Chapter 001

Lea Carmen

It was a chilly evening and I was waiting for the most awaited thing. Getting a tattoo was in my bucket list for ages, but the time felt right now. I didn't know if it was right for a girl to head inside a funky tattoo parlor in a lawyer's robe but I had no other choice. I had booked for my time in the parlor three times before and called off due to reasons like I got a clue about my client not being involved in a murder and had to head for a discussion right away and so on. If I did it a fourth time, I would seem an egotistical girl who thinks she could do whatever she liked, if not already. I had set an appointment with a witness early tomorrow and my apartment was more than an hour from there for me to go home and change into something else before making it back to the parlor.

Thinking these thing's, I walked to the entrance marking "Jaymond's Tat".

There was a sign indicating the shop to be underground. I spotted a staircase leading me down there . As I stepped on the second step, I felt a shiny black leather shoe step on my robe. Before I could realized the fact and control my body, I started rolling down the stairs.

I stood back up with my face full of dust and my black dress partly white. I got a salty feeling in my mouth , which was an indication that I'd cut my lips. Thank God for my teeth were safe and none came jumping on the floor.

Expecting an apology, I turned back to see the cause of the disaster. I took my eyes up the shoes, a blue cotton pant, brown belt, body hugging white shirt, and above that was a gorgeous face Of a man. Black luscious hair, brown captivating eyes, irresistible dimples and chiseled jaw. The guy was in-humanly gorgeous.

My lips still pricked and I could feel blood collecting on the outer surface of my lips, I was looking for a tissue in my purse when I heard a hoarse voice. What he said startled me.

"Are you a part time sweeper? Because what you're wearing is helping you pretty much."

I looked down to see he was true. The robe was long enough to drag along the floor. It had a reason..... Wait! Did he try to imply that he's stepping on it and my falling were my mistake?? The nerve of this monkey. Grrr!!

I looked at him to see if he was willing to say sorry for either of the two;but this man... He's so nakakabwisit. Titingnan lang ako, like he was being rude of my clothes. He didn't seem to make a move. Then a slutty chick  came to him.

"Let's go baby."

The man held her hand and they turned the other way. They are leaving.

WHAT THE HELL!! Gwapo sana, sagwa naman ng ugali. I murmured.... But no. No Lea. He's not gwapo he's a jerk. I scolded myself.

It was s matter of  self-respect for me. It hadn't bothered me less that he didn't come to give me a hand to stand back. On top of that, no apology??

I knew I had to do something. I knew what. I rushed to the couple and slid my manicured hand in his thick hair and gripped it. Turning him around, I touch his lips red with my blood. Contentment filled me when I saw the look of "eww" on his face as he realized the salty taste and what just happened. I was only focused on him when his apparent girlfriend caught my hair.

"Hoy, Malandi! What do you think you're doing to my man, huh?" My man. I was right.

"I understand your reaction. But I wanted him to know what he is responsible for." The grip of her hand on my hair goes stronger as her eyes turned red. (Vampire ka ghorl.? Haha.. Chosss.)

"Excuse me! I have already came up with my answer. I am sorry you had to witnessed that bit I expected an apology. If you lose the grip..."

The guy answered, "Did I hear apology?"

"Why? Do you have hearing problems?"

"No because I don't find a reason to say sorry for putting my foot on ground if somebody brings their baggage under it and trips over. Not especially if she's a whore looking for chances to kissed hot guys."

What an asshole. When we started to argue, the girl let go of my hair.

I realized I was getting late for my appointment. "If I'd got time, I bet I could teach some uncivilized people what moral behaviors are." .

I walked down at the end of last step, turned back one last time. "And by some people, I mean.... (Staring at the bitch who just pulled my hair) A psycho slutty ugly woman and her indifferent man who probably doesn't know what real kiss is; for he thought what he just got was one." I smirked, and left theme un-able to answer.

Saying so, I went inside. I was not in the mood to speak to anybody. So I held out my phone and showed the artist what I actually wanted and where.

