Flames of the Night (Flames Series #1)

CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4

With the anger still seeping through me, I drove the car as fast as I could and ended with the nightclub I once visited before. I am not fond of clubbing, but here I am in this place again. Agad akong naupo sa stool at pilit na kinokontrol ang inis sa katawan ko.

“What’s your order, Ma’am?”

“Porke naupo rito, dapat order agad? Hindi ba pwedeng gusto lang munang tumambay?” I hissed at the bartender. Alam kong wala siyang kasalanan pero kapag ganitong badtrip ako, lahat ay nadadamay.

“Suit yourself, then.” Sinamaan ko ito ng tingin.

“Fine. Give me, uhm? Can you recommend me some drink?” I asked him. I’m not here to get drunk. Gusto ko lang ilabas ‘yung sama ng loob ko.

“Tutal ay mukhang wala naman po kayong balak magpakalasing, we have Shirley Temple, low-alcohol beer, cocktail, caipirinha, lemonade—”

“Mojito,” putol ko sa kanya at napailing ito dahil sa lahat ng binanggit niya, wala roon ang napili ko. Napadukdok na lamang ako roon sa bar counter habang hinihintay ‘yung order ko.

“Here’s your drink, beautiful.” Nakuha ng bartender na iyon ang atensyon ko dahil sa sinabi niya. “Mojito na pala ang nais mo ngayon, Ma’am. The last time Martini, e. Getting wasted again?” Saka ito humalakhak.

I stared at him. Am I close to this guy? Later I realized that it was the same bartender who served me before. Matapos kong uminom ng kaunti sa baso ng mojito, napadukdok muli ako. Getting wasted? Well, not really. The last time I came here is to get wasted because of that damn wedding, and here I am again, so frustrated because of the same reason. Geez. Nakakainis silang lahat.

“Bakit pala wala ‘yung boyfriend mo?” Napaangat ako ng ulo dahil sa naging tanong nito.

“Boyfriend? As far as I remember, I have none.” Fiance, pupwede pa.

“Oh, so, he’s not your boyfriend?” I arc my brows on this bartender, still figuring out whose he’s referring to. “Yung nagbuhat sa’yo noon, Ma’am.” He answered like he has read what’s inside my mind.

Nagbuhat sa akin noon? Wait. Is he referring to that guy? To that guy whom I kissed and whom I had a... one night... “Argh!” Wala sa sariling napasigaw ako dahil naalala ko na naman iyon.

And because of my scream, napatigil iyong DJ sa pinapatugtog niya. Napayuko na lang ako sa kahihiyan dahil lahat sila’y napatingin sa gawi ko habang itong bartender ay tinatawanan lang ako. Akala mo naman close talaga kami, e.

“Hey, come here,” mahinang tawag ko sa kanya. Agad naman ako nitong nilapitan. “Iyong taong tinutukoy mo, bumalik ba siya ulit dito?” I don’t know why am I asking that, e hindi ko naman kilala iyong lalaking ‘yon.

“After that night, I saw him once here. Pero ang madalas kong nakikita ay ‘yung kasama niya noon. Hindi naman siya umiinom pero para siyang may hinahanap. Ano nga ba kasi ang pangalan no’n? Jem? Jet? Or Jeff? Oo, ayon nga, ‘yung Jeff!” he even snapped his fingers on me.

Pinanliitan ko siya ng mata. Ang talas naman ng isip niya’t naaalala pa niya ‘yung pangalan no’n. E ako nga ni hindi ko maalala na may kasama pala ang lalaking iyon. Ang naalala ko lang ay nagkaroon ng kababalaghan sa pagitan naming dalawa. Ah, geez! My own choice of words cringed me!

Since we’re talking about my first time in this club, I asked him about the pouch I handed him before but he told me that he gave it to Jeff because all he thought is I am that guy’s girlfriend. Sabi pa niya kung alam niya lang daw na hindi ako girlfriend nung lalaking iyon, sana pala raw ay hindi niya ibinigay.