Follow-up

Did someone feel guilty? My article entitled "The Real Resignation Letter" had been viewed by a lot of people. The beauty of this blog is that I won't mention who you are, I will only say how you are towards me, your activities, and basically, everything else aside from your name. I still respect people's privacy.

The exit interview went great. I was able to say everything without hesitation and regret. VGHs; asking someone else to clock out; sleeping and going on MIA during work hours; late everyday; the very few coaching sessions; the favoritism, how an agent can do anything he wants without a memo just because they're close, and another agent, who has a valid excuse, was put on final written warning because of the same offenses; how everyone didn't want to go to work anymore because the leader is very irresponsible; the fact that the supervisor is being paid to make very unproductive noise, talk about gossips, and SLEEP; how agents' lives are ruined just because of an individual who is so self-centered; how the supervisor violates the privacy act by sharing the logins to the favorite agents and so forth. The rating I gave this person is VERY DISSATISFIED. The HR Officer asked me why, and so I explained myself.

No matter what, there is nothing to deny. Though there are things to admit. I gave way because this person thinks very highly of ITSELF. The moment I found out that there won't be any growth for me in the company because of this individual, I knew what has to be done. I am still positive that there will be an action with the feedback I gave during the exit interview, I truly hope that there would be, because some people just can't learn their lessons.

The payback may not be with your career, somehow, the Lord will have His own way of getting back at you for all the lives and careers you have ruined.

BOW.

Ending the Day with a Smile

Since the start of the year, I've had the chance to Skype with, Tweet, and talk to different people. Most of them are my friends from the companies I've worked at, some from college, some high school and so on.

As today started to end, one of my most admired individual opened up the recent happenings in his life. I was so surprised that he felt comfortable to tell me how he feels and how everything in his life turn out to be since we stopped communicating.

He is truly a magical person. So laid back yet future oriented; conservative but modern in some ways. I like the fact we continue to be friends even amidst all the circumstances that happened years ago.

The exchange of words made my day. I'm starting to feel more like who I used to be, minus the bad habits and immature nature.

There is still a long way to go before I can say that I have healed and settled. The presence of angels, friends, and family, especially, my toddler, makes this process serene, stress-free, and happy.


Goodnight PHL, tomorrow's another day!

Hooray for Wednesday

My imagination kicked in early. A lot of thoughts are running in my head before I even have my morning coffee. I know that there is a reason behind all these queries, I needed to do something.

I set my playlist to one of my all time favorite songs, The Fray's How to Save a Life. For some reason, I am reminded of my kid's father.

For most of my life, I grew up having my grand mother around. She gave me all that I need, all that I want. My grandmother's sister was also present, ninang, and of course, my mother. I never had a father figure, I was never molded to believe that not having my dad around made me a less person. And that's when I understood why my relationship with kid's father never worked in the first place.

It wasn't taught by anyone in my family, but given the circumstances that I was in, I never truly admire men. For me, men are passive, I never had a man tell what to do, let alone control my decisions. It was always the women in my family who's in charge. So to be submissive to a guy is really hard for me to do.

Though at some point there was this eery feeling that maybe, my life will be different. I thought that this time, I would be able to nail a complete family. Somehow, fate really has its own way making things work.

Nobody can ever say that I never tried. Even when my kid's father and I were just starting going out, I figured that perhaps there is a possibility for me to be a wife. My friends can attest to that. They have discouraged me to be with him because they thought they were losing me to him. They thought I was investing too much without the assurance that there will be a bright future ahead.

Life happened with him. I started to weigh things and realize a lot of lessons. I then began to plan my life with him and build dreams with him. My happiness started to be wrapped around his happiness, his frustrations encouraged me to be better. Then I became dependent on everything he thinks and feels.


For years, it was always about him and his standards. My family even gave him a pat on the back for all the things that he did to change me. But along with those changes, I began to ask questions; because with all that I gained, I was not happy, I felt limited only to how things grow according to his perspective. I started to think about how I feel about things, how most of the time, my opinion seemed to be different than his.

