Quiet Intervals

Day filled with Booze

We're leaving at dawn. My mother and I decided not to bring it up and talk about it. It's like, new day. 

While on the road, I realized maybe I got what I really want even if it's not Arkin. I just got out of the quiet interval. Maybe. Something happened that is out of the routine. It was nerve wracking but at least, it's really something. Plus, I am heading to a trip now with my family. It's gonna be wholesome and quiet but maybe it will be fun. After all, new environment. 

After a few hours drive, we reach the destination. We were welcomed and the staff walked us to our rooms. I decided to unpack later and just walk around the beach.

Looking around, I see a familiar face. She's walking to me smiling so do I. "Kim!" I call and hug her. Wow, it's really nice to see a friend unexpectedly during family trips.

We catch up and then she invites me to go out and attend an event with her. Apparently, some of her friends are gonna perform near the beach. There, she introduces me to some of them and then they invite me to go drink with them after our trip.

...

I asked my parents to drop me off along the way since I am going to this certain place where Kim and her friends invited me. I enter this familiar pub. I used to hang out here with my college friends. It's renovated. It looks new and much better, but it felt homey. It's more spacious and it looks so chill. The lights look like sunset. The people inside are calmer unlike before when it's so noisy and rowdy. Anyway, both are good times. People are just having conversation with each other, except me. Kim and her friends are talking and laughing while I just listen and laugh along. 

I find myself in a table with people I'm not really close with but it's fine. I enjoy being quiet, you know, drinking during the day, wondering about anything. I'm finishing my second bottle looking at the decorations on the wall. It has that hippie aesthetic. 

While getting lost in my thoughts, I receive a message from another friend who's inviting me to her birthday party which happens to be at the pub across the road. "I'll be there, Loise." I texted back.

I got up and bid farewell to the people I probably won't see again. I cross the road finding Loise standing outside of the other pub. She sees me and welcomes me with a hug. 

"Hey! Happy birthday!" I said. "Why are you out here?"

"Thank you. I'm waiting for the others, they don't know this place." She replied, "Lei's inside with Jewel and others." 

"Aight, see you there." I get in and search for their spot. I find Lei waving her hand.

I walk to their table and they give me a welcome shot, telling me I gotta catch up. I order food because it looks like I'm gonna have lots of alcohol in my system since the party will actually start later tonight, and it's just 4 in the afternoon. 

Compared to pub earlier which I was more of appreciating the place, but now I'm appreciating the people I am with. The interior here looks plain but it seems to be a lot better because of the company. After a few hours, some are starting to leave, and some are just getting in here. 

The night is still young but Nic and Jewel are getting up so I decided to leave with them. We were drunk and now we're starting to sober up.  We took the train, because the two mentioned earlier that they wanna go somewhere and I'm just tagging along. I don't really know where but it's not like I care, since I'm just letting things to happen. 

While we're inside the train, I suddenly thought of Arkin and how I spent a few days without thinking about him. It feels nice that I am now less affected of him. 

Jewel instructs us to get off, so we did. But it was not our stop, we actually missed it. Damn, she still drunk huh. Anyway, we just decided to see what's in here so we went out of the station and keep on walking. We find a group of people heading to this certain street. Man, there's a lot of drunk people. Apparently, it's a street of pubs and night clubs. The music's loud. There are people partying while on the other side are more of the chill drinkers. Jewel tells she's gonna check something and then leaves us.

It's just Nic and I. We stop outside this open pub, she goes inside to buy us a bottle of booze.

While I'm busy scanning over the place, a guy approaches me and to my surprise, it's Yael. The guy I used to date before the shit goes down. My first love. The reason I don't settle anymore. He kind of set the standard and no one seems to pass beyond. 

But looking at his smiling face, who's just telling me that he's surprised to see me here, I suddenly saw the resemblance of him and Arkin. How both like me but not that much... not enough to keep me.