Gold Flames

Chapter 4

X Gold Flames 4 X

"What do you think of this?" Gwen asked while she looks in the mirror. She's wearing a suede off shoulder dress in blue, in a three-fourth sleeves with flares that is hugging her body showing her curves.

"That looks good on you! But I think red suits you better" I said.

Tumingin siya saglit sa salamin. " I think you are right!" sabi niya bago bumalik sa fitting room.

Gwen and I are at a mall, shopping. We both have no classes for the day that is why we are here.

I was busy looking at other dresses when I spot a sparkling tube dress on the next rack. I was so into sparkling things this days!

I reached the dress when I noticed another hand holding the dress. It is not like the only stock left, but my ego said don't kaya hinawakan ko ito ng mas mahigpit.

I looked at the owner of the hand. She looks familliar, maybe someone I saw at a random party?

I smiled at her sending a message that it is mine.

She scanned the dress "Oh, sorry, It looks rubbish anyway." she said letting go of the dress and walked away with some friends.

The hell?

I was so shocked at she said na na-abutan pa ako ni Gwen na nakatayo roon still processing what just happened.

"Was that Paula?" she asked. I looked at her.

"You know her?"

"Not really but I saw her once on TV, she's a rookie actress." Tinitignan ko parin siya. "Anyways, I already paid mine, are you going to buy that?"

Napatingin naman ako sa hawak ko. Padabog ko itong binalik sa clothing rack. The hell with that Paula? Is she saying that I am into some 'rubbish' things? Also the way she looked at the dress with disgust when she said 'rubbish' is so annoying!

"Oh, I guess some heated scene happened between you two" sabi ni Gwen ng nakahabol sa akin. I tss-ed and rolled my eyes.

We sat on the chairs of the cafe na nadaanan namin inside the mall. Gwen insist na bumili raw muna kami ng cold drinks for me to cool down ako at doon na rin maghintay.

After shopping, my friends and I planned to go to a bar to just have a little bit of fun since our midterm examination is by next week.

Our order was called kaya tumayo muna si Gwen para kunin ito.

"Asan na daw sila?" I asked her pagkalapag niya ng tray. I got my order off the tray and inserted the straw.

"Tine and Abby said they are on the way here" sagot niya sakin while looking at her phone.

"E si Yanne?" then I sipped on my Iced Latte. "She said she won't make it, next time nalang daw siya" Tumango ako sa tinulan niya.

Napatingin ako sa kanya when she chuckled. She is still on her phone texting. Nagtama ang tingin namin nung uminom siya sa Iced Americano niya. She just smiled cutely at me and go back again on texting.

Hinayaan ko na siya sa ginagawa niya. I know what she's been through so I understand that she wanted to forget. I just hope that she won't overdo and forget about herself again.

Pag-dating ng dalawa ay tumulak na rin kami sa kalapit na high-end bar. Iniwan na rin ang paper bags sa kotse namin.

Sensations filled me when we stepped inside. Bumati sa iilang kakilala namin bago nakaupo sa isang pang animan na table on the second floor. We ordered right away some drinks to lit up the mood. I looked on the dancefloor, we can see it from where we are sitted. This place was always filled with bachelors, TV personalities, or kung sino-sino pa na mayaman sa society.

Bilang lang sa daliri ang araw na pumunta kami sa ganito kahigh-end na bar dahil narin sa mga tao na narito. Showbiz everywhere.

Our drinks was served at kanya-kanyang kuha rin kami dito. Sayang lang na wala si Yanne dahil siya ang mahilig sa ganitong lugar, she likes socializing, also she's really into modelling kaya madaming kakilala sa showbiz industry. Some of us had some experiences too, but she's the only one who pursue it.

"Alam niyo ba kung saan si Yanne?" Tanong ni Abby. Binabali ang katahimikan naming tatlo. Umalis si Tine sa upuan namin nang may nakitang kakilala.

Nagkibit ako ng balikat sa tanong ni Abby. Tumingin naman siya kay Gwen na again, on her phone. Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa amin when she realized something.

"Ah! Parang may naalala akong sabi niya na she's going to be at Batanes for a while" nagulat naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"She's in Batanes?" sabi ni Abby. Na katulad ko ring nagulat sa sinabi ng kaibigan.

"I guess so" si Gwen at nag-kibit balikan na lang at binalik ang tingin sa kanyang phone not minding what she just said.

Nag-katinginan kami ni Abby. Agad niya namang kinuha ang phone at binuksan ang kanyang Instagram. We saw an IG Story from Yanne at agad naman niya itong binuksan.

Her story shows a window of a plane with the sunset on the view. Nag-katinginan kami muli ni Abby at parehong nag-bigay ng nakakalokong ngiti sa isa't- isa.

We already know where she is going ang why kaya hindi na lang kami nagsalita kahit pa nagtampo ng kaonti dahil hindi nagsabi ang kaibigan.

Nag-paalam ako sa kanila na pupunta ng dancefloor after kong maubos ang iniinom kaya tumayo na ako.

I danced on the EDM excitedly. I was jumping when a crowd was formed making a little noise beside me. Nainis ako dahil, yet, again, a commotion on the dancefloor. Paalis na sana ako doon but I glanced on the scene and Tine was there, on the floor.

I rushed towards her, nakatayo na siya nung nakalapit ako.

"Tine! Are you alright?" dalo ko agad sa kanya. "What the hell happened?" tanong kong muli ng hindi siya sumagot. Umalis naman siya sa hawak ko. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin, confused.

"The fuck is with you bitch?" at hinawi niya ang isang matangkad na lalaki na may pinipigilang babae. I saw that the man was Kuya Cedrik, and the girl was Paula. The hell?

"You! You're a whore, slutting my boyfriend!" sigaw ni Paula habang dinuduro si Tine. "Your boyfriend?" napatingin naman siya kay Kuya Ced. Umiling ito sa kanya. Parang nag-sasabi na huwag na pumatol pa.

"Bitch! I'm his cousin!" "What a lame excuse!" balik agad ni Paula. She's still trying to reach Tine kaya agad naman akong dumalo kay Tine nung nahablot siya nito. Buti na lang at nakawala siya dahil na rin sa tulong ni Kuya Ced.

"You alright?" tanong ko muli kay Tine kahit alam kong hindi niya ako sasagutin.

"Huh! Kaya pala cheap ka trying to get my boyfriend cause you have a cheap friend!" I gave her a glare at what she said. Narinig kong sinasabi ni Kuya Ced ang 'tama na' paulit-ulit sa kanya.

Lumapit si Tine sa kanila "I'm sorry Kuya Ced, but she deserves it" sinampal niya si Paula and walked away. I heard people gasped and murmured. Hindi ako sumunod imbes ay lumapit din sa kanila.

Nanlalaki ang mata ni Paula na tumingin sa akin. Alo parin naman siya ni Kuya Ced.

"I'm not sorry, cause you're more of a trash than me" at sinampal ko rin siya sa kabilang pisngi naman "If you'll excuse me" then I walked away. I even heared Kuya Cedrik saying "I already told you to stop it and that she's my cousin" even after that, Kuya Cedrik still sound so calm. If I were him, I'll dump that toxic girlfriend of his.

Ugh! I was just happy and excited a moment ago and here we are, what a shitty night.

I got back on our chair and Tine was already there looking so irritated. We glanced at each other and after a second or two, we both smirked. The other two gave us a confused look.

"Okay, fill us with the complete details please." Abby commanded.