Nights Like This

CHAPTER 3

I told myself na enough na yung na inom ko nung nakaraan for me to stay drunk for a very long time but here I am on ZONE17's bar top with a glass of martini blue in front on me trying so hard not to mind Jaye's stares at me.

"What?" asik ko sa kanya. I combed my hair backwards and lets out a deep sigh.

Masama na ang tingin ko sa kanyabut the guy really has the audacity to raise one of the corner of his lips at me while he continue to wipe the glass that he's holding whike his head is tilted on left. He didn't say anythung kahit na I know that he clearly have something to say. Umiling lang sya at tinalikuran ako.

"If you're gonna say something, just say it Jaye." I know he heard me say that because he immidiately faced me.

Pati talagang ito si Jaye ay dumadagdag sa stress ko talaga eh.

"Nandito ka na naman," sabi nya. Itinukod nya ang dalawang kamay nya sa counter at naka harap sya sa akin.

"As you can clearly see, yes. Nandito na naman ako," sabi ko in a very 'hindi-ba-obvious' tone.

I just can't helo it so I rolled ny eyes on him saka huminga ng malalim.

"You just got really drunk the last time," paalala nya.

"Do you want me to go or what?" I snapped but Jaye didn't really looks like he's affected by that because he chuckled instead.

"Hindi ka ba nauubusan ng problema?" tanong nya. "Do you want to permanently live here? Parang lalo ka yatang napapadalas rito."

I reached out my hand to hold the drink and sip it. Nothing really beats alcohol on my system. It's like I am the fire and the alcohol fuels me.

"Well, life gives me too much of it and I really have no choice kundi problemahin ang problema," I said. I guess he understood me dahil he nods his head.

I mean, who wants to have it? Nobody wants to have all these stress and problems but life just keeps throwing stones at me and I am so mad that I also want to throw life stones. You know. Pag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng tinapay. Nah I want to throw stones but I don't know to what or whom should I aim.

Ang gusto ko lang naman eh to live my life the way I want it but being a family member of a politicians. I can't seem to do that. My brother thinks that I am being a rebel. Really? At my age? U am so dumbfounded when he interprets my freedom as a rebelious act.

"Slow down your alcohol intake. You drove here," paalala nya.

Right. I drove here at full speed while my emotions are high. I don't think I've gone here ng masaya. Parang nagiging empotional dumpsite place ko na yata itong bar na and I don't really see myself breaking down if not here.

This place just gives me that bitter and sweet feeling.

Just like the alcohol.

"Walang mag a- alaga sa'yo paglasing ka like the last time," dagdag nya.

That caught my attention. Bigla kong ibinaba ko ang glass ko and I leaned closer to Jaye. Itinukod ko yung arms ko so I could support my weight. I focused my attention on him and he didn't seem to take that well dahil he's doing all his might to create a distance between us by pushing his body back.

I stopped.

"Chill. I'm not gonna kiss you if that's what you're thinking. Ew."

Binawi ko yung katawan ko sa pagkaka lean masyado and then inayos ko ang pagkaka upo ko. I even crossed my legs.

Jaye scoffed at my remarks and he looked at me like he's offended. "Maka ew ka dyan," aniya.

"Ay, bakit? You really want to kiss me?" biro ko sa kanya for my own entertainment. Lalo namang lumukot ang mukha nya. He seriously looked really disgusted with the idea and so am I. Kung may alternate universe lang itong life na 'to, I would really want him to be my brother. Or pet dog. I don't know.

"I thought you're trying to get me fired and banned from working in any field I could possibly enter," aniya.

I raised one of my eyebrows on him."You could get fired from that? And banned?"

Wow. I didn't know that the consequences of kissing a customer when you are a bartender would be this heavy. Suspended or fired is really understandable but being banned? That's heavy!

"Fired, yes. Banned? My boss can do that if I try to kiss you," aniya. He gave me a meaningful look in the eyes. Wala rin sa face nya na hindi sya seryoso because he really is.

Tumango ako sa kanya. I don't think naman na it's only applies on me. For sure, it also applies to other customers as well.

Napaka intense naman ng boss nya. On the other hand, I also kind of understand because the risk and chance of that to happen is really high most especially in places like this. Yet, I don't seem to fully understand how could a possible 'drunken mistake' could lead into being banned from field.

Was that how it really is? I also don't know.

"So-" Naputol ang pag sa- salita ko nang biglang iwan ako ni Jaye at lumakad pa- kanan while another customer sat on the bar and he has to attend it.

Nang matakatalikod sya, Jaye looked at me and mouthed me 'wait' so I nod.

I sipped on my drink habang hinihintay sya na matapos. Wala naman talaga akong plano to get drunk for tonight. I just don't want to go home with all the sama ng loob and tire myself from crying all night while I hug my Coco, my cute baby corgi. I love to hug her but I hope I'm not crying.

Siguro naman walang rule that bartenders should not have a conversation like this with customers because if they have, matagal na sanang na fire si Jaye.

