SMOKE ROSE UP IN THE AIR, wrapping the already thick in-house atmosphere.
"What in the world am I doing in here…” she muttered to herself as she tried not to breathe in so much lest she wanted to fill her lungs with second hand smoke. “Dear Lord, what am I doing in here?”
Glasses and bottles of liquor, or booze as these people called it, passed from the guy inside the bar to countless hands shooting from everywhere. Loud music was blaring from the boom boxes all around the room thickening the heavy air even more while men and women are bouncing and gyrating to the beat.
That was what Club Ponté’s known for.
And she’s inside this dreadful place.
This was not a place for someone like her; someone whose idea of a good time was curling up on her cozy couch with a good book and hot chocolate drink. She’d never been to places like this one. She’s Miss Althea Daina Alano, Assistant Principal and Guidance Counselor of Cherish School International.
But here she was, sitting alone in front of Club Ponté’s bar, nursing a tall glass of spiked Long Island Iced Tea. Her third one that night. Kung bakit siya nandirito was beyond her.
Galing siya sa reunion ng mga college friends niya from the Mathematics Society, the nerd club as their schoolmates called them. But her friends were nerds no more. Ang akala niyang harmless get-together ay nauwi sa bar hopping initiated by none other than their former Maria Clara-inspired club president, Dina.
From a heavenly dinner at La Toscana ay nauwi sila sa night life district ng Davao.
Dee, as Dina wanted to be called nowadays, dragged them all to the bars and clubs that she favored. Ang mga kaibigan naman nila ay game. Wala na siyang nagawa kung hindi ang sumunod kaysa naman matawag na killjoy.
And now, here she was, alone despite the hundreds of people milling around her bumping, thumping, and gyrating to the beat. Wala na rin siyang ideya kung saan na dinala ng mga paa nila ang mga kaibigan niya. Naglahong parang bula na ang mga ito sa dami ng taong nag-iindakan sa dance floor. Looking for them was like looking for needle in a haystack. Or like looking for a needle in a stack of needles, as Dr. Spencer Reid had put it.
Great. Just great.
She sipped her drink once more. Muntik na naman siyang mahirinan sa lasa niyon. It seemed na mas lumala ang lasa ng inumin habang parami nang parami ang intake niya. In all fairness masarap iyon, gumuguhit nga lang ang alcohol sa lalamunan niya.
“Hey, baby girl! Can I buy you a drink?” alok ng lalaking kalalapit pa lang sa bar. He was dangerously close, stepping on her personal space.
Hindi niya ito pinansin sa pag-asang tatantanan siya nito. Ipinagpatuloy niya ang pag-ignore sa lahat ng kung anumang nagaganap sa paligid. Gustung-gusto na niyang umalis sa lugar na iyon if only she could find her friends in this maddening place. Magkaka-migraine pa yata siya sa walang humpay na sigawan ng mga taong nasa dance floor at sa papalakas pa yatang tugtog.
“What do you want, ma cherie?” pangungulit ulit ng lalaking unti-unting dumidikit sa kanya. “I guess margarita or a strawberry daiquiri would suit your taste?”
“I am fine.” She pulled in a deep breath and politely shook her head. “Thank you for offering.”
“Oh, I must insist, my sweet” giit nito sabay hawak sa braso niyang nakatukod sa bar.
Her reflexes kicked in at the other person’s action. Sa lahat ng ayaw niya ay iyong hinahawakan siya ng mga taong hindi niya kakilala. She pulled her arm hurriedly and pushed him slightly. With her immediate reaction, hindi sinasadyang natapon ang laman ng kanyang hawak na baso sa harapan ng lalaking nang-manhandle sa kanya.
