...
It's strange that they fear death.
Life hurts a lot more than death.
At the point of death, the pain is over
~Jim Morisson
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HUNTER POV
We have a full crowd today. I'm on the second floor, on the VIP lounge of my bar and I feel bored just by watching the grinding bodies below me. Some ladies are showing off their boldest move on the dance floor, competing for my attention, hoping to get a VIP pass from me. I raised my glass of whiskey at them to acknowledge their effort. I don't feel like taking any of these girls with me tonight. Surprisingly, I'm not in a mood for a tumble in bed.
"Bro!" Tawag na ikinalingon ko sa aking kaliwa.
"Luke!" Bati ko sabay bro hug kay Lucas Devauer. He is a good friend of mine and the son of a bank magnate. He is one of the few people who have a VIP access in my bar.
"Business is booming." Anito sabay upo sa tabi ko.
"Yeah, who's with you?" Tanong ko habang lumilinga sa paligid na pwedeng kasama ng lalaki na maaring kaibigan ko din.
"I'm alone." Sagot nito habang matamang nagmamasid sa mga ibaba. "I'm looking for someone but I don't know who exactly." Wala sa sariling nabanggit nito.
"Ano?!" Naguguluhang tanong ko na ikinalingon na sa akin ni Lucas.
"Never mind, bro." Nangiting anito pero bakas sa mukha nito na problemado siya.
"Ah alam ko na 'yang galawan mo! You're looking for a one nighter? I can recommend someone." Nakangising biro ko sa kaibigan. Malakas naman itong nagtawa.
"The truth is I'm looking for someone who I've done it with, but the problem is I don't even know her face." Nagkakamot sa ulong ani Lucas.
"You're fvck up man! Hindi mo man lang alam ang itsura niya?!" Natatawang asar ko sa kanya na bahagya nitong ikinapula at nahihiyang tumango.
"Sorry, man. I don't know how I can help you with that! Mahirap nga 'yan." Napapa-iling at nakangising aniko habang inililigid ang paningin sa paligid.
"When I see her, I'll know it's her." Ani naman ni Lucas na ikinakibit balikat ko lang.
I scant the crowd eventhough I know it's useless. Mukhang determinadong hanapin ni Lucas ang babae at hindi ko lang masabi dito na imposible na niya itong makita unless ang babae mismo ang magsasabing siya iyon. But by the looks of Lucas, mukhang tinamaan ito sa babae para mabaliw ang binata sa paghahanap sa naka-isang gabi nito. My back straightened when a figure at the bar lounge caught my attention. I don't even know why the hell I know it's her. But I do.
"Kilala mo?" Tanong ng katabi ko habang nakatingin din sa tinitignan ko.
"Not really." Sagot ko kay Lucas. Napatitig si Lucas sa babae.
Wait... hindi naman...
"Is that her?!" Ewan ko bakit biglang uminit ang ulo ko kay Lucas at may parang mabigat na pakiramdam sa dibdib ko.
"Nah, she's too tall." Ani lang ni Lucas na ikinatango ko pero ramdam ko ang paghinga ko ng maluwag.
"I don't think she's here. I need to go bro, let's hang out next time." Ani lang ng nanlulumong si Lucas sabay tayo. Nag-bro hug lang kaming muli at agad na ding bumaba si Lucas na tinutungo ang exit.
Muli kong ibinalik sa babae ang aking paningin. She's wearing the tightest black dress that hugs her hourglass body like second skin. I felt a tightening in my pants as I deliciously ogled her every curves. Her hair is sleek in a high ponytail. Showing off her sexy nape and bare shoulders. Her lips, although painted with lispstick, still looks full and red. I itched to have a taste. It's been almost two months since the last time I saw her but her effect on me didn't change a bit. She still makes me feel like a teenager with raging hormones I cannot control.
I think she felt my stares when she suddenly looked up. Our eyes met and my breath hitched at that unexpected eye contact. Napalunok ako. But as quickly as she looked up, she also was quick to take her eyes off me, without even a hint of recognizition in her eyes. I released my breath I didn't know I was holding and unexplainably annoyed being overlooked.
Fvck! Did she even remembers me?!
