He checked the time. 9:00 PM.
"Dammit!” sigaw nito. It seems that she sent the messages more than an hour ago after the spoke on the phone. Nahilamos nito ang mukha and cursed repeatedly.
(Stacey)
Kanina pa tinatanong ni Stacey ang sarili na hindi kaya pinaglalaruan lang siya ni Derick? Na ginagawa lang siya nitong parausan? Baka kaya ayaw nitong magpakita sa kanya para pag sawa na ito sa kanya, madali siya nitong maiiwanan.
Then si Nick Alcantara namanmade a pass at her pero sabi nito after kissing her, he is not interested with her.
Si Tyler lang ang matiyagang nanliligaw sa kanya. Naisip niya na nachachallenge lang siguro ito sa kanya. Pag sinagot na niya, malamang hindi na din siya suyuin lalo pag nakuha na ang gusto sa kanya. Kung ano-ano na ang tumatakbo sa utak niya. Pati tuloy tiwala sa sarili tila apektado na din.
Inaya siya ni Blake na sumayaw. Kasayaw naman ni Eve ang fiance nito. She decided to get his opinion.
"Blake.." mahinang tawag niya dito habang nagsasayaw sila. Nakatingala siya because Blake is also very tall like Nick.
Inilayo ni Blake ang katawan ng bahagya and yumuko to look at her.
"Miss Hotness? What's wrong?" alalang tanong nito. "Do you want to sit down?"
"No.." umiling siya.
They stopped dancing pero magkadikit pa din ang katawan nila.
She chewed the bottom of her lip. "Y-You said before..na if wala kang girlfriend, liligawan mo ulit ako...t-totoo ba yun?" lakas loob na tanong niya.
His eyes narrowed and he looked at her more intently."Let's get out of here. May garden sa gilid ng bar. Mag-usap tayo dun." he suggested. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya.
Dinaanan nila sila Eve na nasa gitna ng dance floor with her fiancé. Blake tapped his cousin's shoulder and whispered something.
Eve threw Stacey a worried glance but Blake just whispered to her again before she finally nodded at them.
Medyo malamig ang simoy ng hangin when they got out. Tama si Blake may garden sa gilid ng bar. It looks nice. May gazebo pa sa bandang dulo.
"Are you cold?" he asked bago hinubad ang jacket nito to put around her shoulders.
"Thank you." she said.
Hinawakan ulit nito ang kamay niya then led her near the gazebo.
"Mas may privacy tayo dito. So now Miss Hotness, what was your question again?" tanong nito. Hinawakan nito ang baba niya to tilt it.
"Blake naman eh." tila nahiya na siyang itanong ulit.
Ngumiti ito. "Nawala na yata ang epekto ng alak?" biro nito.
She tried to remove his hand from her chin. "Huwag na nga. Balik na tayo." she said.
"Stacey!" tawag nito.
She looked into his eyes. She saw them become darker.
"Why did you ask me that question?" seryosong tanong nito.
She pouted. Since siya ang nakaisip na tanungin ito kanina, so dapat lang na tapusin nila ang usapang ito. "Ano ang nagustuhan mo sa akin noon?" she finally asked.
May sumilay na pilyong ngiti sa guwapong mukha nito. "Mas tama yatang itanong mo sa akin kung ano ang gusto ko sayo dahil hanggang ngayon gusto pa din naman kita." he said.
Napakurap siya sa sinabi nito.
He cupped her face. "Hindi ka lang maganda. There is something about you that draws men to you .I can't pinpoint what that is." he said seriously.
Nagbaba siya ng tingin.
"You never drink too much .Guy problem? " tanong nito.
She moistened her lips. "Wala naman akong pwedeng pagtanungan na kaibigang lalake. Ikaw ang pinaka-close sa akin." mahinang sabi niya.
He released her face then took hold of her hand. He pulled her to the gazebo. "You can tell me everything. I will listen." sabi nito.
They are facing each other. Stacey tried to hold Blake's stare. "Hindi ba ako ang tipong sineseryoso?" she asked directly.
Kumunot ang noo ni Blake. "And what made you ask that question?" he sounds puzzled.
Hindi siya sumagot. She heard him cursed na nagpakunot ng noo niya.
"Gago ang lalaking hindi ka seseryosohin!" tila galit na sabi nito ."Stacey...I..." parang may gusto itong sabihin pero hindi nito maituloy.
He then released her hands then comb his hair with his right hand. He looks all tensed up.
"Blake?" tanong niya.
"Balik na tayo sa loob Stacey." biglang sabi nito. Kahit naguguluhan siya sa reaction nito, hinayaan na lang niya na hilahin siya nito pabalik sa bar.
When they got inside, Eve and her fiance are already on the table. Nauunang naglalakad si Stacey. She decided to just enjoy the night.Ayaw na muna niyang mag-isip. She sat down and Blake pulled a chair para tumabi sa kanya.
She looked at Blake, Napakaguwapo din nito at ang ganda ng katawan. Kung hindi lang ito commited at nanligaw ulit sa kanya, she will say yes to him. Mas okay si Blake dahil hindi magiging komplikado kung nagkataong magiging sila if he is still unattached like her.
Bigla na namang pumasok sa isip niya si Derick at sumingit din ang hambog na nobyo ng kapatid niya.
She shook her head slightly. Gusto nga niyang mwala ang mga ito sa utak niya kahit ngayon lang. Ang dalawang yun ang gumugulo sa buhay niya.
