Effeminate Within

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter 19

WE WERE NOT expecting Yvonne to be surprised. The party was real fun and everyone got drunk. The party started at ten in the morning and just got ended now, six in the evening.

Yvonne and Jerome went upstairs after dinner, said that they were both drunk and going to sleep. The girls, including me, shared look and then shrugged. Our eyes understood what that shrug meant and we all cracked into laugh in unison. And it was nice to see Steph laughing with us, when it was just yesterday when her world was doomed.

Stephanie told us that she broke up with her boyfriend because she didn't feel in love anymore with Erick. Krishna was tipsy, so she was just looking blankly at her. She looked so funny, but I held my laugh because I was just going to look stupid.

"How did he react?" I asked, putting my legs on Steph's laps as I laid my back on the couch.

"He was confused. All he could say was 'What' before I hung the call."

"You think he's hurt?"

"How could I know?"

I rolled my eyes. I knew she had a point. How could Stephanie know? I was just so drunk and wanted to sleep. "Well, you can tell it by how he sounded. Didn't he try to call you back?"

"He tried once, but of course I declined the call."

"Badass," I said, yawning. "I think you should just give yourself some space. You now sometimes the constant supply of love makes us numb that you feel like love is no longer there when in fact you're just being used to it. It's like when you entered a smelly room. You will complain how bad it stinks at first but then moments later you will find that the smell is gone. It's because our nose adapts to constant stimulus. But when you go out of the room and then go back in again, you will know that the smell didn't really go."

Stephanie listened carefully and at that point, I knew she understood what I was trying to imply. "Yeah, I get the point."

"Just call him and apologize when you're ready. But when you didn't feel the love after giving yourself a space, then you know what it means." I said, sitting up beside her.

Stephanie nodded and I tapped her back as I leaned in to give her a hug.

I headed upstairs. I think I'm going to sleep here tonight.

Lance's bed gave me a sudden touch of comfort. His smell was still in the comforter and pillows and when I closed my eyes, I could feel him beside me.

It was four in the afternoon earlier, the time when I was puking at the restroom, when Greg ringed me. I wasn't able to answer it, so I assure that I sent him a message.

Checking my phone, I found five missed calls and two messages.

04:07PM:Why you are not answering my call?

06:35PM: I'm home now. Where are you?

Heaving a sigh, I replied: Yvonne's birthday party. Maybe I'll sleep here tonight.

It was Yvonne who woke me up, telling me that lunch was ready. I headed downstairs after taking a short bath. Luckily, there's some mouthwash left on Lance's bathroom.

"Do you mind if--" I said as I pulled a chair beside Yvonne. I stared at the denim pants and red tee that I was wearing which I got from Lance's closet.