Dear Katharine

NOVEMBER 1, 20XX

TRIGGER WARNING:  This entry contains alcohol abuse and violence. If you feel like your mental health could he affected, I advise you to read no further.

November 1, 20xx

2:26 P.M.

Dear Kath,

                 I hope that this entry is only all about how incredible last night was, but that is not what I'm about to tell you.
                 Everything was going well last night. It was drinking and talking. It was just plain fun. I could not wish for things to go better because it was wonderful until Brad's older friends who we don't personally know came over. One of them is the son of our mayor named Jerwin Adoro, who has a terrible reputation. They were noisy and irritating. We didn't show how annoyed we were. But that jerk Jerwin started harassing Jenna, touching her boobs and her legs. He wasn't even drunk yet. If he were, he is a weak drinker. He only had a shot of shembot.
                 Kuya Ian, Chard, Ken, and Rob  got into a fight with them last night. All of them had bruises, so did Brad and his friends. Jenna was so annoyed, she threw those unwelcomed pigs out of their place. The rest of us were surprised too with what was going on. Those guys spoiled it all. And you know what they weren't even regretting anything. They even threatened us by saying, “Babalikan namin kayo*.” It was unnerving.
                “T*ngina niyong mga g*go! Bumalik kayo pag may bayag na kayo!*” Chard shouted back at them.
                 We had to clean up all the broken glass and mop the wasted alcohol on the floor of their garage.
                 We tried to forget what happened and went on drinking because the night was still young and the curfew is still hours away. Because of what just happened, we promised each other never to bring anyone to our inuman sessions who isn't cool with us. The rest of the evening was still amazing. We listened to many hilarious stories Kuya Ian kept on telling. Here's one that I shall never forget.
               “One time, when I was drinking with my senior high friends, there's this girl that I always liked who drank with us. And so when we had already drunk too much, my friends were setting me up with her. Turns out, that girl likes me too.” He began his story with so much enthusiasm that we couldn't help but pay attention to him.
              “I bet she's just so drunk, that's why she said she likes you,” Jenna said, teasing her brother.
               “Shut up!” Kuya Ian replied, annoyed by Jenna interfering his story. “So as we get more drunk we started making out. Yeah, I scored,” he told us while fist-bumping Chard.
               “But when we were French-kissing, I felt her trying to hesitate, so I kissed her harder thinking she's not satisfied. But then I could feel that she is getting wet, so I continued kissing her even though she was pushing me away. I later learned why she wanted to stop. But because I was overthinking about satisfying her, I didn't realize that she puked inside my mouth.” he said and everyone bursted into laughter. “I tasted our pulutan* and her lunch from that day.” 
               “Eeeeeeewww,” Jenna said with her face grimaced. “I'm going to tell your current girlfriend that story, so she'll think weird whenever you kiss.”
              “Tell her. She knows. The girl in my story is my girlfriend right now,” he bragged while he grinned so wide until his lips reached his ears. But suddenly his grin disappeared from his face and his eyes drooped to the ground. “Although we're cooling off because of stupid relationship problems.”
              “Awww,” we all said in unison and reached out to comfort him.
               We sang the national hymn of drunkards titled Beer by Itchyworms to fully console our heartbroken friend..
               “Nais kong magpakalasing tan tan tantan dahil wala ka na... Ibuhos na ang beer sa aking lalamunaahaaan, upang malunod na ang puso kong nahihirapaahan bawat patak anong sarap. Ano ba talagang mas gusto mo? Ang beer na 'to o ang pag-ibig ko...”
                 Kuya Ian is a really cool guy, a kuya I never had. Chard and I enjoyed playing stupid games. Even Rhea had great fun. She told me she has a crush on Kuya Ian to which I prayed to God that they would get together.
                "Tama na po. May test pa ako bukas," Kuya Ian said to signal that we must leave already. So we went home that night with immense joy in our hearts, joy that will be replaced by horrible fear and trembling. But we didn't know that then, so we slept heavy and tight.
                  Morning came. I was so grumpy because of the hangover throbbing my head since I woke up. There were several miss calls from Chard, but I didn't answer because I had to prepare to go to the cemetery to visit lola's* grave. It is the day of the dead, after all.
                  We rode a taxi, and I stared through the cab's window because my mind is still wandering in my sweet dream last night. I find it strange that there were many police cars roaming around with their sirens on. My eyes followed them while my Mama made a remark on how the informal settlers must have caused some trouble again. But my eyes widened when those police cars stopped at Jenna's house and I saw a lifeless body lying on the ground with a cardboard saying, “pusher ako”. I looked at the dead man's face, and recognized it was Kuya Ian!
                  I exited the moving taxi to my mother's surprise. I ran towards Kuya Ian, but the police prevented me from contaminating the crime scene. Chard got hold of me too. “Kanina pa kita tinatawagan*,” he told me.
                  We didn't make it to the cemetery today because of what happened. Mama figured that we would go to lola's tomb and light her a candle when Kuya Ian gets buried.
                  I was so stunned, Kath. I kept on hugging Chard which Mama didn't mind because she must have thought I was traumatized. And I'm. I really am.
                  Chard told me as soon as we left last night, he received a call from Ken who lives just across Kuya Ian's house. He said the guys from last night came back with a van, and they took Jenna and Kuya Ian in their car. Ken called the cops immediately, but they told him he could only report a missing person if they hadn't been gone for more than 24-hours. Chard said Ken is so stupid. He should have said to them they were kidnapped. If he wasn't that stupid Kuya Ian might still be alive right now.
                   Jenna is still missing. I pray that she is still alive. But the police informed us not to get our hopes up.
                   Why does life have to be this cruel?
*
Babalikan namin kayo - We'll come back for you!
T*ngina niyong mga g*go! Bumalik kayo pag may bayag na kayo - Sons of b*tches! Come back when you have the balls
Pulutan - food while drinking alcohol.
Lola - grandmother
Tama na po. May test pa ako bukas - Please, stop. I still have an exam tomorrow
Kanina pa kita tinatawagan - i've been calling you all day