puhon.

drunk-dazed

Aika's POV

The incessant ringing of the phone wakes me, and I reach out to the bedside table to feel for the phone.

I sit up and answer the call, stifling a yawn as I do so. "Hello?" I say, my sleep-induced body trying to keep up.

"Oh thank God, finally." I hear the person at the other line say. The voice was vaguely familiar, but I couldn't make out who it was, slowly registering the noisy background of the caller.

"Miss Aiks! Super sorry po to disturb you but, uh pwede niyo po ba kami puntahan dito?" I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, moving the phone away from my ear to check on the caller ID. As my eyes adjust to the blinding light of the screen, I make the caller ID. Val.

Suddenly, my body feels as if it's on overdrive, and my senses all coming to life. I bring the phone back to my ear.

"Val?" I ask more to myself than than the woman on the other line.

The same woman answered, 'bat nasa kanya phone ni Val?' running through my thoughts.

"Ay, Ms. Aiks, this is Gracie po, coworker niya. Ginamit ko lang po phone ni Alona to contact you." I relax a little, being familiar with the other woman who I've met a few times.

"Ah, Gracie, ikaw pala yan. Sorry di ko nakilala boses mo. Asan si Alona?"

"Uh, lasing po." the tell tale sounds of a song being punched into a karaoke machine is heard, and I hear the sigh of exasperation that Gracie lets out. I also faintly hear the voice of the phone's owner, as well as Laura(?) obviously drunk as they start singing the song.

Oh pare ko, meron akong problema
wag mong sabihing na naman

I let out a small laugh at the song choice, their voices slurring at the words. I hear a faint crash on the other end, "Alona! I swear to God." Gracie says, and I can almost see the eyeroll she makes.

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise and concern, body already halfway off the bed to get the keys to the car.

"Send me the location, on my way na ko. Thanks Gracie, ingat kayo."

I dress up in more appropriate clothes, having only worn a sando and pajamas to bed. Mama was out of town for a few days for the Visayas leg of her campaign, and Tricia was still on duty, so it was just me and Jill in the unit. I make my way towards the door, making sure to be quiet as to not disturb my sister.

I turn the ignition on the car, checking the location sent by Gracie before heading off. I only check the time now, realizing it's well past 2 am. Thankfully, the place was only about a 20-minute drive, the roads being bare this early.

I get to the karaoke/mini bar and message Laura to find out which room they're in. As soon as I get in to the room, I notice three people present, Gracie sat down on the couch, with Val and Laura in their own worlds, animatedly talking about something. May matching actions pa si Val. I smile in amusement at the scene.

I rushed to Val seeing as she was going to fall soon, but luckily, I catch her by the arms, steadying her on her feet.

Gracie's eyes shoot up in response, now realizing my presence in the room. I try to wave at her, but the body I was holding up made it hard to do so.

"Miss Aiks, nako sorry po talaga sa istorbo. I would have taken her home myself, pero we live pretty far apart and I don't really trust leaving her in a taxi..." she says apologetically.

"Okay lang, I'm glad you called me. Gaano katagal na ba kayo nandito?" Val was trying to slip away, so I held her up again by her waist, my arm sliding across it to hold her.