Chapter 2: Party

Chapter 2

EURA stayed in the only five-star hotel in the province—Paraiso Hotel. Paraiso is a Filipino word that means “paradise”. The person who named the hotel didn’t lie. Indeed, the place was like a paradise.

The place was near the coast, surrounded by tall coconut trees and covered by bermudagrasses and different kinds of flowers. One of its best attractions was the sunflower garden. Eura fell in love with the beauty of the hotel, it’s one of the most beautiful places she has ever seen.

“Welcome to Paraiso Hotel, Ma’am!” the staff of the hotel greeted her. 

“Thank you for welcoming me.”

One woman approached her and told her she’ll accompany her to her room. “I hope you‘ll like your room, ma’am. I will send you to the room with a nice view, where you can see the coast,” the woman said.

“That’s nice to hear.” Eura gave her a small smile and followed her. 

They rode an elevator, the woman pushes the button to the 9th floor. When they reached the 9th floor, she followed the woman that went to the right side. After few steps, they stopped outside Room 209. 

“This will be your room, ma'am. It’s a VIP suite. Enjoy your stay!” she said.

“Thank you very much.”

The woman left the room and close the door. Eura waited for her baggage. When it arrived, she instantly went inside the wide bathroom and went inside the bathtub. The tub consists of flower petals and rose-scented water, there are bubbles around the tub.

She reached for her phone and out of nowhere, she started scrolling on her gallery. Then, she saw her husband‘s picture. Her eyes started to get watery again, the bathroom was filled with silence but she can hear melancholic music inside her head. She just knew to herself that, she loved him so much and she missed him. 

His touch, his smile, his sweet words and gestures, his presence . . . all of him.

“Why do you have to hurt me so bad?” she whispered.

She traced his husband's face on the screen of her phone. She wanted to stop her tears from falling, but they betrayed her. They fell so hard. 

She’s desperate to throw all the baggage he left to her. All their dreams never come true. All their plans never happen. All the memories they made remain as a memory. She doesn’t want to forget her husband, she just wants to forget the pain. 

She put down the phone in the special place in the bathroom where you can put phones. She almost drowned herself in the bathtub. She knew it was a bad idea to think of his husband especially that she’s a little tipsy. Yes, she drank a little before entering the bathroom.

She stayed inside the bathroom for hours, thinking where did things go wrong with her life.

It was Eura’s first morning in El Paraiso, she jotted down some activities she wanted to do throughout the day. She wanted to spend her time, divert her attention, and gather peace of mind. That’s the only thing she wants. She thinks that, if ever she gains those things, she can be free from the pain inside her.

When she arrived in the pantry, she was shocked that she’s sharing a table with someone—a woman around her age. She looked sophisticated. She reminded Eura of Manilyn Monroe, minus the mole above the lips. But, the woman also has a mole. It was located below her left eye. The style of her black hair was similar to Manilyn Monroe, short and curly. It reminded her of the 70s or 80s hairstyle. She got dark eyes, hair, and beautifully arched eyebrows. Her pointed nose suited her face perfectly. On her lips was a bloody red lipstick. Eura admires the beauty of the woman in front of her.

The woman was busy flipping the magazine using her left hand, her eyes were focused on the magazine. In her right hand, she’s holding a cigarette. Eura watched the woman put the cigarettes between her lips and puff them.

“Do I have dirt in my face?” the woman asked in a flat tone.

“Huh?”

The woman looked at her and their eyes met and she gave Eura a smug look. “You’re staring at me intently. Are you lesbian?”

“W-What? I’m not!” Eura blurted.

“Oh . . . I thought you are.” The woman shook her head and chuckled. “So, why are you staring at me?”

“I am just shocked that I am sharing a table with you. I-It’s just . . . I am bad at communicating with others. My social skills are weak as fuck.” When Eura said that, the woman laughed crazily, yet she still looked classy. She put her cigarette on the ashtray, then pull out another stick of cigarette and Eura was just watching the woman. “You like smoking?” Out of nowhere, Eura blurted out that question.

“Nah! It’s just one of the  ways in coping up with stress and bullshits.” She placed the cigarette between her lips and brought out a lighter. Before lighting it, she spoke. “You know, life as a celebrity is fucking chaotic.”

Her eyes widened for a bit. “So, you’re an actress.”

“Wow! I am surprised you didn’t know me. Maybe they are right, my popularity is sinking.” The woman distanced the cigarette between her pointing and middle finger from her lips. Then, she released the smoke from her mouth. “I guess, my career is flopping.” She laughed without humor.

“Uhm . . . I don’t think so. It’s just I don’t like watching television.”

