"Ms. Ashanti!"
Kusang bumukas ang mata ni Ashanti, pati narin ang bibig niya upang makalanghap ng hangin, kasabay ng pagbangon sa higaan.
Unang nahagip ng mata niya si Maeann, her maid. Dumako naman ang mata niya sa paligid at kinunot ang noo.
'The hell. I thought I already died after that bitch pushed me.'
Maliban sa pagkatuyot ng lalamunan niya at mabilis na pagtibok ng kaniyang puso, wala na siyang nararamdamang kakaiba. 'How long did I rest to not feel anything? That witch, hindi niya ata alam na hindi agad namamatay ang masamang damo tulad ko.'
"Anong araw ngayon?"
Nagulat pa ang maid sa biglaan niyang tanong. "Young Miss?"
"I asked for the date." Pinakalma niya ang sarili.
"Your birthdate, Miss."
Mabilis niya itong nilingon at tinaasan ng kilay. Did she sleep for a year?
"Buti po gising na kayo. Hinihintay ka na po ni Madam Ashara for your outfit made by Mr Luiso. It's already 12 in noon, Miss."
"Did I order again from Mr Luiso? You said it's my birthday today, right? I slept for too long, so basically it's my mom who ordered the dress."
'Crap. Ayoko pa namang si mom ang pumipili ng birthday dress ko. We are not in the same boat when choosing a good dress. She's so archaic.'
"Miss?" Nagtataka siya sa sinasabi ng kaniyang amo. "B-but it's you who made an appointment and ordered the dress from Mr Luiso. You even reminded me to check on the dress many times yesterday."
Nagiging tanga na ba ang maid niya? She slept for a year at ngayon lang siya nagising. Sino bang niloloko nito?
She glared at her. "Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan."
"M-miss..."
Tinignan niyang maiigi ang ekspresyon ni Maeann, marunong siyang tumingin kung totoo ba ang pinapakita nito o hindi. At base sa nakikita niya, mukha namang totoong natatakot ang ekspresyon ng maid na nasa harapan niya ngayon.
So hindi nababaliw ang maid niya, o baka naman siya ang may problema? She recalled what her maid said throughout their conversation. Maeann even doesn't have the expression na nasurprised o natuwa kasi nagising na siya. Just the face when her maid use on her daily morning reminders.
Kinuha niya sa gilid ang kaniyang cellphone. It's still shiny, na parang bagong bili pa lang. She turned on the phone and looked on the date.
"The hell-"
Yes, it was her day. She even looked on the messages and saw that it was from her classmates greeting her for her seventeenth birthday.
'Wait, hindi nineteenth?! I thought I am pushed by that wicked woman on our debut and got conscious after a year.'
Nanginginig na ang kamay niya. No way, hindi naman pwedeng nakabalik sa past niya, baka naman prank lang ito.
She even looked on her gallery kung nandoon ba ang mga stolen pic ni Kalen noong nagdedate pa sila. And there's none.
But I already debuted! What the hell is happening?!
Pinakalma niya muna ang sarili. Birthday niya ngayon, di pwedeng ma-stress siya sa mismong araw niya. Bawal sa kaniyang mas mukhang basura kaysa sa step sister niya.
Speaking of Calista. Nilingon niya si Maeann na kanina pa naghihintay sa sasabihin niya. Ngumiti siya dito na ikinagulat ng kasambahay. "Wait for me outside my room, magaayos lang ako."
Nagsimula na siyang maligo. Even the product on her bathroom was exactly what she's using before. The clothes on the closet were so chic and not as seductive on the time she met Kalen. So she had no choice but to pick a one piece of white cloth only covering her top and length stopping under her butt.
Para siyang magsiswimming. Pinartneran nalang niya ito ng loose white thin t-shirt upang hindi masyadong expose ang kaniyang teat.
She went down with Maeann and even before she could enter the dining room, she could hear his father's voice asking Calista about the birthday celebration later.
They are not twins but they have the same birthday, dahil iyon sa kumplikasyon sa kaniya noong isinilang siya, na maaga siyang iniluwal at tumapat pa talaga sa araw kung kailan din nanganak ang kabit ng dad niya.
"Oh, you're already here. Have a sit and eat your lunch." Her father said. Ang kaninang nakangusong mukha ng kaniyang ina ay napalitan ng saya nang malamang nandoon na siya. Hindi rin kasi maganda ang pakikitungo nito kay Calista.
'Sino bang gaganahang kumain kung nandiyan ang anak ng kabit ng asawa mo na umaaktong prinsesa tulad ko.'
She greeted her dad and mom with a smile while she greeted her sister looking at her like a sinner. It's already normal for Calista to be treated like that by Ashanti that's why she only gave a smile and greeted her back.
So ganyan ang expression nila, totoo ngang nabalik ako sa past ko?
Umupo nalang si Ashanti at nagsimulang kumain. She felt like she didn't eat for a year and didn't notice the eyes glaring towards her.
Nang maramdaman na niya ang binibigay nilang presensya ay tumigil siya sa pagkain at tumingin din sa kanila. "What?"
"Ashanti... are you pregnant?"
Hindi lang siya ang nagulat sa sinabi ni Calista, miski ang mga magulang niya at mga maid na malapit sa kanila ay natigilan. She quickly looked at the woman in front of her and raised an eyebrow.
"How fucked is your brain to say that to me. I'm not a slut like you-"
"Ashanti!" Pagtigil sa kaniya ng dad niya. Ito naman ang tinignan niya at tinaasan ng kilay.
