One night to love

Chapter 2

"Mom?" I ask waiting for her reply while I greatly hope that her words come out smoothly- like her normal self. I don't want this to be true, after all my joy of my family getting back on its feet slowly.

"Please say something. Welcome me, reply! Don't look at me like that!" I say hitting her shoulder with my hand. I tap her again but she just keeps mumbling strange things with her gaze still locked on me.

I shake my head feeling unable to believe all this. I thought her journey with all these was complete. It's been a year since her Rehab. How long has she been drinking Or worse taking drugs?

If it was a one-month program then her relapse would make sense but two years? She isn't the only one that went through all of this.

"C-o-r-a I-s t-h-at y-o-u," She asks as I begin to retreat backward. All the feeling of hope for a happy family has suddenly vanished but what hurts is that I gave something up for this dream. I had switched goals for family and now...this is what I get!

Soon enough, I'm sure, she'll start stumbling through the whole house announcing to every member that the old her is back!

"Yes. It's me but I don't have anything to say to you besides you'd remember nothing about in the morning," I state before hastily dashing out. I went back to the living room as all the thoughts of sleeping had vanished.

Tears are what now fill my formerly drowsy eyes as a million thoughts run through my head. That scenario is one I never imagined. It's very hard to believe that my mom, the one who knew everything we gave to have her in a healthy condition crawled back into the dangerous situation.

Does she want us to lose her too? From drinking, she could go back to her heroin, cocaine, and other harmful drugs consumption. She knows what we've been through so why is she making it harder?

I can't imagine what would have happened if one of the kids had walked in, they would have distanced themself from her, and they would feel how despaired I feel right now and get sad. She is not only risking her health condition but also risking our mental health, exposing us all to these harmful substances and hurting us more.

She was making us her collateral damage.

I look by my side staring at all our pictures together and being surrounded by them, I feel disgusted. Disgusted that she can't just try and be a good mother for her children. She is neglecting us.

I stand up throwing one of them to the ground but when I realize how stupid my action would be to turn this house upside down so I dash out of my house.

Staying around there was making all my pain come raw- every single one of them. I walk down the road with the pang still in my heart and surprisingly, the street is very much lively today. A lot of people are on the road and I can hear the loud music coming from a distant party.

I continue walking zombielike. The tears rolling down my cheeks pace keeps increasing with every minute that passes by and the more I think of what happened, the more I feel like there's nothing in life left for me. The person I had given up all my dreams for doesn't even value what I have done.

How stupid I was to think that everything would soon fall into place but I can't blame me, who would have guessed?

I keep walking but when I pass by 'the Hoopla club,' the loud music pumping and the lighting makes my steps come to a halt. The thought of going in to dance away my sorrows dawns on me. Why not just have fun like normal girls of my age will do every Friday night? Maybe I could be a new me today- one who would also think about herself and enjoy some goodies of life a little besides the dress I am putting on today is pretty good, it could fit in.

I walk past a couple making out and going closer to the club. When I arrive at the double swing door, a bodyguard pulls one of it for me and what welcomes me is the smell of alcohol and sweats.

People are wriggling their bodies to the DJ's music as blue and green lasers shoot out from the ceiling light. This is what I need, the noise, the people around, the way the lights look pretty good on their bodies, and of course, dancing seems to make everyone feel good.

I begin to make my way through the jam-packed area feeling great that my simple drape dress can fit in a little. I don't have too much regret entering here spontaneously.

When I arrive at a quite spacious dance area, I begin to wriggle my hair following the music's beat. I allowed the loud bass music to vibrate through my body as I swayed my hips to the beat of the popular remix.

Oh, and it feels so good to be spontaneous. I have even forgotten about everything that was running through my head, the regrets, the disappointment, the encounters, and my problems. I feel like I am in another world, a world of merry though with sweat and heat available.

I angle my knee as I keep my leg up then I raise my hands above my head moving my body to the rhythm of the music. As I keep feeling the song, I let my arms roam around my body. I swizzle my hips and bring my hands up further. I bring my hands back down to the same level as my hips as I begin to move my hips in circular motions my hand forming the invisible circle.

My best friend Jane did well in teaching me all these.

New songs come and go as I keep dancing but when my feet begin to hurt and I get tired, I head for the bar not wanting to ruin the joyous moment by heading home.

I arrive at the bar area sitting on one of the empty leather stools. There are two people by my side- one a guy whose head is having me as he talks to a very beautiful blondie and the other a drunk sexagenarian.

It takes a long while for the bartender to finish attending to the other side and during these times, I focus all my attention on the loud music going on as I dance in my brain. When he's finally done, I sigh in relief bringing my hand to the counter.

"Two shots of tequila with salt and lime. Then a bottle of beer," I say raising my voice for him to hear me and he nods going to get my order.

When my order gets to me, I put salt on my hand from the salt-box licking it and then taking my shot before sucking on the lime. I put the glass back on the counter looking by my side since I have been feeling a piercing gaze on me.

My eyes come in contact with a pair of blue impenetrable eyes and I blink. I feel like I am seeing one of those LA runway models. You hardly see a guy dressed this exorbitant around this area- a very cute and well-built one at that.

After just gazing at him for a while, I return my attention to the drink in front of me "What?" I ask dismissively. The last I want right now is a company especially that of a male horny stranger.

If he needs a girl, he can have most of them here since nearly all of them have been ogling at him. That's what money and good looks can achieve.

As for me, that's the least on my mind. It has always been. Instead of relationships, guys, and s*x, what I think about is how to survive, my family, and stay strong.

"You danced well and since you didn't seem to notice, I'll tell you that some people couldn't get their eyes off you. One of this kind Is in front of you." He says after a while cutting my thoughts and I mentally sigh.

Didn't he get the signal?

"I'll pass," I state without looking at him. From his behavior and face, I can tell that he's the flirty, nonchalant, and non-committed type of guy, so apart from the fact that I'm not in a good mood, he isn't my type of guy.

Suddenly, he moves from his stool and comes to sit at the one beside me. "Don't you need company? I can see you're here alone. You can try me out," He states but I just ignore him. I don't have any extra energy left for exchanging words with him.

I put salt in my hand, grabbing my next shot of tequila but this annoying guy speaks again. I swear if staying here wasn't necessary, I would've left.

"If you drink more, you will get drunk. Two more shots of that might not end well," He smirks. That's when I finally give him the attention that he's been craving.

"And how about I tell you that's what I came to do,"

I state bluntly but the guy in front of me seems to take that as progress.

His smirks gets wider "Wanna to share the reason?" He asks and I pour the shots in my mouth.

Yeah, you get it. I give up.

I place my glass on the table with a new motive: getting to know this guy in front of me. Since he didn't feel like leaving so why not ask about his life?

A proper dialogue with a guy is something I haven't done in years. I haven't waited to hear the end of a guy's pickup line, responded to hit-off texts, Or gone on any dating app in years.

Yeah, years.

I take my time to study him. I know was already getting tipsy so I just hoped that I wasn't looking at him the way I imagined. I bring my hand to the beer grabbing with a naughty smile on my face.

"Bartender, bring us an extra cup," I call out then I return my attention to the guy in front of me.

Maybe this would help me tonight.