“Ohh . . . that’s why.”

The staff served them food. Eura started eating her breakfast while glancing at the woman beside her. She’s eating a little and she’s more focused on the magazine she‘s reading.

“By the way, my name is Beatriz. You can call me Bea,” the woman introduced herself, while her eyes were still glued on the magazine.

“Oh.” Eura doesn’t know how to respond. So, she just introduces herself. “My name is Eura Vegaz-Villuz. I hope we can hang out some other time.”

At first, Eura didn’t plan to gain friends or share a vacation with someone.

“So, you’re married?” Her eyebrows raised and her eyes glimpse at Eura.

“Widow.”

“Oh. Sorry for that.”

“It’s fine. No biggie.”

“Anyway, Eura. About hanging out. Do you want to try going to the Paradise club? It’s a club nearby the coast. A lot of foreigners and vacationers are there. Would you like to give it a try?” Bea asked Eura. 

“You mean clubbing and partying?”

Bea nodded and answered, “yes!”

“That’s interesting. I want to give it a try.”

The truth is, she never experienced going to the bar. Well, without her husband. He’s very protective to her, even before their marriage and when she’s a hormonal teen. 

“It’s a mascaraed party. Make sure to wear your most attractive mask.” Bea laughed and finished her cigarette. After she put the residue of the cigarette in the ashtray, she left.

Eura got interested to the party the woman was pertaining to. It’s a good way to release her stress. 

Hmm . . . maybe I should go to that party.

***

IT WAS a nice place and she got an unexpected friend in the place named Bea, an actress who wants to escape the world. She’s now going to attend a party with her. Slowly, she’s getting used to the place. Now, she’ll be fixing herself.

Hmm . . . party sounds interesting to her.

She went back to the hotel before the dawn came. Eura fixed herself for the party. She even orders a mask for it. A black mask with red lace border. There are small red sequins all over it. On the left side were a huge red flower and red feathers beside it.

“This is perfect!” she uttered while looking at the mask in her hands.

She changed her outfit. She wore a Deep V red dress and her back was bare and open. The red dress also has a high slit, showing off her smooth and white right legs. She wore heavy makeup and red lipsticks. She looked at her expression in the mirror. Finally, she wore the mask.

“Beautiful!” she commented while looking at her reflection.

She brought a small red purse to complete her stunning look. She rode a car to get to the bar. She was surprised to see the people around the small town are still active during this time. Well, it’s already 8 p.m. and she expected that a town like this was already quiet during that time—she’s wrong. Or maybe, it’s because there were a lot of visitors and foreigners who came from the city this season. Despite that, Eura thought that the nightlife here is still better than city nightlife.

After less than ten minutes, they arrived nearby the coast, where the bar was located. The hotel and the coast were very near to each other.

She walked to the bar, then she saw a familiar face. “Bea?”

“Oh! Finally, you’re here.”

“Am I late?” Eura asked, confused. She looked at the woman. She’s wearing a black tube dress that’s above her knees. She looked stunning. But what confused Eura was the woman's face was a bit red.

Bea shook her head. “Nah! Just right on time, bitch!” She took Eura’s wrist and pull her inside the bar. She thinks that Bea is probably tipsy. “Let’s go party!” she shouted like a wild animal.

The both of them started drinking and talking about random things. She enjoyed having Bea and drinking with her.

The woman pulled her inside the bar and they sat on a long cozy sofa with a small rectangular table in front. Above the table are the liquors. Unlike the other table that there’s a circle of friends, their table only consists the both of them.

When Bea started ranting and crying, Eura shook her head and trying to suppress her smile. She found the woman ranting cute. She should be sad for her but here she goes, thinking Bea is so cute.

“Ya! Let’s drink!” Bea didn’t sit on the sofa. She raised her small shot glass with an alcoholic beverage and started to dance to the upbeat music like crazy.

Eura's face was smug. “Are you already drunk?”

Bea laughed. “Hik! Owly tipshy—”

“Oh. You’re drunk already.” Eura rolled her eyes and helped the woman sit on the sofa. The moment Bea sat, she cried.

Bea’s words were not clear anymore, her tongue is not that straight anymore cause of the effect of the alcohol she consumed. She bets the woman already drank a lot before she saw her outside the bar.

“Damn him! Does he think I will never find a man like him? He should rot in hell! Forever!” the woman drank again. She doesn’t care what beverage she’s drinking, as long as it’s alcohol she’ll take it. “What a bullshit!”

But somehow, she can feel the frustration and sadness to her. Well, Eura knew that if a woman get drunk for a man, that man surely messed up big time.

