Clique

A torrent of golden sunlight flooded Eirlys’s room, filling it with warmth. The light poured across the cool darkness of black and red. Her red duvet glowed like embers, while the black walls absorbed the light, creating a sharp and vibrant contrast throughout the room.

Eirlys slowly sat up from where she lay. The soft blanket slid against her skin as a yawn escaped her lips. She stretched her arms above her head.

“Good morning, Luce della Speranza!”

She greeted the emptiness before getting out of bed.

She did that every morning, even though silence was usually the only thing that greeted her back.

Eirlys headed toward the bathroom to take a shower. The cold tiles beneath her feet and the familiar scent of her soap welcomed her as she stepped inside.

She turned on the shower, and cold water touched her skin, making goosebumps rise along her body.

Aaah. That feels so good. So cold.

Eirlys was used to sleeping without anything on, so there was no reason to be surprised that she went straight into the shower.

Okay?

She washed her hair with shampoo and scrubbed herself clean with her magical stone—the one that could somehow remove every bit of dirt from her skin.

Seriously. It actually worked.

She used a watermelon-scented shampoo and body wash. The complete set even came with moisturizer, lotion, and perfume.

The sweet scent of watermelon lingered around her, refreshing and cool.

Graduation was getting closer.

Yes! I’m graduating!

After taking a shower, Eirlys dried herself and wrapped a terry cloth towel around her hair. She stepped out of the bathroom and headed straight toward her walk-in closet on the left side of her room.

She picked out a pair of six-pocket jeans, a T-shirt, and a matching set of black underwear.

After getting dressed, she grabbed her belt bag and tossed her phone, wallet, and keys inside.

Then she stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her. The whole house was quiet. The only sounds Eirlys could hear were the birds chirping outside, the rustling of leaves, and the strong wind blowing through the trees.

Her room was on the second floor, at the very end of the hallway. From there, she could watch the sun rise in the morning and disappear again in the evening.

As she walked downstairs, she saw her Papá standing near the staircase, busy with his phone.

Nothing new there.

Eirlys didn’t bother being curious. Instead, she quietly made her way toward the kitchen.

“Ms. Eirlys, good morning.”

Eirlys looked up and saw Ate Moneth, the granddaughter of Nanay Esme, the longtime housekeeper of their home.

“Just Eirlys, Ate Moneth,” she corrected her. “How many times have I told you that already?”

She had told her many times that she could call her Eirlys or Kaliyah. Ate Moneth had been working in their house for almost ten years, yet she still insisted on calling her Miss.

Ate Moneth only smiled and placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of her.

It was what Eirlys always drank in the morning, usually with pandesal.

“Ms. Eirlys, is it true that you’re going to Manila?”

Moneth asked while wiping the plates. There was sadness in her voice despite the smile on her face.

“Yes, Moneth.” Eirlys smiled at her. “The job I’m going to start is there.”

“Be careful over there, okay? There are a lot of crazy people in Manila. With a face and skin like yours, a lot of men might get interested in you.”

Eirlys let out a soft sigh.

“How would men even like me, Moneth? Look at what I’m wearing. This is exactly why I dress like this—to make them stay away from me.”

Moneth laughed hoarsely. She was now standing in front of Eirlys with her hands on her hips.

“You know, no matter what you wear, it suits you. And just because you dress like that doesn’t mean men won’t like you.”

“Men aren’t even on my mind, Moneth. I’m enjoying my life being single.”

Eirlys pouted, making her laugh again.

Honestly, Eirlys had no interest in men.

They had too many demands, especially when they didn’t get what they wanted.

“Good morning, Sir Kristoffer.”

Moneth greeted Eirlys’s father.

Eirlys turned around and saw Papá standing at the entrance of the kitchen, holding a newspaper. He had already changed from the plain white T-shirt and slacks he had been wearing earlier.

Now, he looked presentable in his barong.

“Eirlys, hija, come with me to Manila.”

Papá’s voice caught her attention.

Eirlys didn’t even notice that he had already walked over and sat beside her. She had been too busy replying to Blythe’s messages.

“Pa, I already know how to drive,” she reasoned as she took a sip of her hot chocolate. She placed her phone down and turned toward him.

“I won’t let you drive your motorcycle all the way from here to Manila. There are too many motorcycle accidents, Eirlys.”

