Everything about Him

Chapter 5

Tala's POV:

Kanina pa umiinom si Chino at Riley sa tabi ko pero salamat naman sa Diyos at hindi pa nalalasing ang dalawang 'to.

"Huy, tumigil na nga kayo sa pag-inom. Hindi ako marunong mag-drive kaya walang magmamaneho sa inyong dalawa pauwi," I said; trying to scold them as they were drinking tequilas continuously. As far as I know, matapang ang tequila. Well, accoring to the books that I've read before. I don't know lang if it's true.

"Chill, Tala girl. We won't get drunk that easily. Mataas alcohol tolerance namin nitong ni intsik. Right, Lim?"

"Yeah!"

Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko kanina. Halata naman sa dalawang 'to na may tama na sila dahil kung ano-ano na ang sinasabi nila na tanging silang dalawa lang din ang nagkakaintindihan.

"Huy, tama na kasi 'yan. Hindi ko kayo maaasikaso nang maayos kapag nalasing kayo kaya please lang tigilan niyo na 'yan. Nakakarami na rin kayo, e. Kanina pa kayo umiinom oh."

Simula pagdating namin dito umiinom na agad sila, at hanggang ngayon. Para akong mamamatay sa kunsumi sa dalawang 'to. Mga ayaw magpaawat.

"Tala?" I looked up and saw a girl standing beside me with a wide smile on her face. Okay? Who is this?

"Hi, can I help you with something?" Pagtatanong ko. Hindi ko naman kasi siya kilala kaya walang rason para lapitan niya ako.

"Uh, no! I just wanted to approach you 'cause you seem nice hehe. If that's fine with you."

Seryoso ba ang isang 'to o lasing lang din?

"Totoo ba? Hahaha. Sure. But sorry, I don't trust people easily kasi." Simula bata ba naman ako nakaranas na ako ng bullying. From those people pa na akala ko mga kaibigan ko. That's why I only have two friends that I trust the most. Chino and Riley.

"Oh, no worries! That is totally understandable!" Napaurong ako nang kaunti nang bigla siyang umupo sa tabi ko nang wala man lang paalam. That's not something that I would be proud of if I were her.

"Here, drink this." She handed me a glass of something but I shrugged off it since I am not really into alcoholic drinks. "C'mon, this won't kill you. Just one shot, Tala. It's not like you're going to hell after drinking one shot. You're in a party after all."

Is she seriously convincing me right now? And for what? Just for an interaction? That's sus.

"Hehe, I'll pass. Thank you. I'm not drinking alcohol that's why I refused."

"Just this once, okay? I came here because no one wants to drink with me, e. Can't you drink this just once? Please?"

I don't know why is she forcing me to drink this one shot of liquor but I still agreed. Ininom ko 'yung isang shot para tumahimik na siya at lubayan na ako if possible dahil hindi ko naman siya kilala at hindi ako basta lang nakikipagkaibigan sa kung sino-sino.

"Yehey! Thank you for accepting my request, Tala! See you around!" And with that, she just left.

Mapait ang ininom ko pero tolerable naman dahil hindi ganoon katapang ang lasa.

"Hey, Chino. Ask Riley to stop drinking na. Today is not the day for her to get drunk."

"Why?"

"Basta patigilin mo na lang. Tatanong ka pa kung bakit, e. Pingutin kaya kita?"

"Hahahaha, I'm just kidding. Okay, wait. Hold on a second," pagpapaalam niya bago umalis sa pwesto namin para puntahan si Riley na nasa bar counter at humihingi pa ng drinks.

I still don't get why some people are obsessed with drinking alcoholic drinks. They say that it helps you forget in the meantime but I don't think it's a valid reason to go beyond being alcoholic.

I saw Laxus not from afar, talking to a girl again. Walang araw yata na hindi ko siya nakitang may kausap na babae. Araw-araw, walang mintis. Iba-iba ang kasama niyang babae. I wonder what he is thinking.

"Tala."

"Where's Riley?"

"Cr. Maybe throwing out a little bit?"

"Gago, bakit hindi mo sinamahan?"

"Ayoko makaistorbo."

"Huh? Saan? Bakit ka naman makakaistorbo?"