I became a rebel. I suddenly realized how things should be: a relationship needs to be a two-way street. I need to get out of my comfort zone to fully experience life. I realized that everything I have learned are based from what he experienced. I am not saying that I have to relive all the mistakes and doings to learn, it's just that I never applied any of his teachings because I was boxed out from reality.

Suddenly, I found myself far from what I thought I should be like. It's like back stabbing yourself. I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the person in it. The more I dwell in this thought, the more that I look back as to how life would be like we didn't, and how everything would turn out if I firmly set my own standards and if I only valued myself instead of a another person.

I cannot contain my emotions and created a life different from what was expected of me. It was only this year that this secret life was revealed. Even through all the judgements and criticism, I have to do this for me to grow on my own, to not lose myself in the process of changing myself.

Now, I feel that I don't need a man to point me to the right direction. That was what I was waiting for, there was no point in changing if I feel that someone else is dictating me to do it. It has to come from within.

Reality hit, and I have to prepare for work. I am leaving you guys with this thought though, how do you live life?


A beautiful Wednesday morning everyone!

Party Girl Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Sleeping Together

“Kevin? Are you with Magic? He’s not answering his phone,” Andy asked Kevin on the cell phone.

“He’s with Shayla. Andy, he’s getting back at us, I know it, and he’s using her,”

Andy, on the other line, couldn’t speak. She knew what she did. She knew it was wrong. Kevin was so seductive. He’s so hot. I had problems when it happened. I didn’t mean it. Everything happened so fast. I couldn’t control the situation. He was there, sitting by the bar, and I was devastated enough to talk to him about his best friend. I was comfortable with Kevin, and that was a one-time thing.  I thought Magic would understand and forget about it, thought Andy.

“Andy, are you there? Didn’t you hear what I said?”

She realized that Kevin was still on the other line. “Oh, I’m sorry Kev, I’m sure he’s not. They’re friends naman eh, ok lang ‘yun,”

“Are you sure? I thought…”

“Positive,” although Andy was really worried that Magic could do it, she didn’t want Kevin to know.

Back at Shayla’s home, the party seemed to be still on. After their drive thru meal, Magic and Shayla opened up a bottle of vodka and mixed it with iced tea.

“So, spill!” Shayla demanded

Magic felt uncomfortable about it. But she agreed to tell it to Shayla. “I went to the US last year ‘di ba,” Shayla nodded “that’s the same time Kevin went back here, he and Andy were hanging out a lot. I didn’t mind because, you know, he’s my best friend since we were kids. Tapos when I got home from the US, I went straight to Andy’s house to surprise her. There was already a feeling when got to her doorstep, parang something’s wrong but I can’t understand why, then I caught them.” Suddenly, Magic eyes started filling up with tears, but Shayla knew that he was fighting them to fall down. “I was devastated pero ‘di ko sinabi. The next day, Andy went to my place to apologize. I told her it was ok, that she probably just missed me… Shayla, alam ko dapat naging honest ako, but I want to forget all about it…”

“Magic…” Shayla found herself hugging him. It was the best way to comfort someone who was hurting. When she pulled herself away from Magic, she saw the tears fell down his cheek. She didn’t know she loved Andy so much. She thought that they were just playing around because he hadn’t mention Andy that much in any of their conversations, or to anybody in particular.

“But why did you even tell Kevin about me, sabi mo ayaw mo siya para sa’kin diba? ” Shayla wondered.

Magic wiped the tears off his face. “I didn’t. When he asked who you were, I just told him your name and parati kang nasa Emba, other than that, wala na.”

“Ah ganun… O, ubusin mo na yan,” pointing to the last glass of the vodka iced tea, “last na ‘yan,”

Hannah was still sleeping that afternoon when someone opened the lights of her room. She tried to ignore it, it was probably just their maid.

“HANNAH! WAKE UP! I HAVE DIRT!”

It wasn’t their maid. Shayla went right away to Hannah’s place after she dropped Magic at his condo. Too sleepy to get up, Hannah threw Shayla a pillow and went back to sleep.

