Zephyr Strings

Kabanata 9

Nakisali ako sa grupo ng mga babae't lalaking kanina pa tumatawag sa akin. They're familiar to me, and I know some of them since we're on the same campus. Tinanggap ko ang mga shots na binigay nila.

"I haven't seen you here for so long!" Ngisi ni Gabi, a tourism student.

Well, sa ibang bar ako pumupunta.

"Yeah, I was busy since the midterm is near. I'm glad I made it tonight!" Pagrarason ko at hinawi ang buhok bago sumabay sa beat.

"Ludovica, let's go to the center of the dance floor!" Anyaya ng hindi ko kilalang babae at hinila ako.

Nakangiti akong nagpatianod sa kaniya at tinaas ang kamay sa ere. The people are wild and I'm slowly getting tipsy. Humarap ako sa lalaking mukhang nakita ko na sa isang magazine. Dumapo ang ngisi sa kaniyang labi nang matitigan ako.

"Hey," I said, taking the shot of whiskey from his hand. "You are?" I tilted my head.

"Hayden... and you?" he said in a thick English accent.

"Carla, I'm glad to meet you, Hayden." I smirked and drank his whiskey without taking my eyes off him.

Nilapag ko iyon sa kaniyang kamay at tumalikod upang humanap ng ibang kasayaw. Tinawag niya ako ngunit hindi ko siya nilingon. Not my type. Nagsigawan ang buong crowd, including me nang bumagsak ang beat.

"We wanna party!" we screamed.

Pinasadahan ko ang aking buhok at ngumisi-ngising hinanap ang table namin. Medyo may tama na ako ngunit kaya ko pa naman. Hinawi ko ang aking buhok at binagsak ang sarili sa sofa. Kumunot ang aking noo nang si Casimir na lang ang naabutan ko roon.

"You should dance; it's fun." Ngisi ko at inabot ang JD.

He looked at me from head to toe with furrowed brows. He looked pissed and offended as he looked at me. I raised a brow and closed my eyes softly when I felt my world spinning. Inawang ko ang aking bibig at sumandal sa sofa, bahagyang hindi makahinga nang maayos sa init. Kinagat ko ang aking labi at dahan-dahang nagmulat.

A smile crept on my lips when I found Casimir watching me intently. Kumalabog ang aking puso at halos hindi ako makahinga sa tagos sa butong titig niya. He didn't look away from me as he downed his shot. His dark eyes were lit up by the neon lights. His brow arched slightly, and his jaw tightened.

"Don't you want to dance? Masaya sa dance floor, you look lonely here." Nangingiting sambit ko sa kalasingan at saglit na pumikit nang kumirot ang aking sentido.

"You shouldn't dance. You're obviously drunk," he said in a calm tone.

Tuluyan na akong ngumiti at pikit-matang ininom ang isang shot ng JD. Nagmulat ako at sinubukang tumayo. Sinundan niya ako ng tingin at seryosong pinasadahan ng tingin ang aking mga hita nang dalawang beses bago tamad akong tiningala.

"I'm not. My buttons aren't loosened yet," I said playfully.

"What?" he hissed, and his eyes turned darker.

Ngumisi lang ako at muling kumuha ng shot bago siya kindatan at umalis. Nakihalo ako sa dance floor. Halos hindi ko na mamukhaan ang mga nakakasayaw ko. Some girls approached me and gave me shots. Pinaunlakan ko iyon.

Everything was almost blurred to me. Hindi ko na napansin ang oras at wala akong ginawa kundi ang sumayaw sa gitna. I hit someone behind me, but I'm enjoying it enough to even care. Naliliyo ko lang iyong nilingon at namukhaan ang iritadong si Sahri.

"Ha! Nakakainis ka, huh?! Nananadya ka ba? You know what? My birthday is ruined because of you!" She shouted and pushed me using her index finger which was futile.