On the other note, I now have completely no interest to deal and stress outwith my problems anymore. Well, as of the moment lang naman. Mas na curious na lang ako sa kung anong itatanong ko dapat kay Jaye.

"So," panimula ko nang maka balik sya sa harap ko while he wiped the counter.

"So?" pag ulit nya sa sinabi ko.

"Sino nga kasi yung nag check in sa akin- Wait. That sounds wrong," I cleared my throat to magically disperse that embarassment. Jaye just chuckled. "Okay. Again. Sino ba talaga yung nag asikaso sa akin nung lasing ako and why wouldn't tell me who that was?"

Jaye looked at me like he's done at me for repeatedly asking him the same question mula nung kinuha ko yung kotse ko rito.

I mean, who is that person that Jaye couldn't even tell me his name. Is that some sort of privacy violation or what.

"Napaka persistent mo din ano? Camila, he knows that you are thankful for that night and he said you are always welcome. Okay na yun," sagot nya.

Ayaw nya talagang sabihin sa akin kung sino iyon and it makes it piques my curiousity more.

"You could just tell me his name and I'm good with that. It's not as if I could recognize him eh hindi ko nga sya maalala," I said frustratedly.

Jaye shrugged his shoulders and binigyan na naman nya ako ng isang makahulugang tingin. It's like he really knows something but there's no way that he'll tell me what's that about.

This person really increases my stress and frustrated level eh.

"Just let it go Cami," tudyo nya.

"How could I let that go when it bothers me a lot now and you wouldn't tell me! Nakaka loka ka!" sabi ko sa kanya.

"Okay! Okay. I'll tell you kung sino yun," mahinang sabi nya like it's almost enough for me to hear.

Excited akong nag lean again pa lapit sa kanya. Finally! After weeks of pestering him with it, sasabihin nya na. It's not as if naman I'd do something with that info.

I just want to know who saved me while I was being a complete mess that night.

Nagpa linga linga pa sya sa paligid nya like what he's about to tell me will destroy humanity and it shall never be mentioned in front of other human beings.

I inhaled and then exhaled then I poured him all of my attention.

"Who was it?" tanong ko.

"That was my boss, " pag amin nya. He's really serious.

Huminga ako ng malalim saka inirapan sya. I really made sure na makikita nya yung pag roll ny eyes nya.

"What the? Boss mo lang pala tapos ang tagal mo akong pinahirapan kaka isip kung sino ba yun?" I said to him.

Jaye laughed at my rage. He knows what he did and he doesn't regret it.

"Who's your boss then?" nanghahamon kong tanong sa kanya. Hindi ouwedeng hanggang doon lang ang information na he could tell me.

As if reading my mind, Jaye said this. "I afraid I can't tell you my boss' name for confidentiality. So, nope."

Suminghap ako to calm myself down. That guy's literally me lose my patience.

"What do I do with that information kung hindi mo rin naman sasabihin kung sino? I don't even know him," sabi ko.

Jaye nods his head. "Exactly. Hindi mo rin sya kilala so why bother knowing his name?"

Ibubuka ko sana ang bibig ko to rebutt but I can't think of anything to rebutt to that.

"Is he here?" tanong ko ulit. Baka naman mamaya nandito pala sya and maybe I could use that opportunity to thank him personally and maybe repay na rin sa ginastos nya sa hotel and everything. Syempre, for being caring enough not to let me, a drunk person, go alone.

Kung mag isa ako ng gabing iyon, I might have done a serious trouble again and my brother will be all over my business again.

"He won't meet you. Busy yun," agad na sagot nya even though I didn't even say anything. The way he said that is like he knows me enough to conclude that.

"Okay. Edi hindi," I said.

I am now gonna surrender and stop asking for that person.

From looking at me, Jaye raised his head saka may sinundan sya ng tingin. He looks a bit shocked because his eyes instantly got bigger. Jaye looked at me and then to someone or something na sinusundan nya ng tingin ng ilang beses.

Then, umiling sya saka tumango sa nasa likod and mouthed something that I can't quite understand.

I got quite curious kung sino o ano yung nasa likod and why does Jaye looked like he's caught hiding something.

"Ano yun?" I said then I shifted my body towards the back.

The only thing that I saw is a guy's back. His muscles are about to burst in his fitted white tshirt. Sandali ko lang nakita yung likod na yun because the guy immidiately pulled the staff room's door beside the counter saka pumasok, looking like he's in a hurry.

Humarap ako muli kay Jaye na mas malaki na ang awang ng labi at pag dilat ng mat mgaying when I realized something.

"That was your boss?" I intriguely asked.

Because if he's not a staff or owner, how can he open the door to the staff room.? Right? Those who have no access can't enter or else that would be tresspassing.

Tumango si Jaye. "Yup. That's him."

I smiled at napa tango ako while my eyes is still fixated on the closed door.

According to what I have seen and from what I could remember during that night, he looks just the same.

But why do I keep this feeling like his stance and posture. The back look, especially, looks really familiar to me.