“Hannah! Listen, I knew what Kevin’s forget-I-said-anything crap, wake up. Oh, you wouldn’t believe this. Magic caught him and Andy partying,”

As if an airplane was about to crash at the top of her bed, Hannah suddenly got up.

“See, I thought that would wake you,” Shayla said, smiling.

“Are you serious? Andy and your American hunk chu chu? What do they see in her, ‘di naman siya maganda. Where did you hear this from? Reliable source ba ha? Saka natulog ka na ba? What time is it? You even had the nerve to go here, hello---”

Shayla covered her mouth. “Magic told me. Kanina, ‘di ba sumabay siya sa ‘kin? He spilled all of it.”

Hannah suddenly got her phone and started dialing.

“What are you doing?” Shayla asked, confused.

“Calling Ria, she needs to know this. Goodness, I thought you wouldn’t have chance with Magic, looks like he’s an open book.”

“Where have you been hon?” asked Andy as Magic closed the door of his condo. He was surprised that she was here. Then he remembered, she still has a key to his place.

“I called Kevin this morning, sabi niya you were with Shayla, that girl you met at the--”

Magic dropped his varsity bag and sighed, “I didn’t just meet her last night. We’ve been friends for a long time. But yes, I met her at Emba—wait, what are you doing here anyway?”

“I was checking on you, I thought you would be home, kanina pa ko nandito,”

“Ah talaga, sorry ah. Shayla and I were having so much fun. I didn’t’ realize hapon na pala,” Magic said.

As Magic went to his kitchen, Andy followed. He was making himself a cup of coffee, when she interrupted.

“Ako na, I used to do this for you all the time. Remember? When you get home from work, I always make your coffee,” Andy said, giving Magic a weak smile.

She gave him the cup and he started to sip. “But Andy, you have to admit, you still make the worst coffee,” Magic said then forced a smile.

Andy felt that this was awkward. She knew that Magic hadn’t totally forget about her and Kevin. Maybe Kevin was right, maybe Shayla and Magic are something, he was getting back at us. Get it together Andy, you were the one who wrecked everything. Magic is perfect and you ruined it all—

“Andy, are you ok?” Magic asked.

“Uh huh, I’m sorry, my mind was somewhere else. Honey? I was just wondering, about the Kevin and I thing… Uhm, I want to talk about it. You seem fine with it. But I’m not, honey, I’m so sorry, ok? ”

Magic placed the empty cup of coffee in the sink. “To be honest with you, I haven’t forgotten about it and I never forgave the two of you yet,” Andy tried to get close to him but he stopped her. “Don’t. You know what, I can’t pretend anymore. Maybe you should go, and leave the keys of my condo,”

“What? Honey!” Andy said, teary eyed.

“I think you should leave now Andy, and this thing going on between us, it’s over. That’s something that you should forget about.”

“It’s Shayla isn’t it? She’s the reason kaya madali para sa’yo na iwan ako! Six years Magic, SIX YEARS!” Andy was shouting.

“You should have thought about that six years before you slept with my best friend!” Magic was losing it. This was the first time he and Andy were in a big fight. But then, he has also lost his trust for her. Besides, she was the one who opened up the topic.

Andy was speechless. Magic was right, he always was. She ran towards the door, crying. She took out Magic’s keys from her bag and left it at the table next to the door.

When Andy left, Magic felt lighter. He had been urging himself to break it off with her and now he had done it. There was nothing to stop him from pursuing Shayla.

“He broke up with me,” said Andy flatly.

She met Kevin for dinner. He just told him about Magic and that she had been wrong. There was something going on between Magic and Shayla.

“I told you so, Magic was trying to keep Shayla away from me. I knew it, I felt it. We’ve been friends since birth, I knew him from head to foot,” Kevin said, “now I don’t stand a chance with Shayla, he would probably tell her about us,”

Andy sipped her red wine and said, “He probably had told her about us this morning. He didn’t come home until it was three in the afternoon,”

“What did I tell you? He was getting back at us, see. He knew I wanted Shayla, and he knows that you would be jealous, figure it out, Magic’s only using her,” Kevin said, slicing his steak too hard that it produced unpleasant sounds.

