All Over Again

Chapter 3: Just For One Night

Jerwin's POV

Three hours. She's three hours late. After making sure that everything was going well in the concert venue, I drove straight to Seis, a bar-s***h-nightclub diyan sa Makati.

I was supposed to meet her here before she leaves early tomorrow morning for a fashion show in Paris. But--tatlong oras na 'kong nandito, and wala pa rin. No text. No call.

Maybe she's being held up at work again.......?

I looked through the one-way mirror nung window at the wall separating the VIP room from the rest of the nightclub. The chaos outside is brightly lit by the laser-disco lights. Samantalang ako, nandito, mag-isa, halos maubos na yung pang-ilan ko na bang bote ng beer kakahintay.

We always meet up in this place. Aside from the fact na it's close to impossible to spot us among the number of heads that come in to party every night, Seis has one of the most private VIP rooms any nightclub can offer.

We don't have to worry about our "meeting" being leaked to the press -- which is just the way she wanted..

BEEP! BEEP!

Napatalon ako nung biglang nagtutunog at nag-vibrate yung cellphone kong nakapatong dun sa maliit na table in front of me.

I reached for it, half knowing what the text message would say, and half hoping I'd be wrong..

"Jerwin, I'm sorry.. We just finished with the rehearsal and I'm so tired. I don't think I'd be able to meet you up tonight. I'll see you when I get back? xx, Geena."

Well, I knew she was gonna ditch me again. I should've known better than to hope otherwise. *sigh* Wala na kong dahilan mag-stay dito. Sayang lang oras ko.

I threw a few bills on the table then sinalpak ung cellphone ko in my pocket but then, just as I stood up, the door to the VIP room suddenly swung open, and a girl literally stumbled inside..

O_O

I froze on the spot as she squinted her beady, drunk eyes at me, and then looked around the room..

"What? Izn't thizz the bathroom?"

-__-

"Uh, no.. The bathroom is on the other side of the building."

O_O

"Eh? That's weird.. I was so sure na dito un.. Ikaw! *pointed a shaky finger at me* "Take me to the bathroommm!"

O___O

*gulp*

Oh well...

I might as well walk her there since palabas na rin naman ako. Oh god, I hope she doesn't throw up or anything..

"O-okay"

I walked over to her carefully, watching her body as she sways dangerously from side to side and when I finally reached her, when her face was finally close enough to see in the poorly lit VIP room, mahulog-hulog ang puso ko! O_O

"You! Weren't you the girl from the music arena?!?!?!"

She squints her eyes at me. "Kuya.. Arena? Adik ka baaa? Nightclub to! Bar! And the best bartenders and margaritas in townnn!"

She doesn't remember me -__-

Which is not a surprise considering how much her breath reeks of alcohol..

Psh, alcoholic. Is she trying to kill herself?!?

"Okay.. Wala ka bang kasama?" I asked.

"Nope! I'm alone! Alone! All aloooonnneeee!! So let's go to the bathroom-room! Oh-kie!"

I offered her my hand kasi nga baka biglang bumagsak habang naglalakad kami.

Nakakahiya naman..

And that would attract a lot of attention..

She thrusts her hand in front of her, trying to take my hand -- only to fail.. -___-

I can just imagine kung ilang kamay ang talagang nakikita nya as she grabs halos each and every space na malapit sa kamay ko..

HAAAAAyyyyy...

After the third try, although it's amusing to watch her trying to figure out where my hand is, ako na ung kumuha nung kamay nya para lang mapadali kami..

"Ooohhh!!! Ayun pala ung kamay mo! I was starting to wonder kung bakit ang damiiii mong kamay! Kuya, are yoouu humann?"

Just then she looked up at my face again, and then swayed -- as in SWAYED-- left and right. And before I could even react, she passed out. collapsed. fainted. right there. with me.

Is this my unlucky night or something!!?!??

I caught her just a few inches before she hit the floor -- much to HER luck. And then, repositioned her so that I can scoop her up without breaking my back..

Surprisingly, she's not that heavy to carry -- much to HER luck again, dahil kung mabigat sya, I would've dragged her to the booth instead of carrying her.

I looked up at the door, still ajar from when she barged in, and noticed a few people starting to look. Guys who seem to have followed her drunken footsteps to this room. Guys who are emitting an aura of doing something not good. -___-

Well.. there goes the plan of just leaving her in this room..

I took a deep breath and pagkatapos kong magdasal sa lahat ng santo na naaalala ko, I walked briskly out of the VIP room with the idiot ghost girl in my arms..

I ignored the looks and the whispers hanggang sa

makalabas ako nung building and dashed straight to my truck..

