Half A Heart Without You (Down Bad Series #1)

Prologue

Noris

“Body shot?” the girl asked in a flirty tone. She was wearing a tiny, red tube dress that hugged her curves, her figure highlighted under the dim, colorful lights of the bar. Her big, round butt was impossible to miss. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place her—not when alcohol was clouding my head. 

“Sure,” I said, my voice steady despite the buzz coursing through me. 

The crowd erupted in cheers, the noise almost deafening. My friends were the loudest, hyping me up like this was some kind of championship. I was with my best friends and a few teammates from the basketball team, all clearly enjoying the show. 

I stood up, feeling a little dizzy. Damn those hard liquors—I was starting to feel their effects. 

The girl grabbed a small pinch of salt and, with slow, deliberate motions, sprinkled it on my collarbone. My eyes stayed locked on her the entire time. She had a seductive gaze, and when her eyes met mine, I started doing the triangle method—eyes, lips, then back to her eyes. 

Damn, those lips. They’re dangerous. 

“Pakita mo kung sino ka, Noris!” Shin shouted, his voice booming over the crowd. 

“Show us what you got, man!”

"Boombayah na!" Another voice added. I couldn’t even tell who it was—probably one of the idiots from our group. 

I just raised a middle finger at them, smirking, but my focus stayed on the girl in front of me. She stared back with the same fiery intensity, like a challenge. I looked at her like a predator ready to devour its prey. 

Her friends were cheering her on too. This was probably a dare, but she didn’t seem like she was holding back. 

She took a shot of the liquor and leaned in closer. Her warm tongue darted out, licking the salt from my collarbone and trailing up to my neck. I felt the heat of her breath and the wetness of her tongue as she made sure not a grain of salt was left. 

This girl is wild. 

The heat I felt earlier doubled, spreading through me like wildfire. 

Without hesitation, I gripped her waist and pulled her closer, crushing her lips with mine. She responded immediately, her arms wrapping around me as the kiss deepened. The noise around us was deafening now, the bar erupting in cheers and whistles. Our tongues intertwined, tasting the bitter sweetness of the liquor she’d just drank. 

“Damn, Noris! You’re such a good kisser. Wanna go to my place?” she asked breathlessly, her lips still inches from mine. 

“Not so fast. The night is still young, babe,” I replied with a wink, pulling away and returning to my seat. 

My friends cheered me on, slapping me on the back and shoulders like I’d just scored the winning shot. 

The girl went back to her table, throwing me a meaningful look over her shoulder. I caught her gaze and smiled, but quickly turned back to my friends, feeling the alcohol start to wear off. 

The game was far from over, but tonight wasn’t about her. It was about proving something—though I wasn’t sure if it was to my friends or to myself. 

"Ang kapal mo namang tumanggi sa chicks, bro!" Shin’s mocking voice immediately greeted me. 

"Gano’n talaga kapag pogi, bro. Hindi nagmamadali," I replied with a wink, which he immediately reacted to with a look of disgust. 

"5'11 ka pa rin, bro. Still the shortest among us," Shamil chimed in with his usual nonchalant tone. 

This asshole!