“Damn it! I don’t know what to do,” Andy whispered.

Kevin held her hand, and without any notice, reached out to kiss her on her lips.

“Why don’t we go to my place? We’ll have to do something about it right? Come on,” Kevin said huskily.

“You and Magic are perfect for one another! Excited na ‘ko for you! Yiiiiii… ” Hannah exclaimed.

“Hannah! Wala pa naman ginagawa si Magic eh. Shayla will cross the bridge when she gets there,” Ria said, while getting the bowl of chips.

“Guys! I’m trying to watch a movie here,” Shayla said while turning the DVD on pause. “Look, there’s nothing going on between me and Magic, eh hindi pa nga kami nagkikita after he told me about Andy and Kevin,”

“That’s my point!” Ria said, putting the DVD on play

.

Hannah stood up in front of the TV, “Eh pano you don’t make any move, kasi naman Shayla, you’re not the Maria Clara type of girl, ‘wag ka ngang pa virgin dyan!”

The girls laughed at what Hannah said. But Shayla got to thinking. Will her relationship with Magic be possible if she just sat down and wait for him to do something about it?

After four movies, a box of pizza, iced teas, and chips, Hannah and Ria decided to go home. As Shayla cleaned up her living room, her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Shayla, it’s Magic, are you busy?”

“Uhm, not really. Why?”

“Nothing. Can I come over? I mean now, nabobore kasi ako dito sa condo eh, ok lang  ba?”

“Sure. Sayang you just missed my friends. Nag movie marathon kami eh,”

“it’s alright. I just wanna see you, I’ll be there in twenty minutes,”

Magic hung up. Shayla was giggling. She was kinikilig. After this, there is a possibility of spending a future with him.

As Magic got into his car, he saw Andy walking towards him.

“Honey, where are you going?” Andy asked

Magic opened his car window, “it’s none of your business Andrea, and stop calling me honey alright? I gotta go,”

He drove off as fast as he could. He wants Andy out of his mind. He needed to go Shayla’s place. Andy was driving him crazy.

“Shayla? Are you there?” Magic was standing out of Shayla’s gate for fifteen minutes. Nobody’s answering.

“Magic, I’m so sorry. I went to the grocery kasi wala ng food, naubos na ni Hannah, eh ang daming tao kaya natagalan, sorry ha,” Shayla said, while hurryingly looking for keys in her purse.

“It’s ok, I will help you with that na,”

He carried the bag of chips and drinks Shayla bought and got in.

“You can just leave them there,” Shayla said, pointing at the kitchen table.

“ano ‘to? Lays, Ruffles, potato chips, Pringles, very healthy,” Magic said, giggling.

“Ayaw mo?”

“No, kung nakita ‘to ni Andy, naku, lelecturan ka nun na puro pampataba ‘to,”

Shayla turned to him and said, “Well, I’m not Andy. Wala akong plans na gutumin ang sarili ko ‘no. Besides, I’m not afraid to get fat,”

Magic walked to Shayla and put his arms around her, “that’s my kind of girl,”

They smiled and kissed.

“Kevin, will you stop,” Andy said. He stopped kissing her. She was at Kevin’s room, in his bed, naked.

“Why? Did I do something wrong,” Kevin asked.

“I went to Magic’s place today, he totally shut me out. It’s Shayla, that bitch, he’s trying to steal Magic from me,”

 Kevin got out of bed and put on his boxers. “You’re the one who should stop, he broke up with you, remember? You are with me now, so shut up about Magic!”

He shut the door behind him. “Kev, Kevin!” Andy said, while putting the sheets around her body and went after Kevin.

“What are we gonna do now, I mean, what are we?” Magic asked.

Shayla got up her bed and lit a cigarette.

“I don’t know, what do you think? Yeah, what do you think of me?” Shayla asked.

Magic kissed her and said, “You’re special to me Shayla, but I’m afraid that I would hurt you,”

“Bakit naman? Wait, what about Andy?”

