Chapter 3: In chaos

"What's bothering you?"

Naalarma agad ako nang marinig ang tinig ni Via—pinsan ko, na natagpuan 'kong nakatayo na sa aking tabi. Kasalukuyan akong nasa terrace ng kwarto ko, malalim ang iniisip na hindi ko man lang namalayan na pumasok pala ito sa kwarto ko.

I shake my head before releasing a slightly wide smile. "Wala naman. Just thinking about random things," wika ko na lang. "Kamusta ka pala sa bago 'mong work?" tanong ko bilang pag-iiba ng usapan.

Olivia chuckled. "Hmm, let's say that I am a bit happy. There's still a longing in my heart but bearable naman," wika niya bago ako tinignan sa mata. "At least I'm doing what I think is best for the family," she added.

Katulad niya ay napangiti na lamang din ako matapos marinig ang tinuran.

It's really hard to follow your wants if the family you grew up to has another plan for your life. A ready-made plan that should be acknowledged and done.

"I heard you went out with Gwen's friend last Monday? What happened?" pagtatanong nito kaya bumalik na naman sa ala-ala ko ang mga nangyari.

Just like a flash, the scenes from that night occupied my head once again. I can still feel the lips of that man, slightly brushing against mine with his hand pulling me towards him.

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang init nuon, marahil na rin ay epekto ng nainom 'kong alak.

"I did," I answered before staring deeply at Via's eyes. "It went well," I added, but Via raised her eyebrow.

"I don't think that's the right expression to share that you had a good night with them, Sam. Kung talagang masaya ka, why do you look so bothered while telling me those words you've just said?" Via asked, trying to dig more about what happened that night.

I sighed deeply before placing a wide smile on my face. "Alam mo? Let's talk about something else na lang, that's not worthy of our time!" wika ko bago agad na naupo sa tabi nito at nag-isip ng bagong pag-uusapan.

DYLAN'S

"Is there any luck?"

That's what I asked when I got the chance to talk to La Belle's attending bartender. I am now here at the said bar to know something, and I hope they could give me answer.

The bartender smiled, "We found her identity, Sir." wika nito na agad ikinatalon ng puso ko. Fvck! How did I become this corny, anyway? Damn it!

I disregard the things playing on my mind and asked. "What is it?"

"Samantha Hawkins. She's new here but her circle of friends isn't." anito.

Agad namang lumipad ang utak ko matapos marinig ang pangalan ng babaeng humalik sakin 'nung nakaraang gabi. Samantha Hawkins...I'll meet you soon.

I playfully smirked before getting my wallet to grab some money and handed it to the bartender. "Thank you for the hardwork. Excuse me," I just said and immediately left the vicinity.

While on the way home, I started typing 'her' name on different social media, and truthfully, I found a lot of accounts under her name. Kinailangan ko 'pang isa-isahin para makita kung sa kanya nga ba ang account na 'iyon, when suddenly one account appeared.

Samantha Hawkins (Official)

18k followers

Send friend request

I smiled secretly.

"There you are..." I murmured before finding a single photo of her where her face is shown and stared at it. Fvck. "What the heck is wrong with me?" I asked myself, but continued to stare at the gorgeous face of my kiss stealer.

SAMANTHA

"LA BELLE again?" iyan ang reaksyon ko matapos marinig ang sinabi ni Abi na lugar na balak nilang pag-party-han ngayong gabi. I was worried because after what happened, parang ayoko nang magpakita pa duon ulit.

Paano na lang kung bigla akong makita 'nung lalaking hinalikan ko duon? Nakakahiya!

"Yes. Everyone agreed to it. Huwag 'mong sabihing ikaw pa ang tatanggi? C'mon, just be thankful that we're inviting you even after what you did to our bestfriend," Abi replied, which made my heart crushed into pieces again.

C'mon, hanggang kailan ba gagamitin 'yang mga salita na yan against sa akin? I mean, since the day of my sisters' death, wala na atang araw na hindi nagamit kontra sakin ang mga katagang iyon.

Should I always really feel guilty?

