A stranger in white
1607 Words
Today is October 15th, and I am holed up in my condo, surrounded by plates for my Engineering Design classes and project materials, trying to finish my final plates.
My roommate Olivia, my brother Michael's girlfriend, chatted with me while I worked, her voice’s like a gentle hum in the background. It was already late, the clock striking eleven at night, when my phone suddenly rang, shattering our conversation. I glanced at the caller’s ID, and Princess's name flashed on the screen.
"Yes?" I instantly ask.
"Are you free right now?" I can hear her grinning; it seems like she's planning something again.
This kid, ever since she got here, she has become someone she shouldn't be.
“Finishing my plates, why?" I ask, even though I already know that she'll invite me somewhere again.
"Let's go clubbing! Come with us, please!" she excitedly said with pleading voice.
She's still a minor, 17 years old, and I am already 22, which is why she's asking me to come with her.
However, I usually get mistaken for a minor as well, maybe because I'm petite? I don't know either.
"I can't right now; besides, who's with you?" I ask with a creased forehead.
"My cousins, Dave and Alvin; they're not minors, don't worry, and they are really my cousins," she explains, sounding defensive.
At least she's with someone trustworthy, well hopefully.
"Okay, enjoy! I really can't right now, I’m sorry." I said before hanging up the call.
"Who's that?" Olivia asks.
"It's Princess," I chuckled when she scoffs after hearing my answer.
She really hates Princess because she knows that her image isn't quite well, especially when talking about guys, and Olivia is an innocent and faithful lady, so she despises players and liberated girls like Princess.
"What does she need this time?" she asks, rolling her eyes.
I laugh and say, "She asked me to join them; they'll go clubbing."
Olivia then told me not to go.
I just shrug and continue working on my plates when Dan, my cousin's cousin, calls. Dan is just 14 years old.
"Hello, baby Dan!" I said while smiling, even though he can't see me.
Dan is gay but he’s out so there’s nothing to hide and he’s also a jolly kid.
"Bella!! We're on our way clubbing! You really wouldn't come?" My forehead creases, and I shake my head.
Princess!!!! I knew it’s her idea to leave me with no choice, ugh, you got to be kidding me. I then took a deep breath and ask Dan about their location.
"Princess really knows how to get you," Olivia says before handing me my bag.
At this point, I don't have a choice but to go there because I am worried about Dan and Milo.
"Emilio will be very mad when he finds out, so what choice do I have? I don't even know how Dan got out," I say while shaking my head.
Dan’s living with Emilio, they are my cousin’s cousins so I am not directly related to them and I just happened to be so close to them ever since I met them.
"Don't drink!!!" Olivia reminds me before I open the door.
"I won't," I assure her before going out.
I drive my way to the club that Dan texted me about and arrive there immediately because, fortunately, it's just near my condo. I then call Dan when I arrive.
"Where are you?" I asked, but I could barely hear him because of the loud noise.
I really hate crowds and going to places like this.
"We're just near the entrance!" he shouted so I could hear him.
After parking, I went inside and, just like he said, I immediately saw them at a table near the entrance.
"BELLAAAA!" Princess exclaimed and came near me to give me a hug.
"Why did you bring Dan here? Emilio will be very mad!" I asked her.
"He wants to go, and besides, Emil is asleep, so don't worry!" I just shook my head before walking over to Dan.
"Don't ever do this again," I seriously told him, and he nodded.
"Come on, Bella, don't be a buzzkill! Let's just enjoy the night," Princess said, so I loosened up and tapped Dan's shoulder.
"I won't drink. I'm just here to look after you," I said.
"Anyway, Bella, these are Dave and Alvin, my cousins," she introduced the guys at the table, and I accepted their hands when they offered to shake mine.
We enjoyed the night as they wanted, we danced, and they drank as I watched over them. Minutes pass so I went back to our table because I felt tired, my mind was tired after a long day in school earlier, and now here I am, clubbing instead of resting.
By the way, I'm Isabella Harper Silva, a 22-year-old engineering student. Single but not available; the guy Emilio is the one I'm entertaining right now, but we aren't in a relationship yet since I'm not ready to enter one after the very recent guy, which only gave me trauma and pain.
"Do you want to dance?" I came back to my senses when Dave suddenly spoke beside me.
Honestly speaking, he is kinda creepy, though. I don't know, but I don't like the vibe within him a bit, or maybe I'm just being too loyal as usual that I don't want to vibe with any other guy.
"No, I don't," I immediately refused.
Even if I'm not in a relationship with Emilio, my loyalty is still with him. Also, I feel like I'm cheating if I'll entertain someone else. Well, you know, betrayal is cheating, right? Even if there's no labeled relationship, if you're already talking with someone, it's already considered betrayal if you still entertain another person in any way.
Besides, I really hate cheaters. Like they said, do not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you. Karma will definitely hit you hard.
"Seems like you're not used to noise, do you want to come with us outside to breathe some air?" Alvin offered.
They seemed like the type who wouldn't harm me, so I nodded. Besides, I needed fresh air— it felt suffocating in here with all these strangers around.
We went out to a smoking area; I hate smoke.
“Do you want?" Dave offered me a cigarette, which I refused immediately, and he apologized.
"We'll just finish this and go back inside, is that fine?" Alvin asked politely.
I nodded, and we just talked about random stuff until they finished smoking and decided to go back in.
When we returned, we saw Dan, Princess, and Milo dancing in the center so we went near them and joined the fun. While we were enjoying the rest of the night, Princess suddenly called us over.
"I saw someone right there," she said, pointing to the corner.
"A guy in white," she continued.
"Do you want to dance with him? I'll ask him," Dave said, grinning, which made Princess blush.
This girl! I shook my head while looking at her reaction, and then Dave went to the guy she was referring to.
"He said it's fine," Dave said, so they all went to the guy's table.
I am the only one left at our table, so after a couple of minutes of them not coming back, I went to check on them and saw them in a VIP area. They were all dancing while Princess was clinging to a stranger in white.
They saw me, so they asked me to join them. The guy in white looked at me, so I just waved my hand and sat on the couch near them while watching them dance. Princess came over to me.
“He said it's his birthday, that's why they're here, and we can join them," she said.
"Go ahead and have fun, I'll just sit here and watch," I said while smiling, so she went back to the center.
The people here were so wild; there were people kissing, shouting, dancing, and singing everywhere.
After an hour, I could see that Princess and the others were already drunk, especially Dave, who kept asking me to dance and touching my hand which made me felt uncomfortable and uneasy, so I decided to tell Princess that I needed to go.
"Come on," Dave said, stretching his hand and trying to reach me, but I kept refusing.
I stood up and went over to Princess, who was still beside the stranger she danced with.
"I need to go," I told her.
She was about to stop me, but I eagerly told her that I had to go home because Olivia had already called, which was a lie. I didn't feel safe and comfortable around Dave anymore.
"I'll go ahead, please take care of them for me," I told the stranger in white before waving and walking away.
"Update me when you get home," I told Dan when I bumped into him on the dance floor; he nodded and kissed me on the cheeks before I went out.
That's why I don't want to go to places like these because drunk people are another story to tell, and I don't drink anymore after my ex and I broke up, four years ago.
When I got home, I texted Princess; she immediately replied and told me that they also went out just minutes after I did. I felt relieved knowing that they got home safe. Kid nowadays really are unstoppable and real risk takers.
What a long and tiring night but it’s kinda fun tho.
- Writer
