"Are you drunk?" Den asked as soon as she saw Alyssa, sitting at one of the chairs at the nearest convenience store from their condo building.
"Oh, you!" Alyssa answered, barely recognizing the lady who approached you, "rooftop girl, right? Sorry, I'm not at my normal state."
Dennise chuckled, "it's okay, do you like some coffee?"
"Do you mind getting one for me? Gusto ko sana kumuha kanina but I'm too drunk to even hold a cup."
"Sure, wait there," Den said, Ly smiled and nodded before bowing down her head, she might have drank so much alcohol tonight.
Den came back with 2 coffees on both her hands, she gave Alyssa the other one and a bottle of cold water.
"Thank you," Alyssa only said and carefully sipped on her coffee.
Den didn't answer and let silence enveloped them.
About half an hour later, Ly already finished her coffee, and started to feel shy for what happened.
"Hey. Uhm, I'm sorry," Ly said, scratching her nape, "naparami ako ng inom and I wanted to get coffee but yeah, I sat here instead."
"It's okay," Dennise answered, "you feel better?"
Alyssa nodded, "it's already late, what brought you here?"
"To get some coffee lang sana," Den answered.
"Oh my God, sorry for keeping you here," Ly apologized.
Den laughed, "okay lang, I needed a break din naman from what I'm doing, sabihin na nating blessing in disguise," she answered.
Ly giggled, "thanks for not making me feel guilty."
"I'm serious," Den said with a lighthearted laugh which made Ly laugh as well.
"I owe you one, though, no buts," Alyssa said, she looked at the time and it's already 5 AM, "breakfast?"
"It's morning already?" Den asked and Ly nodded, "hmm, hindi ako tumatanggi sa free breakfast, can we get pancakes sa Jollibee?"
Well, that was unexpected, but Ly suppressed her surprise and released a chuckle.
"Okay, got it, tara?" Alyssa asked and stood up, Den followed her.
Since walking distance lang naman yung Jollibee, di na sila nag-abala to ride a jeepney.
"Hey, is it okay to ask?" Den asked.
"You're a very curious person, 'no? Shoot."
"A drunk mind speaks a sober heart?" Den asked.
Natawa si Ly, "ang luma ng saying na yan."
"Yes or no?"
"Well," Alyssa started, "for me oo. I just don't know if it's applicable to everyone."
"I see," Den said, "I guess I'm not getting drunk."
"You never experienced getting drunk?" Alyssa asked.
Den shook her head, "I throw up pa lang pagkaamoy ng alcohol so it's a no for me."
"Really, you're missing out," Ly joked.
"I can be honest without getting drunk, though," Den said.
"Hahahahaha! Depende pa rin... what people says when they're drunk are the things they can't say when they're sober. You might be honest without getting drunk but there will still be things na hindi mo kayang sabihin when you're in a normal state. Pag lasing ka kasi, wala ka ng pakialam kung anong magiging consequence, you'll just do it."
"Looks like you've done this a lot of times," Den said.
Ly shrugged, "yeah, and there's this one person I always talked to when I'm super drunk, hindi ko nga rin alam why did it always have to be that person."
"That person might mean something very important to you?"
Ly smiled, "I guess so... but, that was before. I already stopped being pitch black drunk."
Den looked at the girl beside her, "so you won't have to talk to her anymore?"
"Because I can't talk to her anymore," Ly answered, and sighed, "things changed and they can't go back to the way they were before, so.. yeah."
Den nodded, "I'm sorry, is it a sensitive topic?"
"Hindi naman, I already got over it, though pag minsang naiisip ko siya, there's that void you know you will never fill again, ganun lang," Ly answered, "anyway, pancakes, right?"
Den nodded.
"Okay, sit there, I'll be back right away, gusto mo rin ba ng hot chocolate?"
"Coffee will do, thank you," Den answered.
Alyssa went back to their table, pancakes and coffee for Den, eggdesal and hot chocolate for her.
They silently ate while looking at the cars pass by outside. Nasa tabi kasi ng main road yung fastfood chain.
"Which do you prefer more, sunset or sunrise?" Alyssa asked.
"Would it be weird if none?" Den asked back.
"Oh, really? Neither of it?"
"Well, yeah, I'm more of a dawn person."
"Before sunrise," Alyssa added.
Den nodded, "yup. For me it's more comforting, seeing the sky waking up from its sleep, if you'll compare it sa tao, yung pagbukas ng mata pagkatapos matulog. It's weird but I find comfort in it, parang kasama niya ko sa bagong simula. Yung andun agad ako bago pa yung iba."
Ly had to absorb Den's words until she fully understood it. She smiled when she saw the sky waking up.
"It's dawn," Alyssa just said.
Den smiled, "yeah."
