SSS [III] (COMPLETED)

Part 17

The bustling noise of the EDM rocked the entire club. Napatingin ako sa DJ booth, to check if kakilala ko ba ang nandoon. Dim lights, and strobe lights. It was still tacky, but what the hell. It was a birthday bash. Everything should be as hyped as this. Napangiwi pa rin ako sa ingay. It's been so long, at nabibingi ako ng kaonti. Hindi na nga yata ako sanay.

I need a drink. But first, I need to find Miel. Maglalakad na sana ako paakyat sa VIP booth, when somebody bumped into me. Nahagip ng mga mata ko si Caden, Miel's boyfriend, while I was helping Miel to her feet.

"You're here!" sigaw ni Miel sa akin as she hugged me. She was reeking in whatever she was drinking!

"I told you, didn't I!" sigaw ko naman sa kanya sabay halik sa kanyang pisngi. She was laughing hysterically at mukhang may ibubulong pa sana sa akin, but she was pulled by one of her guests.

Napa-iling nalang si Caden at tinuro ang VIP booth sa akin, before he trudged his way towards Miel, who was trying to climb up the pole near the DJ booth. Kinabahan ako ng kaonti. That wasn't the usual Miel. Mage-gets ko kung si Kia... kaya siguro medyo iritiado si Caden.

Tahimik naman si Prez na sumunod sa akin. Tulad ng dati, we fought the entire way here. Kaya wala akong balak na pansinin din siya buong gabi. Bahala siya dyan. He can follow me around! Basta ba't hindi siya mangengealam.

The VIP booth was packed with the usuals. Hindi ko na inikot iyon. I sat on the available space beside Emma na nakipagbeso sa akin before she continued talking to one of our batch mates na nahihiyang kumaway sa akin. Agaran naman kaming pinasahan ng shots noong waiter doon, which I drank immediately.

Ramdam yata nilang medyo bad mood ako, kaya walang nangahas muna na lumapit sa akin. Or, just like me, ay naramdaman nilang may kung sinong nakaaligid sa akin. The party started 2 hours ago. Kung hindi ako natagalan ay baka kasing tipsy ko na ang karamihan.

I sighed and took another shot of whatever's on the table. Atleast, maaabutan ko pa ang salubong greeting for Miel.

"Cassi! What are you doing here!" Solana giggled as she was walking towards me. Medyo pinagpapawisan na siya. "Come to the dance floor! Tara! Mika! Emma! Stop being such poopers!" tawa niya sabay hila sa akin patayo.

"Sola!" tawag ko sa kanya na sumisigaw habang hinihila ako sa gitna ng dance floor. It's been that long since I last went on a rave like this. The other night's party wasn't much compared to tonight's noise, crowd, and bodies! To think na under sa guestlist ni Miel ang mga nandoon. Damn, ang ingay! I should drink another shot!

"Here! Here!"

May napadaang server sa tapat namin. Kumuha ng dalawang shots si Solana and gave the other one to me. Hindi ko alam kung ano iyon, but tatanggihan ko ba? Syempre, hindi.

"Bottom's up!" sigaw nya na siyang sinunod ko naman. Finally! The drink burned my throat, pati na rin iyong ilong ko! Sumunod-sunod na ang inom namin after that.

Nagtatawanan na kami nina Solana habang patalon-talon kami sa gitna. We were also meeting friends while we're dancing. Sa mga kakilala ko din nalaman na pinsan ni Miel ang nagmamay-ari noong bar, kaya ang other half ay under sa guestlist niya. Sabi nila ay kakauwi lang noon from his 2-year military training.

"Do you know why he enlisted in the military?" natatawang sigaw naman ni Kia sa akin when we stopped on a standing table to catch our breaths. "Because he was fucking bored with his life!"

Minuwestra kami ni Mika na bumalik doon sa booth and ordered us to settle down. She was also as tipsy as us, I guess, pero kahit ganoon ay may natitirang lakas pa sila ni Emma na utusan kami for Miel's countdown.