"Eve, the spotlight is yours." I stood properly after hearing those words and heaved a long breath to vanquish my nervousness. Di ko alam bakit ako kinakabahan when in fact, napaka-raming beses ko na itong ginagawa.
"The ever-dashing Eve!" The announcer called as I walked past through the curtains, witnessing once more everyone's standing ovation. They were all showing the same expression. Amazed.
I strutted with pure elegance and sophistication, followed by the pose Demi taught me when I reached the end of the runway.
Minsan talaga, may pakinabang sa akin ang babaeng iyon.
Everyone hyped me up when the announcer titled me as their Queen of the night which suited my stage name properly. Eve, Queen of the night.
"Eva talaga ang kamamdag ng isang Eva Marie!!!" My assistant, Demi cheered.
And that annoyed me.
"Demi! Haven't I told you already to not call me by that name?!" I reminded her. I didn't like the sound of my real name Eva Marie. It sounds like an old woman.
And besides, that's the name my friends call me so I kinda want it to be that way. Na sila lang ang tumatawag sa akin ng ganon.
"Ganda kaya nun!" I glared at her answer kaya agad niya ring binawi and gave me an apologetic smile.
"By the way, na reschedule mo na ba 'yung supposed brand modelling ko mamaya?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang nagbibihis sa dressing room.
That's actually important pero mas mahalaga yung kay Trix.
"Yup pero... Gaano ba kaimportante ang pupuntahan mo at ba't naisipan mong i-resched ang event mamaya?" She confusingly asked.
"Birthday kasi ng isa sa mga kaibigan ko." I answered kasabay ng paglabas ko sa dressing room. I'm now wearing a white casual dress na hanggang tuhod lang na pinatungan ng isang itim na cardigan.
"Ahhh yan ba 'yung sinasabi mong college friends mo?" I just nodded.
"As if may iba akong kaibigan back in the days." as I bid farewell.
Well technically, it was my only circle of friends since highschool. Kasi hindi naman talaga ako socialite.
Kaarawan ngayon ni Trix kaya naisipan namin itong icelebrate sa islang pag-mamay ari nila. Their family bought an island all for themselves only.
And I'm an international brand model and yet, Condominium lang ang afford ko.
Me and my friends became close ever since highschool— to the point na alam na namin ang baho ng isa't isa. We were literally unseparatable from each other. Pero ngayon, bihira nalang kami magkita. Everyone had their own jobs now to take care of.
Before I drove my way towards the meeting place, dumaan muna ako sa convenience store and bought a pocket knife, canned foods and a case of beers.
Baka raw kasi maging camping-themed ang mangyayari sa isla.
"Where are you? These girls are starting to annoy me." Bungad saakin ni Leon the moment I answered his call.
"Pasensyahan mo na ang mga iyan. Parang di ka naman nasanay eh."
My friends have been trying to make me and Leon get together pero imposible eh. He never saw me as someone he would love. Hanggang kaibigan lang kami.
At least that's what I know and feel.
Nasa may baybayin kasi ang meeting place namin dahil nandoon na ang yateng sasakyan patungo sa isla nina Trix.
"Here comes the beauty queen, Ev—A Marie!" Pia teased. They all knew that I hated being called Eva when in a runway.
Tapos napaka-effort pa nila. They stood side by side na para bang nasa runway nga ako.
"Mag E-EVAporate ang tubig sa tuwing tumatapak siya sa buhangin!" Isa rin tong Vince na to eh. Medyo corny.
"Stop or I'll stab you with this knife I bought." I jokingly pointed the pocket knife at them and then seconds after, we all laughed. Pati na rin 'yung driver ng sasakyan naming yate ay nakitawa rin.
"Wow, di ka nga makapatay ng lamok eh. I'd doubt you'd survive our first night without complaining!" Singit ni Jenn na sinabayan naman ng halakhak nina Sue.
"Kaibigan ko ba talaga kayo?" Napailing ako saka pabirong inikutan sila ng mata. "Happy birthday Trix." Sabi ko kay Trix habang inaayos ang pagkakabuttones ng cardigan ko.
"Guys let's go already." Inip naman na bigkas ni Leon. He really looked pissed. Mukhang siya pa nga tong makakapatay eh.
