Astonishing Us

XXII

"... RE-ACT or Re-do what you were doing the first moment you saw each other," that was the dare Hawk randomly picked inside the paper cup, the dare that is meant for me to do.

I shrugged off my shoulders saka naglakad patungo sa speaker at pinatunog ang kaparehong kantang naaalala kong sinasayaw ko sa dance floor ng club na iyon bago ko maramdaman ang presens'ya ni Ridge sa likuran ko.

Hips don't lie by Shakira started playing that earned a gleeful cheer from my team and the girls.

Ladies up in here tonight. No fighting

We got the refugees up in here, no fighting. No fighting. Shakira, Shakira

My eyes landed on Ridge that is sitting together with his friends before I started dancing the same way how I remembered I danced that night, the girls cheered until they started dancing together with me.

I never really knew that she could dance like this, hey,

She makes a man wants to speak Spanish

¿Cómo se llama? Si, bonita, si

Mi casa, su casa, shakira, shakira.

I closed my eyes and let my body sways together with the rhythm of the music, when I felt someone standing behind me, I smiled when I smelled Ridge's natural smell mixed with his expensive perfume and the scent of alcohol. I continued dancing as I teased him by grinding my ass to his crotch.

"Fuck," malutong n'yang mura na kinatawa ko, mula sa pagkakatalikod ko sa kaniya ay hinarap ko s'ya, ganoon na lang ang pagbilis ng tahip ng dibdib ko ng mapansing gahibla na lang ang pagitan ng mga mukha namin.

Isang taon na ang nakakalipas pero ganoon pa din— hindi, hindi na lang ganoon ang epekto n'ya sa 'kin dahil mas lumala iyon mas lalong lumakas ang epekto n'ya sa 'kin kasabay ng kung gaano na lang lumalim ang nararamdaman ko sa kaniya.

I smiled at my man as I grab his jaw using my tender hand to pull him for a kiss, na kinasipol at kinahiyaw ng mga kaibigan n'ya at ng mga girlfriend ng mga ito.

I smiled between our soft loving kiss. The dares are actually fun, it's resurfacing too many memories.

Memories of how wild our first meeting was.

I EXCUSED MYSELF TO GO at the lady's room, ang dami kong nainom na iba't ibang klaseng alak na randam ko na ang pagkirot ng ulo ko, pakiramdam ko ay tumitibok na ang ugat sa gilid ng aking noo, nahihilo man ay pinilit kong makarating sa CR sa loob ng hotel, naiihi na talaga ako.

Pagtapos nito ay yayayain ko na si Ridge matulog, bahala ang mga kaibigan nito kung gusto pa ng mga ito magpakalasing ng bongga.

Pagpasok ko ng restroom ay agad kong sinara ang pinto at pumasok sa isang cubicle don para umihi.

Umiihi pako ng marinig ko ang pagbukas sara ng pinto na kinakunot noo ko.

Baka isa sa mga staff, o 'di kaya naman isa sa kanila Princess o kanila Savannah. Imposible naman kasing bumaba pa sa lobby ng hotel ang mga kaklase nila Myckel gayong balita sa 'kin ni Nicole ay nasa Rooftop sila ng hotel kung saan may dalawang pool at jacuzzi din.

I went out of the cubicle after I peed but to my shock it wasn't a woman who went inside the girl's restroom.

it was Jaime.

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko bago kusang napataas ang isa kong kilay ng humakbang s'ya papalapit sa 'kin.

"Aether, please let's just talk."

Just stay away from him Ridge's voice suddenly popped inside my head. I don't feel comfortable with him around you.

I shook my head and wave my hand in backward motion at him, making him leave. But he just stood there and stubbornly shook his head at me too.

If he is stubborn so am I. I won't speak, I won't let him hear a word from me to get what he wants.

Ano s'ya gold?

"I've never got a chance to personally explained you everything. But why do you have to be so unfair? Didn't I told you I have plans for us? I let you have your space that time because I know I've caused you too much pain already I just want you to have time for yourself and to heal, I told you to wait, I told you I will court you better after that space that I will be back once I'm finally deserving. You said you loved me but why does you move on so fast, within two months, no it's not even two months yet, you already got a new boyfriend," he said as he started crying.

