The Bad Girl: Chapter 19 - The Gathering

"Omigod! Yang!" Chrissie shrieked breaking the momentary silence that engulfed them.

Reina breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, relishing the sound of her name on her friend's lips, and said in a low voice, "God! Say that again! I miss hearing that!"

"Yang!!!!" Chrissie screamed it louder this time, shaking her head at the absurd request of her friend and then grinned.

"Yan!!" Reina ran to her friend and hugged her.

The ladies cried, laughed, and started talking at the same time. It was a wonder how they could understand each other.

Kayley, with her right thumb in her mouth, watched her mom and the other lady. She hugged her teddy bear more tightly with the other hand; her eyes filled with curiosity at the strange sight before her.

A few minutes passed when she realized the grown-ups were ignoring her! She didn't like the idea one bit!

Oh, no, no, no!

She had to do something! Crying would not be a good idea. She is no cry-baby!

Thus, she walked over to her mom's side and tugged at her mom's dress. Maybe she didn't pull too hard because her mom didn't even look at her. She stomped her little feet and with a look of determination, she tugged at her mom's dress, again, but this time, a little harder causing her mom to almost fall down!

Chrissie looked down to see who did that and to her amazement, she saw her little girl with her mischievous but captivating smile.

"Oh I'm sorry honey!" Chrissie exclaimed and picked Kayley up.

She winked and whispered an explanation to Reina, "She doesn't want to be left out. She always wants to be the center of attention."

Reina nodded in full understanding, grinned and said, "Just like her mom!"

"Yup!" Chrissie replied with a smile and kissed her daughter's cheek.

Then she said, "Kayley, baby, this is your Marmie Reina."

Kayley flashed Reina her bright smile and exclaimed, "You're so pretty! But mommy's prettier than you!"

Reina shot an eyebrow up, amused at her niece's impetuousness, "I see she takes after you, Yan."

The best friends laughed in agreement.

Seeing that the attention was not on her again, Kayley complained, "Mom, when are we gonna eat? I'm hungry!" and pouted her small lips.

"Oh my god! Where are my manners?" Chrissie exclaimed.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Chrissie babbled, obviously mortified at her absentmindedness.

"Manners?" Reina sniggered as they walked towards the manor. "Since when did you acquire manners, Yan?"

"I'm a mother now, remember? I must set an example," Chrissie explained.

She leaned over and whispered to Reina, "Although, I have to admit that the little miss here is turning out to be more than the brat that I was."

"Was?!" Reina teased and they laughed again.

"By the way, what's with all the secrecy?" Reina's face suddenly became serious. "Why don't your parents know that you're here?"

Chrissie stopped, put Kayley down, and told her daughter to run ahead of them before she answered.

She sighed, "A long story. I'll tell you after you had breakfast or else you'd lose your appetite or worse...faint!"

"That bad, huh?" A frown marred Reina's forehead.

"Well...Not exactly...but it will surely be quite a shock," Chrissie replied and bit her lower lip.

"Okay, I'll take your word for it, Yan. Besides, I'm hungry!" Reina smiled.

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"So what's the big secret?" Reina asked, putting down her cappuccino.

They had just finished their breakfast in the garden.

She looked Chrissie straight in the eye, and prodded when she didn't answer right away.

"Oh, c'mon! It can't be that bad, right?" Reina's eyebrow shot up, but started to become somehow doubtful at her own words.

Chrissie was avoiding her gaze.

"Uhmm..." she paused uneasily. "I think we'd better go inside and grab a stronger drink than what you're having"

"Okay so this can't be good," Reina concluded, her heart suddenly thumped harder.

"Yan!" she yelled, knocking the chair as she stood up.

"I'll tell you. I promise," Chrissie replied and added, "After you had something stronger."

She went ahead but looked back when Reina didn't follow.

"Well?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Okay...whatever makes you spill," Reina rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.

They went inside and headed to the mini-bar.

Chrissie took her time preparing their drink.

