"MAMA!" A young girl in Queen Elsa costume cried as she runs to her mother in tears. She had a staring contest with Callea whose head was covered but the black cult robe that she was wearing. She also had her red contact lens on that made her look more menacing. Yes, she looked like a monster.
She was sitting under the huge tree of a garden where the birthday party was held. Everyone was enjoying but she was sulking there alone. It was as if she was in a different world. No one wanted to come near her. She was a sore thumb in that happy party. Even Deive's friends didn't want to come near her. And her victims were the little kids who were curious with her and wanted to know what Disney or anime character she was only to send them running away in fear.
She removed the hood of her robe when a boy in Iron Man costume walked towards her. His eyes bulged when he saw her black lips and her eyes outlined by dark mascara and eyeliner. When she made her eyes bigger that made her red eyes sparkle, he ran away while crying for his mother.
Deive walked towards here with glasses of juice in both hands and followed the running kid. "O! Why is the kid crying?"
"He was curious with my face. Let's say that I satisfied with curiosity."
He sighed and sat beside her. "Callea, what's wrong? Don't you like parties and kids or are you not feeling well?"
She grinned and sipped the juice. "No. I am actually having fun."
"You are terrorizing the kids. What if they get a fever because you scare them or they fall and get hurt?" he asked in a worried voice. "And why are you wearing a cult priestess robe in a children's party?"
"It is cold today. The dress you had chosen for me is short and thin."
"And the makeup?"
"This is a costume party, right? Someone has to be a villain."
Deive stared at her for a long time as if he was trying to find out what was wrong with her. In the end, he stood up and pulled her up. "Let's go! We'll say our goodbyes to our host. We stayed here long enough."
She followed him silently with a heavy heart. She pissed him off and that was her goal but it was the hardest thing she did. The mother of the celebrant was relieved when they said their goodbyes.
"Is that the woman that Deive will marry?" asked one of the guests as they passed by. "She's scary."
"Maybe Deive was enchanted. Poor guy," said the other woman.
She gave them a harsh stare and she saw them make a sign of the cross in fear then she averted her stare. She was sure that people were buzzing in their wake.
Deive sighed but didn't speak a word as the vehicle moved. She was expecting a confrontation or interrogation but he gave her a silent treatment.
She noticed that they were leaving Metro Manila and taking the South Luzon Expressway instead of going to the heart of the city where his condo was. "This is not the way to your condo."
"No. I am bringing you home to Villa Callea."
"I thought we would spend the weekend in your condo."
"I don't think you will like it there."
Then he stopped talking again. She hated this. It was hurting her to see the dismay on his face. Her heart wanted to cry out for him but she knew that she couldn't tell him to the truth. That the nightmare was back and it threatened to destroy Deive because of her.
He only spoke when they reached Villa Celesta. "This is not funny Callea. You don't have to scare those kids and the other visitors."
"I thought you are not afraid to show the real me to the world."
"A cult priestess in a children's party? What the hell are you thinking? We both know you have other charming characters up to your sleeves. I don't know what you can get out of this." And he waved his hand in her direction. "Callea, if you don't want to attend the party, you should have told me."
She remained stoic but didn't meet his eyes. "This is me, Deive. I won't change who I am. If you have a problem with that then let's cancel the engagement party."
"What?" He took her shoulders. "Callea, that's crazy! I won't cancel our engagement over this little incident."
"Deive, look at me. Do you think I will be comfortable for people to see my face? I tried it or you but it didn't work. I am more comfortable looking like this. Like a ghost that everyone's afraid of."
"Callea, I understand that you love your identity. It is not easy to change and I don't want to change you either. Fine. You want to be a cult priestess and scare children on a children's party? Just because I questioned you about it, doesn't mean I want to cut-off our engagement. Don't you want to push through this? I thought we are more than just a deal, Callea. That we have a real deal."
Callea tightly shut her eyes as she felt her lies closing down on her. "I don't think I am fit for a lifetime with you. It seems idealistic and romantic at first. We will fight for each other and we won't let each other go. But it simply won't work. There will be other parties and people would treat you like you are crazy. You will hate me in the long run. Let's just cut it off."
He let out a sigh. "I don't get you, Callea. This might be wedding jitters or whatever. But your reasons are too shallow for me to back out. I will give you time."
"NO! Let's end this here, Deive. I am thankful for the good things that you did for me. I just want to be alone… forever."
She turned her back on him and ran to her room. "Callea, wait! Let's talk."
She didn't listen and she didn't look back even if her heart was yearning for him. She loved him. She wanted to change herself for him. But Walter won't stop until he possessed her and her beauty.
She must turn into a monster so Walter won't bother her anymore. But she must sacrifice her love for Deive if she wanted to keep him alive.
She didn't want to lose another one close to her heart. She would rather get hurt than see Deive die. He must live so her heart would keep on beating even without him in her life.