Never Descending

Chapter 10

I'm in

Dahan-dahan kong pinungay ang mga mata ko. Acting as if my vision is getting fuzzy. Feigning like I'm feeling drowsy to even focus my eyes.

Inangat ko pa ang isang kamay atsaka hinilot ang sintido.

Basically putting on an extremely drunk state.

"Hmm.." I dramatically moaned.

Bahagya ko pang binagsak ang katawan ko sa kaniya na tila nanghihina.

Nakarinig ako ng mahina ngunit malutong na mura mula sa kaniya bago ko naramdaman ang pagpulupot ng braso niya sa bewang ko. His hand instinctively moved to support my body for my feeble and intoxicated pretense.

Pinigilan ko ang pagguhit ng kurba sa labi ko. His tensed and rigid muscles are strictly draped around me. It feels so warm and good to be enfolded like this by him.

I heard him exhale heavily.

"Who are you with?" matigas na tanong niya.

Hindi ko sinagot ang tanong niya. Instead, I let out another animated moan and decided to say something unrelated.

"I'm.. so drunk," tila nahihirapang daing ko.

Nakayuko ako habang nakasandal ang ulo sa dibdib niya kaya't hindi ko tuluyang makita ang ekspresyon niya. 

Nagpakawala siya ng bayolenteng singhap.

"Nasan ang mga kasama mo?" he grimly asked. "You better go home now, Iris."

My nerves jolted.

Did I heard that right? f**k. He called me Iris. He said my name. He knows my name. He remembers!

I tried so hard to hide my exhilaration. Then I chose not to address his point once again.

"So.. wasted," I mumbled while making myself seem high. And then I slowly turned my head upwards to face him.

Still with my made-up sleepy eyes, I smiled stupidly at him like how drunk people usually do.

Dahan-dahan kong inangat ang palad at magaang pinadapo sa pisngi niya. Unti-unting kumunot ang noo niya habang marahan kong dinarama ang balat niya. 

"I won't mind if you take advantage," I murmured then winked playfully at him.

His eyes darkened. Nagtangis ang bagang niya.

"Quit this, Iris." he gravely said. "I don't do drunk."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. Parang bigla akong nagising at kinilabutan. Mr. Primitive really said he don't do drunk. Sa sinabi ay tila rumagasa ang mapupusok na imahe sa isip ko.

"Does that mean you'll do me if I'm sober?" I blurted out with slightly widened eyes.

Bigla akong napaayos ng tayo dahilan para makalas ang pagkakasuporta niya sa katawan ko. Naiwan sa ere ang nakaalalay niyang braso habang lito siyang nakatingin sa akin.

"You know what? Actually I'm not really drunk. In fact, I'm totally conscious." I stated as a mater of fact. I flashed a sweet and excited smile at him. "Let's go!" aya ko.

He stared at me in bewilderment. Bahagya pang napaawang ang labi niya habang pinoproseso ang sinabi ko. Kalaunan ay napailing siya.

Marahas siyang bumuntong-hininga.

"I'm going." may pinalidad na paalam niya bago ako tinalikuran.

Napanganga ako sa bilis ng pangyayari at hindi pa agad nakagalaw.

"Hey!" I said.

Sinubukan ko pang tawagin ang atensyon niya habang nagsisimula na ring humakbang pahabol sa kanya ngunit hindi siya kailanman lumingon. 

The place was quite jam-packed with crowd so it wasn't easy chasing him. Malayo-layo na ang distansya namin kaya't siniguro ko na lang na panatilihin ang mata sa kanya upang hindi siya mawala sa paningin ko.

I saw him making his way towards the reserved VIP rooms. Hinarang pa ko ng isa sa mga bantay doon ngunit buti na lang ay agad kong nakita si Bruce na matagal ko nang kakilala. I asked for help to get in and I succeded.

Ilang sandali pagkapasok ni Ace sa isa sa mga silid ay agad akong sumunod at binuksan ang pinto.

"Ace-"

Natigil ang sasabihin ko nang madatnan na may iba pang tao sa loob. There were four other good-looking men on the long curved couch with three other girls which I think are entertainers based from the sexy angel costume that they are wearing.

"Woah.." I heard one of the guys said. 

He seems like the most friendly one based from the pleasant expression on his face.

He stood up and went near me with awe in his eyes.

"Iris Everleigh? The vlogger?" he said in amusement.

Dala ng gulat ay saglit pa kong napakurap-kurap. Ngingiti pa lang sana ako para sagutin siya nang agad kong maramdaman ang paglapit sakin ni Ace.

"Let's get you out of here," he held both my arms and subtly pushed me towards the door. 

Kalmado pa ang boses niya ngunit pakiramdam ko ay papagalitan niya ko pag kaming dalawa na lang. Hindi pa 'ko nakakabawi sa mga pangyayari kaya't napaatras na lang ako at nagpatianod sa galaw ni Ace.