"Well, Yan? Spill!" Reina asked sharply. She was crossing her hands now and tapping her shoe. She had an irritated look on her face and her right eyebrow was raised.

Chrissie ignored her look and handed her a brandy. "Drink this first."

Reina rolled her eyes, exasperated but indulged her friend, and drank anyway.

"I'm getting married," Chrissie blurted out.

Reina choked on her drink

"You're what?!" She screamed.

"You heard me. No need to scream," Chrissie said calmly. "I hope you brought something appropriate to wear with you..."

"Yan!!!" Reina looked like she was about to explode. She couldn't believe that she heard her friend right.

Chrissie ignored her friend's mounting fury and continued, "The wedding's this afternoon. Nothing grand..."

"You finally got into a serious relationship and did not tell me about it?!" Reina said carefully, almost too slowly, stressing out every word.

She started pacing back and forth, in an effort to calm herself down but to no avail.

Then, she suddenly stopped and faced her friend, "Unless... Omigod! Chrissie, are you sure?"

Reina had a horrified expression on her face, "It's not just one of your flings or something..."

Chrissie tried hard not to laugh at her friend's exaggerated and unfounded anxiety.

Reina, seeing Chrissie's mirth, grabbed her friend's shoulders and shook her lightly. "Chrissie!!! This is marriage for crying out loud!!!"

"Of course I thought about it, silly!" Chrissie said with a smile and gently took Reina's hands from her shoulders and led her crazed friend to a chair.

"I'm in love!" Chrissie said as soon as she took her place opposite her friend.

"I finally have fallen in love with the most wonderful man on earth!" she announced excitedly.

"Heaven help me!" Reina prayed as she saw the idiotic sparkle in her best friend's eyes. She placed her palm on her forehead and suddenly felt faint.

"Damn! Yan, if this was actually the real thing your parents would have supported you all the way, knowing Uncle and Auntie," Reina reasoned, fervently hoping that this was just a joke.

"It's a long story," Chrissie had a smile on her face, undaunted by her friend's lack of support.

"I have all the time in the world!" Reina pressed on.

Chrissie's eyes brightened and looked at Reina in the eyes, "He's a wonderful guy, Rain. He knows everything about me...soiled goods and all. He accepts me and he loves me!"

"He adores Kayley and Kayley is smitten with him!" She added with a dreamy smile.

"He understands all my atrocities. He's my perfect match... That's why I'm marrying him." Chrissie ended her argument with another dreamy smile and an exaggerated sigh.

"Chrissie Yan!!!" Reina's face was indescribable. It was a mixture of disbelief, irritation, surprise, and horror.

But Chrissie, unmindful of her friend's reservation, continued smiling, almost daydreaming, like a lovesick adolescent kid. "Yup! Chrissie Yan soon to be Mrs. Christine Margaret Yan..."

A masculine voice completed for her, "Li... Mrs. Christine Margaret Yan-Li."

Reina's eyes widened as she saw the newcomer.

"It can't be!" Reina's voice came out as a whisper. This is turning out to be a nightmare.

"Oh, God! Please wake me up. Please," she silently prayed.

Chrissie turned to the direction of the voice and said, "Honey! You're here!!!"

Chrissie stood up to greet the smiling Matthew. She locked her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily.

Matt, pulled her closer to him, and she moaned.

They pulled away from each other, a contented smile on their faces.

Matt turned his attention to his fiance's guest, "Hi, Reina! You look like you've seen a ghost!" He grinned, his eyes disappearing.

Reina stood up with her mouth still agape.

She turned to Chrissie whose arms were still on Matt's waist and was leaning on his chest.

"You're marrying Matthew Li?!" Reina looked at her friend, then at Matt, and then back again at Chrissie.

"Yan, if this is a practical joke! It is not funny!" Reina seriously said and kept shaking her head.

"It's not a joke... I'm really marrying him!" Chrissie hugged Matt tighter, hoping it will convince Reina.

"Omigod! As in HIM!" Reina felt suffocated. She put one hand on her chest and the other on the armrest.

