One Dare, One Night Mistake

Prologue: The Dare

It was a Thursday night, around twelve o’clock already, yet me and my best friend, Lewis, were still here in a place with loud music, full of laughter from the people that were drinking, and dancing at the same time, accompanying the music. 

This was my last night in their town; so we decided to go grab a couple drinks here at a local bar. Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to this bar already; on how it looked, how spacious and beautiful this place was and whatsoever because it would definitely be a long time before I could get back here again. Also, the lights were dim and flickering, which gave me a hard time to figure out about the place, and it was so funny that it also made me dizzy as well. But the first thing I really noticed when Lewis and I entered here was the man sitting to my left, all by himself at the end of the bar.

He was roughly in his mid to late thirties, I guess, wearing a button up shirt and tie, clean cut and clean shaved, sitting alone. My first thought was he was just waiting for a girlfriend, or a friend that was running a little late. But I noticed that until now, he was still alone and there was a time that I would catch that he was simply staring at me. 

“H-hindi pa ba tayo, uuwi, sis? It's past twelve midnight already. Look at yourself, lasing na lasing ka na… And for your information, huh? Inaantok na rin ako, even you as well… you can’t open your eyes wide already!” reklamo ni Lewis habang kinakamot ang kaniyang ulo dahil sa inis bago siya humikab nang napakalaki.

Sarkastiko akong natawa dala ng kalasingan. Kanina pa kasi siya hindi mapakali, tingin nang tingin sa watch niya, at kanina pa nag-aaya na umuwi na kami, pero hindi pa p’wede dahil nakikita naman niya na nag-e-enjoy pa ako rito. Dito na nga lang ako sumasaya. Kaya wala siyang choice kun’di samahan ang trip ko sa buhay. 

Well, she has been my best friend for seven years and counting now. Our friendship started in senior high, where we both took a STEM strand, and now… we both have a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering already — waiting for the results of our board examination. At totoo nga ang sinasabi nila, long-term friendships can be found in college because you have the same desires, and there was only one thing you wanted to achieve and prove.

“S-Sis… M-masyado pang maaga para u-umuwi. At a-ano ang sinasabi mong lasing na ako?” Napahagikgik ako, “ako, lasing?”

Itinuro ko ang aking sarili sabay tawa nang malakas pero alam kong hindi ito maririnig masyado ng ibang tao rito ngayon dahil sa lakas ng music sa paligid. At isa pa, nakakalula rin ang patay-sinding mga ilaw rito sa loob ng bar, kaya kahit marinig man nila ang pagtawa ko ay hindi nila ako makikilala.

Napansin kong napapikit siya nang mariin at saka umiling-iling. “Hindi ba may birthday party pa kayong pupuntahan ng family mo tomorrow in the evening? Maaga iyon, remember? Kaya umuwi na tayo dahil maaga pa ang biyahe mo pabalik ng Manila bukas. Magpahinga ka na, sa party mo na lang ituloy itong sinasabi mong pinaka-effective na paraan para makalimot! And mind you… hindi alam ng parents ko na pumunta tayo rito, kaya baka hinahanap na nila tayo ngayon,” mahaba niyang sabi na hindi ko naman marinig nang maayos kaya binalewala ko lang ito at nagpatuloy sa pag-inom ng wine. 

"C-Cheers..." saad ko kaniya at saka itinaas ang basong hawak ko kahit halos ipikit ko na ang aking mga mata dahil sa pinagsamang antok at kalasingan.

I noticed that she also raised her glass full of wine even though I knew that she was hesitant to do so, but she had no choice.

Gaya ko ay mapapansin na rin na lasing na siya dahil hindi na siya mapakali. Mas marami lang ang ininom ko, palibhasa kasi ay wala siyang problema kaya mahina siyang uminom ngayon. Siya nga ang nag-aya sa akin ba pumunta rito, tapos ngayon… pauuwiin niya ako, dzuh!

