After The Fall GxG)

Chapter 8

Favi's POV

What in the freaking hell is happening to me? This can't be! No! No! No! Non posso avere questi sentimenti! Ho una ragazza for fvck's sake! Mierda! No, this is just the drinks talking! Yeah, that's it! Blame it on the alcohol. I love Em! I love Em! I love Em! I chant in my head. (I can't be having these feelings! I have a girlfriend).

Suddenly, Elle turns to me. She looks at me and frowns. "Are you okay Favi?"

I cleared my throat before speaking.
"Y-yeah. Yeah I'm good." She touches my forehead and traces the creases on my scrunched forehead as if by doing so, it will help me relax. 

I could feel the drop of sweat rolling gently down on my nape and my scalp tingling as she touches my skin.  Her touch burns my skin. 

What in the ever loving fvck is that? I ask myself as I can feel a slight panic inside me. Damn!  This is not good.  Nawala ang pagka tipsy ko don ah.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I slowly lean back to put space between us so she won't get offended sa pag iwas ko.  She takes her hand back that was touching my skin.

"It's just that..." She starts and looks at me intently. "You seemed bothered by something. What's up babe?"

"I-it's nothing. Just enjoying the night." I startle slightly and try to smile at her.

She nods, pats my hand that's on the table and then turns back to Sab and Kai.

Dang it! I need to speak to Em...badly. So, I excuse myself from the three and told them that I'm going to be making an important call. I take the elevator down and went out into the sidewalk.

I see bags of trash lining the edge of the sidewalk. There are a lot of them. As in naka hilera silang lahat.  I find myself looking at it and noticed that trash bags goes up and down the street. A typical sight at night in the city that never sleeps.

I lean my back on the wall of the building beside the hotel. I close my eyes for a second and breathe out.  I take my phone out from my purse and dialed my girlfriend's number.

No answer! Damn it Em! I dial it again. After a beat, she answers. Fucking finally!  I silently groan. 

"Hello hon. How are you?" I ask her. Trying to sound upbeat.  I close my eyes again and wait for her reply.

"Hi hon. I'm at the office. Where else would I be?" I can hear someone speaking on the background. Must be her secretary. "Give me a sec hon." She tells me on the other end. I hear her giving instructions to Amy, her assistant.

"Okay, I'm back. What's up hon?" She says gently to me. I look at the time, it's already 1am here. So, that means it 1pm there.

"Nothing. I just needed to hear your voice." I tell her as I close my eyes again. Pushing back the feelings that has invaded my system for the past fifteen minutes or so.

"Is there something wrong hon? Are you alright?" I can hear concern in her voice. I bet she's now standing and looking out her floor to ceiling window all worried. She can be a bitch sometimes, but she's also sweet and thoughtful and kind and generous.

"No, nothing honey." I sigh then open my eyes and stare at nothing in particular in front of me. "I just miss you. That's all." She softly laughs at that.

"Oh honey I miss you too. Come home na." She says sweetly to me. I know she's pouting right now. I smile at the thought

"I'll be home soon hon. Stop pouting. I love you." I tell her as I decide to cross the street to a deli to buy a pack of cigarettes. "I gotta go hon. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye." I tell her as I stop in front of the deli/convenience store. Waiting for her reply.

"Oh okay. Bye honey. I love you too. Ingat ka diyan." She says then makes a kissing sound over the phone. I laugh at her cute antics and tell her bye again then hang up.

After buying my preferred menthol brand. I cross the street again to go back to the wall were I was earlier. I light up a cigarette and take a drag.

Thank God for small mercies. I think to myself as I take another drag of my ciggy. I now feel a bit calmer. See? All I needed was to hear Em's voice and all is well again. Right. Keep telling yourself that.

My phone rings. I look at it and it's Kai.
"Hello." I greet her as I blow the smoke out. I could hear her voice echoing as she sus hello too. "Where are you? " she hurriedly ask.

"I'm downstairs having a smoke."

"Okay. We're coming down now. See you in a bit." She says more calmly now that she knows where I am.

One by one they got through the hotel's revolving door. Elle was the first one out, then followed by Sab, then finally Kai. Elle look to her right first to scan the street before finally looking to her left and spots me.

"There you are babe! Hindi ka na bumalik? Ano nangyari? Everything's good?" She says as she waltz towards me and takes my cigarette away from me and takes a drag from it.

Bigla na naman akong kinabahan at napa tingin na Lang sa kanyang mga labi habang binubuga niya ng dahan dahan ang usok.

She gives me back my ciggy and I take another drag. I offer her the pack and she takes one. Dumating na din sila Kai kung nasaan kami and humingi din ng isang yosi. Sinindihan ko ang kanilang mga sigarilyo isa-isa.

"Ikaw Sab? Do you want one too?" She shakes her before talking.

"No, thank you Fav. I'm good." Pinulupot niya ang kanyang mga kamay sa braso ni Kai at sumandal sa balikat nito. She looks sleepy na.

"I think after this smoke, uwi na tayo." Kai says. I nod my head at her and smile.

"Yeah, sure. Mag kikita ba tayo bukas sa site?" I ask her at itinapon na ang yosi sa sidewalk. Malayo sa mga basurang naka hilera.

"Wag na muna dude. Pahinga muna tayo. For sure, may hangover tayong apat bukas." Natatawa niyang sabi bago humithit ulit sa sigarilyo. Elle bid them goodbye at beso-beso sila.

"Okay sige. Tawagan na lang tayo tomorrow in case you guys want to have dinner again tomorrow night." I tell her before hugging Sab and kissing her cheek. I did the same with Kai, which I know she hates.

Natawa ako ng punasan niya ang left cheek niya. Ang arte. Cheek to cheek naman ginawa ko. So, para mas ma inis siya, i kiss her left cheek with my lips.

"What the hell Gaia! Laway mo! Eww!" Arte pa niya at pinusan pa gamit ang kanyang panyo. Tawa naman ng tawa ang dalawa sa kalokohan ko. Lumayo na ko sa kanya at nag abang na ng taxi.

I raised my hand to call a cab. It's a good thing at may nag stop naman agad na yellow cab. I hold Elle's hand at pina una ko na siya pumasok.

"Bye guys." I smile and wave at them before getting in. They wave back and si Kai naman ang nag stop ng cab for them.

As I sit down, I told the cabbie where to go. "First Ave and Fourteenth St. Please." I turn to Elle and her head is resting on the window, her eyes closed. I gently take head and rest in on my shoulder as we traverse the night down Broadway.