The dancing lights and the smokes from cigarettes filled the whole place. The electronic music started and the people gathered on the dancefloor. August is on the other sofa, flirting with girls that he met a while ago. I'm sipping on my watermelon juice. I did what I promised Troy, hanggang juice lang ako ngayon. August is insisting me to atleast drink a low-alcohol content liquor but I turned him down. I'm banned from liquor tonight.
"How long you weren't going to bars like this?" He's sipping on his black label. Girls are flirting beside him, he's such a womanizer.
"I don't know, months? Matagal na rin."
Malikot ang ulo ni August dahil palinga-linga ito sa mga tao sa dancefloor, probably trying to find another flavor of his month. Hindi pa nakuntento sa dalawang babaeng nakalingkis sa kanya ngayon.
"Watermelon juice, really ikaw ba yan Symon?" He keeps on nagging, nginingitian ko nalang siya.
"This is fine, I like juices." Well aside from this juice, I am thinking of another type of juice. Maybe Troy's kind of juice? What the hell. Nahawaan na ako ng marumi niyang pag-iisip.
"It's my treat, remember? You can order more than that, Symon." he looked offended.
The loud music made us talk harder. Hindi na kami halos magkarinigan ni August.
Like what I promised Troy, I texted him from time to time, updating him from the things I am doing here. Siya nama'y abala pa sa photoshoot with that girl Fabiana. May nakikita akong mga kakilala ko, some of them were my batchmates, pero hindi ako sumama sa kanila.
"I'm fine, August. I went here to have fun, not to get drunk."
Well, what can I say? Things have changed. Habits die easily in my case. I'm known for being a hard-drinker before, and party person, maybe because of my family issues. I kept on partying all night, drinking and bedding guys to forget my problems. I drowned myself in booze to wash away those problems. But right now, with Troy on my side, I started to look at the positive side of life. I appreciate life more than what I've done before.
Life has its own ups and downs, you cannot just expect it to up always, or down always. It is a cycle. Iyon ang hindi ko natutunan noon.
"And you are having fun with that watermelon juice? Why don't you dance with me?" Nakaisip siya ng magandang ideya kaya napaayos siya ng upo. I looked at the people in the dancefloor, they are all drunk and wasted.
Definitely not a good idea for me.
"I can't, August. Ikaw nalang." Sumandal pa ako lalo sa sofa para ipakita sa kanya ang kawalan ko ng interes sa aya niya.
"Wow. You're really Symon version 2.0. Is this because of that Torralba?" He smirked with overstated sarcasm in his voice.
He knows about it and now I'm regretting that decision.
"This is because of me trying to be a better person. You should too, August." Sabay tingin ko sa dalawang babaeng nasa magkabilang gilid niya. I wonder kung hindi ba siya napapagod sa pambababae? Why don't he find someone, and try to settle with her alone? Gusto man niya o hindi, bakit kailangang pagsabay-sabayin? I can't find the logic behind it. I flirted with boys before, pero isa-isa lang at hindi sabay-sabay.
"What's wrong with what I'm doing?" he certainly denies it. Napailing-iling ako. Obviously he doesn't get my point. I want him to abstain from flirting or playing with girls, like they are some sort of a material thing. But maybe, this is his nature. I can't expect everyone to be just like me. But he can change if he'll think about it.
"Be a better man, August." Naubos ko ang watermelon juice ko. Hindi ko na siya pinansin at magtetext na sanang muli kay Troy nang mamatay ito. Dead batt, really?
BINABASA MO ANG
Masked Pleasure (BxB) ✔
RomanceSimon, haunted by a turbulent upbringing and a profound sense of abandonment, finds solace in his rebellious nature. However, his path takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Troy, a charismatic yet troubled individual grappling with the...