It took me at least half an hour to get my keys out, figure out how to open the passenger door with her still in my arms, get her inside, make sure she doesn't fall over and hit her head on the dashboard--for the second time.. hehe malay ko bang babagsak syang paharap and besides, it would've been just my luck if that impact would wake her up, fasten her seatbelt, and finally, sitting myself in the driver seat.. T-T

After catching my breath, I reached out to the purse na naka-swung around her shoulder. I looked through her wallet searching for an ID. I found one, an ID with her home address.

A street name I've never seen before.. at ung barangay na I didn't even know existed.. -__-

How the hell am I supposed to bring her to a place na hindi ko naman alam kung saan?!? Nasa Luzon pa ba yun!?!

Cellphone!!

That's right, I can call someone and tell them to pick her up. Rummage through the purse again, found it! It's off. Who turns off their phones when they're in a bar? I tried to turn it on..

Nothing..

Maybe I'm pressing too lightly..

Try it again..

The screen flashed an image of a battery dying out...

Low batt..

O.O

Something... Something is definitely messing with my luck here. I slumped on my seat, speechless. I can't believe it. I'm stuck with this drunk girl, not knowing where to throw her out or who to call..

I should've just left her in that nightclub!!!

"Kuya... O_O Is this what you had in mind when your horoscope said something will change your life??!"

I stared at my sister's shocked face as she absorbs the image of me in the doorway, carrying a disheveled girl inside our house..

I know..

I got so hopeless that I ended up just taking the ghost girl back home with me..

"Shut up. It's not what it looks like."

Jean stared at the girl. "You're picking up drunk girls now?"

"It's not like I wanted to! *sigh* Look, just close the door and help me lie her down or something."

"Why?.. Is she a guest?"

"Jean.. I'll tell you the whole story in a while, okay? Now, will you just help me get her settled in your room? Coz it's tiring to just stand here, carrying her."

Sinarado ni Jean ung main door, but then she stopped to look at me nung sinabi kong sa kwarto nya dadalhin yung bitbit ko.

"Uh, she is NOT going in my room." she said.

"What?? Why not!?"

"One, I have a twin bed. We're not gonna fit kung magtatabi kami. Two, she smells like alcohol. Even if I sponge her down, she'd still smell like some sort of drink. Put her in YOUR room! Your bed is big enough and you don't care for alcohol-smell."

"WHAT?!? NO!"

"Why'd you bring her home then?!? We don't have a spare room! Unless you wanna put her in mom and dad's room."

"Ugh, don't even go there.. Look.. She's a GIRL! It's only proper that she uses YOUR room since you're a GIRL too!"

"No! You are not putting her in my room! Unless---"

She smiled, a cunning smile. I hate it when she smiles like that...

-___-

It signals my defeat. T^T

"--you want me to tell mom that you refused a concert in the States last month"

"You WOULDN'T! You know she'd freak out if she hears that!"

"Well, your room it is then!"

"Little brat."

Tumawa lang si Jean as she led the way papunta sa kwarto ko.

All the while rattling on about how we should probably clean up the stranger and change her clothes. It's a good thing my parents aren't home, or else. They'd probably kill me for bringing home a drunk, passed out girl.

*sigh*

Let's hope my bad luck stops here..

I slowly put down the unconscious girl sa kama ko and then turned to look at Jean, na naghahalungkat naman sa closet ko..

"What do you think are you doing?"

"She's borrowing one of your shirts."

"WHAT?!? WHY!??"

"We can't just leave her with the same clothes on.. That's just icky. And besides, I bet she's been wearing that uniform the whooleeee day."

Napatingin ako dun sa babaeng tulog sa kama ko. What Jean said might be true--I mean, surely, umaga yung klase niya, then she went to the music hall in the afternoon.. afterwards, she left but didn't go home and ngayon, yung uniform niya pa rin ang suot niya.

"This would do."

Bumalik yung tingin ko kay Jean na nag-pull out nung isa sa mga red shirts ko. She examined the size, then nung naisip nya sigurong it's good enough, she folded it and put it at the night table beside my bed..

"Why can't she just borrow one of your clothes?"

"Duh. My clothes are too small for her. Anyway, I'm gonna go get a face towel and a basin of water to clean her up. You should get a shower, Kuya. You look terrible."

"Oh, thanks. -__-"

"Heehee I'll change her clothes as well. I'll be done by the time you get out of the shower. THEN, you'll tell me why she's here."

I watched as Jean left the room para kunin ung portable cleaning utensils nya. Jean has always been this responsible kahit na gulo ko yung nililinis niya.

Ha.. It's hard to believe she's just 12..

I looked at the unconscious girl on my bed again..

Well.. one night of sleeping next to a stranger can't possibly hurt..