You think I enjoyed watching a crowd of strangers rub their pelvic bones to each other in the middle of the dance floor? And practically get laid any moment on? You think the reek of alcohol was relishing? You think it was utterly delightful to be scrutinized by bouncers in the body of Dwayne Johnson? You think that a bunch of creeps throwing you stares from one table was flattering? You actually think that blinding laser lights and blasting speakers destroying your ear drums was a reason for exultation?
Well, so much for the revel of these people, but I couldn't seem to empathize of what they felt. I knew that I was the least person to begin throwing any complaints, having this to be my idea in the first place, but I also knew that my sole reason for coming here was to get Luke caught red-handed, not this youthful tumult. And maybe a little fun, yes, I have to admit. For the sake of dragging my friends into this, I had to admit this was one way to give us a little break and as for Ava, a wider discovery of venturing into adulthood.
Aunt V was surprisingly okay with us coming here. Well, after a long talk with Zakk in the room, maybe forewarning him that if we were dead by midnight, he was more likely the dead man walking. And then another long talk with Ava, of course, and then me. I was guilty for a while how she was highly anxious of risking me out at night when I didn't ask Mom about this. And the fact that I was under her control, making her responsible for anything to happen to me.
At first, she was all fussy about convincing us to bring condoms as back up, in which all of four of us had almost puked upon. She then attempted to come with us as chaperone, and when we disagreed, she had us prepare alarms in our phones that sounded like a bomb about to explode. Auntie was nearly insane for that matter but we had to understand her intentions, anyway.
"Perfect timing. The concert's about to start." Steph was enthusiastic a hundred times more than she already regularly was.
Kat and Ava, who I knew we're more of a social butterfly than I was, managed to get along with Steph so far. When Steph asked about the boys' presence, plus Grae who I knew Zakk wouldn't fail to invite, I merely told her they were persistent to be our chaperones. She didn't quite mind, anyway, since she didn't want to invite Luke over even if she was given a choice, which gave me the thought that their problem must be really serious.
I was eyeing the area around, trying to get a glimpse of Luke and Vanessa somewhere. Anywhere. I just had to see them as soon as I could to avoid all of us getting stuck here all night. We promised Aunt V we would be home by 12 and I didn't wanna disappoint her after accepting me in her house. It was to my advantage the concert started at exactly 10pm. The area near the stage was already crammed and we had to slip our bodies through to be nearer to the front.
"Bitch, relax." Ava said to my right. She was gorgeous in her rosy red dress with laced see-through long sleeves. "We don't get a free concert and be-home-by-12 every night."
"We'll get to him in no time, alright. Get your eyes on the stage first." Kat chimed in.
"What a pretty lucky guy he is, carrot, if you don't start dancing." Zakk had to have his word, too, which never helped. I only gave him a mockingly bored look.
Grae informed us that the band was called The Red Spades, consisting of five members in their early 20s. They were still rising stars in the music industry, which explained why they were still not so familiar. After the band settled their arrangements onstage, they began playing the song Geronimo by Sheppard.
Next thing I knew, I was jumping with Kat, Ava and Steph. We were forming a circle and it didn't take long for the guys to join in. We were all nearly ballistic. Everytime the chorus played, we sang along and we jumped almost in unison, belly laughing upon each other's frustrated dancing skills.
We jumped, because swaying our hips wasn't a good option at first. The real fun began when Kat challenged the group to actually dance to their feet - to sway their hips, move more and groove to the beat until our waists were numb. It was ridiculous, especially in account to the guys who resembled skeletons dancing. But I had to admit it was the best of the best so far that I've been with them again.
It was a breath of relief to surrender to the rhythm of the music - to everything but this, the people I loved around me, their grins and hysterical laughter, the blasting speakers and blinding lights, even the strangers who rubbed, nearly their faces now, to fellow strangers. It was good to let go sometimes. No cage, no hesitation, no fears, Hakuna Matata.
Tonight, this was my comfort zone.
*
I thought it would take another hour, but finally, I had my target a few meters away from our table. Luke was drinking with her by the bar, laughing, flirting, and all that romantic jazz. All I had to do was ask Steph to come to the comfort room with me and the revelations would begin.
"Sure, Cara." She agreed to accompany me, and then we headed to the ladies room which was fortunately near the bar. Luke was still there, but Vanessa wasn't. He was grinning at the dance floor, and when I followed his gaze, I spotted Vanessa dancing with apparent circle of peers, or was it just a bunch of strangers she was forcing herself to?
Nevertheless, I was determined to get him caught. Steph and I passed a couple of tables and reached the comfort room. I had a clear view on Luke by then, but he didn't seem to notice me, which was good.
After I came out, Steph followed in, saying her bladder was also about to burst. I waited til I got his attention, and he approached me soon enough upon recognition.
"Cara?" He said behind my back.