"Ano na, Samantha? If you don't want to come, then don't. Ikasasaya pa namin ang hindi mo pag-sama," Abi added, before I heard the ending tone of the call.

Napasinghap na lamang ako bago nasundan ng mabilis na pagtipa ng mensahe. "I'll be there, Abi. Male-late lang siguro ako saglit," wika ko bago agad na tumayo upang maghanap ng isusuot. I realize that I am the one who wants their attention so I should make an effort of being in their good side. Walang panahon sa pag-iinarte.

Your feelings aren't valid, Sam. So be a good girl. \

Munting paalala ko sa sarili ng biglang pumasok sa utak ko ang mukha nung lalaking hinalikan ko. Biglang muling kumabog ang dibdib ko at tila ako ay binalot ng kaba. Napuno ng tanong ang uta ko. Paano kapag biglang magtagpo ulit ang landas namin ng lalaking yaon? What if makilala niya ako? Nakakahiya.

Pero what if hindi naman ako namukhaan nung lalaki? Siguro naman ay hindi ganon kalaki ang epekto ng halik na iyon.

Napahinga ako nang malalim bago ipinilig ang ulo. "Baka nga nakalimutan na ako ng lalaki na iyon kaya bat ko pa iisipin, hindi ba? Tama na ang pagiging delulu, Sam. Hindi ka na natatandaan ng lalaking yon, ikaw nga lang siguro ang hindi maka-move on." Sermon ko sa sarili bago nagpatuloy sa pagpili ng susuotin at agad na nagtungo sa banyo upang mag-shower.

It was quarter to 9 when I arrived at La Belle. I have been contacting my friends but they're not answering their phones. Maybe they're already dancing and busy. I should just get in and find them instead.

Agad akong humakbang papasok. As usual, malakas na tugtog at madilim na kapaligiran ang bumungad sa akin. Napakarami nang sumasayaw sa dance floor habang ang iba ay nananatiling nakaupo sa tabi at umiinom ng alak. I've seen some familiar faces who just nod at me. I nodded back as a form of acknowledgement before I continued touring around to look for the familiar faces of my friend.

I've been searching for awhile already but I cannot find them. I even asked some familiar face but they just kept on telling that they didn't know where they are. I looked for my phone and tried calling them again. It took me several tries before Abi answered which made me sigh in relief.

"Hey! I'm here at La Belle's. Where are you guys?" I asked, sounding so hopeful and genuine.

"Oh, Sam! We forgot to tell you that we already left. Akala kasi namin ay hindi ka makakapunta kaya naman maaga na kaming umuwi," wika nito ngunit walang mababakas na paumanhin sa tono nito. Agad naman akong nanlumo.

"W--what? Nakauwi na kayo?" tanong ko sa nanginginig na boses. I can feel my heart aching because of the dismay and betrayal.

"Yes. Ikaw naman kasi, hindi agad siguro mag-desisyon. Ayan tuloy," wika nito.

Pinigilan 'kong suminghap dahil sa inis. As much as possible, I don't want to make a move where they could use against me. Ako ang nakikisali sa grupo nila, kahit na alam kong hindi maaayos ang trato nila sakin, still ginusto ko 'to.

I smiled in dismay, "Haven't you read my message? Nagsabi ako na pupunta ako," wika ko.

I heard Abi's laugh at the other end, "Well, we've been partying. We don't have the time to read nor reply to your messages, Sam. Don't act like a VVIP in this group. Anyway, I need to hang up. Enjoy the rest of the night," wika nito na nasundan ng end tone. Walang gana 'kong naibaba ang phone ko bago napahinga ako ng marahas.

God Sam. Why are you letting yourself suffer with this kind of treatment? Halata namang ayaw nila sayo pero bakit nagtitiis ka pa rin?

I smirked out of sarcasm before I decided to proceed to the counter. "1 tequila for me, please." I ordered which the bartender immediately obliged. Due to the pain inside my chest, I drank the tequila as if there's no tomorrow. "One more," I said.

