13
Mika was bouncing her leg anxiously that Kim hand to put a hand on her to stop it.
Ara watched the two exchange knowing looks. She knew the two were already growing impatient of Alyssa's silence.
The drinks they ordered remained untouched in front of them. Ara and Kim wanted to stay sober for Alyssa, just in case the latter gets herself drunk.
Thirty minutes ago, Alyssa called Kim to tell her that she needed to meet her three best friends in a dive bar in Quezon City. Since their arrival, not a single question was thrown yet to Alyssa and no explanations were made as to why she was here instead of being with Dennise.
Finally, Alyssa crooked her neck to yawn. She planted her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her palm. She looked bored.
"Alyssa." Ara pulled a second cigarette from her box and offered it to her friend. "It's okay. Isa lang."
Alyssa took it with her insipid smile. She flicked the tip before she put it in between her lips. Ara handed her the lighter but Alyssa merely shook her head. She was never fond of smoking. She just liked the feel of the stick.
Ara took a long drag of her cigarette before she exhaled the smoke through her mouth. The cloud of gray slowly disappeared into nothingness. "Dive bar, Ly? Really..."
"I like this place." Alyssa answered. She smiled at the bartender whom she was already acquainted with. She used to frequent the same bar back when she was still in her abyss of sorrow when Laura had to leave her. "It's a lot more peaceful than the high-end night clubs."
"Not bad," Kim commented. She roamed her eyes around the place. The bar was cheap. The menu was limited. The jazz music being played was all over the place. Not the best place to meet someone new but definitely a better place to be philosophical. "So let's cut the chase. Anong nangyari?"
"I left her." Alyssa said without hesitation. She stared blankly at the cigarette stick in between her two fingers.
"You left her?!" Mika exclaimed. "Why?!"
"We had this argument after I caught her with Myco."
"Caught?" Kim air quoted the word as she repeated it. "You caught Myco and Dennise together?"
"In front of her unit," Alyssa added.
"Bakit daw?" prodded the three.
"I don't know but he kissed her cheek."
"Did you let her explain ba?" Ara inquired carefully.
"I did but I did not listen." She continued. She was being so stubborn but her three friends knew better than to be on Alyssa's bad side. "I just left her. I was mad I could not be with her for another second."
The only sound that followed was the flick of the lighter as Ara lit her second cigarette.
"You do realize... that you are at fault too? Ba't 'di mo man lang siya pinakinggan?" Mika asked calmly. "Ly, kilala ka namin. Hindi ka ganoon. You listen. You always listen."
"Not when I am mad, Mika. You know me when I am mad. Ayokong ganoon. Ayokong sabayan."
"Still, just for this night lang sana." Kim told her. "Forty K, Ly. You wasted that much dahil lang sa inuna mo 'yang galit mo?"
She thought she went overboard when Alyssa's gaze crept towards her. "Everything was already settled. Lugi pa ba sila? You are free to use my check account if someone needs it."
"That's not the point, Alyssa."
"Then your point is moot too."
"There's no hope talking with you."