I turned to meet his eyes, faking a surprised look. "Hey, Luke."
"H-hey. Hey, Cara." He was beaming but there was a huge hint of nervosity in his eyes and by the tone of his voice. "W-what are you doing here? Who are you with?"
"Oh, I'm actually with your girlfriend." Panic crossed his eyes and it made me giggle mentally. "The girls and I invited her to a night out. But the boys are present as mere chaperones."
"R-really, now." He chuckled nervously. "Where is Steph?"
"She's in the ladies room." I said." I hope you don't mind if we, you know, snatched your girlfriend away. I just wanted to treat her for getting me in Cupiditea."
"No problem, Montez."
"She's really great, Luke. You must have been hit pretty bad by this one."
He only beamed and his eyes were skeptical. "Hey, Montez. Do you mind not telling her you saw me here? We're kind of not in a good place right now, and she really hates it when I go clubbing by myself."
Smooth criminal. That was Luke. He was so good at lying he could get promoted if it was his job.
I merely eyed him intently and shook my head in a mocking way.
"What?" He said. "Please, Cara. I don't really plan on waking up to another argument. Do me a favor and let's keep this to ourselves?"
I snickered. He was utterly unbelievable. "Go away, you scumbag."
I could have said that. I had the urge of blurting that out. But I didn't.
"Right, well, it's none of my business, really."
He sighed a breath of relief. "Thank you. I appreciate this. I'll go ahead now, alright."
I didn't bother answering and merely watched him go. This was exasperating. Why won't fate allow such revelation? Steph didn't deserve any of this. No girl, or any person in particular, deserved this situation, this betrayal, this- this whole lie. She didn't deserve to be with this kind of man and Luke definitely didn't deserve anybody at all.
"Cara?" Steph's jovial voice emerged from behind me. "You alright?"
"Yeah," I forced a smile. "-sorry. I'm fine. Just- just remembered something."
She gestured me to go back to our table but I trailed her off. "I wanna check something by the bar, if you don't mind."
"Sure." She gestured me to go on and we approached the seat nearest to Luke so I had the chance to catch him with Vanessa, but when Steph was about to catch them already, her phone rang and Luke found us both in unison. He quickly pretended he didn't catch us and automatically turned his back from, grabbing Vanessa away, to her oblivion.
Steph excused herself and walked a few meters away from me to take the call. When she turned back to me, Luke was out of sight and I lost my chance again. It pissed me how this was all turning out.
"Sorry bout that. Just dad checking up." She said when she placed her phone back in her purse. "What were you gonna check here, anyway?"
I reluctantly blinked back to the situation. "Oh, right. I just-uh-I was just curious with all the drinks. I mean, it looks fascinating in such an arrangement." I quickly formed the excuse, realizing the colorful display of the different alcoholic beverages in the bar.
Steph merely laughed out of amusement. "Really, now, huh. Don't worry, we'll get you christened into the world of alcohol in no time." Her smile was sly, and then she gestured me to come back to the table with her.
"Guys, our pretty Scarlett is pretty curious about the drinks." Steph enthusiastically announced when we came back.
"N-n-no. I didn't mean that. I don't drink, really." I quickly defended myself before further trouble for my self. Kat and Ava teased, of course.
"Perfect, then! I got just the right drink for the girls." Grae suddenly exclaimed, coming from the bar and bringing a couple of drinks to the table, as if he were an actual alcohol expert. "Vodka cranberry. Sweet and smooth." He gave us a hype playful wink.
Grae started challenging us girls to drink. Steph helped encourage the three of us to try, given that she was already was a drinker.
Kat was easy, really. She knew she was ready for whatever happened tonight and with her notorious personality, despite a little amount of reluctance, she conceded and drank anyway.
Ava, on the other hand, was just as hesitant as I was. For one thing, her older brother and boyfriend were present. When Adam reassured her it was alright with him, and after a bickering moment with Zakk, she also gave in and took her shot.
All eyes left dawning on me. Every one was anticipating for the moment I took the glass.
"What's it gonna be, carrot?" Zakk was starting again with his smirks and challenging mockery.
"Come on, Cara. It's a matter of discovery." Grae chimed in. "I especially chose that kind for you girls since it doesn't reek that much and it tastes just like juice."
"The night would be worthless without even getting a sip from the main course of the event." Zakk said.
I merely shot him a look of disdain. "You're supposed to be a chaperone, you know, not the influencer of the wrong side."
"Of course, we're the first people to make sure you won't get too much of anything around here." He said. "It's just one shot, carrot. Just so you wouldn't be such an ignorant."
"Cara, don't worry. You'll be fine. It's better to have your first drink with right people." Adam reassuringly remarked, gesturing me to get the drink already. Considering he was the eldest among us, I conceded to him, and because Ava trusts him the same way she trusts Zakk to avoid her from any risk.