“I broke up with her,”

Shayla wanted to smile but she hesitated. She didn’t want Magic to know she’s happy about it. It’s painful for him.

“Oh, so I’m your rebound girl,”

He started to kiss her again, “Of course not, you could be my girlfriend, that is, if you want to,”

“Maybe we should slow things up, you know, you just broke up with Andy, I don’t think you’re ready--”

Magic’s smile faded. “I wouldn’t sleep with you if I’m not ready to be with you, ano ka ba, do you really think I’m that kind of guy,”

“Of course not, I just think that you still need some time to heal, ‘diba matagal yung relationship niyo ni Andy, gusto ko lang pag isipan mo muna,”

He held her hand and put it over his chest. “Shayla, the thing is, I’ve been checking you out since the day we met, but Andy and I were fine then, so there was no chance. And now that I’m free from her and you’re not dating anyone else…”

Shayla kissed Magic on his cheek. She was glad by what he just said that she couldn’t help smiling. Magic noticed this and hugged her. She was in heaven, in the arms of the man she likes, I don’t ever want to let you go Magic, never, Shayla thought.

Dream with McDreamy

My life choices are not always directed to the right path. There are a lot of times that I regret what comes out of my lips. I have been judged, misunderstood, and literally criticized to the ground.

I don't blame anyone. I am now an adult, everything I do reflect the real person in me.

But how will you explain the feeling of affection to one person who is not really for you? Someone who cannot spend Christmas Day with you; who can only be there for breakfast, but never for all the other meals of the day?

He who makes every living hell a blissful heaven; he who surprises you with coffee every morning; he who have been present in your life in every heartache, heartbreak, and painful effects of you're so-called serious relationships; how can it be wrong when you have had each other for half a decade, but decided to live the ideal lives.

It is most painful to hear that when we found each other, it was too late for him to be mine; and too early for me to realize that I can be his. We let fate decide when we'll see one another again. We stopped making plans when we remembered our promises to the people we would hurt if we continue this madness.

This madness that most people find hard to accept; this madness that nobody understands; this madness that feels so right.

This marks our 6th year of going in and out of each others' life. The Big Macs, the second home, the mushy but funny pick-up lines, the JL-Bea movies we truly enjoy, and how became a you and me against the world couple.

The Real Resignation Letter

The moment I started working in one of the biggest call centers in the Philippines, I decided to take everything seriously. I have devoted myself in being the best and most qualified employee, given the status of the company I was in. There had been minimal errors and I really treasured the job that most people just take for granted.

Given my life situation, I needed to prove that I am worth something. That is the same rule I have applied with my employment; I have to make a difference, all my plans and endeavors revolved around my precious job.

I worked on my own; but I am still able to go along with my team mates, my bosses, and my colleagues. The first year had been smooth sailing and calm. It has been until I have felt the presence of politics in the environment and how power and connections can bring a person down.


There had been rumors about how bad the management was. But I never thought that I would witness it first hand.

For people in the BPO industry, where will you see supervisors getting paid in full when they can't even coach their agents regularly? Supervisors who come in late to work for about 30 minutes at the minimum that you can only count the number of times that they had been on time in your hands. There had been instances when the excuse of a supervisor would be that she's sick and needed to sleep during work hours, but is still clocked in as if this supervisor does the work of the other supervisors on the floor. Someone who goes out with her agents before the end of the shift and goes back to the office to clock out. I could continue, but then this blog post would be insufficient.

I have experienced voicing out this matter to one of our managers who just shrugged it off and asked for a grace period for the supervisor to change. Somehow, the extension didn't do anything. If there are any changes, it was that the supervisor found out who expressed their opinions and started giving out memos to the person who mostly empowered her team mates to tell the truth, and yes that was me.

My performance literally went down the drain, if it were not for my daughter, I wouldn't even go to work anymore. I realized then that one of us should leave, since I cannot co-exist with that kind of person.

As a result, I have decided to resign, it would be against my morals to stay in that environment. In fairness to the other supervisors, they have been very diligent and great with their agents. Somehow, there's always a rotten fruit among the rest. What's disappointing is that the company upholds the value of integrity, yet one of their supervisors cannot even practice that, and mind you, the supervisor's still there, and proud of whatever it is that is happening.