Muli s'yang humakbang paabante na kinaatras ko naman.

Gusto ko s'yang sabihan na s'ya ang unfair sa 'ming dalawa, s'ya ang nagkaroon ng iba habang kami pa, hindi unfair ang pagpili ko sa sarili ko, hindi unfair na pinili kong iligtas ang sarili ko sa sakit na dinulot n'ya, kung may unfair man dito ay wala ng iba kung hindi s'ya.

"You didn't wait for me, when before, you always don't want me to go, what happened huh Aether? Were all the things you told me are just lies?"

You cheated on me, when before, you always assure me that you won't. Who did you Introduce huh Jaime? Ikaw ba talaga iyon o isang katauhang ginawa-gawa mo lang para bilugin ako.

Gusto kong isagot at isigaw ang mga 'yan sa kaniya pero ayokong mag mukhang apektado pa din sa kaniya dahil kung may nararamdaman man ako ngayong ay yun ang pagkahilo at pagkaurat sa lalaking to.

I rolled my eyes when I realized what he is doing, he's trying to manipulate me. Napabuga ako ng marahas nga hininga saka akmang itutulak na lang s'ya palayo para lumabas na ng cr ng bumukas ang pinto at naghaharutang pumasok sila Princess, and Hera was running backwards that she didn't noticed Jaime who was standing behind her.

Mabilis ang mga naging pangyayari malakas na nabunggo ni Hera si Jaime na kinawalang balanse naman ni Jaime dahilan para paharap s'yang matumba sa 'kin, napaigik ako ng tumama ang likod ko sa pinto ng cubicle pero sandali lang iyon dahil agad din akong natumba papasok sa loob ng cubicle ng nakapang-ibabaw si Jaime sa 'kin.

My head that is already spinning and hurting, hurts and spun even more. Napakapa ako ng noo ko, saka nakapikit ang isang matang dinilat ang isa para silipin ang humihiyaw at nagpapanic na sila Princess Hera at Mira, pero agad ding napahinto ang mga ito ng may matangkad na lalaki ang pumasok din sa CR.

"Ahhhhhh! Gagi omg natulak mo sila! Si Aether icheck n'yo si Aether! —"

"Omg mami! Si Aether nauntog ba s'ya! Lagot tayo kay papi— R-Ridge"

"Hala! Sorry Aether— R-Ridge"

Matalim ang kulay berde n'yang mga mata at madilim ang aniyong nakatayo sa paanan ni Jaime na s'yang nakadagan sa 'kin.

"Aether..." tawag sa 'kin ni Jaime na halos bulong, but I am so focused on Ridge and the dreadfulness I'm feeling to look at him.

I gulped with our position. Jaime is over me while we're inside a cubicle, nanginginig ang pang-ibabang labi kong gusto kong magpaliwanag pero parang tuluyang nawala ang boses ko, nanghihina din ako nahihilo at masakit ang ulo.

Pero mas lalo kong nanghina ng mas malamig pa siguro sa alaska na tinawag ni Ridge ang pangalan ko.

"Aether," mariin ang malamig at baritonong boses n'ya na tawag n'ya sa 'kin. I want to get up but I feel like something is draining my strength.

I closed and opened my eyes when a stinging pain attacked the back of my head, "A-Ah-"

"Aether!?" Boses iyon ni Jaime bago ko s'ya nakitang haltakin ni Ridge sa kwelyo at parang papel na ibinato sa labas ng cubicle.

I saw Ridge's build walking towards where Jaime is like a predator ready to kill its prey, I want to stop him, ayoko s'yang makagawa ng kasalanan dahil sa 'kin pero di ko magawang tumayo.

Naririnig ko ang boses nila Princess at ang paglapit sa 'kin ng kung sino man sa kanila, they sound panicking and they look like they are too, when I heard a loud voice of someone, voice that contains both fear and worry.

"A-Aether's bleeding! She's bleeding, man! You can fucking beat me up later! Let's just get her to the hospital!" that voice was coughing but it was so clear for me to hear.

Me? Bleeding? Why?

Another pain assaulted my head and then darkness is all I can see.

___

THENAUGHTYGRAY