Remember me, Alice (Tough Ladies Series 1)

Kabanata 9

It feels nostalgic.

The familiar sight of jerky strobe lights, the booming sound of EDM from the speakers and the strong smell of cigarette smoke welcomed me the moment I entered the place where Alice got in. It was an ordinary night club which is far from the high end bars I usually go to before in Manila. Iginala ko ang mga mata para hanapin ang bulto ni Alice pero hindi ko na ito makita. Tanging mga nagkalat na tao sa dancefloor, iilang mga grupo na nakaupo sa nakahandang mga mesa malapit sa entrance ng club at mga naka unipormeng babae na naghahatid ng mga pagkain at inumin sa mga ito ang nahagip ng aking paningin.

The set up here is very different from what I was used to before. This is actually the first time I entered such type of night club and basing from the kinds of people in here, I am pretty sure that this is not a place where Alice would casually go to.

Unless she has a reason.

Habang hinahanap ng aking mga mata si Alice ay tumungo ako sa bakanteng lamesa sa bandang sulok katapat lang ng isang grupo ng mga nagtatawanang lalaki na sa tingin ko ay may mga kaedaran na. Ang ilan pa sa kanila ay may kanya-kanya nang kandong na babae at panay ang hipo sa mga katawan nito.

I cringe. I am very much aware that this a club and this is a "normal" view here but knowing that maybe most of them have wives and families of their own makes me wanna puke in disgust. Men like them are trash. I said what I said.

"Hi, handsome. Gusto mo ba ng kasama?"

Bahagya akong napapitlag nang out of nowhere ay may biglang lumitaw saking harapan. I saw a petite girl sporting a fake blonde hair with a heavy make up on her face. Her bloody red lips from the lipstick she applied smiled sexily to me as if she was seducing a probable pray for tonight. I quicky scanned her body by reflex and I saw that she's wearing the same red sparkly tube top and tight black skirt that the servers are wearing. Only that hers are extra skimpy.

Napangiwi ako nang bahagya.

"No thank you. I'm just here for someone." Trying not to look rude, I gave her a curt smile.

I was caught off guard when instead of backing off, she shamelessly sat on my lap and touched my chest.

The fuck?!

Walang ano-ano ay agad kong itinulak ang babae palayo sakin. I especially hate desperate girls so bad.

Pucha. So much for being a gentleman.

"What the fuck miss? I already said no."

Tila naman nainsulto ito sa lantaran kong pagtanggi at inis akong inirapan pagkatapos ay mabilis na naglakad palayo.

"Arte mo, gago!"

Rinig ko pang sigaw niya sabay taas ng gitnang daliri sa direksyon ko.

Calm down, Xenon. Babae pa rin yan. Tsk.

Napahinga nalang ako ng malalim at muling hinanap si Alice sa gitna ng dagat ng mga tao.

Should I go the dancefloor then? Maybe she's just there.

I was about to stand up and walk my way to the dance floor when I heared the voice of the lady I was looking for just around near me.

Scratch that. Actually just in front of me.

There, standing before the group of hoodlums I mentioned earlier is Alice with a very different look from the Alice inside Clarkson University. She's not with her usual all white uniform now but she's wearing the same uniform that straightforward girl from earlier is wearing. Yes, that  red splarky fucking tube top and black fucking skirt.