Astonishing Us

XXI

I LOOKED AWAY LIKE I didn't actually noticed Jaime, like no one has called my name, like no one actually asked me to talk to him with bloodshot eyes. As I went down from my stool and hold Ridge's wrist before I put down my highball over the bar table.

I pulled Ridge towards where Hawk and his friends are and hand him the mic as if nothing happened.

Nasa madilim na parte ng hotel si Jaime kanina, marahil ay hindi ito nakita ng mga kaibigan namin ni Ridge at mga pinsan ko.

I sat with the girls and my team which also become the part of my family, Mira, Hera and Princess, the girlfriends of Ridge's idiotic friends. Heart, Alliyah, Savannah and Skylar, as I left Ridge with his idiotic friends na binibilangan na s'ya kung gagawin ba n'ya ang dare o hindi.

Seeing me with the girls, his sharp and dark eyes softened as he looks at me like asking my opinion if he could sing, it might be just a song but it will describe how warm and dirty our first meeting are, maybe that's why he was thinking twice of it, he really put my opinion in his every move and decisions, I'm just so lucky with this man.

I nodded my chin at him with a small smile on my lips, he picked up the Karaoke remote and input the number of Versace on the floor by Bruno Mars on it that made his crazy friends to burst out laughing, to squeal and to shout crazily.

Leo was laughing holding his stomach, "Totoo talagang pagtahimik nasa loob ang kulo,"

"Versace on the floor..." Tila lasing na pagkanta ni Daxon habang ka-akbay si Volt.

"Very hot first meeting," kumento naman ni Volt.

"Grabe naman 'tong si Chupapi Ridge natin, nag-versace sa first meeting with our Goddess Aether," pag-bo-broadcast ni Devyn sa phone n'yang naka-live kung saang social media nito.

"Grabe namang first meeting 'yan, very Ridge," ani Idris na s'yang umiinom ng beer direkta sa bote nito, broken ba 'to? Ang alam ko ay single ang lalaki.

"Iba talaga ang isang Ridge Montegara," pang-aasar naman ni Hawk kay Ridge.

Nakita kong napairap sa hangin si Ridge bago sinimulan ang unang verse ng kanta na mahinang kinatawa ko.

Naghiyawan naman ang mga kaibigan n'yang feeling ko lasing na talaga.

"Let's take our time tonight, girl. Above us all the stars are watchin', there's no place I'd rather be in this world, your eyes are where I'm lost in, Underneath the chandelier, we're dancin' all alone. There's no reason to hide. What we're feelin' inside, right now..." Ridge's baritone soothing voice sang the first verse na kinapikit ko.

Ang lamig talaga sa pandinig ng baritonong boses n'ya, pati ang tunog non napakagwapo.

"Hoooo! Exciting part agad sa first meeting!" Hiyaw ni Volt na dalawa na ang ka-akbay, si Daxon at Devyn.

Ridge looked at my direction as he continued singing, "So, baby let's just turn down the lights. And close the door... Oooh I love that dress, but you won't need it anymore... No, you won't need it no more. Let's just kiss 'til we're naked, baby..."

He was waving his hand at the air then pointed it to my dress that I'm wearing tonight that made it to be my turn to roll my eyes.

Then he started dancing... or more like grinding his waist sexily as he hits the chorus that made his friends to crazily join him na kina-iling naming mga babae.

"Versace on the floor... Oooh take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl... Versace on the floor... Oooh take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl"

"Akala ko matino si Ridge," naiiling na kumento ni Skylar na kinatawa ko.

"Kala mo lang 'yon, girl. Nung unang beses malasing ni Ridge nagmala adonis dancer s'ya sa harap ni Aether," pagkukwento ni Princess sa tabi ko. Sunod-sunod namang tumango si Hera.

"Tapos nagdrama s'ya nung humiwalay sa kaniya si Aether, iyon sinundan n'ya si Aether sa ban'yo kesyo 'di na s'ya mahal ni Aether kasi iniwan s'ya ni Aether," segunda naman ni Hera na may ngiti sa labing kinailing ko.

"He's crazy sometimes, and I love it. To know that such a serious man like him has a part of him that like that? Is just amusing," I said.

Tumango sa 'kin ang apat na babae. Savannah smiled as she stared at Devyn who's dancing with the nasty lyrics of the song, "I think that is actually a cute part of them, and it's fun to see them do some kind of crazy things."

"I unzip the back to watch it fall

While I kiss your neck and shoulders

No don't be afraid to show it off

I'll be right here ready to hold you

Girl, you know you're perfect from

Your head down to your heels

Don't be confused by my smile

'Cause I ain't ever been more for real, for real"

Napabuntong hininga si Heart, "You won't say that unless your boyfriend is originally crazy, Volt's craziness is just on another level."

Habang si Alliyah ay nagkibit balikat lang habang nakatingin kay Hawk.

With what Heart said made me remember about the guy who went to get the unconscious Volt in front of the elevator a year ago.

"So just turn down the lights, and close the door

Oooh I love that dress

But you won't need it anymore

No, you won't need it no more

Let's just kiss 'til we're naked, baby, Versace on the floor Oooh take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl... Versace on the floor

Oooh take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl... Dance"

"Where's Lake?" I asked he's one of Ridge's friends, Volt's best friend to be exact. I haven't seen him ever since I arrived, I thought they were complete.

"Nasa Hospital kasi si Annastazia ayaw n'yang iwan," sagot ni Heart.

"Speaking of Annastazia her condition is getting worst. I hope that pretty girl gets well sooner," ani Savannah. Napababa ako ng tingin sa basong iniabot ni Princess sa 'kin. It's a wine.

"Let's go visit her sometime," sabi ko, na kinangiti nila sa 'kin, sabay-sabay silang tumango bago muling napabaling sa grupo ng kalalakihang sumasayaw pa din habang kumakanta si Ridge.

He was looking at me as he sings that made me giggles, the look in his eyes were like telling me he wanted what he is singing right now to happen.

"It's warmin' up, can you feel it? It's warmin' up, can you feel it? It's warmin' up Can you feel it, baby?

Oh, seems like you're ready for more, more, more

Let's just kiss 'til we're naked, Versace on the floor, Hey baby. Take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl, Versace on the floor, Oooh take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl... Versace on the floor... Floor... Floor..."

Our eye contact broke when my phone beeped and when I saw the notification my saliva just started to taste sour.

Jaime Fuller:

'Is that what you replaced me? Walang respeto sa 'yo? Why does he need to sing such a lewd song to describe your first meeting with him, in front of his friends? And seriously you did that in first meeting?"

____

THENAUGHTYGRAY