I wasn't dumb enough to think they had ill intentions towards us, but it was simply the fact that I just didn't really drink at all. The smell, the taste, the whole idea of it - it wasn't me.
But you know why I found my way to affirm to their request in the end? Ava's puppy dog eyes, Kat's ridiculous pout, Steph's relentlessly jovial 'This is the real treat for me, Cara', and Zakk's ever so notorious challenging smirk screaming 'Don't be such a scaredy cat, carrot'.
This was ultimately legit peer pressure.
I scornfully grabbed the bottle, and although still reluctantly anxious, I sipped a little amount. They cheered on me, most of which congratulating such a milestone. Funny how it was, to these people.
To my surprise, it really was not so bad after all. Cranberry was what it actually tasted like. And admittedly, it was one of my favorite juice flavors.
So I ended up enjoying half a bottle.
"Now you have to finish it." Ava said.
*
The lights were blurry, and I felt a little tipsy. My mind was boggling, and I've been laughing hysterically with my best friends, telling each other how we loved everybody in the room. Our drink for the night was the best. It was really simply the best. We couldn't deny it anymore.
Meanwhile, Grae, as the most hype one among the boys, grabbed them to the dance floor. We could still see them from our table because they had to make sure they could still see us, more importantly.
"Such gentleman, aren't they?" I whispered to Steph right on her left ear, and she giggled.
"I know, honeybunch. I wish I had my gentleman over here beside me." She was beaming wildly, and the she was about to cry, but she managed to pull off a belly laugh in the end. The three of us laughed with her in unison. We could barely get enough of the drink.
They were still dancing when a random flirt approached Zakk to dance with him. She was in a flashy backless yellow jump suit, which matched her black heels and ash-brown blonde short hair. She was pretty, really.
But not as pretty as I was.
Grae and Adam were teasing him onto her, and it irked me.
"Hey," I shook Kat who enjoyed Mobile Legends on her phone. She still had the guts to play a video game in the middle of a revelry. "-hey."
"What?" She wouldn't look at me. She was too focused on winning.
"Hey." I prolonged the word right from there. "-listen, Kat. My boyfriend's cheating on me. Look."
"I might be tipsy, Cara, but you're pretty drunk." She merely remarked without even glancing at me.
"Who says I'm drunk?"
"Well, thank you for the confirmation."
Ava, to my right, only laughed over me. "I don't think we can ever do this again."
Since nobody seemed to listen to me, I peevishly stood up and walked over the boys direction. I was a bit dizzy, but I didn't mind. At least, my gait was still proper to me.
Their countenances showed definite surprise by my sudden presence, especially when I said, "Excuse me, sorry to bother you."
The pretty girl turned to me with a disgusted look on her face. "Yes, is there a problem?"
"Well, indeed there is." I was nearly speaking British. "That's my boyfriend you're putting your fingers on right there."
The boys exchanged funny looks. Zakk was a bit taken aback by my blunt claim, while the girl merely laughed and looked at me as if I was utterly absurd. "Are you sure you're not lost, honey? Coz you look pretty misplaced to me."
"Don't be ironic, honey." I said right back. "Your hands are misplaced on a taken man."
"Carrot,"
"See?" I abruptly cut him off. "He's calling me carrot. And I- well, I-" Turning my head to Zakk, I said. "-what do I call you again?" He was wordless and there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. Then as if lightbulb hit me, I quickly blurted, "I call him potato. My sweet potato. And you, you do not call me honey unless you turn out to be my husband. Are we clear on that, honey?"
She didn't bother answering me and merely averted her gaze back to him. "Zakk, right?" He nodded. "Well, Zakk, I suggest you-"
"I'll suggest something for you." I trailed her off again. "Try squats. Maybe it'll adjust your waistline."
"Oh, and do extra miles when hiking. It builds up your muscle tone."
"Want a bigger tip? Purchase some high quality
"Is there something wrong with my girlfriend?" A tall muscular man appeared right before us who stood beside the pretty chick. He was far from looking like a bouncer but his aloof attitude resembled one. The one who's really strict and would scan you like you were bringing a virus in.
I got slightly taken aback by his presence but I quickly managed to beam at him. "Well, indeed, sir. There's-"
"Cara, that's enough." Zakk cut me off while trying to pull me out of the way.
"And you." We were about to go away when he spoke up again. He turned to his apparent girlfriend and asked, "Is this guy bothering you?"
"That's funny, sir," I chimed in before she could even answer. "-coz you're girl here was the one who wanted to get laid with my boyfriend."
"Excuse me?"
"Honey, come on. It's not worth it."
"You even call him honey? Who are you? Winnie the Pooh? Damn, girl, you must be an addict."
"Cara, come on. Let's go." Zakk tried to pull me away again, but I was persistent. And this girl was overly coquettish for me to feel an equivalent exasperation towards it.
