Chapter 16:

"My..." I let out an exasperated sigh, shaking my head. "Recalling what happened last night brings back negative energy,"

He chuckled. "Was it really that bad?"

I was in the kitchen, preparing the two cakes that would be served later for my guests. While I was busy, I kept a conversation going with Yus over FaceTime.

He was currently out of town. God knows what he had been up to these past few days.

I scoffed. "I can still feel the grip of Kaleb's on mine," I said, glancing at him.

His face contorted like he had just heard something disgusting. "That sounds... lewd,”

Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata dahil sa sinabi bago tumingin sa paligid. His words were loud enough for others to hear, and sure enough, one of the chefs sneakily stole a glance at me.

Agad naman itong nag iwas ng tingin habang ako na ang nahiya dahil sa sinabi niya. I cleared my throat, desperate to change the now-awkward atmosphere.

"Oh my gosh, Yus. You're embarrassing me," I muttered, lowering my voice so only he could hear.

He scoffed, looking away for a few seconds. "You're the one who said that you can still feel his grip on yours,"

I almost rolled my eyes. Okay, sure, I said that—but it wasn’t like that!

His response to me made my statement really bad. Siya itong nagbigay ng malisya 'di ba?

"I'm about to throw up," I said dramatically with brows furrowed as I slightly covered my mouth with my right hand.

He took a deep breath before sitting up straight. "Azalea, I have to go. May kakausapin pa ako,"

"Why are you so busy these past few days? Did something happen?" I asked curiously.

My full attention was on him, though my hands remained busy with what I was doing. He stared at me for a few seconds before chuckling and shaking his head.

"Nothing. May inaasikaso lang talaga kami ni Mama,"

"Oh, is it about the business?" I chuckled, remembering something.

May narinig ako sa library at may kausap si mommy sa telepono. I didn't know who she was speaking with, but it was definitely about the Raceliz business.

He cleared his throat and gave a single nod. "Yes. It's about the business,"

"Alright, then. I'll call you back later. Hindi pa ako tapos sa kwento ko," I said before he ended the call.

Today was the monthly open party, and everyone here was just as busy as I was. After finishing mixing the batter, I poured it into the cake molding pans before sliding them into the oven.

"Hey...can someone look after my cakes in the meantime? I have to check what is going on outside e," I asked the chefs.

"Sige po," someone nodded with a faint smile.

"Thanks!" I said merrily before removing my kitchen apron and hanging it in its usual place.

I sashayed my way out of the working kitchen and saw some of our house helpers on a long ladder, replacing the white curtains in the living area with beige ones.

"Be careful," I said, stopping to look up at them.

Napatingin sila saakin at tumango sila bago ako naglakad muli. The dining hall was the main venue for the party, and as I turned the corner, I immediately spotted the decorations that had just arrived

There were a total of six red cardinal flowers in massive planter boxes—three on each side—strategically tilted to form an archway. I had specifically instructed them to be arranged that way, leading toward the dining hall.

The color theme of the party was red and beige, reminiscent of a red velvet cupcake. Medyo maaga pa, kaya may oras pa akong makita at mabago agad kung sakaling may ayaw ako.

It was better to make sure that everything was perfectly planned than to be humiliated in front of many people because something was wrong with the venue, right?

The dining hall was almost ready. The tables were neatly arranged, each with a round glass vase filled with fresh roses at the center. Silverware and folded napkins were already in place, waiting for the servers to bring out the food later.

I walked around, checking every detail. The usual sheer white curtains were gone, replaced with thick cream-colored ones. The windows were shut, and the dim lighting gave the place a warm, elegant feel. Everything was coming together exactly how I wanted.

After spending what felt like forever getting dressed and fixing my hair, I sent Yus a quick text, reminding him that he had to show up. Then, I finally headed downstairs.

The moment I stepped onto the stairs, excitement bubbled in my chest. Through the open doors, I could hear the sounds of car doors slamming and voices filling the front yard. More guests were arriving.

"Hello! Thank you for coming,” I greeted each one, giving them a quick hug before leading them inside.

