Kissing the fire

Kabanata 35

Ruckus

I caressed his arm as he hugged me from behind. Gosh, I love his smell. Kahit kailan yata ay hindi siya naging mabaho.

I continued caressing his arm when he immediately pulled back like he remembered that I wasn't the one he should be hugging right now.

"What time is it?" He asked and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Mamaya pang gabi ang event ni Ry,"

"I have a date today with Nathalie. I promised her..."  So now, she's his first priority...time flies so fast huh?

"Next time, I won't sleep here," he said and pulled his pants.

"Are you serious with her?" I gazed at him and he stopped what he was doing.

"No feelings attached right? Why do you ask so many questions?" My heart ached when he answered that. I didn't ask questions anymore because I know it'll hurt me more. He really changed. He's not my zone anymore.

"Happy birthday,Ry!" I gave him my gift and a warm embrace.

"Thank you for coming, era. Corynn and byron are already here. They're in table 3,"

How am I supposed to tell him that we are not friends anymore? I sighed before I walked up to their table and sat beside Ariane. Hindi lang naman sila ang nandito sa table so I can pretty much ignore them.

They took a quick glance to me and averted their gazes somewhere. Well, it's awkward but I guess, ginusto namin 'to and in the end, sanayan lang din.

"How have you been lately, era?" Ariane asked and she took a glance to me and corynn's direction.

"Oh, we're not friends anymore," I casually said to her. The music was blasting already and I just whispered it to her.

We're all wearing blue for Ry's birthday since he told us so. I am wearing a dark blue a-line tube dress paired with my Dior stilletos, Dior earrings and a Dior pendant necklace. I didn't tie my hair and just curled it in the ends.

Ariane's eyes widened and pulled her seat closer to mine.

"Why? What happened? Friendship over na talaga kayo? Sayang naman," I hate to admit it but I was really wrong on my part. They were my friends for so many years and it just ended that way, "oh, by the way, my birthday is next week and I'll be hosting a house party on my birthday. G ka ba?"

"I'll think about it," I have so many due assignments that I have to pass next week and many lessons to study pa, I don't think attending a party would be the solution but next week pa naman eh. I can start them tomorrow.

My gazes caught Zone and Nathalie on the other table, not far from us. Zone's wearing a dark blue tuxedo while Nathalie's wearing a white puff sleeves long dress with a long slit on the right side revealing her long legs. I guess they just arrived. Zone quickly threw me a glance before he held Nathalie's waist and guided her to sit down.

Is she dating an old woman? I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Happy Birthday, Ry! More girls to come!" I raised my wine glass before I drank it. They all hooted before I got back to my seat.

I accidentally looked at zone's table and saw him staring at me but when he caught me, he immediately diverted his eyes at the stage.

After the event, they turned the music louder and let us all dance to the beat. I filled my glass with wine and raised it to the air while dancing. My head was already spinning but I just swayed my body to the music. My heart was already pumping so hard because I was so near with their speakers and they were blasting with music so hard.

I stomped my feet when they changed the music into a slow romantic sound.

"This music sucks!" I yelled before I went back to my seat.

"You're already drunk," Ariane said and giggled.

"Well, I'm not like you," I chuckled because her face was really funny and I don't know why.

I squinted my eyes to the dancefloor and saw some couples dancing in the middle and swaying their bodies to the sound.

"Fuck these couples," I said and drank my wine. 

I held the wine itself and drank from there. I don't care if people were looking at me like I was hungry for liquors. Ikaw ba naman makakita sa lalaking mahal mo na may isinasayaw na iba, hindi ka masasaktan? Tangina, alam ko na talagang mahal na mahal ko na siya eh.

Ang sakit sakit na.

And to think that I settled for this kind of relationship just to be with him.

"Era, why are you crying?" Ariane asked and caressed my back but she's still laughing.

I sniffed and drank the wine. I shooked my head to tell her that it's nothing but my tears fell more and she also started crying with me.

"Come on, let's go home," I heard Byron's voice as my forehead was already kissing the table.

"Let's call her bodyguards first," Corynn said.

"Let's get them and carry this bitch home," I heard they stood up and walked away. I don't know if they still really care about me or if I am just hearing things now. I chuckled and cupped my face.

I squinted my eyes when someone forcefully took my arms to stand me up.

"Let's get you home," I sobbed when I heard his voice and chuckled when I saw his face, though kinda blurry but I know he is handsome, "Quit drinking now. You're going crazy,"

I pushed him and tried to stand firm on my own.

"S-stop...I can h-handle myshelf..." I said and giggled, "Where's my wine?" I turned around and saw ariane, already holding my bottle.

"Hey, that's my vattle!" I yelled and got the bottle away from her. I drank it but it's empty now, "I hate you. You drank it all and left nothing to me," I said and sobbed again.

"You look like a clown," she said and giggled before she went asleep.

"I want another bottle," I said to Zone and tried to walked past him but he held my wrist. His touch sent electricfying signals throughout my body and I don't like it, "I said I want another b-bottle..."

"It's time to go home now... your bodyguards are here to fetch you," he said with finality.

I tightened my jaw and walked closer to him. His eyes widened when I neared my face to his. Ganyan zone, ganyan dapat. I slowly touched his chest and felt his heat thumping really hard. He immediately pushed my hand away and held my shoulders.

"Don't look at me like you want me, era..."

Hinampas ko ang dibdib niya gamit ang mga kamay ko at hindi siya natitinag kaya lalo akong naiinis.

"I want to drink, zone! I want another bottle! Hindi mo ba yun maintindihan?!" I yelled until I felt so tired to even move and then I just let my head rest at his chest. I can feel how his heart beats erratically just for me. Kahit ngayon lang, gusto ko mag-assume. His warmth made me feel this safe again.

"Era..." His touch burned my system and his voice caused ruckus into my heart that I can never pacify again.