where will destiny take us?

☆ 33 ☆

Kai randomly invited people kaya maraming tao ang nandoon and knowing Ethan, alam ko na kung bakit nandito sila.

Hindi na ako nakabalik sa table nila dahil pinaupo na ako ni Kai sa tabi ni Ivan. I cramped on the end of the couch, Ivan beside me with Kai on his other side. And on three more couches forming a rectangle around us are his friends.

There's the usual Theo, Lander, Gigi, Aiko and Scarlet. Then there's also the kids; Jester, Xenon and George along with another girl Vielle. But I also met new faces. There's Clyde who I've seen before, Dani, Kai's sister, and some guys and girls who are not from our school.

"Do you want a drink?" Scarlet showed me the bottle of clear liquid she's holding and the shot glass on her other hand.

I stared at the bottle, not answering.

"Still afraid, I see," she taunted me. "Why are you even here?"

I glanced at her sharply. "Give me a shot."

She smiled, pouring the small shot glass with the clear liquid from the bottle. I've never tried alcohol in my life. Wine is the exception because I think it is healthy. Beer is not. And it only makes you drunk.

I've never once wanted to try alcohol. It never occurred to me. But, probably because of my desire to stop myself from being controlled, I blurted that out. And clearly, ayaw talaga sa akin ni Scarlet at minamaliit niya ako. I don't like that.

After she poured the small glass with the alcohol, inabot niya 'yun sa akin. Pero bago ko mahawakan 'yun ay may pumigil sa akin at kinuha ang maliit na baso.

"Hey." Ivan eyed Scarlet with a disappointed frown.

"She asked for it."

Tinignan naman ako ni Ivan dahil sa sagot ni Scarlet.

"Yeah." I gulped discreetly.

Napatitig sa akin si Ivan bago umiling. "No." He took the shot, drinking it like its water before giving the shot glass back to Scarlet. "I'll just ask someone to get you mocktails or juice."

"Come on, she's not a kid."

Hindi pinansin ni Ivan ang sinabi ni Scarlet at tumawag ng waiter. After saying something to him ay umalis din ito agad, taking Ivan's request.

"What a caring boyfriend," komento ni Aiko with a teasing smile.

Ivan, still with a grumpy face, eyed her intently. "We talked about this."

"And we told you, we're not convinced." Nakangising umiling si Lander at tinignan ako.

Ivan gave me a look to assess my being.

"Its fine," saad ko kahit naiinis na ako sa mga kaibigan niya. I should've remember na ganito nga pala sila.