"THAT black color looks fabulous on you," Charmaine said while pointing at the black haltered dress made in lace cloth that is paired with satin. "I will buy that one for you. I will be glad if youʼll take my suggestion to wear it tomorrow night. Hmm, what do you think, best friend?"
If she can laugh, she will. It's not a suggestion, she insisted.
A fact that the dress which Charmaine was pointing out was skin-tight with slits up to the sides which exposed a good deal of thigh. She shook her head as an answer.
"Why? It's a good dress, I will buy it for you, Vivian. You don't have to mind the price."
That is Charmaine Vergosa, her so-called best friend. A celebrity. A brat. A student taking up Education. Charmaine Vergosa who was luckily paired to her boyfriend in the Showbiz Industry. In the eyes of the public, Charmaine is the legal girlfriend of Troy Buenaobra— her boyfriend.
"You will look lovely if you're the one who's wearing that dress," she said in a low voice.
"You think so?" Charmaine asked with full of delight. If she can roll her eyes, she will do it. Charmaine just wanted to be praised. So hilarious!
"Yeah. Buy that one, Charm. I need to attend the morning session."
"'Kay, bye!"
Finally, she rolled her eyes with so much disgust. Charmaine is so disgusting! That girl is not her best friend, not even her type. She doesn't  know why Charmaine keeps saying that they we're best friends. A celebrity wants to be her best friend? What was that? Is it a joke?
IT was almost close to nine o'clock. She's very late, obviously. In fact, the attendance held at the gymnasium is probably closed by now. Great, just great. This is what she gets by being close with  Charmaine. We're not close, she's only the one who's acting as if we are close.
You have no reason to be jealous of Charmaine. She's just my partner. It played again in her mind. The line of Troy.
Do I need to believe him? Why do all of a sudden, Charmaine was there yesterday? Why does Troy didn't text me back after the incident? She shook her head. Troy is mine. She released a deep breath again and got her phone from her sling bag. Yeah, he's mine.
She pulled out her pink handset and browsed her classmate's phone number and dialled it. After three rings, Regine picked up.
"Hello? Attendance is closed, you know. It's already nine o'clock for heaven's sake, Vivian. Even the welcome ceremony is almost done. What are you thinking?" Regine is always be Regine. Regine and Regine's mouth, of course.
"Where are you?" she asked instead of answering Regine's questions.
"Oval. Come here and bring some drink."
"Payment?"
"Payment your ass!" Regine said and hung up the call.
She faked a smile. Regine and Regine's mouth again.
*****
VIVIAN shook her head as she puts down her empty wine glass at the round table, looking straight at Regine's eyes. After the admins and Central Student's Government signed their Intramural's attendance sheet for that day, they went straight to Derick's Bar.
"So, what's the reason behind this wine you're drinking ha?" Regine asked. "Your Troy again?" Regine added.
Sarah laughed. "She just wanted to celebrate, Regine."
"Celebrate what?"
"Celebrate about the movie," Sarah answered and look at her. "Vivian? Didn't you?" Sarah asked while still laughing.
So what if Troy and Charmaine's movie are about to be released? She's not jealous! Yes, she's not. She will never get jealous, she will never be!
"See? Silence means yes! Heart broken it is!" Sarah concluded.
"I'm not jealous!" she said.
"Yes, you are."
"Order some drinks, Sarah. We will swim into the beach of wine now." Regine commanded. "Fuck that Troy!"
It was clear that jealousy was eating Vivian's system at this moment. Who wouldn't be? She's the real girlfriend but she needed to hide. They needed to keep it private to maintain her boyfriend's image and popularity. And here's Charmaine, the fake one, celebrating and tasting the place that was supposed to be hers.
Why so unfair?
Do I need to sing, that should be me?
"Cheers for Vivian's heart," Sarah said while handling their drinks. "She's supposed to be the girl of Troy Buenaobra," her friend added.
"Fuck your mouth, Sarah! You're not thinking straight," Regine said and give Sarah a pinch.
"That hurts!"
Her eyebrows rose up again. "Shut up, Sarah. What if someone might hear you?"
"Well, fuck them," Sarah whispered. "I'll fuck them to death," Sarah continued. "Just kidding."
Her phone vibrated. She immediately checked her phone but Regine checked it first. She saw Regine's reaction with her two black eyes.
"I really hate Charmaine, Vivian. She's a pain in the ass."
Her eyes widened because of what Regine had  said. Her friend almost broke her phone, she immediately grabbed the handset and read the message. It was from Charmaine, an email from her impostor best friend.
She didn't feel anything when she was looking at the photos, it was her boyfriend and Charmaine, kissing.
"What are we going to do, Vivian?" Regine asked.
She released a deep breath and block Charmaine's email address. She moved the email to trash and turn her phone off.
She looked at Regine and shook her head.
"Are you sure of that, Vivian?" Regine asked but more softly this time. "He doesn't love you, not the way you do."
"He does, Regine. Even if he didn't love me the way I love him, I still want him," she said and stand firmly. "I won't give him up for anything or anyone, Regine."
"But he's going to break your heart. He's a superstar, he's a celebrity. He's the people's property. If the public wants him to be single, he will remain single. And the worst is, if the people wants him to be with Charmaine—"
"No! I will never make that happen!" she shouted.
"And how will you do that? You can't stop the public who admires Troy. You're just Vivian Lopez, a nobody," Regine said.