Chapter 5

"Slow down, Kaylee!" Celeste hissed at her, even hold her wrist so that she would stop drinking.

She has been drinking for 2 hours now since they arrived at the bar. Kaylee messaged her friends after what her own parents did to her. She told them that she needs some drink and that alone screams that she has a problem that's why her friends didn't say no.

"Tell us what's the problem! Tell us hindi iyong parang magpapakamatay kana diyan dahil sa pag-iinom mo. Dalawang oras kanang hindi tumitigil sa pag-iinom diyan, tapos tumakas kapa sainyo. At least tell us something so we know how to console you." ani pa ni Ava sakanya na tinanguan naman ni Celeste at Amelia.

Kaylee drink another shot of whiskey and looks at her friends. "My great parents, my super great parents are the worst of all the worst!" she said slightly shouting.

kumunot ang noo ng mga kaibigan n'ya sa sinabi n'ya. "What did they do this time?" tanong pa ni Celeste.

Huminga ng malalim si Kaylee at uminom ulit ng isa pang shot ng whiskey bago nagsalita. "The worst thing they did is giving birth to me, that's what I know the worst thing they did but I just found out that there's more worst. Do you know what's worst than that?" sabay tingin n'ya ng matulis sa mga kaibigan n'ya at sabay-sabay naman ang mga ito na umiling-iling sakanya.

"The worst in that is the fact na they made me just to pay their own debt to another family..." nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga kaibigan n'ya when she said that at mapaklang natawa si Kaylee. "Yes, you heard it right. They made me to pay their debt. When I was born, ipinangako na nila sa pamilyang iyon na ipapa-kasal ako sa apo nila as a payment to their billions of debt." she continue saying and lean in the sofa that they're sitting in that bar, frustratingly.

"you must be kidding me.." nanlaki parin ang mata nila dahil sa sinabi n'ya. Celeste eyes is angry while Ava and Amelia eye's are wishing that she's just uttering nonsense.

"I wish I am. I thought they were kidding as well pero my parents doesn't joke around, ni hindi nga nila ako pinapansin sa bahay, magbiro pa kaya? it's freaking frustrating and devastating, it made me question on why I am punished this way, I've been nothing but good and yet here I am, suffering." hindi na napigilan ni Kaylee ang mga luha n'ya.

Lumapit sakanya ang mga kaibigan n'ya at pinapatahan siya. Saksi ang mga ito kung paano siya tratohin ng mga magulang n'ya mismo at hindi na natapos ang paghihirap n'ya.

"You can runaway from them, Kaylee." suhestiyon naman ni Amelia sakanya.

pinahid ni Kaylee ang mga luha n'ya at ngumiti dito. "You know my parents, Amelia. They have connections, kahit saan ako magpunta mahahanap at mahahanap nila ako. And isa pa, I don't have enough savings with me para hindi mag trabaho. My parents have influence everywhere, they will find me lalo na't ako yung pambayad nila sa utang nila. They won't stop until they will capture me. And worst of this is baka pati kayo idamay nila so I'd better not runaway. Maybe this is really what I'm meant for." her voice is so sad and her friends can't help but to feel sad with her.

"I'm sorry, Kaylee. We're so useless, we can't do anything for you." ani pa ni Ava at umiling-iling naman si Kaylee dito.

"ano ba kayo, the fact na sinasamahan n'yo ako lagi kapag kailangan ko kayo at hindi n'yo ako iniiwan is more than enough. You've shown me real love, that's three times more than enough." she said but her friend's expression are still so sad.

"Ano ba kayo, huwag n'yo nga akong tingnan ng ganyan. Kaya ko ito, ako pa. Magpapakasal lang naman eh, I can handle that. Let's party, this might be the last time I can party without a husband so let's party." sabay taas n'ya ng baso n'yang may alak but her friends remain silent and just watching her kaya pinatayo n'ya ang mga ito at kinuha ang mga baso nito.

"To my last party as a single woman!" she shouted as if she's happy with it. She's crying inside but it hurts to see her friends being sad for her so she had to do it.

"Come one guys, it's fine. It's only marriage, I just have to let it all out but I'm fine now. come on, party with me here, don't leave me hanging." tukoy n'ya sa baso n'yang nakataas habang ang mga kaibigan n'ya ay nakatingin sakanya.

Narinig n'ya ang malakas na buntong hininga ni Celeste. "Cheers!" she said trying to lift her voice up but Kaylee can still sense the sadness from it but she just let it go. She smiled when her friends toast with her and drink with her.

"Okay, I'm gonna go to the dance floor, ayaw n'yo bang sumayaw?" tanong n'ya sa mga ito and sabay-sabay umiling-iling ang mga ito kaya mag-isa siyang pumunta sa dance floor para sumayaw.

Kaylee was drinking whiskey kaya medyo tinatamaan na siya sa alak na iyon. Nagiging malabo na ang mga mata n'ya but she doesn't care, she still wants to party all night.

Kaylee is dancing in the dance floor when someone tried to hold her butt kaya napalingon si Kaylee sa likod n'ya, before she could even take an action, someone already punch the guy who touched her.

Kinuwelyuhan nito ang lalaki at parang may sinasabi dito na hindi n'ya marinig at mukhang natakot ang lalaki kaya tumakbo ito paalis. The people in the dance floor are also staring at them but the guy who punch the other who touched her doesn't seem to care dahil lumapit lang ito sakanya na puno ng pag-aalala ang mga mata.

"Are you okay?" she can hear the worry in his voice. Kumunot ang noo ni Kaylee dahil namumukaan n'ya ang lalaki pero hindi n'ya lang maalala kung saan silang dalawa nagkita or nagkausap.

"Thank you, Mr. Handsome" she said while giggling. She really is drunk now. Nakita n'yang kumunot ang noo ng gwapong binata na nasa harapan n'ya.

"Are you so drunk? what are you even doing here?" medyo galit na ang boses nito kaya si Kaylee naman ngayon ang nag kunot ang noo.

"Why are you mad? I wasn't the one who touched my own butt, it was that guy!" turo n'ya sa dinaanan ng lalaki kanina. Kaylee can't even talk straight anymore.

"That's it, I'm taking you home." he said at aangal pa sana dapat siya pero hinila na ng estrangherong lalaki ang kamay n'ya palabas. Pero bago paman sila makalabas ng bar, another guy approach him.

"Alexander, where are you going?" tanong pa ng lalaki at hindi na narinig ni Kaylee ang sagot nito dito dahil busy siya sa pag-abot ng alak na dala-dala ng waiter. Tinungga n'ya iyon at ng makita siya ng lalaki ay inagaw kaagad ang baso mula sakanya.

"You're so hard headed. You keep drinking and drinking." anito pa at nang makalabas na sila sa bar, malakas na binawi ng lasing na Kaylee ang braso n'ya mula dito.

"Who even a-are you? I don't know y-yoh." she said in a drunk way.

The guy slowly lean towards her and said. "I'm Alexander Monaco, your future husband."