“Don’t shed tears on a guy who can’t appreciate you.” Yes, Eura only shed tears to the person who deserve her tears—including her husband.

“Hey!” Instead of giving care to her words, Bea pulled her again, now they’re on the dancefloor.

Bea dance like crazy, she doesn’t care about the people around her. The music turned into seductive music, but Bea still dances as if it was upbeat.  She found it funny and cute.

Bea was the one who asked her to dance, yet she’s now gone. She thought that maybe she’s just in the crowd and feeling herself. Or, dancing with someone else. She doesn’t know. She sighed and planned to get back on their table. When all of a sudden—an erotic saxophone started to play creating luscious and seductive music.

She can’t help but get swayed by the music and joined the crowd. For a second, she forgot about Bea. An arm wrapped around her hips. She swayed with the music, against the body of a stranger.

‘What the fuck is she doing?’ She thought of herself.

She’s getting crazy while feeling the heat of the man’s warm body. The man was tall because she’s just at his chin. It felt so good and raw. She can feel his broad chest pressing against her back. Unexpectedly, she loves it.

“Grind more, baby . . .” the man whispered. His baritone seduces her more.

They remain in that position for about three minutes. They grind with the music and she can feel his boner. The side of her lips raised, thinking how she turned on a man with her dance.

All of a sudden, the music changed.

The man suddenly disappeared when the music became upbeat. She didn’t waste her time looking for the guy who woke up the different sensations of her body.

She’s back at her senses now. She realized she have to find Bea. But suddenly, she got bumped into someone.

“Ouch!” she shrieked.

“Oh shit! I’m so sorry . . .” a baritone voice said. It was familiar? Wait! Is he the same guy who danced with her earlier? That’s crazy!

She almost stumbled, but the man caught her in his arms. He held her waist and she gripped his shoulder to balance herself.

She looked at the man in front of her. He’s wearing a black mask yet his brown attractive eyes are bewitching her. As if there’s a spell cast on her. He’s tall, about six feet, his skin was fair, thick eyebrows, pointed nose, and seductive reddish lips that seem perfectly fit on his chiseled face. Even though his body was cover by thick fabrics, it felt like it was carved by someone. When she bumped at him, she can feel his broad chest and its muscles.

Now, he’s grinning at me and licked his lower lip. “Hi! I approached you to ask some things.” Then, he looked at her from head to toe. “You’re gorgeous, I can’t help to get near to you.” He flashed his seductive smile at her.

At the back of Eura’s mind, she knew it was a bad idea. She can see red.

She stilled when he suddenly grabbed her waist. “I was just wondering. If you’re looking for someone who can warm your bed tonight. ’Cause me? I am looking for one.”

What a perfectly fine man, who has a playful aura around him. She can sense that the man in front of her was really something.

“If you want, we can be each other’s company tonight.” He showed her his devilish yet fascinating smile. The man traced her collarbone using his index finger making her shiver. She suddenly felt something weird and rumbling inside her stomach. “What do you think about that?”

He didn’t even blink or hesitate to tell her his intention. Eura found it weird, but somehow she understands that maybe the man in front of him loves playing with girls. Who jumps from one bed to another. Felt like he was used to a casual and sexually beneficial relationship or probably, one-night stand.

“What a brave mouth you have, Mister.” She removed his hands and smiled sweetly at him.

‘You want to play with fire? Play with me? Fine I’ll give you what you want.’ That’s what is in Eura’s mind right now.

She traced his jawline seductively. Then, she looked at him. Their eyes met and his eyes were full of desire. She can see it. And now that he’s just inches far from her, she can feel it. She can feel something was bulging. “So, what can you offer to me?”

He smirked and leaned to reached her ears. “Come with me and I’ll show you what can I offer.”

She stared at him for a second. Eura doesn’t know if she still doing the right thing. Well, she can’t see anything wrong with it—she’s already a widow for Pete's sake! She’s still scarred from her husband's died and she wanted to forget. She doesn’t want to forget him, she just wants to bring herself back again. She just wants to feel alive again, that she’s living.

Because when Hunter left her alone, she felt like she left her too.

After two years, she wanted to give it a try.

She wants to move on and continue her life.

She was clueless about what will this party might bring her. It’s only between repairing the broken heart she had or devastation because it’ll cause her another heartbreak.

Eura smirked and seductively trace his lips using her thumb. She thought, she knew it may bring mess to her life. She can feel it. The man in front of him looked like use and dump the guy. Like a troublesome spoiled rich son. But for an unknown reason, she wanted to try.

“Then, show me.”

Apollo Justice