"The Matthew Li!!!" She slowly sat down and put her hands on her face, still breathing heavily.

"Uhm...I think you've said my name too many times already," Matt spoke.

"Yes, Reina, may I call you Reina?" he said, quite unsure if he's allowed to be on first-name basis after seeing Reina's obvious dislike.

"We are getting married," he went on. "At four o'clock this afternoon to be exact."

Reina stood up again when she heard what he said, "What?! How? Why? Huh? You don't even like each other!!"

She screamed. "No, let me amend that, you can't even stand each other!"

"Omigod! I think I should have another drink," she declared and walked back to the counter.

"Yan!" Chrissie pouted and went over to Reina to hold her hands. "Be happy for me, please?"

"You're crazy!" Reina took her hands away from Chrissie and shook her head vigorously.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Matt said jokingly.

"Honey, can you please excuse us? We need to have a little girl talk," Chrissie said to Matt.

"Tired of me already?" Matt pretended to be hurt.

"Baby, of course not!" She went over to him and gave him a smack on the lips.

"You know that you can always have me all to yourself..." she said, playing with his shirt button.

She added huskily, "And later, I'll be all yours."

They kissed again, this time with more urgency.

Reina rolled her eyes and then coughed.

Matt reluctantly let her go. "Okay. I still need to check on some stuff," and kissed her again.

Chrissie smiled contentedly and watched him go. After he's gone, she faced Reina.

Reina was holding her drink and staring at her. "You're crazy."

"I know I usually am but I'm sure about this marriage, Yang. I'm sure about Matt."

Chrissie sat down beside her, her eyes pleading to believe her and to support her.

Reina sighed, "I know... It was hard to believe but when I saw you two together... I know it's the real thing." She smiled at her friend.

"Thank you!!" Chrissie shrieked and hugged her tightly. "Your approval means a lot to me, Yang."

"I can't believe I'm getting married!" she excitedly exclaimed. "It's too good to be true that it makes me want to cry!"

"Neither could I, but you two are just perfect for each other!" Reina smiled at her friend's happiness.

"Yup! Two perfectly crazy people together!" Chrissie agreed, grinning.

They both laughed but stopped when Chrissie saw Reina deep in thought.

"You'll meet the right guy soon, Rain," Chrissie began, reaching out for her friend's hand, assuring her.

"I think I have," Reina smiled weakly.

"Now who's keeping secrets!" Chrissie placed her hands on her waist, a naughty smile on her face.

Reina shrugged, "Well... He's not exactly Mr. Right, but I'm falling for him."

"Don't tell me you have something for your current boy toy," Chrissie warned her.

"I can't help it, Yan. He's so sweet and thoughtful..." Reina never finished her sentence.

"And after your money, or make that after your position for him to make money," Chrissie finished for her, getting worked up.

"Somehow I know that but he's...God!" Reina doesn't know how to explain it to her.

She just proceeded to tell Chrissie about what happened last night, her wonderful Last Night.

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"... I'm falling for him."

He stopped in his tracks.

"So you've finally fallen in love," he thought.

"Now that would make things a little more complicated," he mused as he listened to Reina's account of the night before.

"I should probably leave her alone," he thought, having an attack of conscience.

"After all these years...Damn!" he berated himself. He mocked himself. Despite of all the things that had come to pass there were still traces of the man that he was, left.

He turned to leave but overheard Chrissie saying...

"I better go check on Matt. Just make yourself comfortable."

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Reina contained her sadness until Chrissie is out of sight and the door is closed.

Then, she gave in to the sigh she didn't indulge in when Chrissie was present.

She turned to the bar, lit a cigarette, and thought deeply. She barely heard the door open.

She took a glass and was about to get the brandy when a hand shot up and poured the brandy for her.

The person was standing so close behind her that she could feel his breath on her neck, almost like a vampire going in for the kill.

Reina closed her eyes and thought disgustingly, "Fuck! Matt's coming on to me!! Damn! And I thought he was a changed man!"

