The loud music hits my eardrums while a bothersome red light pierces my eyes. Ugh! I despise this place, but I'm compelled to be here because of my boyfriend, Jotham. He insisted on introducing me to his friends, despite my initial refusal due to the noisy bar venue.
Yes! I know I'm KJ but, I'm not really fond of this kind of environment. I simply want to make my parents proud and avoid disappointing them. I was raised with books constantly in front of me, and everything I do is meticulously scheduled. I even have a chart in my room that my mom refers to as my "LIFE PLAN," which honestly gives me the creeps, pero hindi na lang din ako nagreklamo.
Okay enough with my dramas in life basta to make it short, isa akong binibini na pinalaking perpekto "kuno" ng mga magulang ko o di kaya'y mas madaling sabihing pinalaking duwag? I may seem tough and brave outside but I'm not really. Sino ba kasi nagsabing may taong perpekto? Of course, I have my flaws too and I can't be perfect.
Despite the constant pressure from my parents, it doesn't mean that I hate them. In fact, I love them deeply. They have provided me with everything, including life itself, and I understand that they have their reasons for raising me the way they did.
But as you can see, the "perfect" daughter is inside a bar? How did that even happen? Well, let me tell you something. My parents are currently not in the country; they reside in Sakaishi, Osaka, Japan. This circumstance liberates me from their expectations and pressures. Besides, hellooo!!! I have already reached the age of 18, no longer a mere baby. Moreover, even if my mother discovers that I visited a bar, I am fully capable of defending myself. I am now embarking on the journey of becoming an independent woman. I am starting to create a new version of myself, distinct from my previous innocent one. I crave change, you know, hahaha.
"Ayu? Ayumi? Hey baby, are you with me?" teka may tumatawag ba sakin?
And that's when I realized na kanina pa pala ako tinatawag nitong si Jotham.
"A-ahm, I'm sorry, come again?" medyo napahiya ako dun ah.
"Tsk, you're day dreaming again! anyway guys, this is Ayumi Grefaldo, my girlfriend," proud na pagpapakilala sa akin ng boyfriend ko sa kanyang mga kaibigan may kasama pang makahulugang ngiti and I don't really understand kung bakit parang feeling ko hindi maganda ang meaning ng ngiti niyang yun even though I'm happy about him introducing me to his friends eh hindi ko pa din maiwasang mapaisip at mag-alala or maybe, I'm just exaggerating things again.
Kaya naman, imbes na mastress ako sa kakaisip eh nag 'hi' nalang ako sa kanilang lahat. Okay naman ang mga response nila, masyado ngang mababait parang medyo OA na nga, eh.
I wonder why?
Time passes by quickly and halos mga nakainom na sila, yung iba nga eh parang lasing na talaga kaya heto't ako naman ang napagdiskitahan nila.
"You know what, Ayu?" sabi ni ate girl na di ko tanda yung name dahil ang dami nila and wow ah! Maka Ayu naman to, super close na ba kami? Emz
"Ahm, ano yun?" medyo awkward kong tanong.
"Kanina pa namin napapansin na hindi mo ginagalaw yang drinks na nasa harap mo, puro ka juice ano ka bata? Hahaha," alam kong joke lang yun gaya ng sabi niya, pero it hurts y'know?
Dahil nga medyo nasaktan yung ego ko sa sinabi niya, eh walang sabi-sabing nilagok ko nang dire-diretso yung alak na nasa harap ko, I don't know the name kasi hindi naman talaga ako umiinom, it's actually my first time.
"Woaaaah! Ang cool naman pala nitong girlfriend mo, dude! Ang sabi mo bo&$%# blah blah blah," pakinig kong saad nung isa sa mga friend niyang lalaki, hindi ko lang masyadong naintindihan yung sinabi niya nung huli dahil medyo lumakas yung sound at nahilo din ako bigla siguro dahil na din sa bigla at dire-diretso kong pag-inom ng alak, ganito ba talaga ang epekto nito?
Kaya naman dahil di ko talaga maintindihan yung nafi-feel ko eh nagpaalam akong mag babanyo lang sandali pero sana pala---
Sana di nalang ako bumalik doon, edi sana hindi ako nasasaktan ngayon, ganon ba talaga ko kahina? Ganon ba talaga ko katanga para hindi mapansin na para sa kanila isa lang pala akong laro, isang malaking JOKE!
I love him, I trusted him, I trusted Jotham Fernadez! akala ko totoo ang lahat pero nagkamali ako dahil kasinungalingan lang pala ang lahat!
"Hahaha, that girl is such a fool, a weakling konting bola lang bumigay na agad, isang good morning lang kinilig na agad, hahaha. I told you guys, mapapasagot ko siya within 3 months kaya come on! Where's my 5k each? Ayumi Grefaldo is just a piece of cake hahaha. Akala naman niya in love na in love ako sa kanya? Sus! maganda nga siya pero sobrang boring niya promise, lahat nalang ng galaw niya dapat tama, yun bang kailangan perpekto? Kailangan ganito, kailangan ganyan, mas masaya kaya gawin ang bawal hahaha," ubod ng pagmamalaking salaysay ng walang hiyang si Jotham kaya napuno ng malakas na tawanan at hiyawan ang kanina lang na mga mala anghel na iniwanan ko sandali sa table.