To make matters worse, my image had been tarnished because this supervisor has an itch to bad-mouth everyone who come against this supervisor. Luckily, I know myself too well to even bother confronting the supervisor.

The shelved Party Girl Chapter 1

Party Girl

Chapter 1: Dirty Little Secret

On a late Saturday night, three friends went to Embassy Super Club at the Fort Strip. Somehow, the last couple of weeks they spent partying all night wasn’t enough. As Shayla parked her SUV, Hannah and Ria started to pick up their purses and checked if everything was there: make up, cigarettes, cell phones, cash, IDs. The club had been strict in terms of IDs; they said there were many underage people going in there, so they have to keep theirs in their panties so they won’t forget.

“My god, ang daming tao” said Hannah, who wore a lime green tube dress, while she got out of the car and saw the line of people outside Embassy.

“Syempre girl, Saturday eh! What do you expect?” Ria blurted out. She was wearing a white tank top, purple skinny jeans, and white pumps.

“We’re VIPs, we don’t have to fall in line,” said Shayla, giggling. She on the other hand, wore sexy striped shorts, a black halter top, and red pumps.

As the girls got inside, Shayla noticed an American guy checking her out. He smiled at her and she smiled back. He’s cute but I’m not interested, Shayla thought. They walked past the reception area that looked like a hotel lobby. The stairs were divided into two: one going to the VIP lounge and the other to the house and hip hop rooms of the club. They went in the hip hop room because that’s where their gay friend, Alex, was waiting for them.

“Girls! Here!” screamed Alex, he was at the bar next to the Chinese girls dancing their hearts out. They were surprised to see that he wasn’t alone. A hot guy stood beside him with his arms around Alex. He was wearing a white shirt with a dog tag hanging around his neck, red skinny jeans, and black Chuck Taylors. They all kissed Alex on the cheek and gave him a who-the-hell-is-that look.

“Hannah, Ria, Shayla, this is Marcus, my boyfriend. Marcus, these are my girlfriends.”

“Hey, Marcus here,” shaking their hands, “buti you got in fast, medyo madami nang tao sa labas,” Marcus said.

“yeah well, VIP eh...” Hannah said.

The girls gave Alex a thumb’s up. He was hot! They didn’t even think that he was gay.

The music was superb. The DJ was hot and Shayla’s type of guy. She was planning on going for him when Ria dragged her to buy drinks first.

“I know what you’re thinking, kaw talaga… kakadating pa lang natin si Magic na agad pupuntahan mo…”

“Ria, my dear, there’s nothing wrong with that naman ah… ” Shayla said

“Brus what are you having?” Hannah suddenly asked

“I’ll have a vodka martini,” Ria said

“Amaretto Sour for me,” Shayla said

As she went through her baguette to get some cash, someone gave the bartender money for the drink that she ordered. It was the American guy.

“It’s on me.” He said

“oh no, I can pay for it.” Shayla said

The American guy got the Amaretto from the bartender and gave it to her. “No, It’s on me” he insisted.

“Well, thanks,” said Shayla, blushing, though it was unnoticed because of the playful lights in the club.

“I’m Kevin,” the American guy said, “what’s your name babe?”

“Babe? I’m Shayla. And these are my friends, Hannah, Ria, Alex, and, this is Marcus.”

Kevin smiled at them, and her friends smiled back, giving her the approved look.

“uhm, Shayla, I’ll just go and look for my friends, alright? I’ll see you around.”

“Alrighty, thanks for this,” holding up the glass of Amaretto.

Right after Kevin left, Shayla’s friends had to check him out. They were giggling and obviously wondering who the guy was.

“Sino ‘yun Shay? Why did you let him go?” Hannah screamed.

Ria and Shayla lighted up their cigarettes and then she said “I don’t know, he was checking me out sa labas kanina pa,”

They all laughed and danced to the consuming music DJ Magic was playing. Although Kevin seemed really nice and really cute, not to mention flashy rich, Shayla was still hooked on Magic. She really liked him, that’s one of the reasons why she kept telling her friends to go to Embassy.

