Reckless Abandon

Chapter Two

Eureka's POV

Just like the old times back in LA, we went to one of the bars Ashton owns to celebrate my homecoming.

We approached the blue velvet doors and he explained rather briefly to the bouncers that I am with him. They let us in and I stepped inside his bar.

With my hand dangling in his arm, he whispered in my ear, "Sigurado ka bang magiging okay ka dito?"

I gave him a small smile and whispered back to his ear, "Oo naman, Ashton. There is nothing for you to worry about."

I knew he wasn't only referring to me being in this bar, but this whole shebang.

"I'm not worried about you." he retorted with a snort.  "All I'm saying is that, don't get crazy."

"Geez, whatever. I can do this. I just have jet lag. Might as well drink and chill. And please, put a sock on it. You're starting to sound like my mother you know?"

It was dark (of course) with only the fairy colored party lights glowing insanely all over the place. It's filled with smoking, dancing and drinking people. I crinkled my nose at the smell of someone who passed by me who smelled like pot.

For a while, I felt a little hazy. We took the stairs and reached the upper floor of the bar and sat in a huge blue velvet cushion couch. We are being served with trays and trays of tequilas and daiquiris. I took one shot and reveled with the tangy taste of lemon in my mouth.

I looked at Ashton and realized that I kinda missed him. Almost three years ago, when my family and I decided to move in the US, I was out almost every night drinking at clubs.

I would thrash a table, pick up petty fights and eventually get banned from those places until I came across Ashton's bar. One time I was blacking out, throwing up, and my dipshit 'friends' are gone, a man approached me while I was lying on the cold floor where the moshpit had been and dragged me to his office and splashed cold water on me.

That guy was Ashton.

Fucking asshole. I wanted to sue him right then and there. But for some reasons, we became friends and since then, I am half sane now than I ever was at that dark time.

Now that he is sitting here cross-legged thumbing his phone, the cherry lights illuminating half of his pretty, typical American boy-next-door face, I realized how real this person is to me since day one.

And one thing that I really love about his friendship is his amazing life story.

Ashton is biologically American. But his biological parents were crackwhores. When his mom gave birth to him he was given to their old Filipina helper. When she died, he was passed on to a family of Filipino soldiers. And when his soldier dad was shot dead, the family crashed down financially, and couldn't suffice another kid, so balik na naman si Ashton sa ampunan.

But then, sumama siya sa mga batang gustong makatakas sa ampunan at dun, napariwara siya nang landas, until he became a drug dealer and became a drug mule sent to France.

Being on that syndicate is too hot for him to take, so he stopped, hid from them and then napadpad siya sa bahay ng isang matandang lalake sa countryside ng France na nagngangalang Neale Demartini para maging gardener.

When the old hermit of a man died, he left a will.

And you know what happened next.

Boom, Ashton got majority of his wealth as well as a Demartini's family heirloom: a golden ring with a precious Emerald stone, which to be honest, God knows how much is worth.

He wears the ring up to this day.

And shit, even now I still couldn't believe how amazing his life story was.

"What the fuck are you staring at me for the last fifteen minutes?!" he growled, his voice almost drowning from the loud music.

"Nothing, you idiot," I said, rolling my eyes heavenwards. "IDK, I just miss you."

He made a face. "Yuck, lasing ka na ba?"

"Never!" I yelled. Suddenly he stood up. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Umm, I have to go to the office. May aasikasuhin lang ako sa taas. Dito ka lang. I have already told my staff to keep an eye on you para di ka malapitan ng kung sinu-sino."

"Pfft, shut up. Hindi kita tatay. Sige na umalis ka na. I can handle myself."

And by that, he stalked off.

I scanned the whole place. Honestly, Ashton is doing great. Napaka-ganda ng bar niya dito sa Pinas. It was the standard of the mile high clubs I've been to in the States.

I was enjoying my shots of tequila when suddenly I heard a ruckus from the next table. Next thing I saw was a tall beefy guy yelling and kicking. I heard the glass table scatter into pieces. I stood up. Napaka-bilis ng nangyari and I saw bouncers piling up to the scene. Lumapit ako just to take a peek at what is going on, but then I saw a familiar face.

A Dwayne Johnson looking guy came forward and sternly said, "Maam, wag na ho kayong lumapit--"

I pushed him back and stepped closer. I gaped in shock.

"ARTHUR? WHAT THE FUCK?"

A bouncer was trying to hold both of his arms so that he could no longer throw punches. I looked down and saw a guy on the floor being helped by some people to stand up. He was limping, his face bloody, even his shirt. May lumapit na naman sa aking bouncer at sinabing, "Maam kakilala niyo po ba to?"

"Yes! He's my cousin!" I snapped. "Arthur!" I took a step and grabbed his collar. His face was tomato red, his spit dripping on his chin. "ARTHUR!" I yelled at his face. Nilipat niya ang tingin niya sa akin from the guy he was apparently beating. He blinked, not recognizing me from the dark. I took my phone and blasted the brightness to my face.

"E-eureka?!"

"Yes?! None other! Ano bang nangyayari dito?!"

"This motherfucker---" he growled and tried to kick again "— has been fucking my girlfriend!"

I just noticed the girl on the side, shaking and terrified. Miranda. Arthur's long time cheater girlfriend. Hanggang ngayon sila pa rin?! The audacity of this bitch talaga.

My poor cousin. Nasa lahi na ba talaga naming magpipinsan ang palagi na lang niloloko?

Aambagan na naman sana ni Arthur ang lalake pero pinalabas na siya ng mga security guards. Naiwan akong nakatayo at tinitingnan ang lalakeng pinaghahataw ng pinsan ko.

I eyed Miranda and shot her a death glare. I can't stand this puta. She was ushered by her friends and left the scene before I could scratch her face with my nails.

The guy was crouching in pain, half of his face unrecognizable from the bruises inflicted by my six foot Goliath of a cousin. I leaned closer to him. "Can you walk?"

He muffled a yes.

"Please, paki-tulungan siya at dalhin sa kotse ko." sabi ko sa mga bouncers. I texted Ashton and told him magpapahatid ako sa driver niya pauwi.

"I'm fine. I'm fine!" narinig kong sigaw nung lalake.

I spun around and shrugged. He looked terrible. His blood was splattered on his white button down shirt, his face blue and purple.

"Hayaan niyo na siya. He deserved half of that beating anyway."

All Rights Reserved 2020. Published 03/31/20