When She Falls

Chapter 10

|Chapter 10

Mommy stayed for a couple of weeks then she goes back to America again because she needs to attend to her patients.

I wished that she could stay longer. But I tried to understand that she has a responsibility there. I know that I'm too old to ask for the attention of my parents, I just can't help it because they were always not around. And I don't want Daddy around.

Days passed by and we got busier in school. But it never stopped me from having night outs. Just like today, I am on my way to Charlemagne, Cass and I's favorite bar.

I'm on my fitted red dress that reaches my mid-thigh and red killer heels. I went straight to our reserved couch and drink straight from the bottle of beer.

"Penny-girl! Let's dance!" Pagyaya sakin ni Cassandra.

Di na ko tumanggi at dumiretso sa dancefloor. Hindi nakatakas sa aking paningin ang mga lalaking sinusudan ako ng tingin. Some are even whistling.

It was a carefree night. I enjoyed it with my friends not until Cass passed out and I need to bring her home. She was such a pain in the ass. Hinatid ko siya sa bahay at bumalik nalang sa bar, ayaw pang umuwi. Andun pa naman sila Stan so I have a company.

"Nahatid mo na?" Stan asked me as I sit in our table.

"Yah, she is so wasted. Good thing her sister opened the door kaya binilin ko naman sa kaniya si Cassandra."

We managed to drink more. I started to be tipsy. Bilib din naman ako sa alcohol tolerance ko at ngayon lang ako tinamaan. Naiwan ako sa table namin at napansin ko nalang si Stan making out near the exit door. I smirked. They probably need to just get a room.

Nagulat nalang ako nang bigla kong mamataan si Monteverde, kakapasok lang ng club kasama sila Tristan at Brad, his friends. Hindi ko na sila pinansin at nagpatuloy nalang sa pag-inom.

Maya maya, nakaramdam na ko ng pagkahilo kaya dumiretso ako sa comfort room para magsuka. I felt more relieved as I puked the alcohol that I drank.

Para na kong dinuduyan sa pagkahilo, my head is throbbing so hard. Di ko na rin makita si Stan at iba pa naming kaibigan. Dumiretso nalang ako sa table at pumikit habang nakatingala upang mabawasan ang pagkahilo.

"Here, drink some water." Nagulat ako nang bigla kong nakita si Monteverde sa table namin at inaalok ako ng tubig.

I looked at the water bottle and remembered that night again...

"Shush, Penny stop crying na please." Naluluha na rin na sambit ni Cassandra.

Nandito pa rin kami sa park at inaalo niya ako para kumalma na.

"Ang sakit sakit lang kasi Cass. He was my father. I expected a lot from him. I looked up to him a lot! He was my hero! I wanted to marry someone like my father! And it turned out that he will be the first man to break my heart." Pag-iyak ko nanaman sa kaniya habang nakayuko.

"Penny please. I know you'll get through this. Cry it all out, I'm here." Pagpapatahan ni Cass.

Biglang nagring ang phone niya kaya't napaangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya upang sabihin na sagutin niya.

"Just give me a minute okay? Sila Brittany to, probably asking kung nasan ka na, I'll tell them that you can't come na, oki?"Pag-alo niya pa rin.

Tumango nalang ako sa kaniya at humingi ng tawag sa nangyari at mukhang hindi pa matutuloy ang surprise party ko dahil nauna na akong masurprise sa bahay.

Umalis sandali si Cass upang tawagan ang mga kaibigan namin.

"Here." Nagulat ako nang may naglahad ng tubig sa harapan ko. Napatingala naman ako at nakita si Timothy sa harapan ko. He offered a small smile and urge me to get the water from him.

"Drink water first. Masamang madehydrate kapag umiiyak. Then you could eat this ice cream." Dun ko lang napansin may hawak pa pala siya sa kabila.

"Thanks." Sabi ko.

"Crying doesn't suit you. So, you should stop that and just smile. Problems come but just think that you are stronger than your problems. Got it?"

"Yeah right. But not everyone is as strong as you think."

"And you are strong, Penelope."

"You don't even know me well."

He laughed a bit and looked at me. "You won't still be here if you're not." He stands up and offered me the ice cream on his hand.

"I should probably go." Tumalikod na siya at nagsimulang maglakas paalis nang bigla siyang lumingon.

"And happy birthday, strong lady..." I stared at him as he walked away.

"Hello? Sandoval? I said drink this water." Nabalik ako sa ulirat nang ialok niya ulit saakin ang tubig na yon.

Inabot ko naman ang bote at nagpasalamat sa kaniya.

"Care to share your thoughts, Sandoval?"

"It's none of your business. So, if you don't mind, can you leave now?"

He chuckled. "Okay okay." He raised both of his hand in defeat. "Just call me if you need to go home, I can drive you home."

"No thanks. I won't risk my safety so someone like you." I fired back.

He went back to their table still eyeing me from afar. I continued drinking, wishing to drain all my thoughts with the alcohol. I went back to the dance floor and danced with some strangers. After exchanging names, I'm already at the corner making out with a guy I met a while ago.

He was a pretty good kisser kaya di na rin ako nagreklamo. I sucked his bottom lips as he tried to enter my mouth with his tongue. Di naman siya nabigo at tuluyan nang nasakop ang bibig ko. Tumigil lang ako nang may maramdamang may tumutusok na sa bandang puson ko.

"What? Are we stopping now?" Nanghihinayang na sinabi ni Troy, Roy, Lor, o kung ano man ang pangalan niya.

"I have to go, sorry. At least you had a chance to taste." Kumindat pa ako at dirediretso na sa paglabas ng bar, handa ng umuwi.

Napansin ko naman na may sumusunod nang tingin sakin kaya't napalingon ako sa gawing kanan at nakita si Timothy na madilim ang tingin sakin habang umiinom ng alak.

Nang magtama ang tingin namin ay agad niya binagsak pababa ang baso at umiwas ng tingin sakin.

Just continue walking, Penelope. Wala lang 'yon...