ZWCS#1: Blame It On Tequila

It's a sunny Friday morning, she went to the headquarters to see Gift. Mahal niya si Lance, totoong mahal na niya ito at ayaw niyang masaktan ito dahil siguradong masasaktan ito kung gagawin man niya iyon.

"Gift..." tawag niya sa atensyon nito.

Mula sa pagkakayuko sa kung anumang binabasa nito ay nag-angat ito sakanya ng tingin. "Oh, it's you. What brings you here?"

"Ah, nandito sana ako para ipakipag-usap si Lance..."

"Oh! What about him?" Isinara nito ang folder at nginitian siya ng matamis. "I'm so excited to bring him down. Are you?"

"I-I'm here to tell you na, ayoko na..."

"What?!" Gift snapped. Napatayo ito sa kinauupuan. "What did you say?"

"G-Gift alam kong maiintindihan mo ko dahil ikaw mismo mahal mo si Lance. Alam mo kung anong klaseng tao siya at alam mong karapatdapat siyang mahalin. Gift I don't wanna hurt Lance..."

"You bitch!" Agad siyang kinabahan ng lapitan siya ni Gift. "Are you saying that you're in love with Lance?!"

"O-oo..." mahinang pag-amin niya. "Gift-"

Hindi niya na natukoy pa ang sasabihin niya nang dumapo ang mabigat nitong kamay sakanyang pisngi. She winced in pain.

"Ang lakas din naman ng loob mo ano?! Oh yeah, fine mahal mo si Lance. But do you think he loves you?"

"M-mahal ako ni Lance..." Hindi naman niya iyon miminsang narinig mula sa labi nito.

"Talaga?" Gift's lips quivered in an insulting smile. "Do you think he'll love you still matapos niyang malaman ang lahat? That you did nothing but to make the fool out of him? That you're nothing but an ingrate liar."

Natigilan siya sa sinabi nito. Her heart clenched in pain, dahil sa totoo lang ay hindi niya alam. Hindi niya alam kung mababago ba ng kasinungalingan ang pagmamahal na sinasabi nito.

"Go on, if you love him. Tell him the truth, then tignan natin kung mahal ka parin niya. You little rug." Gift smirked. "And I'm telling you, Cataliah. If you backed out of the plan, say goodbye to the sorority, say goodbye to your scholarship and tell Lance to say goodbye to his growing business."

"N-no! Hindi mo papakialamam si Lance!" Namimiyok niyang sabi.

"Says who? To make Lance suffer is my one great goal. Do you know that Lance's investors are my family's closest friends? They've invested to Lance's business because I was his girlfriend. All and everything about it is because of me. So I can pull out everything leaving Lance and his dreams in trash."

"Gift, wag mong gawin to kay Lance. Kung anuman ang naging kasalanan niya sayo I'm sure he already regretted it. Everything that's been said and done, alam kong hindi niya iyon ginusto-"

"Wala kang alam. You know nothing about me and Lance!"

"Maaari nga, pero Gift kilala ko si Lance..." Without hesitation she walked towards her and kneeled. "N-nakikiusap ako sayo, tigilan na lang natin... sasabihin ko kay Lance ang lahat... ano't ano pa man ang magiging reaksyon niya ay tatanggapin ko..."

"Madali lang naman akong kausap, Cataliah. Umurong ka kung gusto mo, but my options were final." A demonic smile appeared on her pretty face. "Kung matitiis mong ikaw ang maging dahilan ng pagbagsak ng taong mahal mo, go on."

MAGHAPON na paulit-ulit tumatakbo sa isipan ni Kata ang naging pag-uusap nila ni Gift. Hindi narin siya nakapasok sa ilang subjects niya dahil walang tigil siya sa kakaiyak. Hindi niya rin alam kung ano ba ang nangyayari sakanya na tila ba ang hina hina at ang lambot lambot niya.