Ano pa? Ano pang mukha ang maihaharap ko sa kanila? Wala na! Sirang-sira na ako, kung sa mga pelikula sanay kayo na susugod ang bida at sasampalin ng malakas ang walang hiyang manloloko, pwes! nagkakamali kayo dahil ako ang kawawang si Ayumi ay hindi ganon kalakas para magawa ang bagay na iyon, isa akong mahina, tulad ng sabi nila kaya naman imbes na harapin sila, eh umalis nalang ako sa lugar na iyon, tumakbo palayo at hindi alam kung saan tutungo.
Hanggang sa natagpuan ko nalang ang sarili ko na nasa isa pang di kalayuang bar mula sa bar na pinagmulan ko, okay? Walang katapusang bar ata 'to. Pasensya naman, wala pala kasi akong dalang kotse dahil sinundo ako kanina ng gago.
Kaya heto ako't nagpapakalunod sa alak, ang perpektong anak ay natuto nang uminom, I'm sorry mom and dad but I can't take this anymore at dahil nga wala akong alam sa mga alak eh sinabi ko nalang kay kuya bartender na bigyan ako nung best seller nila and siyempre in english para hindi halatang shunga ako pagdating sa mga bagay na ganito.
Mukha na akong tanga lalo dito eh, umiinom habang umiiyak tapos mamaya ay tatawa, pinagtatawanan ko kasi ang sarili ko kasi ang tanga-tanga ko, sobra hahaha.
"Miss, I don't understand you," bigla ay saad nitong si kuyang katabi ko, nasa bar counter lang kasi ako pumwesto para malapit lang sa mga beloved alcohol ko.
"Hayaan niyo na po, Sir at mukhang broken," singit naman ni kuyang bartender.
"Ay correct *hik ka dyan kuya hehehehe," medyo umiikot na ang paningin ko.
"Tsk. Alcohol is not the solution," dinig ko pang saad ni kuya.
"I know, right!" sagot ko naman.
"Alam mo naman pala, so, bakit ka naglalasing?" tanong niya pa.
Bakit ba ang kulit niya?
"I just want a change, y'know? Ngayon ko lang kasi narealize na sobrang boring ko pala, a very good girl. Masama bang maging bad naman paminsan-minsan kahit ngayon lang? Baka sakaling may magmahal na sakin ng totoo at hindi na ulit ako maloko at masaktan," muli ay bumuhos nanaman ang mga luhang kanina pa ayaw tumigil sa pagtulo.
"You don't need to change yourself for anyone. True love is when you are accepted for who you are. If you're a good person, then all you need to do is continue being good. Trust me, someday someone will recognize your true beauty. Someday, someone will love you exactly the way you wanted to be loved." he explained.
Ewan ko ba? Parang iba ang naging epekto sa akin ng mga sinabi niya, somewhat it made me calm, but still made me cry a lot kasi ginawa ko naman lahat, ah, pinakita ko naman lahat ng totoong ako, pero hindi pa rin makita ng walang hiya ang 'true beauty' na sinasabi nitong katabi ko.
"Tell me, where did I go wrong?" nagawa ko pang magtanong sa kabila ng mga luhang sunod-sunod na umaagos.
And with my blurry eyes, I sensed his gentle kiss on my damp cheeks, tenderly wiping away the tears. His unexpected actions puzzled me; I remained unfamiliar with his identity, yet he effortlessly brought me solace, tranquility, and momentarily eased the agony that had consumed me earlier.
How can he do that?
"W-who are you?" pilit ko pa ring sinambit kahit hinang-hina na ako.
But, instead of providing me an answer, he grasped my hand and pressed it against his cheek. We remained in that intimate position, and after a few minutes, I felt him pull me closer, prompting me to embrace him. As I found myself wrapped in his arms, he kissed me with fervor.
Although I didn't reciprocate, it had a peculiar impact on me. I couldn't comprehend or fully grasp the situation, but despite my lack of response, I allowed him to kiss me, perhaps influenced by the effects of alcohol.
Following that passionate kiss, he began to speak. I felt a sense of uncertainty wash over me, as he leaned in closer and whispered,
"Are you willing to embrace your rebellious side tonight?" There was an intriguing allure to his words that caught my attention.
Before I could fully comprehend the events unfolding, I found myself standing on the dance floor. In that moment, we moved with unbridled passion, completely unconcerned with judgment or consequences. It was a celebration of life itself. Who knew that breaking the rules could be so exhilarating?
That night, I allowed myself to surrender to the presence of this enigmatic stranger. Though his identity remained a mystery, his face and deep brown eyes became imprinted in my mind.
And the strangest part of it all was that I felt no remorse or regret for what had transpired. It was as if the boundaries of conventional norms had temporarily faded away, leaving only a lingering sense of liberation
THAT MIDNIGHT ENCOUNTER changes everything.
To be continued.....
©Mikireyaki(AteMikay)
FB Account: Mikay Aespen