Napansin kong napangiwi siya pagkatapos niyang lunukin ang iniinom niya at saka napailing. She wasn't used to this place, even I was honestly. It was just that… I need to drink for some reason — to distress myself because I surely wouldn't have time to have fun again in the next few days. Kaya hangga't maaari ay sulitin ko na ngayon.

“Sis, I know you are so stressed and pressured these past days because of your parents and the obligations they have given you, but let me remind you na wala kang karapatang mamuhay ng simple at tahimik dahil anak ka ng business magnate. Ikaw na lang ang inaasahan ng parents mo para ipagpatuloy ang business nila. Let us be true to ourselves. Also, we’ve been expecting this to happen pagkatapos palayasin ng dad mo ang brother mo sa inyo. Kaya dapat napaghandaan mo na.”

I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes firmly when I heard what Lewis said. As much as I want, gusto kong kalimutan muna ang lahat ng iyon sa pamamagitan ng paglunod ng sarili ko sa alak, just like what they say . . . They say that drinking alcohol might take you away from the bad moment for the duration of being intoxicated, at least one night, I guess? That was the reason why I was here tonight. Pero nakakaloka talaga 'tong kaibigan ko na 'to. Alam niyang gusto kong makalimot pero pilit niyang ipinapaalala ang lahat ng iyon sa akin. Juice colored!

“Sis . . . You know what, uminom ka na nga lang diyan nang hindi ka ma-bore,” I stupendously said to her as I rolled my eyes. Hanggang sa mapunta ulit ang paningin ko sa lalaki sa hindi kalayuang table rito sa amin ni Lewis.

And just like I was expecting, I caught him staring at me again, but he immediately averted his eyes on me, which made me think of something . . . something fun, definitely.

I smirked evilly because of the thought that immediately flowed on my mind.

“Sis, I have a great idea! Do you wanna play a game?” I asked my best friend, still smirking. “Para lang 'di ka ma-bore!” I continued.

Her eyebrows almost met out of confusion to what I said. “Play a game here? Are you serious with that?” she asked.

I simply nodded in response as I raised my brow at her.

She sarcastically laughed, probably because she thought that I was just kidding. “You must be kidding me, huh?” She giggled before she drank the remaining wine on her glass.

I burst into laughter. “M-mukha ba akong nagbibiro? You will definitely like it as well,” I lightly laughed because of the thought. This was gonna be so fun!

Napansin kong unti-unting naging seryoso ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya. Parang hindi niya lubos akalain na tutuhanin ko ang sinabi ko — that I wasn't joking at all.

“Let’s play a dare,” I raised my right brow at her, waiting for her response.

She looked a little confused when our eyes met. “D-dare?” She was obviously nervous based on the tone of her voice. 

“Hmm,” I nodded. “S-since we are both single, at ang boring ng life natin lately dahil wala tayong mga boylet, bakit hindi natin bigyan ng twist? Let’s find someone here? A dare to look for someone with a twist,” I smirked because of the ideas flowing in my mind.

I saw how she chuckled “A-a twist? W-what do you mean?” Her voice was shaking out of nervousness, indeed.

I winked at her and smirked. “Seduce them and make sure that they will fall in love with us. At kung sinuman ang unang makakagawa niyon ay may premyo — a hundred thousand pesos. You will give me a hundred thousand pesos if I win, and I will do the same if you win. Is it a deal or no deal?”

“No!” she emphatically said as soon as she heard what I said. “N-no! I will never do that. Hello? Kung gusto mo, ikaw na lang… ” parang galit niyang sabi kaya agad ko siyang inirapan.

“You’re so kj talaga ever since! Then . . . fine! I'll do it by myself! But you still need to give me my prize if I make it!” As soon as I said those words, I immediately stood up, sarcastically laughing before I started to walk towards the man sitting on my left.

Narinig ko pang may mga sinabi si Lewis pero hindi ko na ito naintindihan pa kaya nagpatuloy na lang ako sa paglalakad patungo sa lalaki na abalang umiinom mag-isa.