The Brotherhood

Chapter 22 (Part 2)

Zaina

Naalimpungatan ako sa pagbukas ng main door ng Crimson Club.

I half-opened my eyes. After finding out that the sun is almost setting outside while I am still on my party clothes, lying on the couch, my make-up smudged, and my head aching.

Great. Just great. I slept for almost 12 hours. I think it's already 3 in the afternoon. The club opens at 5.

I spent the whole day yesterday trying to strategize how I will earn more money this year. I tried to focus on being a businesswoman and not a party girl but no one told me that the transition would be this hard.

Hirap na hirap na ako kahapon kaya nagpasya akong uminom na lang. As if it would help my problems. My guard is probably here but I can't get up yet. I need five more minutes of beauty sleep.

"Drink up" Pipikit pa sana ako nang may pumitik sa noo ko. Naramdaman ko naman na may naupo sa tabi ko.
My guard would never do that, let alone touch my forehead like that. Whoever disturbed my sleep is a dead man.

"Ano ba------- Ethan?!"
My eyes were still half-closed when I saw Ethan Wright on his casual clothes sitting beside me, his red hair gleaming. Oh, fuck his hair!

"Umupo ka at inumin mo to" Binuksan ko na nang tuluyan ang mga mata ko at tinakpan agad ang mukha ko. I know I look like a mess right now. And Ethan is here, smelling and looking so good while I probably look like a zombie. He hands me a can of soda.

Umupo ako nang maayos habang hawak hawak ang ulo ko na parang mabibiyak. Ang tanging hiling ko lang naman ay ang uminom na walang hangover kinabukasan.

"Ba't mo ako papainumin ng softdrinks eh umagang umaga. Wala pa nga laman tyan ko. Bad influence ka naman"

Tumayo naman siya at inilapag lang ang soda sa mesa. Kinuha niya yung bag ko sa kabilang upuan. Gagi, buti di nawala. Nanakawan kaya ako kagabi? Fuck, I don't remember.

Teka, anong ginagawa dito ni Ethan?! Wala akong maalala kagabi. Shit. Nag sex ba kami ulit?!

Nagsalita siya habang kinakalkal ang laman ng bag ko. "Alam mo Zaina, lagi akong horny pero di ako nagpapahalata." Tinaasan ko naman siya ng kilay.
Pinagsasabi neto? Mind-reader ba siya?

He continued, "Kung iniisip mo na ginalaw kita habang tulog ka, I did no such thing. As much as I love sex, I would never do it without the other party's consent. So, no. I did not fuck you, although you are very tempting... I do not have sex with women... twice."

I know about his reputation. If Ethan already bedded you, he would not do it again. Para sa kanya, one time thing lang ang sex. Actually, same. I have never fucked a man twice in my entire lifetime.

"Eat this then drink the soda"
Kinuha ko naman agad ang granola bar na iniabot niya. Galing lang naman to sa bag ko.

I ate it fast. Pinanood niya lang ako habang kinakain yon. He even licked his lips. Motherfucker. Bastos!

As soon as I finish eating it, he handed me the can of Sprite again. Tiningnan ko lang siya.

"Diba may hangover ka? Inumin mo yan." Aniya.

"Ganon ka ba katamad magtimpla ng kape kaya ito na lang ang ipapainom mo sa'kin?"

Tumawa naman siya. "Bago kita pagsilbihan, Zaina darling, say 'please'. I will give you anything if you say 'please'."

"No." I replied. Please niya mukha niya. He then smirked at me.

"Good choice. Di kita ipagtitimpla ng kape kasi mas maayos na hangover cure ang soda. Alright, you might have drank lots of alcohol but hangovers aren't caused by the alcohol itself but by acetaldehyde. Nabubuo yan sa atay mo habang bine-breakdown yung alcohol na ininom mo. After that, acetaldehyde will break down again to form acetate, which does not cause hangover symptoms. Now, if you drink soda, tataas ang ALDH mo."