As they danced, Shayla went up at the DJ’s booth to talk to Magic. Hannah was calling her but she didn’t seem to hear her. She needed to go to Magic.

“Hey gorgeous, who are you with?” Magic asked Shayla

“My friends are down there,”

Shayla took out her digicam and started taking pictures of her and Magic. He was eager too though. They were posing and posing until someone tapped her.

“Excuse me,” a girl suddenly said, “Magic, honey, I want to go home, this is not really my thing, pwede hatid mo na ko?”

Magic’s smile turned upside down. “But hon, I can’t, I’m working here, and besides, the party just started, why don’t you just enjoy yourself—by the way,” turning to Shayla, “this is my girlfriend, Andy. Andy, this is Shayla. ”

“Hi, Shayla, cute name,” turning to Magic again, “well, uuwi na lang ako, I’ll just take a cab home.” she smiled at her as she went down the dance floor.

Shayla got a little feeling that Magic was having an awkward moment with her so she decided to go back to her friends. As she walked past the dancing crowd, she saw Kevin, standing by the bar, staring straight at her. He smiled, and made his way towards her. She was going to make a run for it, but he caught her early. “Let’s dance,” he said. Then Shayla thought, why not? He’s cute and he bought me a drink.

Meanwhile, Alex and Marcus were flirting with each other in middle of the dance floor. Hannah was laughing so hard, she couldn’t even understand why.

“Hannah! Isang drink pa lang naiinom mo ha! Nababaliw ka na,” Ria reminded her

“No, I’m just so happy for Alex, I think. Or I’m just laughing kasi hindi talaga siya marunong magdance, hahaha!”

“Wait, where’s Shayla?” said Ria, turning head around the club. “I haven’t seen her anywhere, wala naman dun kay Magic,”

Hannah, dancing and laughing at the same time said, “Hay naku, andyan lang yun, baka kasama si Kyle,”

“Huh? Sino si Kyle?” Ria asked

“’Yung American guy chu chu niya,”

“Sira! His name is Kevin! Tipsy ka ba ha?” said Ria, who was also laughing.

“I’m into you and girl no one else but you, coz with every kiss and every hug, you make me fall in love,” Kevin was singing while his and Shayla’s forehead were together. His arms around her waist.

“How come I haven’t seen you here before?” Shayla asked, “my friends and I are here most of the time,”

Kevin looked into her eyes, and said, “Really? I always see you here. In fact, I asked Magic about you.”

“You and Magic know each other? What the hell did he tell you about me, huh?” she gave Kevin a cute fake mad look.

He laughed and kissed her on the forehead. She was surprised by the way he treated her and held her. It’s like he knew her so much, that he does everything that she wanted Magic to do for her.

“Baby, I have connections. I already know many things about you Shayla Martinez.” Kevin said, smiling

“Really?” she smiled as well. Kevin held her tight, he tried to kiss her but she hesitated. But he didn’t give up. He pushed his lips to hers.

“Magic, pare!” a fellow jock said to Magic, “Si Kevin iniiscoran na yung chick mo,”

Magic felt a pang of pain. He did like Shayla a lot. But then he has a girlfriend before they even met in Embassy, and his best friend, Kevin liked her. So pursuing her is not an option.

“Nasan sila? Nandito pa?” asked Magic.

“Oo pare, sabihin mo sa chick mo mag ingat, baka dalin sa VIP yun, yari siya!”

While Kevin and Shayla danced, he was hugging her so hard. She was looking at the DJs booth upstage. Shayla saw Magic looking at her and Kevin. She didn’t know what to do. She was in the arms of a hot guy, but she wanted Magic. He knows it, she knows it. But he has a girlfriend, thought Shayla, and this friend of his is checking me out.

“Do you want another drink?” asked Kevin

“A shot of tequila will do,” she said, anything to take him off her tail.

“Alright! I’ll be back. Stay here.”