I was watching her the whole time. She drinks her tequilla without any limes. She drank it straight from the glass and another shot follows. She drinks with the intention of getting dead drunk. I shook my head in disappointment and left. I walked towards my office without a second glance. That woman is a walking trouble.
I was engrossed with my own thoughts when Vinz entered my office looking pissed.
"Boss! Hindi ka pa ba uuwi?" Tanong ni Vins na ikinatingin ko sa aking relo. It's already five in the morning.
"Ah, yeah. Pauwi na din ako." Inaantok kong sagot sabay tayo na para maghandang umalis. Dahil sa kakaisip sa babaeng suicidal na 'yon ay di ko na namalayan ang oras at di na rin ako nakakuha ng babaeng iuuwi.
"Are we closed?" Naghihikab na tanong ko kay Vinz.
"Iyon nga boss eh, may maliit na problema. May babae kasing lasing na lasing sa baba, nagwawala. Walang dalang I.D, walang cellphone at mukhang walang dalang pambayad. Tatawag na ako ng pulis." Naiiling na ani Vinz na nagpatigil sa paghakbang ko. Pumipindot na si Vinz sa cellphone niya ng agawin ko iyon. Napakunot ang noo ni Vinz sa pagtataka.
Could it be her?
"Don't call the police yet. Where is she?" Madiing aniko kay Vinz na lalong nagpakunot ng noo niya. Hindi kasi ako masyadong nakikielam sa pamamalakad sa bar. Madalas si Vinz ang gumagawa at puro report lang ang iniintindi ko.
"Nasa may bar counter pa boss." Nagtatakang sagot ni Vinz kaya dali-dali akong bumaba para lang makumpirma ang hinala ko.
Naroon nga ang babae at lasing na lasing. Nakaupo ito at halos malapit ng pumikit ang mata nitong mapungay. Nakita kong pinipigilan ito ng bartender kong si Jimmy na inumin ang bote ng alak na hawak nito pero nakikipag-agawan ito at hinahawi si Jimmy.
"Jim, ako ng bahala sa kanya. Let her go." Madiin kong utos kay Jimmy na nakapaikot ang kamay sa bewang ng dalaga. Agad naman itong binitawan ni Jimmy kaya muntikan ng mahulog sa upuan ang dalaga. Inagaw ko ang bote ng alak sa kamay nito at ibinato iyon. Napabaling naman ang tingin ng babae sa akin sa ginawa ko.
She looks at me with that dead expression on her face, I don't know why my heart raced with that simple eye contact. And I couldn't breath properly. She got up and with wobbly legs, stood close to me, eyeing me with her tipsy eyes that made my forehead break a sweat. I'm trying real hard to return her challenging eyes with my own menacing stares.
"Gusto mong mamatay?!" She said in her drunk tone and I release my breath I didn't know I was holding.
What the actual fvck!
Pero bago pa ako makapagsalita ay nahimatay na sa kalasingan ang babae na agad ko namang sinapo. I can feel the erratic beating of my heart that only she can make as I hold her in my arms. Napa-iling ako habang pinapanood ang walang malay na dalaga. Napaka-amo na ng mukha nito dahil nakatago na ang mapanganib nitong mga tingin. She deeply sighed and I smelled her alcohol-stench breath. The alcohol didn't even masked her sweet familiar scent. I felt conscious of her body pressed to mine. Her skin felt so soft and smooth on my palm.
"Boss, kilala mo?" Ani Vinz na nagpagising sa pagkakatitig ko sa babae.
"Ah... Yeah, I know her. I'll take care of her, Vinz. Her tab is on me. Go ahead and close the bar." Nagmamadaling sagot ko habang inaayos ang pagbuhat ko sa babae. Agad ko din siyang dinala sa labas at isinakay sa kotse ko.
Pagkasakay ko sa driver seat ay pinagmasdan kong muli ang babaeng himbing na himbing na natutulog. She really is gorgeous, kaya lang nakaka-turn-off ang paglalasing nito ng walang pakundangan sa kahihinatnan ng kanyang sarili. Napapapalatak na pinaandar ko ang kotse at tinungo ang condo kung saan ako nakatira.
Why do I always have to save this mischievous suicidal girl?!