Everything changed drastically.
I kept on receiving nonstop messages, phone calls, flowers, and gifts for days after my coronation. I was also invited to multiple events. Everyone says hi to me at the school and it feels like they all want to be my friends. They stopped glaring at me and were smiling sweetly at me instead. A few people could even recognize me even when I am outside the campus. There are even some who wants to take a picture with me.
It's mind blowing! I feel like a celebrity all of a sudden. It kind of feels wrong but it feels good. I am not expecting things to turn out this way when I agreed to join the pageant. I actually don't have any idea it would turn out this way.
With all of these things happening, it feels like nothing is real. It feels like my luck had poured all at once. Damn, I might have used my lifetime worth of luck.
"You should bring Zac later." Toni says as she bites a mouthful from her sandwich.
"He's out of town." I respond.
My friends and I are invited to attend a birthday party tonight. I don't actually want to go because I already know there will be a lot of smoke, alcohol, vomit, making out, and sex involve tonight but Toni and Erika want me to go with them and I just couldn't say no.
I invited Zac to come with us tonight but he could not make it because he has an out of town trip with his brother and he'll be back in three days.
"That's great. We will just get some guys when we get there then!" Toni chuckles.
"I'll pass." I say. "I don't want to make my Zackie angry."
Toni rolls her eyes. "Loyal girlfriend." She says sarcastically and looks at Erika. "So it's just us Erika."
"Am guys?" Erika says shyly as she brushes her hair to the back of her ears. "I'm going with Anthony tonight."
"What?!" Toni and I exclaims in unison.
"Oh my gosh. You've got to be kidding me." I utter in disbelief. "You're dating Anthony?"
"Well ..." She scratches her head looking for the right words unable to have a proper eye contact with us. "Not yet."
"H-how? When did this happen?" Toni asks in obvious shock.
"Well, after our trip at La Vista, we communicated with each other." She smiles sweetly. "I mean we exchange messages and he calls me every night, you know. Then we went out a couple of times."
"Wow." I exhale. "This is unbelievable, do you know that?"
I never imagine Erika and Anthony would end up together. They're basically like cats and dogs. This is unbelievable.
I stare at Erika who is now blushing and smiling sweetly like crazy. She's no doubt in love. I'm very happy for her.
I just wonder if I had ever looked like that.
I was surprise when Toni immediately stands.
"I need to go." She says grabbing her bag.
"Where are you going?" I ask, confuse. We still have a class after this.
"I need to go shopping. I need to find a man tonight. You have Zac, she has Anthony. I need to find mine!" She says before us.
I look at Erika and she looks at me at the same exact time. We burst into laughter as we look at Toni worriedly walking away from us.
* * *
I am in my short high waist shorts and white fully sweater when I appear at the party. Toni is wearing short shorts and a white off-shoulder crop top. She is badly looking for a man and she wants to find him tonight.
A loud rave music welcomes us. There were colorful lights beaming from around the house and I could see a lot of people everywhere. I thought it is a typical birthday party we are attending at but with the looks of it, seems like I'm mistaken.
"Whose birthday party is this again?" I shout at Toni's ear.
"Justin." She shouts back. "The richest kid of AU." She pulls me as we enter the house.
The inside is totally awesome. The house is insanely huge with state of the art architectural designs. Colorful lights and lasers are flashing and beaming here and there making the place look like a very wide bar.
On the center, I could see a beer fountain. There are also people carrying trays full of drinks walking around to offer to everyone. This party has infinite supply of drinks!
Toni pulls me deeper into the house until we find ourselves in the pool side where more people are gathered.
"This place is huge!" I shout at Toni.
"I know right."
We continue walking until we find a group of girls sitting on the chairs around a coffee table full of alcoholic drinks on it.
"Hey ladies, mind if we join in?" Toni says enthusiastically.
"They're finally here!" A girl with a blue tops says.
Toni kisses their cheeks and sits on a vacant seat. I look at the girls. They are all cheerleaders of the university.
"Hello girls." I respond to their 'Hello Melissa' and sit next to Toni who's holding her first bottle that's already almost empty.
This girl is an animal. I did not even see her drink. How could she possible do that?