"You remember Angelo?"

"Angelo? Riley's ex?"

"Yup."

"What's with him?"

"He's with Riley now. Asking Riley to talk to him even just for a little bit."

"Oh. Is Riley super drunk?"

"Nah. She can manage. Riley can handle herself well and we know that."

Angelo is Riley's ex from our high school days. They're a famous high school couple from our school dati. People say na they are perfect for each other because they complement each other very well, and I agree with that. Angelo is a nice guy. He takes care of Riley very well, and he knows how to handle Riley. It's just Riley. Riley broke up with Angelo a year ago. I don't know the exact reason why but I am sure that it is not because of Angelo.

"Should I take you home na?"

"Nah, let's wait for Riley na lang. And wala rin naman akong gagawin sa bahay nila Laxus ngayon. Si Mama panigurado tulog na. Tsaka gusto ko rin maranasan umuwi nang late hehehe," nagaalangang sambit ko.

"Why do you want to experience this? May balak ka bang pumunta sa mga ganito lagi?" He joked.

"Hindi naman, baliw. Wala lang. Alam mo naman kasi na puro bahay at school lang ako. Kayo nga lang ni Ry kaibigan ko, e. Tsaka bilang lang sa daliri kung ilang beses ako lumalabas ng bahay sa isang buong taon."

"Right. You're too good for this society talaga," he said seriously.

"Ang seryoso mo naman, Chin. Nagbibiruan lang tayo rito, e. Baka mamaya niyan umiiyak ka na d'yan, ha."

"Baliw, why would I cry naman? There's nothing to cry about. It's just that I am already sober and I am feeling a little bit of aching na in my head because of alcohol."

"Oh, ganoon ba? Gusto mo na ba umuwi? Pero pahinga ka muna siguro. 'Wag kang mag-drive nang ganiyan ang nararamdaman mo. Palipas muna tayo ng oras dito bago tayo magsiuwi lahat, okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Excuse me, Chin. Cr lang ako. Dito ka lang, ha? Baka pagbalik ko wala ka na rito! Hindi ko alam kung sa'n kayo hahanapin ni Riley!"

"Of course I will stay here. Ingat ka on your way to the cr, okay? Maraming loko d'yan. Do you want me to accompany you ba hanggang labas lang?"

"No na, Chin. I can manage, thanks! Just stay there na lang and please don't leave."

Tumango si Chino kaya naman pumunta na agad ako sa cr. I'm starting to feel dizzy and I feel like throwing up kaya nagpaalam ako na pupunta akong cr. Isang shot lang naman ang ininom ko pero grabe na ang kirot ng ulo ko.

Hindi ko sinabi kay Chino dahil pipilitin lang ako nun na umuwi na kahit hindi pa namin kasama si Riley. Ayoko naman na umalis dito nang hindi namin kasama si Riley.

"Shit."

My head's spinning and my vision is getting blurry. Parang umiikot ang paligid ko at ang paningin ko naman ay hindi naka-sentro. Napahawak ako sa sink nang muntikan na akong mapaupo dahil pagewang gewang na ang pagtayo ko. I can't control myself and my knees are also feeling weak.

Tangina, what's with that drink?

I tried to wash my face with water sa pagbabakasakali na mawala ang hilo ko perp hindi iyon tumalab. Para pa ring binabarena ang sintido ko sa sobrang pagkirot na nararamdaman ko.

Is this normal for just one shot? I don't think so. That girl definitely put something into that drink kaya ako nagkakaganito ngayon.

"Supid, Tala. Are you not thinking? Of course she put something in that drink. That's why she's forcing you to drink it, at ikaw na tanga ka, ininom mo naman. Stupid." Sambit ko sa sarili ko habang nakayuko pa rin sa sink dahil pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko kayang iangat ang ulo ko.

My body's feeling heavy at ang init ng pakiramdam ko. I feel like I am burning inside na kahit paghinga ko ay mainit ang binubuga.

Hinayaan ko munang lumipas ang ilang minuto bago ko sinubukang lumabas sa cr. Dahan-dahan ang naging paglabas ko dahil pinakikiramdaman ko pa ang sarili ko.