"Hey, hey." pigil ng lalaki mula sa kanina. Iyong mukhang mabait. "Don't be rude to our guest, Ace. Pumunta siya rito kaya wag mo naman siyang itaboy,"

Ace doesn't look so convinced.

"Right." kumento ng isa pang mukhang pilyong lalaki na nakaupo sa couch. Tamad na nakapatong ang isang braso nito sa sandalan habang may naka-upong babae sa tabi niya. "Don't mind him, Miss. You're free to join us. Kung gusto mo lang naman," aniya at kumindat.

Ace stressfully puffed out a breath.

"Tuloy ka, Miss." sabi rin ng isa pang nakaupo at may hawak na inumin. "Ace is just really a partypooper, but you're definitely welcome here." he even slightly raised his glass in the air to offer an imaginary toast.

Everyone was naturally kind and hospitable to me. Si Ace lang naman ang hindi. Wala na siyang nagawa nang inaya ako papasok ni Zane, iyong unang pumansin sakin kanina, at magiliw naman akong pumayag.

They briefly introduced themselves to me and I did the same. I found out that they are friends and that they are also colleagues. They don't necessarily manage and work under the same company but they are all into the business industry.

It turns out that they are actually celebrating a bachelor party tonight since Paul, who was busy on his phone earlier, is about to get married really soon.

"Damn, dude. I can't believe you're friends with Iris! Wala ka man lang sinasabi!" Zane grunted.

Ace remained unresponsive. Suplado lamang itong nag-iwas ng tingin habang nakasandal sa couch. Mukhang hindi talaga siya natutuwa sa mga nangyayari.

"You see, Iris," singit ni Jett, yung mukhang pilyo kanina. "Zane has this huge crush on you. He always stalks you on i********: and everyone here can testify." halakhak niya.

I chuckled too. 

"That's cute..." I smiled. "Kaso may crush na rin ako eh," I joked.

Magaan silang kasama at masayang kakwentuhan. Ni hindi ko na namalayan ang pagiging wala sa mood ng katabi ko dahil sa mababait niyang mga kaibigan. Tinext ko na rin saglit si Jess na may nakita akong kakilala para hindi siya mag-alala.

"Guys, this is no fun!" Zane suddenly declared in the middle of the night. "Let's play some game,"

Their humor were very entertaining so I was amused throughout the night. They did some drinking games at sumali na rin ako sa ilan. 

Paminsan-minsan ay sinisilip ko si Ace sa tabi ko para alukin ng drinks at finger foods. Nanatili namang magkakrus lang ang mga braso niya.

"Sungit," I teased.

Naputol lang saglit ang paglalaro nang may pumasok na staff at sinabing ready na raw ang surprise sa man of the night. A very huge box was then placed inside the room. Pagkatapos ay tumunog ang isang tugtuging may mabagal na ritmo. 

Maya-maya ay bumukas ang kahon at inilantad noon ang isang babaeng nakatalikod sa amin. She started dancing sexily while her back was facing us.

"f**k. I told you I don't think this is a good idea. Patay ako kay Ash," sabi ni Paul. I guess he's pertaining to his soon-to-be wife.

His friends on the other hand just cheered wildly. Panay ang pang-aasar at panunuya nila kay Paul. 

Kabado pa sana siya lalo na nang humarap ang babae. But as it turns out, the girl who was dancing was actually his fiance, Ash.

Lalong lumakas ang hiyawan nila Zane. I, on the other hand, gazed dreamily at the loving couple. Naaliw ako sa panonod sa kanila pati na sa reaksyon ng mga magkakaibigan. I can't believe I even saw Ace smiling a bit one time! He just suppressed it when he felt me staring at him.  

"Sweet 'no?" bulong ko sa kanya. "I want what they have too," I cheekily remarked.

He didn't even show me any reaction. Tss. Pakipot talaga.

After that performance, Zane later on urged to continue the games.

"Body shot naman," Jett suggested.

Sumang-ayon ang iba at agad na pumwesto nang magkakaharap. Paul and Ash were partners of course.

"Dude hindi ka ulit sasali?" Zane asked Ace before he turned to me. "Partner na lang tayo, Iris? Kung okay lang," he even scratched his nape a bit.

I found my self shrugging in agreement afterwards. I don't think Ace will be joining anyway. Kanina pa siya hindi sumasama sa mga laro. Also, I'm used to these kinds of usual party games so I don't mind.

Zane smiled as I stood up. Ngunit bago pa man kami maka-ilang hakbang ay may naramdaman akong mainit na kamay na humawak sa palapulsuhan ko. Unti-unting humigpit ang pagkakakapit noon.

It was Ace. I didn't even notice him getting up from his seat.

But now he's looking directly into my eyes with gravity and earnestness.

"I'm in," he steadfastly said.

I wasn't sure if he was telling it to Zane or to me because his gaze was solely darted to my eyes.

He's in. He said he's in.

Wait... is he still referring to the game or... rather to my... proposition?

Thinking that it was the latter made me shiver.