen just laughed. At ang babaeng ito pa talaga ang may ganang singhalin siya. "Let me see... I think this is not the proper way to greet me, love, because I can just change your life."

"A-Anong ibig mong sabihin?" the woman looked around, checking a way to run kung sakaling may gawing masama sa kanya ang lalaking ito.

"You need money, right?" Dahan-dahan siyang lumapit sa babae. It's like her eyes were calling out to him. And those luscious lips... how he badly wants to kiss them. 

"Huwag kang lalapit!" banta ng babae at itinaas na ang dalawang kamay sa harapan nito.

"What's your name?" tanong niya. Aspen was too intoxicated with her smell nang hustong makalapit ito sa babae. Was he that drunk that he can smell her that much? And damn! She smells so good na halos gusto na niyang hilahin ito para mahalikan.

The woman started running to try to escape pero mabilis itong nahabol ni Aspen at hinawakan sa magkabilang braso. 

"Sir, please..." pagmamakaawa ng babae. There was now fear in her eyes. Walang tao sa paligid at napakadilim na rin. "Pakawalan nyo po ako. Hindi ako magsusumbong."

"Geez, woman. I'm just trying to be friends."

"Lasing ka!" singhal muli nito sa kanya. "Let me go!" 

Aspen didn't know if it was the twenty shots of tequila that did it or just her perfume but he lowered his head to kiss and silence her. It was a gentle kiss, but she managed to break free from his grasp and ran again. 

This time, he caught her again and wrapped his arms around her waist. This fleeing creature was new to him. Women always flock to him for sex. Gwapo siya at mayaman. Iyon ang gusto ng mga babae.

Right, his money. "One hundred thousand pesos. One night."

Nakita niya kung paano nanlaki ang mga mata ng babae, but she didn't dare move.

"Narinig ko kanina na kailangan mo ng pera for your tuition fee. I can give you that and so much more. Just come with me tonight." And he started tasting her neck this time. 

"H-Hindi ako call girl, okay?" pagtutol ng babae.

"I know you're not. Sa tingin mo lalapitan kita kung alam kong call girl ka."

"Then why are you offering money?"

Aspen just shrugged. "I thought you might need it. And I need an escape before I fucking become the perfect son of Atticus Alcaraz again."

Nagulat ang babae sa sinabi nito. 

"Finally, recognition," he said.

"I-isa kang Alcaraz?" gulat na gulat na tanong nito. Everyone knows the Alcaraz family, one of the richest families in the country.

"Yes. So come on. We'll have fun. I promise. And I won't leave you empty-handed. Just agree with me, and I can change your life easily."

*****

A/N: Hello guys! I'm now working on this new project. This is MY STEPSISTER IS MINE [GEN2] so I'm introducing new characters again but this time, mga anak na nina Atticus, Aries and Yego. 

I hope you like it!!! Please continue supporting this series. Enjoooy the rest of the week at maraming salamat.