The Most Beautiful Thing

Prologue

Have you ever wondered what the most beautiful thing in the world is? Is it love? Well, maybe. Is it acceptance? Possible. Is it happiness? Is it the idea of being happy? There could be a lot of answers.

But what is it, really? Everyone has their own definition of beauty, so would that affect the answer to the question?

2 years ago

I smiled bitterly as I drink my 5th shot of Cuervo. It's my first time drinking hard liquors at by this time umiikot na ang paningin ko. My friends are all here for me, but they are all drunk already. I'm the one who's brokenhearted here, but in the end I'm the one who's taking care of them!

I've come to realize that men are trash and it's not because I'm brokenhearted or what. Paulit ulit nalang kasi nangyayari to. It feels like something is definitely stopping me from commiting to any type of relationship with a guy. They are a bunch of jerks!

"Ria... kaya mo yan.. you're pretty.." putol putol na sabi ni Cass. My bestfriends are all wasted as heck. Jane and Vee are already asleep beside me while Cass..

"You're drunk, cass." Hindi ko alam if mataas ba ang alcohol tolerance ko pero nakakapag-salita pa naman ako. Medyo hilo lang talaga.

"Last one! Another ikot!" Sabi ng guys na kasama namin. 4 lang kami ng mga friends ko, and 6 sila. Excluding 2 girls which makes us 12 people in one circular table inside the bar.

Damn. Unti unti ko ng nararamdaman ang pag-kalasing. Cassie is beside me while nasa left ko naman si Jane and Vee. We're not here to boy-hunt kaya naman hindi ko alam bakit ang daming guys dito. They are obviously trying to hit on us.Wag ngayon, broken-hearted ako!

"My friends will pass. They're drunk." Sabi ko, at lahat nag-tinginan sakin.

I'm trying my best not to make it obvious that I'm drunk. Sa aming apat, ako nalang ang kaya pang makipag-usap and I don't feel safe around these guys who might take advantage if my friends.

"Bawal mag-pass, save only." Justin smirked.

Itong lalaking to! Umirap ako sakanya at inagaw ang shot sa kamay niya.

"Okay then, last shot naman na. I'll save them," I bravely said. Hiyawan naman ang narinig sa buong table.

"Damn Ria! What a girl!"

"Well, she's Ria Adelson."

Hiyawan ang narinig mula sa table. The loud music was making it hard for me to focus.

Oh well, I'm screwed! Paniguradong papagalitan nanaman ako ni Kuya. I told him mag-shoshopping lang ako, but it's already 12 am! Hindi ako nakapag-paalam at lasing na ako. 4 more shots and I'm surely done for!

I drank the shot in one go. Sobrang hilo ako pag-tapos but I immediately got my phone and texted Vee's boyfriend. Kabarkada iyon ng kuya ko pero wala na akong choice. Hindi ko alam pano ko sila iuuwi. Siya lang ang may boyfriend samin kaya baka pwede sakanila na kami sumabay since may car naman si brian.

To Brian:

Brian, I'm sorry bukas mo na siya pagalitan. Pero I'm fucking drunk and your girl's wasted. Please, paki-sundo kami sa Fiery.

Message sent!

"Here goes, Ria!" Abot nila saakin. This is shot is for Cassie pero heto at tulog na sa tabi ko! Bumubulong bulong pa! Nilagok ko ang shot niya at naramdaman ko ng umiinit na ang legs ko. Fuck! Hindi na ata ako makaka-tayo.

Nung nilagok ko na ang huling shot, I accepted my fate. Wala na. I'm wasted. Much more wasted kesa sa mga kaibigan ko! Everything's blurry at parang nararamdaman kong lumilipad nalang ako. I'm numb. Too broken to feel anything.