"Lezzgoo!" We, girls, shouted as we ran our way towards the yacht. Ipinasa ko kay Vince 'yung case ng beer dahil pabida naman siya.
Nasa gitna na kami ng dagat at tulog na ang lahat maliban sa amin nina Pia at Vince.
Out of boredom, I looked at the seawater pero medyo natigilan nang mapansin na ang tanging reflection ko lang ang kita.
Katabi ko naman sina Vince at Pia ah.
"Sabog ka lang." bulong ko sa sarili ko at tinanaw na lang ang kalangitan.
Nang makarating na kami sa seashore ng isla nila Trix, isa-isa ko silang ginising.
"Hoy scam ka Vince! Napaka kill steal mo!"
"Mas scam ka! One bar nalang tira kay Masha pero di mo parin napatay!"
"Papansin! Wag kang susunod saakin ha!"
"Ulul! Ikaw nga dapat tong sumunod eh! Tank ako, MM ka lang! Umay nakikipag duo tapos ayaw naman makipag-cooperate!"
Iyan lamang ang naririnig ko habang papunta pa rito ang yate. Pia and Vince were having Mobile Legends too seriously. Buti nalang at hindi sila madaling magkapikunan.
"Trix, wala ba rito parents mo?" Tanong ni Jenn kay Trix kahit naman nasagot na niya iyon.
"Nope. I made sure na tayong pito lang ang nandirito." She confidently answered.
"Eh? Si manong drive-" as if on cue, we heard the yacht speeding away from us.
"And him too. I told him to leave us tapos sunduin lang bukas ng madaling araw." Dagdag ni Trix saamin.
"Hanggang madaling araw lang pala tayo? Edi hindi pala 24 hours. 11 hours lang pala tayo rito." Nakangusong tugon ni Jenn. Among us, she's the one who's really excited with this trip kaya ganyan siya kadismaya ng malamang di kami magtatagal rito. 5 na kasi ng gabi ngayon.
"Hayaan mo na. Oh siya, pumunta na tayo sa villa namin." Sabay pakita saamin ni Trix nung susi nila sa Villa.
We looked so ignorant when we entered their villa— na mansion naman talaga. It was so huge!
I could never get over the fact na ako ngang isang sikat na modelo, tamang condo lang.
"Wala ka pa bang mas ikakayaman Trix?" Tukso ni Vince ngunit kinindatan lang siya nung huli.
"Sama sama na tayo sa master's bedroom." Anunsyo ni Trix to which we all agreed. It was not new to us. Sanay na kaming mag overnight with the boys— ganoon namin sila pinagkakatiwalaan. We knew they won't take advantage of us. Proven and tested.
Believe me, Jenn did so many temptations for the two pero wala talaga.
"Anong una nating gagawin?" Tanong ni Vince.
"Mag mo-mobile legends! Kala mo nakalimutan kong nabawasan ako ng star dahil sa katakawan mo?!" And then Pia and Vince started again.
The night went on and we were all so happy. Until we played truth or dare. Things started to get wild hanggang sa di namin napansin na paubos na pala ang beer na dala ko.
"May isha pang keysh sha afaradooor nameyn." Lasing na sabi ni Trix kaya ako nalang ang nag-volunteer na kumuha. I was still a bit sober compared to any of them.
Dumiretso ako sa aparador nila na matatagpuan sa kusina saka kinuha ang isang case ng canned beers. Buti nalang at may built-in cooler ang aparador nila kaya malamig ito. Nag-inat muna ako ng katawan saka tuluyang bumalik sa may dalampasigan and I found my self stiffening after seeing the most awful scenery I could ever see.
6 bloddy bodies laid around the fire pit.
Hindi ako makakilos sa kinatatayuan ko and the next thing I knew, everything went black.
•••
Nagising ako sa lakas ng tunog ng mga police sirens.
"She's awake." A man wearing a police uniform stated kaya napalingon ako sa paligid. I'm still at the shore with numbers of police officers staring right at me with accusing looks...
Weird.
I tried to stand pero natigil nang maramdaman ang malagkit na likido dito.
Dugo..?
Napatingin naman ako sa kabilang kamay nang may maramdaman din akong tila isang metal.
I woke up with bloody hands, a knife in my right hand, and with 6 stabbed bodies lying around me.
What the hell is hapenning?