Chapter 2

After my two shots of wine, someone went here and stood few meters away from me. He leaned his body against the counter and ordered his drink.

"Hey," I called him.

"Yeah?" He turned to me lazily.

"Jonas, right?"

He nodded. "Etincelle, right?"

"Yes. Are you alone?"

"I'm with my friends."

"Is Baste here too?"

"He's not with us. Don't expect anything from him anymore. You know how devastated he is right now."

"Yeah..."

I felt bad for Baste too. There were times that he ran to me and cried. He was hopeless. He really loved my cousin. I'd never seen any man like him who would cry over a girl. In fact, he could have any woman he wanted but he wanted Thrante alone.

"Who are those friends?" I asked him.

"Skyler and Xander."

"Ah," I replied and shut up.

I excused myself from him. I searched for Morthena everywhere. I found them on the circle sofa. Morthena was so drunk already.

"Can you still make it, More?" Haponesa asked.

"Y-Yah," she hiccupped. "O-Of course..."

"What happened?" I asked them. They all looked at me.

"She's drunk already. Where shall we take her?"

"Why is she so fast to get drunk?" I complained.

"She took all the shot glasses offered to her," Morayta replied.

"I thought we'll get Azy drunk tonight?"

I looked at Azy. She just gave me a shrug.

"We'll be dead if Azy will go home drunk," Haponesa reminded.

Having no choice, we sent Morthena home. We called her driver to fetch her. She was safe now. I hoped she would not throw up. She's dead with her mother!

"Gosh!" Haponesa blurted out. "We should go home too."

"Too soon?" I argued. "You guys go first. I'll stay here."

"Boy hunting?" Morayta teased.

"Yeah. And Philip is still here too."

"Ah, okay. I'll probably go home now."

"Take care." I agreed.

The three went home already but I remained here. I went to Philip and he introduced me to his friends.

"This is John, Rich, and Mark. Guys, this is Etincelle."

"Hello," I shook my hand with theirs. "Nice to meet you all."

"Are you single?" Rich asked quickly. 

"Yup. What about you?"

"Nah. I have a bf,"

"Oh," my lips formed in O shape. "Where is he?"

"He doesn't know I'm here. I just told him I'm resting early."

"Really?" I laughed.

Rich didn't look suspicious. He looked manly. I even thought of liking him tonight. Nevermind.

"Joe!" Philip greeted over my shoulder. I turned around and met Jonas' deep eyes.

"Hey," he greeted him. "I thought you left early."

"Hi!" I greeted Jonas' friends.

"Hi. I'm Skyler." He offered me his right hand for a handshake.

"Etincelle," I reached for his hand. We shook our hands in a second. I loosened up first.

"This is Xander, by the way."

"Hi, Xander." I smiled to him. "Are you going home too or you just arrived?"

"We're going home. We're just telling everyone," Skyler replied.

"Ah," I nodded. "Take care."

"Thanks, Etincelle." Skyler smiled and looked over my shoulder. "Man, we gonna go home. Baby duties."

"You have a baby already?" I asked in surprise. They just laughed at me except Jonas who was just silent.

"None, Etincelle. What I meant was we have girlfriends."

"Really?"

"Yeah... but we're not for long commitment. Try."

"Same goes with me," I chuckled. "Okay. Take care!"

"How about you? Aren't you going home yet?" Jonas asked. It only changed my mood. 

"I'm staying here with Philip," I replied.

He didn't like me and I was aware of that. Until now, he hadn't moved on from what I did to his car and to his unit. He was counting all the thing he considered "burden" as if I wanted his kindness that night. If you will do good to your fellow, is there any need to reproach?

"Yeah, man. I'll keep her company until she wants to go home," Philip se

"Good. We gotta go." He forced a smile and left after. He went with his two friends.

"How rude," I commented.

"Is there any tension between you two?" Philip asked so I turned around to face him again.

"I don't know. He's probably a bitter man."

"What?" He chuckled. "Did you have a past relationship with him? Perhaps fling?"

"It's not that. I did bad to him but I already apologized. To hell with his grudges!"

"Forget about him. He's just an inexperienced."

"Good for him," I puffed up my chest.

Jonas is known to be picky when it comes to girls, to dating a woman. And until now, he has still no girlfriend. His friends tried to introduce him many girls but he refused all of them. To him, they were cheap, wild and not decent women. He talks shits as if he had something to show off?

But they said, it's just his nature. He's looking for a good woman to introduce to his family. Decent, family-oriented, kind, smart and a woman who has dreams.

Does it need to have a woman like that to show to his family? For what? For him not to embarrass himself because the woman he brought wasn't good enough? Isn't it that if you love the person, you love the whole package. Not because of her physical appearance or of being who she is.

When the party was over, Philip walked with me to the parking lot. I brought my car so I will go home.

"Can you drive alone?" Philip asked me hesitantly.

"Of course. I'm not drunk, Philip. I can go home safe."

"Sorry, I can't drive you home. My friends are wasted too."

"No, it's okay. I can handle myself. I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

"Here's the deal: you call me when you got home. Okay?"

"Okay," I nodded. "Good night, Philip. You go home after your friends."

"Yeah. Good night too."

"Bye," I waved at him before I went inside my car and drove away.