Eirlys simply smiled.

There was nothing she could do about it anyway. If she argued too much, she would probably be called stubborn.

“I already allowed you to go with Governor Bruce’s daughter. Don’t be hardheaded, Eirlys.”

There it was.

Eirlys already knew he was going to bring up Blythe.

She stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

“Can you at least give me a ride, Pa?” she joked. “Don’t just tell me to come with you. I can’t exactly run all the way from here to Manila.”

“You really are such a troublesome child.”

Papá shook his head.

Eirlys smiled.

Just then, Tatay Ernesto entered the house. A warm smile appeared on his face, almost as if he had just seen his own daughter.

“Ms. Eirlys, whose funeral are you going to this time?”

Eirlys shook her head.

“Tatay, it’s like you’re still not used to seeing me dressed like this.”

“You should wear colorful clothes, hija,” Papá added. “Not black all the time.”

They were already on their way to Manila.

Papá’s phone kept ringing every few minutes, so Eirlys put on her earphones and listened to music while staring out at the mountains surrounding their hometown.

This was the part she knew she would miss once she moved to Manila.

Unlike the city, where buildings and structures seemed to fill every corner, her hometown still had beautiful views.

The rice fields swayed beneath the strong wind.

The corn and sugarcane they passed seemed to dance along with it.

The air was fresh there, far away from the pollution and chemicals of the city.

“Hija.”

Papá’s voice pulled Eirlys from her thoughts.

“Pa? What is it?”

She removed one of her earphones and looked at him.

There was sadness in his face, even though he was smiling at her.

“Be careful in Manila. People these days can be dangerous.”

“I will, Papá. I always will.”

She smiled at him.

“Besides, Tatay Ernesto taught me self-defense.”

Papá let out a breath and glanced between Eirlys and Tatay Ernesto.

“But that still isn’t enough, hija.”

“Yes, Papá. But I don’t really like going out that much anyway, so don’t worry too much.”

Eirlys rested her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his.

“Your Mamá will kill me if anything bad happens to you.”

Eirlys looked up at him.

“Mmm? How would she do that, Papá? She left right after giving birth to me. Would she even know?”

She said it jokingly.

Papá messed up her hair and kissed the top of her head.

“I don’t know either.”

They both laughed at his answer.

Eirlys closed her eyes again and let herself drift along with the sound of the car and the music playing in her ears.

“Hija. Hija. Eirlys.”

Papá gently tapped her shoulder.

Eirlys slowly opened her eyes.

She hadn’t even realized that she had fallen asleep during the trip. She rubbed her eyes and looked around.

They were parked in front of a condominium. This was where she was supposed to meet Blythe.

“Okay, Papá. I’m leaving.”

Eirlys stretched slightly, as if trying to force her soul back into her body after waking up.

“Take care, hija. Call me. And don’t stay out too late.”

The way Papá worried, anyone would think his daughter was the wild one.

“Yes, Papá. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Papá kissed her forehead before she finally stepped out of the vehicle.

Eirlys waved at him until the black SUV carrying her father disappeared from her sight.

This wasn’t Eirlys’s first time entering this condominium.

But the sparkle in her eyes still hadn’t faded.

The black marble flooring, streaked with white, stood out against the white walls. A chandelier hung majestically in the center, making the entire place look even more luxurious.

Then Eirlys saw Blythe walking toward her.

Blythe was wearing boyfriend jeans, a white shirt tucked into them, and olive-green flat sandals. A bright smile spread across her face as she approached.

“I miss you! I thought Tito Kristoff wasn’t going to let you come.”

She hugged Eirlys tightly.

Eirlys laughed.

“He only agreed because you’re the Governor’s daughter.”

It was meant as a joke.

But it was also true.

Blythe finally let go of her and linked her arm with Eirlys’s.

“Come on.”

She pulled Eirlys toward the elevator.

They talked while waiting for it to take them all the way up to the ninetieth floor, where the penthouse they had bought was located.

They were only waiting for their other three friends.

The three friends who were always late.

Filipinos, seriously.

There wasn’t a single plan they had where someone wasn’t late. Eirlys had thought they might have changed during all the years they had been apart.

Apparently not.

Nothing had changed.

They still acted like VVIPs wherever they went.