"What? Bakit ako ang pagsasabihan niyo? That girl said I'm pregnant without any proof. Might as well give a rebut for my pride."
Calista started sobbing while her head is down. "I-I only said it because that's actually a sign when a woman is pregnant based on my research. I'm so sorry..."
Ashanti rolled her eyes. People in this room will pity the crying girl and call the other one evil. Sanay na siya sa ganoong pangyayari.
'Ganoon lang naman siya magaling. Magpaawa at umiyak.'
"Fix your innocent-like personality. Not everyone will forgive you just because you looked "innocent". I wonder why you searched that. Baka ikaw 'tong buntis sa atin." Her dad was ready to scold her but she pushed her chair and stood up. "I've lost my appetite. Baka kapag kumain pa ako ay sabihin niyo na namang buntis ako."
She walked away, going upstairs to her room. Her mom secretly smiled on her behavior. That's right, her daughter should not lose to her one and only rival.
Ashanti closed the door with a loud sound. Hindi na naman niya nacontrol ang emosyon niya kay Calista. That's because she saw the woman who will take his man and pushed her to death on their 18th birthday.
Nangako siyang sa susunod na pagkikita nila mamaya ay hindi na niya papatulan si Calista.
Bahala siya magmukhang tanga kakasabi ng kung anu-ano sa akin.
"Ma'am, your package has arrived. The stylists will be on your room in three minutes." Saad ni Maeann pagkatapos kumatok.
She sighed and replied 'ok' to her and start relaxing herself. Hindi na nga siya nakakain ng maayos ay napagalitan pa siya ng dad niya. That girl was really getting on her nerves.
After three minutes, pumasok na ang mga kinuha niyang mga tao upang magpaganda pa lalo sa kaniya. Well, this is her 17th birthday, ang past self niya ang kumuha ng mga tao at hindi siyang katatapos lang magdebut. Kung papipiliin siya ay hindi na siya aasa sa iba dahil marunong na siyang doblehin ang pagaayos sa sarili simula nang makilala si Kalen.
Yeah, that Kalen. She wanted to think twice kung babawiin pa niya si Kalen o hindi, knowing what he did exactly on her debut. Bulag ba iyon o tanga na hindi makita ang mga pagpapanggap ni Calista. Well, that's her step-sister, alam niyang magaling iyong artista.
'That woman may even won the best actress of the year award immediately even if she has not yet started in the Industry because of her talent.'
She wore a blue off-shoulder dress, revealing her pale cleavage and shoulders. It stops inches above the knee exposing her long and seductive legs, but way longer on the back. Pinartneran nila ito ng different shades of blue para sa accesories. Light lang ang make-up niya and her long, straight hair is tucked behind her ears. Not her present style but it was fine.
Pinasadahan muna niya ang sarili sa salamin bago magselfie at isinend iyon sa group chat nilang magkakaibigan.
Speaking of her friends, kailangan niya makita isa-isa ang mga iyon. Naalala niyang lahat ng nasa circle of friends niya ay dumalo sa 17th birthday niya in the past.
[Happy birthday mydear, bigyan kita pera kasi tinamad akong magshopping for u ;>]
She laughed while looking at the screen because of Gabi said. Nagtatype siya ng irereply nang nagreply narin ang mga iba pa niyang kaibigan.
[Loko, ako nga magbibigay ng pera kay Asha tapos nakikigaya ka pa.] That's Cayser.
[Hbd Asha, yung akin tseke nalang din any amount ayos lang *insert birthday gif*] And this is Trishza.
[Yikes. Anong akala niyo sa akin walang pera? Prepare your gifts na, dapat yung magugustuhan ko ah ;>]
After that she placed her phone on the desk. Umalis na ang mga stylist niya at siya nalang ang natira sa kwarto.
There are a total of six in their squad. Ashanti, Cayser, Gabi, Kennedy, Trishza and Jaxon. Only Kennedy and she are in the same school. Si Cayser at Trishza in Olympus then Jaxel and Gabi on St Alorzo.
Hindi sila nagkakasama palagi pero active sila sa group chat. Minsan kapag weekends at walang mga pinagkakaabalahan ang iilan sa kanila ay pumupuntang club or gala lang talaga. Ofcourse, dahil underage pa siya pati si Trishza and Kennedy ay gumagamit sila ng fake ID. The money wasn't the problem sa pagpapagawa, as she said, marami siya nun.
Ashanti first looked at her closet at inalis ang mga damit na hindi na niya magagamit. Hindi siya nabahala sa suot niya dahil malilinis naman ang nasa closet niya. She should buy new clothes as soon as possible.
'I need to be prepared on our meet up together next month.'
She's referring to Kalen. Sure siyang a month after her 17th birthday niya nakilala si Kalen. Parehas sila ng University na pinapasukan ngunit hindi naman nila nakikita ang isa't isa doon, ang una nilang pagkikita ay sa Mansion ng Vasquez nang sabihing ikakasal sila sa isa't isa.
'I wonder if what happened before will be the same in my second life. If the two aren't the same, then I'm doomed.'
After half an hour kumatok na ulit si Maeann sa pinto, telling her that the party was already starting. She glanced on the mirror before picking up her phone and went outside. The moment, her second life began.
°°°°°°°°°°°
Thank you for checking out my new story. Don't be shy, leave a comment about what you feel while reading the chapter. It may help me improve my grammar and to have a motivation writing the next chapter. Lovelots.
Update will be later ( :