"Here." The girl in blue hands me a bottle.
"Thanks." I immediately drink it. It has been a long time since I drank something like this. I actually miss this.
"Where's Erika?" The girl across me asks.
"She's busy with something." Toni answers before emptying her second bottle. "Let's not talk about her. Have you spotted hotties? I need a man!"
"I've seen a lot!" A girl responds.
I smile. Toni is insanely serious about finding a man tonight.
We chat, drink all we want, and have a lot of fun. We play a dare game and it was insanely fun. No doubt alcohol is getting into our brains.
I had probably drunk five bottles. No ten maybe? I lost count of it. I was planning to drink only a few bottles but now I'm really drunk.
My head is already loopy and I could not properly control my body. Damn. I think I'm in trouble.
"Hey, let's go and rock the dance floor." Toni suggests.
"Let's go!" The girls agree.
I look at them as they stand up and go to the dance floor.
Toni stops and turns back at me. "What are you doing?" She snaps.
"Sitting." I shrug. "I don't want to go, Toni. I'm already drunk."
"Shut up!" She walks back to me and pulls me. She drags me to the dance floor never letting me say anything.
"The gorgeous cheerleaders and the beautiful Miss University are here boys!" I hear the DJ say over the microphone as we approach the dance floor.
I feel dizzy and everything is blurry.
Major Lazer's light it up plays shaking the whole house.
I start dancing like the rest of the girls. The dance floor is becoming crowded. I can't properly see anything. All I could see are colorful lights flashing and shadows moving. I dance my heart out ... wait I am even twerking all out. I don't know what I'm doing and I don't care at all.
I look at Toni and I could see her making out with someone. Her hands are on his neck and his hands are on her butt. I want to pull her away from him but she would surely get angry if I would do that.
A hard wall hit my back. I turn around to see a tall guy standing behind me. I raise my head to look at his face. "Do you know Alexander de Vera? You look like him." I shout and giggle. "He's a jerk." The thought of Alexander makes me laugh. There is no way that he would just appear now after all he did to me. "Oh my gosh. I'm so drunk, I'm already imagining things." I giggle. "I'm sorry. I can't dance with you. I have a boyfriend." I walk away from the dance floor. It's getting crowded there and smelly as well.
I slowly walk away from them while keeping my balance by leaning on the wall as I walk. I feel dizzy. Everything is double and blurry. I need to get out of here as soon as possible! My stomach began to twist and my throat feels weird. I throw up right on where I am standing.
Someone holds my hair and pats my back gently.
It feels like everything in my stomach is pushing their way out of my body.
Without caring about who is the person helping me or where I am, I throw up, right there and then again. I can't control my body. I've drunk more than my body could take and this is its way of saving myself from me.
I feel horrible. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hands and stand straight. I face the person who's helping me to give him thanks but before I could do it, my stomach twists and then again, I puke for the third time.
"You should go home." I hear the guy say.
I wipe my mouth with my hand again and stand straight to face him. He releases my hair and wipes my face with a handkerchief.
I look up to him. He is a very tall guy. I stare at his face but he is blurry and double, but somehow he looks like Alexander. I'm really drunk.
"You look like Alexander." I giggle. "I actually want to punch you because you look like him but I could not do it as well because you helped me. Damn. I'm really drunk. I could see Alexander. If every time I get drunk I would see his face, I would never ever ever ever want to be drunk again." I chuckle. I pat his chest. "Thank you for your help, dude."
I slowly walk away from him but he stops me by grabbing my waist.
"Where are you going?" He asks in a firm voice.
"My friends." I point at the dance floor.
"No. You're not." In one swift, he scoops me and carries me in his arms. "You're going home, Melissa."
"Hey!" I protest. "Put me down." I try to punch him hard but I don't have enough strength to do that.
The man has not said a word and continues on walking until I feel a soft cushion kissing my butt and back. A scent of familiar car scent fills my nose.
"I can't go home." I blurt.
"What?!" He asks in obvious frustration.
"I can't go home." I repeat. "My parents would kill me if they see me like this." My eyes close themselves.
I hear a heavy sigh before he turns the engine on.