Dahan-dahan akong naglakad hanggang sa unti-unti ring nanlalabo ang paningin ko. I saw some guy standing in front of me asking if I'm fine pero pati pandinig ko ay hindi na klaro. Everything is just so loud, people are screaming the lyrics of the song that's playing, they're jumping, the music are blasting, and I couldn't feel myself anymore.

And before I could even grasp the guy that's in front of me, everything went black.

---

Dahan-dahan kong minulat ang aking mga mata at ang una kong nakita sa aking harapan ay ang harapang bahagi ng kotse. Pero hindi kotse ni Chino 'to.

"You're awake?"

"s**t, what am I doing here with you!?" I asked frantically.

I'm currently inside Laxus' car! What the hell am I doing here right now!? I am supposed to be with Riley and Chin!

"You don't remember what happened?" He asked. Trying to sound like he's giving me a hint of something.

Sinubukan kong alalahanin ang mga kaganapan kanina pero sadyang walang pumapasok sa isip ko ngayon na kahit pa isang pangyayari mula sa nightclub ay wala akong maalala.

"Ano nangyari? Tell me. Did I do something wrong? Did I say something inappropriate?" Desperadong pagtatanong ko.

"Did you?" Then he smirked.

Tangina namang buhay 'to oo.

"What are you smirking about? I am trying to figure things out right now that's why I'm asking you what happened earlier in the nightclub?"

"Why are you using straight English? Aren't you the daughter of our maid?"

Tangina nito ah.

"Alam mo? Ang bastos na nga ng ugali mo, ang tanga mo pa kausap. Bahala ka sa sarili mo kung ayaw mong sabihin kung ano ang nangyari kanina! Leche." Sinubukan kong buksan ang pinto ng kotse niya pero hindi ko magawa dahil kahit ano'ng pilit ko na buksan iyon, hindi tumatalab dahil naka-lock.

"You were spiked." He said that made me stop trying to open his car's stupid door.

"Spiked?" I asked.

"Yeah. Whatever you drink before going to the cr has something in it. Did you drink something or eat something from the nightclub?"

"May babaeng lumapit sa akin. She offered me one drink tapos pinilit niya ako na inumin 'yun. Ininom ko naman din para manahimik na siya at lubayan niya na ako dahil hindi siya tumitigil sa pangungulit sa akin." Pagpapaliwanag ko at agad naman siyang napatingin sa akin with a confused look plastered all over his face.

"You did what?" He asked na para bang hindi makapaniwala sa pinaliwanag ko kanina.

"Hindi ka ba nakikinig o bingi ka?"

"What about you? Are you stupid or what? Some stranger offered you a drink tapos ininom mo naman agad? Are you even thinking? It didn't even cross your mind that maybe that drink that she is offering has something in it that's why she's forcing you to drink it?"

"I got suspicious to be honest. Pero ayoko kasi ng ginugulo ako kaya ininom ko na lang din para lubayan niya na ako."

"Why, where's your angel friend Chino?" He emphasized the word angel. This sarcastic jerk.

"None of your business. Open your car now. Papasok na ako sa loob."

Naka-park lang ang kotse niya sa labas ng gate ng mansyon nila. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi niya pa pinasok sa loob samantalang taga-dito naman siya.

"Aren't you going to ask what happened between us?"

What?

Huh?

Between what?

Happened between who?

Come again?

Earth on Tala? What did the hell happen?

Did I hear it right or is this just some side effect of that drink?

"You seem shocked by what I've said. Hindi mo naaalala?"

"Stop pulling a trick on me, Laxus. It won't work. Open the door."

"What if I don't want to?"

He leaned closer to me and his stares right now are much deeper than his stares before. I'm feeling things on my stomach just like what I've felt when I had a staring contest with Chino.

What the hell is happening? Why is he getting closer and closer?

"You kissed me."

"What!? I did what!?" Hindi ko maiwasang mapasigaw dahil sa narinig ko kaya naman napalayo siya sa akin habang tumatawa.

"You're easy to fool pala 'no? Hmm. Why would you think that what I've said is true? Lol, there's no way on Earth I would let that happen. I mean, no offense, but who are you?" He asked. Looking down on me.

Then the doors of his car opened and he left first.

He left right after judging my whole existence. He just left.