The bartender looked at me in disbelief yet he followed my order. He dropped the tequila in front of me, and like the first one, I drank it bottoms up then ordered again. I kept opn ordering until I felt like my whole world is shaking. That's where I stopped. I put 7000 peso bill in front of the bartender whose looking at me worriedly.

I smiled, "Thanks." I just said and immediately turned my back. There's a wild scenario playing in my head and I am not sober enough to resist it. Dahil na rin siguro sa dami ng nainom ko ay ramdam ko ang matinding init. I want to let this out, and there's only one way!

"Hi, handsome. Want me in your bed tonight?" I seductively asked to a random person whose holding a glass of beer in his right hand. The man immediately scanned my whole body, and smirked upon seeing what am I wearing. Well, no one will dare to say no to me since I'm wearing a very liberated silver backless dress. Parang kaunti na lang ay kita na ang kaluluwa ko.

"Sure. Shall we?" pagpayag naman agad ng lalaki bago ko naramdaman ang paghaplos ng kamay nito sa bandang pwet ko, hanggang sa aking bewang. Nginitian ko naman ito ng may halong pang-aakit at nagpatangay sa bawat mabibilis na hakbang ng mga paa nito.

Ngunit bago pa man kami makalapit sa exit door ay agad na literal na nandilim ang paningin ko nang may malaking bulto ang humarang sa amin. Nang silipin ko ang mukha niyon ay halos hindi ko maaninag dahil sa repleksyon ng ilaw na tinatakpan nito.

"Excuse me, dude." I heard my man said using a bit irritated voice.

"Let her go, dude. If you don't want to start a war, let her go." sagot naman ng tao sa harap namin, at sa boses pa lang, halatang gwapo na ang lalaki.

Due to severe alcohol drinking earlier, ni hindi ako makabuo ng salitang sasabihin. Wala na nga akong pakialam sa nangyayari sa paligid ko.

I found the man's grip on me tightened before he answered the man. "Excuse me, but this lady came to me and asked me out. Why would I turn her to you?" Mahina ngunit mababakas ang katigasan na wika ng aking kasama.

"That woman is mine. So, give her to me," sagot naman ng lalaki sa harapan namin.

Pinipilit 'kong aninagin ang mukha ng lalaki ngunit hindi ko magawa dahil nanlalabo na ang paningin ko. Ramdam ko na ang pagkahilo kaya naman hindi ako makasagot sa kanilang dalawa.

"No. She's mine," sagot naman ng lalaking kasama ko. Damn! Ang gugulo naman!

"Give her to me or you want me to kick you out of here?!" The man arguing with us nearly shouted. I can feel the rage in his voice. "I'm Dylan Del Rivera, a man you should be afraid of," dagdag pa nito.

Ano daw? Dylan?

I felt the body of the man I am with suddenly went rigid. Dahil nakasandal ako sa kanya ay talagang ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagbabago ng sistema ng katawan nito, na nasundan ng nanginginig nitong tinig.

"D—Del Rivera?" tanong nito sa tinig na may halong takot.

"Yes. So I'm giving you a chance to go, to run away," sagot naman ng lalaki.

Wala 'pang isang segundo ay may pagmamadali akong iginiya ng lalaking kasama palapit duon sa lalaking nasa harapan namin. Para itong takot na takot na ipinaubaya ako. What the? What the heck is happening?

"She's all yours! I'm leaving!" The man just said before running away like a scaredy cat. Sinundan ko ito ng naniningkit na tingin hanggang sa maglaho ito sa dilim ng paligid.

"What's wrong with him..." I murmured to myself, when I felt the hand of the strange man holding my waist to support me.

"Don't think about him. You're not allowed to think of other men except me, miss kiss stealer," rinig 'kong wika nito bago walang pasabi akong binuhat na tila ba bagong kasal na bride!

"What the heck! Put me down!" Sigaw ko dahil sa pagkagulat na naramdaman.

"No. This is easier," wika lang ng lalaki bago agad na naglakad palabas ng bar. Wala naman na akong magawa kung hindi ang magpatangay dahil mas lalong tumindi ang hilong naramdaman ko.