Amber Alert (El Vicente Series #1) [COMPLETED]

Kabanata 32

"How are you there, Alis?" humihikab kong sabi at sumandal sa swivel chair ko. I stared at Flora that's eating on my coffee table on the center. Busy sa cellphone habang kumakain.

"I'm good. Kaya lang matatagalan ako sa pag-uwi. Your father wanted me to take care about your house here so.." tumawa siya ng hilaw.

"My dad's very stressed about it, Alistair. I'm sorry if it caused you trouble.."

"No, its okay. Ofcourse, Amber, hindi naman kayo iba sa akin.."

I sighed. "How's ElVi?"

"You should take a quick vacation here sometimes. There's a bar near your village, matuwa ka na." biro niya.

I laughed. "Gosh, how I missed going to bars in ElVi!"

I stopped when I realized what I said. Huli na dahil tumawa na si Alis. His laugh was annoying for me. "Oh, yeah? Attending to bars then, later on, fangirling over—"

"Can you stop teasing me about it? That's not funny!"

"Bakit? Throwback ba?"

Nag-init kaagad ang pisngi ko. Tumuwid ako ng upo at iritadong binalingan ang cellphone ko sa gilid na akala mo'y iyon talaga si Alistair.

"I'll hang up, Alis. May meeting pa'ko mamaya.."

He chuckled. "You can't run away from the past, Amber. Especially that he's just around you right now."

"I'm not trying to run away from it because it never chased me. The chase was done the moment I left."

"Who knows, Amber?"

"Whatever, Alistair. I'll hang up!"

Tawa pa lang niya'y pinatay ko na kaagad dahil alam kong may ihihirit pa siya sa akin.

It was almost a week ago since the last time we saw each other. It's been days since that l happened. The realization hits me so hard. Our world is indeed very small now. I'm scared that I'd see him often one of these days. I'm scared of the past when I used to let myself lose for him.

The past never chased me. I want to laugh. Liar. The past had been haunting me since the day that I left. He hunts me. Everywhere and every time.

Partying never helped me to get over him. The drunkenness made me forget about it for a while but then when I'm sober, I'm back to thinking about it. I always had been staring blankly at something, having deep thoughts and silently wishing it was all a dream.

His arms were my safety. So when he was gone, I feel so alarmed and feel upset every time.

"Alcohol, Madam?" Flora asked while raising the Jack Daniels I bought. There's also a bottle of rum and beers in my cart. Iyon lang ang sinadya ko sa isang grocery pauwi.

I shrugged. "Nauubusan na tayo, e.."

"You can't party so you're bringing the party to your condo?" she laughed at the thought. Natawa din ako.

"I can party, Flor. Ayaw ko lang kasi may trabaho ako."

"Mabuti naman at ayaw mo, Madam. Ako ang nai-istress sa pagpaparty mo."

"Oh, you speak like you don't drink in the club at all! You get too drunk sometimes, too, Flor. At least I can handle myself when I'm drunk."

"You can?" sarkastiko niyang sabi. "You make out with boys when drunk, Madam. Witness ako d'yan."