Ngayon ay nasa loob na kami ng dining hall at nagsimula agad ang salo salo. Everyone had dressed up, making the whole place feel even more special. While waiting for my friends—who still hadn’t arrived—I found myself chatting with Ivy.

"I don't understand how you manage to invite this many people," she said, glancing around with an amused expression.

Nakatayo kami sa isang gilid malapit sa pinto habang parehas na tinitignan ang mga bisita. "Well, words spread fast"

"Sabagay," she said as she chuckled.

"Can I get you a drink or something?" I offered, turning to her.

She met my gaze before shaking her head. "No, thanks. I don't drink,"

I let out a small laugh. "Hindi naman lahat ng drinks dito may alcohol. I made sure we had fruit cocktails for those who don’t drink."

Her lips parted a bit. "Okay. Mag fruit shake nalang ako,"

"Great. I'll get that," I said with a smile and stepped toward one of the servers carrying a tray.

"Good evening," I greeted him before requesting a fruit shake. He handed me the last one from his tray, and I gave him a quick thank you before heading back to Ivy.

"Here's your drink," I said, handing it to her.

She took a sip and nodded in approval, licking her lower lip. "It tastes good,”

"Right?" I chuckled.

Out of nowhere, a hand landed on my right shoulder, making me nearly jump.

"Azalea!" Macy greeted me merrily.

My eyes widened in surprise before pulling her into a quick hug. "Macy, hi!"

As I pulled away, I immediately asked, "Where are Gaia and Gracia?"

Her brows knitted together before scanning the crowd. "Huh? Akala ko ba nandito na sila? They texted me ten minutes ago saying they were on the way,”

"Baka naman na traffic o may dinaanan?" I guessed.

"Hmm. Baka nga..." she mumbled, but her eyes wandered from the crowd to the decorations.

Nag dalawang balik siya ng tingin sa katabi ko bago siya napatingin saakin. The amusement in her eyes and the way she pressed her lips together made it obvious—she wasn’t expecting to see Ivy here. And considering the gossip we had heard recently, I knew exactly what was running through her mind.

"Hi, Ivy" Macy greeted her with a wave and a smile.

Ivy barely concealed her eye roll before forcing a smile that didn’t even reach her eyes. "Hello,”

Macy let out an awkward chuckle, clearly sensing the sudden shift in Ivy’s energy.

"Azalea, I can see my friend from here. Puntahan ko na," Ivy said, walking off without even glancing back.

Macy and I watched as she made her way through the crowd. Macy nudged my right side using her elbow, making me groan a bit."What?" I asked, keeping my gaze on Ivy, who had now joined her friend.

Ivy’s friend said something that made her laugh, and she playfully smacked her shoulder.

Macy shook her head in disbelief. "Buti napapunta mo siya?" she asked, still amused.

I let out a sigh. "Because the gossip was just a simple misinterpretation. Bakit siya mahihiya kung alam niya namang hindi totoo ang akala natin?"

We let the topic go and spent the next few minutes talking about random things. I had to remind Macy to stop bringing up Ivy or anything we had heard from Gaia. Tonight was supposed to be fun, not filled with unnecessary tension.

Then, two loud squeals echoed through the hall, catching everyone’s attention—including ours. I turned just in time to see Gracia and Gaia entering, looking like they had stepped right out of a fairytale in their elegant gowns.

"Azalea, your party tonight is probably one of the best you've ever hosted!”

"Hello! You two look extra pretty tonight," I complimented them with a chuckle.

Gracia smiled at me widely, flattered by my compliment, and Gaia scoffed. "I always look extra pretty, Azalea"

I chuckled.

Gracia let out a sigh. "Sorry, we're late. I didn't know na magka parehas pala kami ng kulay ng suot ni Gaia," then rolled her eyes.

Gaia turned to her, offended. "Hey, you're the one who copied the color of my dress kaya"

"Excuse you," Gracia shot back. "I would never want to be called a copycat," she added, shifting her attention to the decorations instead.

"But you are," Gaia muttered under her breath.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Macy dahil sa inaakto ng mag pinsan bago ako nagkibit balikat. A uniformed guy served them drinks before

Gaia suddenly lit up, pointing at someone across the room before waving excitedly. "Girl! I missed you so much!" she called out before walking over to her.

