Prologue

Prologue

Third Person's Point of View

"Rithe! Come on, bro, loosen up! Uminom ka naman, pre! Huwag naman puro trabaho lang!" Andre, one of Rithe's friends shouted as he drank his own shot. Ito ang pinaka-lasenggero sa kanila. Araw-araw yatang umiinom at parang mamamatay kapag hindi nakakapag-lasing.

Rithe irritatedly shook his head. He doesn't want to be here in the first place. Napilitan lang siya lalo na at birthday ng isa sa mga kaibigan niya, si Axel na ngayon ay pinapalibutan ng mga babae. Ito kasi ng pinaka-babaero sa kanilang anim. Oras oras yatang pinapalitan ang mga babae nito at walang nakakaalam kung kailan 'to magse-seryoso.

"Hala naman si Rithe oh, parang others! Inom ka na, pre! Minsan ka na nga lang namin makasama dahil sobrang workaholic mo tapos aayaw ka pa ngayon!" It was Cashmere who's the loudest and playful.

"Let him be. Mukhang naghahanap ng babae eh." Logan, the mixfure of the three said. Si Raze naman ay napailing at napangiti habang tahimik na nakikinig sa mga kaibigan niya. Hinayaan niya na ang mga itong asar-asarin si Rithe na palagi naman nilang ginagawa sa tuwing nagkikita silang lahat. Sanay na siya, lalo na at si Rithe ang pinaka-allergic sa mga tao. Hindi nga niya nga alam kung paano silang naging magkaibigang lahat eh. Basta ang alam niya, parehong weirdo silang lahat.

"I don't even f-cking know why you guys f-cking decided to celebrate a birthday inside a f-cking bar. Y'all know I hate noisy places!" Asik ni Rithe dahilan para sabay na mapangisi ang lima habang nakatitig sa mukha ng kaibigan ngayon na bakas ang galit sa mukha.

"Ang HB mo talaga, ano? Buti nalang kami ang kaibigan mo at kahit papaano ay hindi ka mapagkamalang taga-sinaunang panahon dahil sa sobrang ilag mo sa mga tao." natatawang saad ni Cashmere, naiiling pa. Rithe only throw his friend a glare before drinking his shot. Napasigaw naman si Andre dahil doon. He cheered for his friend Rithe, para naman ay may kasama na siya araw-araw sa paglalasing.

"I don't even know why I fucking have you as a friend. Maybe a fucking bad karma, huh?" Rithe harshly said to Cashmere dahilan para matuod ito sa kinauupuan, awang ang bibig habang nakatingin kay Rithe.

Cashmere pointed at Rithe. "Sobra naman 'yan, Rithe! Pasmado bibig mo! Grabe ka, ah! Lucky charm ako para sa mga babae tapos sasabihin mong bad karma ako?! Aba't!"

Nagtawanan silang lahat, except for Rithe who was busy looking around, hoping to find a great escape from his friends. Panay naman ang reklamo ni Cashmere, mukhang masama pa rin ang loob sa sinabi ni Rithe. Natatawa nalang ang apat.

Rithe blow a loud breath before drinking his shot again. Nang maibaba na niya ang baso niya ay kaagad na dumapo ang tingin niya sa may counter kung saan may nakaupo na babae sa stool. Pina-ikot ikot pa nito ang upuan habang may hawak na isang baso ng inumin.

Her long brown straight hair is slightly messed up but she still look so good. Sobrang puti pa nito kaya kahit medyo madilim sa loob ng bar dahil tanging pula, dilaw, at asul lang ang ilaw na nag-aagawan sa loob ay kitang-kita niya pa rin ito. She looks like she's almost shining dahil sa sobrang kaputian nito. And mind you, she's wearing long sleeved dress that ends exactly at her ankles which is a little weird but that still doesn't stop Rithe from seeing how pale white she is.

Rithe is only seeing the side of her face but he knows that she's beautiful, like a Goddess who saved him from being totally bored tonight.

He sighed when he took a glance at her nose. It was small but pointed, and her cheeks quite look so fluffy even from afar.

Rithe sighed again before he pulled his hair, frustrated and doesn't know what to do.

Should he approach her? Or nah? But... he doesn't do it! He don't do approaching because he hates it! And he suddenly craved for an attention which is very very not him! He wants the girl to turn to him and look at him and even approach him like what other girls do! But then he knows that she's not like those girls. He knows it. Just by looking at her.

He wandered his eyes around. Tinitingnan niya kung may iba pa bang nakatingin sa babae and it doesn't surprise him anymore that there are really some people, majority are boys, who are looking at her like she's a pieace of meat!

That irritates him. Just thinking of any boys getting her attention makes him mad! No, hell! Whatever f-cking happens, the girl is his! His alone and he won't f-cking share with anybody!

With that thought, he stood up and approached the girl who caught his attention, never caring his friends who are calling him.

Nakadukdok na ang mukha ngayon ng babae sa counter habang hawak pa rin ang isang baso na mukhang hindi naman nabawasan.

Ilang baso na kaya ang nainom nito? Rithe thought quitely.

Saktong bakante ang katabi nitong upuan kaya doon siya naupo. Nang makalapit si Rithe sa babae ay doon niya naamoy ang mabango nitong amoy. A mixture of strawberry and vanilla.

Shit!

He cursed in his mind.

Wala sa sarili niyang inabot ang buhok nito at pinadaan niya doon ang kaniyang mga daliri.

Rithe groaned painfully. Kinuha niya lang pabalik ang kaniyang kamay nang gumalaw ito at diretsong napalingon sa kaniya. Natigilan siya lalo na nang matitigan niya ng mabuti ang babae.

There is only one word to describe her.

"A Goddess," He whispered softly.

The woman smiled innocently at him which made him gulped twice. She's too innocent. And it made him think kung bakit nandito ito ngayon. Sa lugar na alam niyang hindi bagay sa babaeng inosenteng ito.

The girl opened her phone. His eyebrows furrowed. She typed something on it before showing it to him. His eyes dropped on her phone as he started to read what was written on it.

"Can you take me somewhere and take me? Please? If not, then I'll find someone else."

That was it. That was what's written on the phone that made him angry but somewhat excited.

"Hold my hand. I'll take you somewhere, then, just like what you wanted. Now, call me Lucian." Habang nagsasalita si Rithe ay pansin niyang mariin ang titig ng babae sa kaniyang labi na para bang may sinusundan. There's an idea that is starting to form in his head but he choose to shut up.

"L-Luci..." He heard it! Rithe heard it correctly! She speaks! Her voice is soft at medyo garalgal pa at kahit na sobrang ingay ng paligid ay narinig niya pa rin 'yon!

That was the first time that someone made a nickname out of his name, Lucian, and he likes it. No! He loves it! He loves it coming inside of her mouth!

'Luci, huh? Then, I'll make sure that you'll shout my name over and over again, so you won't be able to forget it.'