Break Fresh Ground

13: HANGOVER GETAWAY

The morning after a last night is never pretty, but my friends and I were taking it to new heights of bedraggled. France, with her pouty expression and head cradled in her arm, looked like she was trying to hold back the urge to hurl. Paris, meanwhile, was valiantly attempting to brew coffee despite her pounding headache. Ivy was moving at a snail's pace in the kitchen, trying to whip up breakfast. I felt like she was floating on a cloud, my head dizzy but unable to tear my gaze away from Artemis, who sat silently beside me, massaging her head.

"Hindi na talaga ako iinom," said Ivy, with a sigh.

Even my own head was pounding, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, right," I said.

"Paris, coffee please," France pouted, her voice barely audible.

I gently nudged Artemis, who looked like a lost, cute cat. "Coffee or hot milk?" I asked.

"Coffee please," she answered, her eyes closed.

Compared to the rest of us, I was in slightly better shape, so I took over helping Paris with the coffee. I also told Ivy to stop trying to make breakfast and just order takeout, which she gratefully agreed to.

After I made the coffee, I handed it out to my friends and placed the takeout order. Within a few minutes, our food arrived.

As we ate, I couldn't help but snap a few pictures of my friends, their hair messy and tangled, trying to shake off their hangovers. Artemis caught me in the act and snickered as she looked through the pictures. "Bad," she commented, shaking her head.

I pursed my lips in a pout and took a slow sip of my coffee, savoring the rich aroma and warmth as it spread through my body. "Any plans today?" I asked casually, as we tidied up the dining room.

"Sleep!" came the quick and groggy response from France, who was sprawled out on the couch in the living room.

Paris chimed in with a dreamy sigh, "I want to eat a lot of ice cream. No, a milkshake will do. Anything cold that will freeze my brain."

I cast a glance towards Ivy, who was absorbed in searching for videos on the TV. "I don't know," she said with a shrug, "Kung anong trip niyo, trip ko din."

My gaze then fell upon Artemis, who was slumped over the table, her hand propping up her chin as she let out a soft pout. She was on her phone, talking to her cousin from the snippets of conversation I could overhear. "Violet, no--" she was abruptly cut off by a loud knock on the door to our apartment.

France let out a sigh before getting up to answer it.

"Hello!!!" Halos lahat kami napapikit nang marinig ang matinis na boses ni Elliot. "Mang-aambush lang kami ng dorm ng may dorm," he announced with a grin.

Pinatuloy siya ni France, but we were all surprised to see that Juliette, Piper, and Violet were with him. My eyes flicked over to Artemis, who was frowning and shooting her friends and cousin a confused look.

"What are you all doing here?" Artemis inquired; her tone laced with suspicion as she surveyed the group of friends standing before her.

"Ito naman, parang ayaw mo kaming nandito ah," Elliot retorted, his expression a mix of confusion and hurt. "Tinignan lang naming kung totoong nandito ka nga saka gusto naming makita ang unit nila," he added, gesturing towards the others.

Violet, ever the curious one, chimed in, "Bakit ganiyan mga itsura niyo?" as she settled in beside France.

Ivy proceeded to fill them in on the events of the previous night, "At hindi kami kasama?" Elliot exclaimed, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, as if he were a child who had been left behind by his parents on a trip to the mall.