Nagsi puntahan kami sa mga gustong kumausap saamin hanggang sa nagpaalam ako sa isang kausap na aakyat lang saglit sa kwarto para baguhin ang buhok ko dahil kanina pa ako hawi nang hawi.

Upstairs, I sat in front of my vanity while a househelper gently combed through my hair, gathering it into a new style. I watched my reflection in the mirror, letting her work.

Then, another househelper burst into the room, panting. "Ma'am... may away po sa baba," she managed between breaths.

I blinked at her through the mirror before turning fully. "Huh?" My brows furrowed.

Nagkatinginan pa kami ng nasa likod ko bago tumayo at bumaba agad.Without wasting another second, I got up and rushed downstairs.

The moment I reached the main hall, I saw a commotion in the middle of the crowd. I pushed my way through, murmuring ‘excuse me’ as I maneuvered past the guests.

"What is happening—" My words caught in my throat.

Agad akong napatigil sa nakita. Ivy stood there, crying, her right arm clutching her upper body. Her dress’s sleeves had been pulled down, looking as if they had been forcefully yanked.

"We don't interact with sluts like you," Gracia spat with brows furrowed.

"Gracia!" My voice snapped through the air, sharp and loud.

A scandal? Here? Of all places?

Gaia and Macy were holding each of her arms to stop her from attacking the helpless Ivy. I turned my gaze to Ivy’s friend, the one she’d been talking to earlier, who had already rushed to her side. She gently pulled Ivy’s arm, trying to shield her from Gracia.

"Who do you think you are? Don't act so entitled," Ivy’s friend snapped at Gracia.

Gracia scoffed and threw her head back in disbelief. "Oh, really, huh? Why don't you tell your friend to stop sleeping with her professor just to keep her reputation as a consistent dean's lister?" then smirked at her challengingly.

Ivy's friend's eyes widened and look at her. "Ano bang sinasabi nitong babaeng 'to, Ivy?"

Ivy sniffled and shook her head, refusing to say anything. Agad namang nabaling ang atensyon ko kay Gaia.

Gaia suddenly let out a dry laugh. "Oh, so now you don’t have anything to say?"

Napasinghap ako bago pumagitna sa kanila at hinarap si Gracia na hindi pa rin mapa kalma. I still didn’t get why she was making such a big deal out of this.

"Gracia, take that back," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Gracia was smirking and her brows furrowed before scoffing. "Oh please, don't act goody two shoes with us right now"

"Ivy didn’t do anything like that," I said firmly, glancing at Gaia, who was still smirking at Ivy. "You just misunderstood what happened.

Hindi ko na napigilan sabihin ang totoo sa kanila. Sana pala noong nakaraan ko pa ito sinabi para hindi na umabot sa ganitong punto ang lahat. This was definitely going to be the latest gossip at school.

I wanted to cover my face right now for being embarrassed. I was nibbling on my lower lip as I thought of a solution to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

"Macy...ilayo mo muna itong si Gracia. Have her drink water or something," I turned to Macy, who was just silently watching us after finally thinking of something.

Macy nodded and pulled Gracia’s arm. Luckily, she didn’t fight back and just went with her.

Gaia stayed behind, arms crossed, still smirking. "You’re gonna regret sticking up for her, Azalea," she said before turning around and walking away.

I shook my head, still trying to process what just happened. Without wasting time, I stepped closer to Ivy, gently guiding her while making space through the crowd. I helped her cover herself, and her friend stuck close, glaring at everyone.

"Oh, sige, subukan n'yong pag usapan ang kaibigan ko" her friend dared them.

"Let's go to my room for now. I'm really sorry about what happened," I told Ivy softly.

Without looking back, we walked out of the dining hall and headed upstairs. As soon as we entered my room, Ivy broke down again, her friend wrapping an arm around her, whispering reassurances.

I quickly asked one of the house helpers to bring up some water, then went to my bedside drawer, pulling out a box of tissues. I handed it to Ivy, watching as she wiped her face, still sniffling.