Chapter 1

LUIS'S POV

"Yeah! More drinks! Let's get wasted tonight..."

Without any difficulty, I chugged the newly opened wine I took from my condo's cabinet. Yes, we're here in my condo, not because we're saving money, but because it's more comfortable for us to drink here, and avoids trouble.

I also grabbed some plates because my ordered appetizers from a fast-food chain just arrived. I was with my friends, Kenneth and Chris. Rhaiven's presence is absent, as usual.

He's still grieving over Haila's loss until now. Although, we can't blame him for why it takes him so long to move on.

After our graduation, it seems like all we did was celebrate the achievement that we surpassed college life. It's almost been a month since we graduated. And yes, we're still celebrating until now. That's how happy we are that we're finally degree holders.

College life is one of the worst parts of my life as a student. It's not that I'm stupid, it's just that the amount of work to be done melts brain cells. Passing requirements left and right. Reporting there, exam and quiz here, roleplay here, dance there. Hays! There's just so much, so we deserve to have fun for a long time because after this, it's back to normal again. Well, we don't have any plans yet.

"Hey! Wait a minute, Rhaiven's not here yet. Let's wait for him first," Chris suggested while busy pressing his cellphone. He's probably trying to call Rhaiven.

"When did that slacker ever show up to a drinking session? He's probably in his room again, sulking."

After I put down our appetizers on the center table, I sat next to Kenneth who was sitting on the sofa, also busy typing on his cellphone. I nudged him gently to get his attention.

"Did you come here to drink or to use your cellphone?" I replied annoyedly. He grinned and even laughed a little.

"Jealous already? I'm just checking if my crush greeted me."

"Idiot! If she ever intended to greet you, it should have been on the day of our graduation itself. You're really hoping she'll greet you, it's been a month since we graduated."

He received a light smack from me.

"You never know, she might greet me belatedly."

"You know what, you're just wasted. Let's just drink and celebrate this achievement of ours." I ruffled his hair slightly before turning my attention to Chris. "Hey! Chris, let's drink already, enough with that cellphone. No matter what you do, you can't poison Rhaiven's brain, so just leave him alone."

I stood up and gently tossed the bottle of alcohol to Chris. He caught it effortlessly and opened it with his teeth. We sat down on the single sofas and the table with our appetizers was in the middle of us.

"What are your plans for your lives? We've graduated so we should have plans for our lives."

Our gaze shifted to Kenneth when he opened a new topic. Chris and I even laughed slightly because we're not used to him being serious.

"What's so funny about what I said?" Kenneth retorted annoyedly at Chris and me who were trying to hold back our laughter. If Rhaiven were here, he would probably shower Kenneth with teasing.

"You're too serious, you're even more serious than someone who's married. After we got rid of academic stress, you're going to create a new one again. Can't we just relax first, hmm?" I countered.

"Dude, we need to settle things. We can't depend on our parents forever," Kenneth defended, so Chris and I both scratched our heads.

"Oh my! The pastor of the group is preaching again." I quipped, making us laugh.

It's nothing new to us that Kenneth is mature in thinking and speaking. He only became open about things since Haila left. There are times when he's funny, but there are more times when he's not funny, like now.

"We understand you, Ken, but we don't want to settle down yet. Just because we don't want to yet doesn't mean we'll always depend on our parents. We'll get there too, not now but at the right time."

Chris agreed with what I said. "I agree with him... wait a minute, why are you so eager to settle down? Are you itching to get married, huh?"

Kenneth spat out the drink he was drinking because of what Chris said. Laughter filled the space between the three of us because of his reaction.

"Wow! Just want to settle down, will get married right away? Can't it be just to secure my future?" He defended.

"Secure your mom! Your money in the bank is almost running out, and you still have the guts to settle down?"

We laughed and took a gulp of alcohol, then Kenneth opened a new topic again. Even so, what this slacker says makes sense.

"Speaking of wife, do you have any plans?" He asked with a grin.

"As for me, I'm ready anytime to ask my Jaime mylabs." Chris replied boastfully. "How about you?"

"Idiot! It's like you're not aware that my crush doesn't have a crush on me." Kenneth defended and picked at the chicken appetizer.

"And you, Luis?"

"What about me?"

"Tsk! Of all of us, you're the one who never had a girlfriend."

"Oops! Maybe he had one but didn't tell us.." Kenneth said with a wink. I threw the can he was holding at him and luckily he dodged it because otherwise it might have hit his face.

"Hey! You know even my farts, what more about women. And when did I ever hide a secret from you, hmm?"

I looked back and forth between the two of them and they both shrugged.

"Right now, I want to be free. I don't want someone to control me in things. Now that I don't want to settle down in life, I want to do everything I want, I want to explore anywhere I want without anyone stopping me." I replied seriously.

"What about--"

"We both don't want to settle down yet. He's still busy with his career so I'll wait until he's ready. We'll get to that point, don't be excited, you might jinx it."

That was my plan even before our graduation. I have so many plans to go to, do, and see. With so many of them, I'm sure all the money I've saved will be used up. I want to create memorable days in my life before I settle down for my future, for us, for my beloved.

"You know who will stop you?" I looked at Kenneth with a frown.

"Who?"

"Your mom."

He and Chris laughed, except for me. They even high-fived as if they were delighted with their teasing.

"Damn you! Don't you dare touch the appetizers!" I slightly moved the plate of chicken away from him.

"It's just a joke." He scratched his head.

After the teasing, we received a text from our batchmates that there will be a party at the bar. So, thirsty for alcohol, we went even though we were having a hard time walking because of our drunkenness.

We found our batchmates who looked like zombies because of too much drunkenness. After all, we're all still celebrating even though it's been a month since our graduation.

That night was so fun! Drinking there, dancing here. I drowned myself in alcohol, so to speak. I didn't even call Jade's dad "Mayor" who was with us. I didn't notice the time and I was left there with Jade and friends. I couldn't even find Kenneth and Chris. Because of too much drunkenness, I could hardly see clearly who the woman I was with at the table. I could hear voices that I would answer even though it was not clear to my hearing.

"Of course, it's me."

I felt them helping me write something, I don't know what it was. All I know is, we were playing. We were all drunk and not in our right minds. Even so, I enjoyed it, especially when I felt lips touch mine. Because of the pleasure, I passionately kissed back the person who awakened my innocent mind. And before we could do anything more, someone pulled me away.

"Congratulations! Mr. and Mrs. Arevalo."

The last thing Mayor said was not clear to me because I completely lost consciousness due to excessive drunkenness.