To hell with Derick and Mr.Sungit! Inis na sabi niya sa sarili. She will just have fun tonight minus the thought of those two.
"Pahingi!" malapad ang ngiting sabi niya kay Eve then tinungga ang iinumin sanang vodka nito.
Eve raised her brow but smiled. "Wow! Ngayon lang kita nakitang uminom Stacey!" nakatawang sabi ng nobyo ng kaibigan.
"Lance..I should have fun cause I am single and ready to mingle..." she joked then drank another shot.
"Stacey, dahan-dahan lang." saway ni Blake .He touched her hand on the table.
Lance cleared his throat habang si Eve naman kunway nasamid.
Tinapunan lang sila ng masamang tingin ni Blake while Stacey just made a face at them. "Don't be a party pooper Blake." she pouted as she looks at him.
They are now staring at each other.
"Girlfriend!" biglang tawag ni Eve kaya naputol ang pagtititigan nila.
"What?" Sshe asked .
She tore her eyes from Blake bago nagsalin na naman ng alak.
When Blake was about to get the glass from her, she said."Do that and I will kiss you right here, right now." she challenged. Nakipagtitigan ulit siya sa binata. She said that dahil alam naman niya na hindi yun possible. They both know may gf at anak na ito. And for sure alam din ni Blake na hindi siya ganung klase ng babae. Dahil lang sa alak kaya nagkalakas siya ng loob na sabihin yun. She doesn’t want to stop drinking.
Biglang tumahimik.
Maya-maya, "Whew!!" kunway paypay ni Eve sa mukha ."Getting hot in here babe." sabi nito sa fiance.
Stacey has started losing her inhibitions kaya hindi niya binawi ang sinabi. She wants to have fun and ayaw niyang maputol agad yun. Nakatitig lang sa kanya si Blake.
"Never say things you don't mean Miss Hotness." seryosong sabi nito.
Dun na natigilan si Stacey. She frowned. Mukha yatang seseryosohin ni Blake ang sinabi niya? She hopes not!
Lance and Eve looked at each other bago tinapunan ulit ng tingin ang dalawa. "Babe, let's dance again." aya ni Eve sa nobyo.
Pagtayo ng dalawa, nagbaba ng tingin si Stacey then drank the booze. Hindi na siya pinigilan ni Blake.
Kinuha nito ang baso na nasa kamay pa niya then ito naman ang nagsalin ng alak. He filled the glass up to the rim. Tatlong sunod na salin at inom ang ginawa nito .Sa pangatlo, he put down the glass with a thud bago tumingin ulit sa kanya.
Medyo nakaawang ang bibig ni Stacey habang nakatitig dito. He is drinking the booze like water.
He put another shot on the glass then offered it to her.
"Since you want to get drunk, sabayan na kita. Sige, one shot for you katumbas ng tatlong shot for me .Deal?" hamon nito.
Napakurap ang dalaga. Blake sounds serious.
She shook her head. "Hindi na." mahinang sabi niya.
He can't drink too much kasi ito ang maghahatid sa kanya. Tigilan na niya ang inaasam niyang fun tonight. Mas importante naman na safe silang makakauwi ng binata.
"Akala ko you want to have fun? Baka sabihin mo na naman na party pooper ako, so come on,inuman na tayo."sabi nito sa matigas na boses.
She sighed. "Pag nalasing ka, mag-tataxi na lang akong pauwi." sabi niya.
That got him. Nailing na lang ito bago ininom ang laman ng baso then itinayo siya.
"Halika! Sayaw na lang tayo." he said.
They are in front of her house now. Walang nagsalita sa kanila during the drive.She feels that she has to apologize before she gets off.
"Thank you Blake and sorry kanina."she said.
She heard him sighed.
"Okay lang. I also want to say sorry if I sounded like your father or boyfriend na nagbabawal kanina.” He said with a light laugh bago nagsalita ulit. “ Ayaw ko lang na naglalasing ka dahil sa lalake. You are very beautiful inside and out Stacey. Kung sino man ang gagong yun, forget him! You deserve someone better." seryosong sabi nito.
(Nick)
Kanina pa siya tumatawag kay Stacey but hindi na naman nito sinasagot ang telepono. Suntok sa buwan ang ginawa niyang paghahanap sa kung saang bar ang pwedeng puntahan nito. He finally gave up and decided to wait for her to come home. May kalahating oras na siyang naghihintay. He is probably fifty meters away from their house. Nakaparada ang big bike niya behind a van na naka-park sa gilid ng kalsada.
Now he saw a car stopped in front of their house. Natatandaan niya na ito ang kotse ng may-ari ng bar kung saan nagpeperform ang dalaga. He can't see the inside dahil tinted ang kotse. He was expecting them to go out of the vehicle pagkatigil nito pero mag-iisang minuto na, nasa loob pa din ng kotse ang dalawa.
"FUCKING HELL!" mura niya.
A lot of nasty things are playing inside his head.
Ano ang ginagawa nila? DAMMIT! He asked himself angrily.
Kinuha niya ang telepono and dialled her number.
"Phone mo yata yun." sabi ni Blake. Kinuha nito ang bag niya na nasa likod ng kotse.Iniwan niya kasi kanina.
"Salamat." sabi niya pagkakuha ng bag. Inilabas niya ang telepono .
She chewed the inside of her bottom lip.
Tumatawag si Derick.