But Shayla didn’t. As soon as Kevin went to get tequilas, she was on her way to Magic. She suddenly stopped but Magic saw her. He invited her up and she didn’t refuse.

“Where’s Kevin?” he asked

“At the bar-- did Andy really went home?” Shayla asked

“Yup. She’s not much of a party girl. Unlike you, hard core ka eh!”

“Haha, very funny. Hoy, sabi ni Kevin you told stuff about me daw sa kanya, anung sinabi mo ha?”

Magic laughed. “Wala ‘no! makulit kasi yun, trip ka, niloko ko nga, sabi ko chick kita, inaway ako!”

“Baliw ka pala eh! Uhm, Magic,” Shayla segued, “after nito, Starbucks tayo,” she said, nervously, hoping that Magic would say yes.

“Sure.” Kevin said, he saw Magic and Shayla talking and followed her up at the DJ’s. Shayla almost wanted to kill him.

“Di naman kasi iniinvite, sagot ng sagot,” Shayla murmured.

“What were you saying? Sorry, didn’t catch it,” Kevin said.

“Kev, pare, sige ba, libre mo kami ni Shayla ha!” Magic interrupted.

Kevin put out his wallet and got ten 1 thousand bills and said, “Sure, pare, invite your friends too Shayla.”

Arrogant! Yabang! Hmp! Kung ‘di mo lang friend si Magic, my God!, Shayla thought.

Around 6am, Shayla Kevin, Magic, and her friends were enjoying the conversation they have at Starbucks. All of a sudden, Magic’s phone rang.

“Oops, it’s Andy, excuse me guys ha,”

“Andy’s really guarding Magic,” Kevin said, “after he caught her in bed with--” he stopped

“with whom?” Shayla asked

Kevin seemed to blush, “No one, forget I said anything, CR lang ako ha,”

“Alright,” Shayla said

Like a bolt of lightning, Shayla and her friends looked at each other. “What’s with the forget-I-said-anything crap?” whispered Hannah.

“Looks like Andy has her dirty little secret,” Alex said.

As Shayla lit up another cigarette, Kevin shoved it out of her hands, “Baby, stop this, it’s killing you,”

Magic, who was done talking to Andy, blurted out, “Man, let her smoke, she has the right,” turning to Shayla’s friends, “right guys?”

Everybody nodded. Kevin was a little embarrassed, so he gave Shayla back her Marlboro light. “I didn’t know you smoke,” he said.

“I do, matagal na, ka jamming ko pa nga parati si Magic eh,” Shayla said

Kevin gave Magic a stern look, but he was busy smoking and talking to Alex that he didn’t notice.

“Shayla, I’ll take you home, alright?” Kevin said

She was relieved though, because she brought her car, “Kev, sorry, my car’s here, and I have to take this lot home,” pointing at her friends.

“Shayla, may room pa ba? Sabay na ko sayo,” Magic suddenly said.

After Shayla dropped everybody, she and Magic were left in the car alone. There was an awkward silence, so she turned on the sounds. But Magic turned it off.

“I have to tell you something,” he said

“What is it? Serious mode ba?”

“Hmm… Andy cheated,”

Shayla suddenly stepped on the brakes, “What?!”

“Hey, Shayla, careful, kaya ako sumabay sayo, I need to let it out, I caught her in bed with Kevin,”

“wait, wait, Kevin? American hunk? The one I met kanina? Yung friend mo?”

Magic sighed, “Best friend,”

Shayla tried to hide her emotions, she doesn’t want to make Magic feel that she was happy because of that, nor does she want him to feel pitied.

“But I didn’t such a big deal out of it. At least that’s what they think. ”

“Why are you telling me this?” asked Shayla.

“Because… I don’t want you to be with Kevin, I’m his best friend, yet he screwed my girl, you’re like a sister to me na, kaya ayoko siya for you,”

Sister? Tae, Shayla thought. “Uhm, do you want to talk about it? Daan tayo sa drive thru for breakfast, tell me all the details sa bahay ko,”

Shayla thought Magic would say no. but he didn’t even think twice. He nodded right away.