Nights Like This

CHAPTER 10

I'm still in the car with my younger brother, Fritz, while we wait for Ms. Mai's go signal before we go out of the car. Hindi ko pa nakikita kung ano ang nasa loob but I can see that it's not a small dinner. They rented Dad's favorite restaurant and it's safe to say na we are a regular here in this place. I have no idea who are the people that my dad invited in this dinner but I can attest that they're all a big person in different agency. Ngayon pa lang, I can picture out the room filled with every Tito and Titas that I may and may not know.

"Matagal pa ba?" Fritz whispered. Ilang minuto pa lang kaming naka tigil but he's already getting irritated by waiting. His forehead's already creasing already.

"You can go down na and then let all the media peeople flock on you," I told him.

That's also what bores me with events like this hosted by my parents. I couldn't see anyone of my age to talk to. Lahat sila puro mga ka- edaran nina Mom and Dad. Of course, they won't have an idea if I talk to them about the club that I went with my friends the last time I was out or about the fun places that's popular to guys and girls of my age. What they like to talk about is their Birkin bag collections and their favorite topic of all time, their husbands.

The guard knocked on the window kaya sabay kaming napa angat ng ulo ni Fritz. I saw Ms. Mai's hand waved like she's urging us to come down already.

"Can we go down na?" asked Fritz while rolling down the window, confirming na makaka baba na kami.

"Yes po sir, cleared na po sabi ni Maam Mai," sagot ni Kuya sa kanya.

The guard opened the door and fritz went out first and then me. I was about to step on the staircase nang mapansin ko na there's something that I am missing. I instinctively looked at my wrist and didn't see the bracelet that Mom gave me to wear.I cannot lose that because it is filled with diamonds that costs thousands of pesos.

Despite the growing panic, I tried to calm myseldf down and maintained my facial expression.

I turned back to the car to find the bracelet, hoping na nalaglag ko lang sa car.

"Where are you going Cam? Are you gonna ditch thd event again?" I heared my brother say suspiciously.

"No. I lost my bracelet. I'm gonna see if I dropped it on the car," I told him. The guard opened the car and yumuko ako sa ilalim ng mga seat to see kung nalalaglag ko ba.

I continued looking for it but I really I really can't seem to find it.

"Matagal pa ba?" They're alll waiting on us," paalala nya. I extended my arm but I stil can't find it.

Na pe- pressure na rin ako because nagmamadali na si Fritz and hindi ko pa nakikita kung nasaan yung bracelet. I really wouldn't mind this much if that bracelet is just like the normal bracelets but it isn't.

"Just go without me first," sabi kosa kanya, slightly getting irritated. I am now nervous really bad and worried that I really lost it.

Fritz went inside and I coykd hear the rustling noises from the restaurant where they're all in when my brother entered. I opened my phone and opened myself a fashlight saka ko pinasada sa ilalim ng mga upuan and to my surprise, the braceletis in there. Nasa harapan at naka siksik sa gilid. It shone brightly nung natamaan ng ilaw from the flashlight.

"Are you ready na? Settled na ba ang lahat?" asked Ms. Mai as I took my steps up to the entrance of the restaurant.

I nods and then exhaled shortly. I took my steps forward and one step in to the place, wala akong ibang makita kundi ang flash ng mga cameras. I think I heard a gasp from them.

I extended my smile so I would look good in photos and I delicately puts both of my hands on the side. Sa totoo lang, I don't really know what's going on them why they looks so eager to film me.

After that photo zone, Ms. Mai escorted me to our table. Naroon na sa table na yung ang dalawa kong kapatid. Sina Kuya Conrad with Ate Emi and si Fritz na kasama ko kanina. I didn't see Mom and Dad yet.

"Hi, Cami! You look so good!" ani Ate Emilia sa akin. Her husband looks like he's about to say something but he emded up closing his mouth and then he looked far.

"You look beautiful as always din, Ate."

I roamed my eyes and tama ako. There's lot of them na on the older side. Wala man lang akong makita na ka edaran ko.

I roamed my eyes to scan the place nad I saw a wine bar on the side so I excused myself.

I can't believe I even took so much time before I got to the place because I am stopping to every table na nadadaanan ko because they always stop me to have a small talk with me and I couldn't stop entertaining them kahit paano.

When finally na nakarating na ako, I got myelf a red wine and sipped on it. I feel like all the stress that I accumulated everyday gets washed down with that one sip from the wine.

Alcohol's really the best to calm my nerves down. I took that time to roam my eyes on this perspective. Everybody's dolled up kahit na technically dinner set up lang naman ito. This room hold may powerful and known people in this country. The circle's really small so kung sino yung nga atendees when we throw an event, sila sila lang din ang uma- attend.

Nararamdakan ko na ang guhit ng alak sa lalamunan ko.

"Whe are you here alone?" I strangely heard a familiar voice on my side. I looked at my side and I couldn't believe what I'm seeing now.

It's Vance looking good in his black suit. Seeing my boss here made me wonder what's his connection with my family that he's here on the dinner party of my Dad?