Ludic Selcouth #1: Cracked Beat

EPILOGUE

“Wanna sleep with me tonight?” the girl beside me asked. I examined her. Sheʼs fair and sexy. Pretty, but Iʼm not in the mood to have sex tonight.

“No,” I answered before drinking the whiskey on my shot glass.

“Why not? Letʼs have fun tonight,” she said on a flirty voice before clinging on my arms. Hindi ko siya sinagot at pinagmasdan ang mga tao sa loob ng bar. My bandmates are busy with their own thing. We just finished our gig for tonight and we decided to drink for a while.

“Whereʼs Zemira? Nandito lang iyon kanina?” rinig kong tanong ni Zath na nasa harap ko lang.

Zemira. The girl with a lime green neck-length hair. I remember that I met her at the party in our residence.

“Comfort room. Babalik din iyon maya-maya,” sagot ni Paesyn. I frowned. Why does he even know that? Palaging parang alam nila ang ginagawa ng isaʼt-isa. She acts cool around other people but when it comes to me, sheʼs distant. Hindi ko alam kung may galit ba siya sa 'kin o ano.

Ilang sandali pa nga ay dumating na si Zemira. Sheʼs wearing a black shirt with a yuck fou print, a high-waisted mom jeans and a black high-cut converse. Sheʼs simple. She doesnʼt wear make-up if itʼs not necessary. Another thing about her is, she likes rock bands so much, kaya rin siguro napapalapit siya sa mga kabanda ko.

Ngumisi siya nang makita kami at kumaway. She sat beside Paesyn. “Sorry natagalan. May mga fans na naman kayong ginigera ako. Bakit ba galit na galit sila?! Iʼm not even flirting with any of you!” aniya kaya humahalakhak si Rush.

“Just donʼt mind them.” Zemira rolled her eyes before snatching the beer can on the table. Dumako ang mata niya sa 'kin at ilang segundo kaming nagkatitigan. Ilang sandali lang din ay kumurap-kurap siya at nag-iwas ng tingin.

She always act like that. She rarely talks to me, and itʼs honestly frustrating. 

Lumipat ang tingin niya sa babaeng nasa tabi ko at umismid. She murmured something before facing Paesyn. Nag-simula silang mag-usap kaya ramdam ko na naman ang pagka-irita. Sheʼs laughing. Samantalang kapag ako ay halos hindi siya makatingin at pabalang pa sumagot. She clearly has favoritisms.

Pinagmamasdan ko lang siya habang nakikipag-usap sa mga kabanda ko. She must feel uncomfortable and intimidated by my stares. In that way, sheʼll know that I'm here. Iʼm existing and Iʼm not just an air that she can ignore. What pissed me off is that she will not even turn her head at my direction. Like Iʼm not really here at all. Fucking great.

The drinking session continued. Iʼm drinking so hard because why not? Iʼm capable of doing it. Hindi ko alam kung naka-ilang bote na ako pero ramdam kong umiikot na ang paningin ko. Binitiwan ko ang hawak na bote at sumandal sa couch. Iʼm aware that Iʼm already drunk.

Muli akong tumingin kay Zemira at nakitang nakikipaglaro siya ng rock, paper, scissors sa lasing nang si Rush. They keep on laughing and it continues to irritate the hell out of me. Nang tuluyang mapuno ay tumayo na ako. Might as well go home than be treated like a fucking air. Napakapit ako sa couch nang biglang umikot nang husto ang paningin.

“Going home now, Tase?” tanong ni Castriel kaya tumango naman ako. Kita kong napalingon sa 'kin si Zemira at nangunot ang noo. The dizziness worsen when I tried to walk.

Zemira suddenly got up and went to me. She circled her left arm on my waist and she put my right hand on her shoulder. I bit my lip with the skin contact. It suddenly feels blazing hot.

“Ihahatid ko lang. Baka mabangga sa daan, mawalan pa kayo ng drummer,” pagpapaalam niya. Nagsipulan naman ang mga gago kong kabanda at nag-kantiyawan.