She smoked deeply and then turned around to face him and give him a piece of her mind!

"What the..." her breath got caught in her throat, her eyes widened, and her face paled when she saw him!

"Reina Yang," he drawled, he was looking at her lips.

Reina's throat went dry. She instinctively licked her lips in sheer nervousness. Her breathing became quick, short gasps.

She thought, "Omigod not you!"

She was horrified and mesmerized by his gaze at the same time. She was under a spell. She can't move!

She watched as his lips began descending dangerously close to hers.

"Hmm... Seems that you don't remember me anymore," the man teased.

She tried to speak but nothing came out!

"Dammit, girl! You're Reina Yang!" she silently berated herself.

She cleared her throat before saying, "Sherwin Xu. Good to see you."

A smug smile played on Sherwin's lips.

"God! He's even more gorgeous!" Reina thought, taking in Sherwin's appearance.

The man before her was dressed casually. He wore a plain white undershirt, with its sleeves cut off, the tattoo on his right arm visible, and a pair of khaki pants. His hair was pulled back into a careless ponytail.

He was oozing with sex appeal.

Sherwin gave her a smile, "Good to see you, too, VERY good to see you."

"For a second there I thought you had completely forgotten who I am," he continued to tease.

His eyes slowly roamed Reina's body. He watched as Reina began to breathe deeply. He looked up and sought Reina's eyes.

Reina thought, "Nobody forgets their first...damn! Is he flirting with me?"

"Now that we're done with the pleasantries will you please excuse me," she haughtily said out loud and moved back.

She tried to get away from him but he braced his hands on the bar, trapping Reina in between.

Reina began to panic. She looked at him and he had this naughty grin on his face.

He bent down until his lips were almost touching hers when the door burst open.

"Honey, have you..." Matt's voice trailed off as he stopped in his tracks, seeing the couple. "Sorry, I interrupted."

"Oh you didn't interrupt anything," Reina was glad at the intrusion.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh yes you did, cousin," Sherwin said in a low voice, amused at seeing Reina skittish .

Sherwin never bothered to straighten himself upon Matt's unwelcome entrance. His eyes remained on Reina's lips and his lips were mere centimeters away from hers.

"No! It's not what you think," Reina answered defensively, but her eyes still on Sherwin.

Matt looked at them in disbelief.

"It is what you think," Sherwin declared still entrapping Reina and intently gazing down at her. "Chrissie went to find you. I saw her heading towards the library."

Matt obviously being dismissed headed to the door, "Oh, okay. I'll just leave you guys and..."

Reina faced Matt and shouted, "Don't!"

She went under Sherwin's arm and hastily got away.

"I...I'll go look for her. I, um, I...need to call the office... Yes! I need to call the office. Uh, there's a phone in the library, right? Okay, see you later," she blabbed and closed the door behind her.

The guys were quiet for a moment after Reina left.

It was Matt who broke the silence. "Careful, Sherwin. She's my wife's best friend."

"So?" Sherwin nonchalantly answered.

"Damn, Sherwin! What are you up to?" Matt asked. "You hated everything about that woman since the incident!"

"Let's just say she's still hot. I wouldn't mind bedding her... again," Sherwin said with such a finality and whistled on his way out.

Matt just shook his head and poured himself a drink.

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Reina ran. She did not know where the damned library was.

She never planned to go to the library in the first place.

She was too stunned at the events that transpired before that she somehow managed to lose herself in the manor.

"Omigod! He's here!" she told herself for the nth time, her heart still beating wildly.

"Omigod!" she silently exclaimed as visions of the new Sherwin Xu flooded her brain. She can't get over the fact that he had become so damn sexy!

She paused and looked around her. She wondered why this grand house looked so familiar.

All of a sudden she remembered.

"Omigod!" she realized.

She saw this manor featured last week by the Yang's rival publishing house. This manor was recently acquired by no other than The Predator of the Asian Financial District himself, Mr. Sherwin Xu.

"I'm doomed!" Reina declared, her eyes filled with horror.