"Hey, bro, you contain your girlfriend in the right cage next time, will you?" The guy said, snickering.
"What did you say?"
"Seems to be too untamed, bruh. Might as well put a leash on it."
"Well, maybe you'd consider that leash on me before I-" Grae held out Zakk's arm, giving him an eye that gestured him to stop before any trouble was to occur. Zakk glanced at him twice, unable to contain, himself, and the guy merely stared back at them in anticipation.
"Don't even think about it, brother." Adam muttered from behind his back.
Zakk let out a deep sigh, controlling his urges to get into trouble. He forced a smile back at the guy, and then Grae quickly apologized to them even if they caused the fuss, themselves.
We walked back to our table and tried to calm ourselves. But when I saw the guy approach his apparent bunch of buddies, with their whispering and muttering, apparently vengeful glares directed to us, I knew it reeked of trouble. And the night was evidently not going to end without it.
"Hey, guys?" I said, staring straight at the circle of guys a few meters away from our table. "I think they're talking about us."
They all looked to the direction I pointed and realized what the situation was. I spotted Zakk develop into a mindful countenance from my periphery when he automatically glanced away from meeting eye to eye with the guys. Everyone exchanged eye contact and seemed to have agreed upon a common goal.
"Let's carefully find our way out and leave this place." Zakk instructed, trying to be calm and composed.
I laughed over him. "Zakky's scared."
"Really, carrot." He merely gave me a warning look.
"Shut up, bitch. You're not helping."
"Unless you wanna witness a live heavyweight battle, just contain the alcohol, okay?" Kat reminded me and grabbed me with her.
We all walked out of the club and it was really disdainful. I was still having so much fun, although I had still caught the guys staring at us when we were approaching the exit. And I think I saw them follow.
"Fuck, they're right behind us." Grae exclaimed when we were already nearing our ride parked right in front of the building.
"They'll only follow if we ride. And I don't plan having a car chase at 12 midnight." Zakk said, and I sensed the panic Steph was feeling.
"This is so messed up." Ava blurted out, anxious with her apparent imaginations on the dangers awaiting under our noses.
"Quick, this way." Adam suggested and we followed his direction leading to an alleyway towards another block. We were starting to run. The city lights were still on, thankfully, but the roads were evidently void of people. We could still see a few of which walking past the post lights, occasionally. But that was it. It was nearing 12 midnight, after all, and we were running out of nowhere.
"There. Seven eleven." Adam gestured us to proceed across the street.
I was still laughing. "Are we trying to find shelter in Seven Eleven?"
"Shut up, C." Ava scornfully said to me and I pouted like a five-year old.
When we arrived at Seven Eleven, we were the only customers inside. It was a surprise to me since I knew this convenience store was a hit of any city, especially around this hour. I reckoned that fate was not against our escape as it gave us this much space and privacy, apart from the presence of the cashier focused on winning a rank on Mobile Legends in his phone, and the drowsy security guard seated by the entrance.
All of us were catching our breathe as we exchanged looks. And the we simultaneously laughed over our ridiculous situation, the thought of being chased by a bunch of pissed party boys after insulting the girlfriend of one, choosing to leave the car and running towards the nearest shelter, all for the avoidance of getting into a petty fight in the club.
I was still a little tipsy by then, but I managed to comprehend to the given circumstances.
"I don't think the night deserves to end just like that." I flashed a smirk and everybody looked at me with a sly look of approval. It was to my relief nobody shushed me anymore. Finally, they agreed on me.
"Carrot's finally right." Zakk teased.
"Would icecream be a good ending?" Steph exclaimed. "Given that everyone's a little tipsy, right?"
We all smiled approvingly, and it didn't take long for us to rush towards the frozen section and grab the biggest gallon of four different flavors of icecream. Coffee Fudge, Double Dutch, Cookies and Cream, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. Just perfect. We purchased plastic spoons and we dug in the same gallon, as if having a sweet creamy feast.
Suddenly, I felt like barfing, and I was about to throw up on the gallon of icecream right in front of me.
"Don't even think about it." Kat eyed me intently.
Everyone noticed and they all eyed me in panic, so Ava instinctively grabbed me away since she was the nearest to me, and then she gestured Zakk to help her out. They rushed me outside the store and I puked by the roadside.
"Ew!" I groaned in disgust as I finished, and they merely chuckled over me.
"You've been reborn. Congratulations." Ava exclaimed.
We settled back on our seats, digging in more this time since I had more reason to rest myself. And as I gazed upon these people, one by one, scrutinizing how I began to treasure them unlike any other, my heart was in utter contentment. It was a bugger I was far from my home, but tonight, these absurdly hype smart bunch of people were my family. And that was all I really needed to know for me to believe that I could be capable of anything and everything as long as I had them to keep forever.
-