Archetype

Chapter 23: METROPOLITAN

Jho's POV

4 shots. 5 shots. 6 shots. 7 shots. I lost count.

Thank you to this Metropolitan thing for not leaving me.

Gaano nga ba kaimportante si Beatriz sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya?

Stupid, self! Of course way precious than the rarest diamond.

Sa akin nga na halos isang taon palang kaming magkakilala nagkakaganito na ako, di ba?

Bea can always have someone na magpapasaya sa kanya. And me? I'm just one of those options na nasa pinakadulo ng listahan.

She can ignore me anytime yet she can have me fully when she needed me.

How do our friendship started again?

Ah, yeah. That time- that moment when she had no one to talk too because she's afraid of judgments or lectures. She had me that time. She had me everytime she needs someone who she can share anything na hindi nagsasalita ng kahit na ano kasi hindi alam ang sasabihin, kasi walang alam sa nangyayari. She will just need me when she needs silence and someone who can listen to her fully.

She needs my naiveness that's why no one cares explaining to me what the hell is happening.

Hay, self. Bat ang gulo mo? Diba sabi mo okay lang naman sayo na ikaw lang palagi yung nagbibigay tapos ngayon nagkakaganito ka?

Self naman, heartstrong tayo! Para kay Beatriz, para kay best friend.

Maddie's POV

"Look at Jhoana." Kianna whispers.

I wanna say 'no need to tell me that, Kians kasi kanina ko pa sila tinitingnan.'

Yes! Kanina, kanina pa when I sense something is happening on their table. I saw how she looks so confuse, how she binge drink, how she uttered and how she walks out.

And now she's making herself busy with the company of those cocktails.

"You must be very guilty." My best friend mumbles.

I glare at her. How could she said that to me? I'm still her best friend here.

Jia's POV

Jho walked out. We failed again. We failed saving her from this mess.

Ate Ella asked me, how important Bea for me is. Of course she's important, she's my best friend afterall.

But she should also asked me, how important Jhoana for me and why do I wanna fix and save her? Maybe with those questions, I can answer her truthfully.

I wanna tell Jhoana everything, but I can't. It's not that I'm lacking information or I'm protecting Bea. It's because the truth will just break her, so bad. And I don't know how to make things easier for her.

Bea's POV

I'm about to go to my teammates' table when Jho walked away. Thinking that she'll just go to CR, I continue walking.

"Hey, people! Enjoying the party?" It was more on sarcasm.

They look terrible. Ate Els and Jia are like in a staring contest, staring blankly at each other.

I snap my fingers that made them go back to the present.

"Bea." They said in unison with full of horror.

"What happened?" I'm starting to get nervous already. The way they looked at me, I know something happened.

"This is not the right time and right place for us to talked about it." Ate Ella, it was full of authority and bitterness.