Chapter 12

"Thank you, Mamu! I’m so happy!" TeeCay exclaimed as Auntie Romie walked them outside. Phillian kept a steadying hand on her arm as she stumbled, barely able to stand on her own.

He didn’t even know where he got the strength to support her. He was just as drunk, his own legs wobbling, his vision gently spinning like he was dancing among the stars.

He shook his head slightly. They couldn’t both be wasted. One of them had to stay grounded, had to hold the line, and clearly, that someone had to be him.

He let out a short breath, wrapped an arm around TeeCay, and carefully guided her toward the car. They staggered and swayed like drunken dancers, nearly toppling more than once. She had already taken off her stilettos, now holding them loosely in one hand while clutching her purse in the other.

"I’m so drunk, just the way I wanted it! Woohoo!" she shouted gleefully, raising both hands triumphantly into the air.

He laughed at the sight and tightened his grip on her. "Don’t move too much. If we fall, we’re not getting back up."

"I know, I know…" she giggled again, lowering her arms and wrapping one of them snugly around his waist for support.

"You said this was your first time drinking. How did you keep up with everyone? And how are you still walking?" he asked, trying to steady his steps as they inched toward the car.

"No clue, Jefferson. All I know is… I just wanna have fun!" she burst out in another round of laughter.

He chuckled and didn’t push further. They finally made it to the car. He helped her into the passenger seat, awkwardly maneuvering her inside as she laughed and leaned heavily on him.

Once she was settled, he slid into the driver’s seat and took a deep breath.

He could drive. He had a license and had been behind the wheel of their father’s old pickup since he was fourteen. All his siblings had. The only reason none of them owned their own car was because of pride; they refused to accept anything that looked like a handout from their parents.

Once he was inside, he turned to look at her. She was giggling again, leaning back lazily in the seat.

"A stranger’s driving my car. That wasn’t part of my bucket list," she muttered with a playful smirk.

"I’m not planning to die tonight, so I’ll be driving. Where’s your key?"

"Here, honey-baby-so sweet," she said with a teasing giggle and tossed her purse at him.

He caught it, rummaged inside, and pulled out her car keys. Without hesitation, he slid the key into the ignition and tossed the purse to the back seat.

"What time is it, anyway?"

He glanced at his watch. "Past two in the morning."

TeeCay pouted and shut her eyes. "Do I have to pay more? We agreed on only until midnight..."

He smiled and leaned his head back against the leather seat, staring forward. He just needed a minute. His shoulders were sore from holding her up earlier.

"No need, TeeCay," he said softly. "I don’t need your money, anyway..."

They sat in silence, the kind that was thick with unsaid thoughts. He stared at the Century Bird club across the lot. The lights were dimming, signaling that the night was finally over. Cars were pulling away one by one. Through the windows, he saw familiar faces— satisfied guests, smiling and loud.

And why wouldn’t they be? They had been entertained with lap dances and body shots, especially from the club’s main attraction, Shawn Shadow. Even he had almost been mistaken for one of the dancers, if not for the way he was dressed. Auntie Romie’s two tipsy friends had even danced in front of him earlier, giggling and completely unbothered. TeeCay had taken a video of it and couldn’t stop laughing while watching his mortified reaction.

She was wild. But the truth was, he had the time of his life with her tonight. And strangely, he didn’t want it to end. He wanted to ask for her number.

He turned to speak, but she had her eyes closed again, a dreamy smile playing across her lips. She must have been replaying the night in her mind.

"I’m glad you had fun," he said softly, breaking the silence.

TeeCay opened her eyes and glanced at him. That smile of hers— it hadn’t left her face all night. He found himself wondering how she wasn’t getting tired from smiling and laughing so much.

He stared at her, and something shifted in him. She didn’t just look cute anymore.

He was drunk, yes, but not enough to lose all clarity. And right now, in the soft glow of the car’s dashboard, she looked breathtaking.

She had a round, flushed face, bare lips, messy red-streaked hair, and a body that didn’t match what magazines would call perfect, but none of that mattered to him. She looked like a goddess.

His eyes drifted to her lips. They were small, but something about them looked inviting, like they were always ready to smile, even when at rest.

His thoughts drifted back to earlier in the night, when she did a body shot off Shawn Shadow. Three times. He remembered the knot that twisted in his stomach. He remembered how badly he wished it had been him instead.