Here, Under the Stars

CHAPTER 6

-- ASHI --

"Ashi..." Someone took the bottle from my hand. It was my cousin, Ava.

She used to work in Canada but she went home after she was fired a year ago. She's now a barista in this club.

"I missed you!" I gave her a tight hug.

"Why are you drinking? What's our problem?" She asked as she was mixing drinks.

"My ex." I laughed bitterly. I can feel the alcohol taking over my body.

"She's back?" She asked, surprised. The last thing Ava knew about my ex is that she ghosted the band. 

Ava moved to Canada for college kaya madalang lang kami magusap. I don't even think she knows who my ex is. I just told her that my ex ghosted us.

She ghosted me.

"Apparently she was the head musical director of the festival we performed at yesterday." I tried to remember how she looked yesterday. 

She acted so normally as if she didn't hurt us. As if she didn't hurt me.

"She's the CEO of Solace Music Entertainment too."

"Solace?" Ava arched a brow. "The recording company in Canada?"

"That's the one!"

Ava made me more drinks while she told me the story of how she got terminated at her previous work. I can't believe how difficult her life was back then.

Ava had to leave me since she has customers to attend to. I took out my phone and contacted someone important. I took out my purse to pay for the drinks as I made my way to my car. I finished a bottle of water to sober up a little bit before I started driving.

I had my eyes on the road when my phone started to ring. I reached for it but it fell to the ground. The road was clear so I tried to reach for it but when I looked up, another car was fast approaching. 

I saw people rushing over.

I can't move my body.

My head is aching.

The next thing I know... it was all black.

"Thank God you're okay!" Stella's face was the first one I saw.

"Why were you drunk driving?" Malia scolded me like she was my mother.

"Huwag mo na pagalitan, babe. Kagigising lang ni Ashi oh." Gia calmed her girlfriend down.

"You were thinking about Magui again, 'no?" Savannah asked.

I looked at Cleo who was just staring at me. Hindi niya pa alam na I saw her with Magui before I got myself to this accident.

"Can you guys leave me and Cleo alone?" I asked the girls.

They told me that they'll stay outside. We waited for them to leave and close the door before I turned my eyes to Cleo.

"Do you need something? May masakit ba sa'yo?" She asked concerned.

"I know that you were with Magui." I told her straight to the point. She was shocked. "I know that you asked her to stay."

"I'm sorry, Ashi..."

"I want to see her, Cley. I want to see Magui."

Cleo went out to call Magui. 

I know that my mind is not yet ready to see Magui again but my heart wants to.

I want to forget the pain.