By the time he was done, my neck was throbbing with pain. O had underestimated the pain of getting inked. But when I saw  the result in the back of my neck in the mirror it was worth it.

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Back at my apartment, I was alone and sitting on my couch watching  The Voice of the Philippines, where Mary Joy my idol is one of the coaches, when my phone rang. It was Steffie Kate.

"Kate, thank God you called. I have something to very important to tell you."

"And what's that? Don't tell me your client turned out to be guilty one and you are in dilemma whether to take the case or not... I am tired of such stories." Sigh. Kate being overacting as she was.

"I got a tat."

"What?"

"A tattoo."

"How? When? Where?" She sequel. "Where?"

"Goodness gracious! Kate! Slow your tone! Basag na ang eardrums ko." I hissed which directly calm her down.

"OK. What did you got" she asked calmly yet her excitement was still evident on her voice."

"You wanna guess what I got?"

"A rose?"

"Nope." I always loved flowers and she was aware of that fact. When we first met, it was at a nursery. I was with my mommy Ligaya for picking out roses for father's day. I vividly remember the receptionist saying, ma'am, we ran out of roses'. I was a kid at that time and couldn't stop from creating a scene with yelling and crying when a sweet girl with pink hat came to me and said, 'If you really need roses, I can give you mine.' She said showing her cute one set apart tooth.

'Really? You'd do that for me?'

'Of course. She gave me a sweet smile. 'I can take lilies for my dad. It Matches his name too which is Lito.' The girl was my age but seemed very matured  for five years. Our mommies had a good chat and exchanged their contact details. Since the very day, we found our best friends in each other. We went to school and college together. She did a medical course and I choose law.

"Hello???" She spoke from the other side of the phone. "You still there?" I almost forgot I was speaking to her.

"Do you still remember how we first met? You've been calling me Rose since that day. That's quite funny, isn't it?

"Whatever Rose, wait, did you just say nope to the rose tattoo?"

"Yeah I did"

"I thought if you had a rose tattoo, it would have been a way for you to remember me. Rose and is our thing" nagtatampo nanaman, I smiled secretly.

"What I got too, reminds me of you. The only difference is it reminds everyone who sees it about you too."

"Wait a minute.... You didn't get a Lilly, did you?"

"Smartass. Yes its lily. Matched your father's name..... Nino Lito" I teased her

"Gaga... My gosh!" I could hear emotional gasp in her voice. I know how much she love Tito Nino.

"You're the best Lei" haaay ang OA ng best friend ko.Magdadrama pa yata.

"I know that. Matagal na." There I could hear her, giggling on the other side. Then I remember the incident that took place today.

"You can't believe what happened today. A guy stepped on my robe and made me trip down the staircase and didn't even say sorry. His girlfriend gripped my hair and the guy even made fun of my clothes. So mean!" Sumbong ko

"Wait a minute... The girl gripped your hair means you gave your Lea Carmen's dose to them, didn't you? Otherwise, why would she do that?" Shit... Tong kaibigan ko talaga.grabe makatanong

"I did press my bloody lips against his lips but...."

"Wow. You did that?"

"I then walked away."

"How did it feel? Like was it a kiss more like a badass? And you're sure you don't have to see a doctor right?" Kate's concerned as ever

"No, it's not serious! And what I thought was badass, was in his point of view a whore trying to kiss a hot guy. Gago siya! Does he really think I'm a whore?" Nangagalaiti Kong saad, but kate just laughed out

"Hot huh?"

"Fine. I don't want to admit but he indeed was. Like a good looking descent guy. But his attitude was a total asshole's." I retorted....

We then had a random chat for some time. Then I dialed Rob who was out of town for business purpose. I discussed the exact same things with him too. Finally after an hour or so, we hang up.

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                   UNEDITED

Authors note!!

Hey guys.. thanks for picking RL, and I hope that you'll support it till the end.

Thank you. Lots love♥

~Ms.Author