Chapter 2

"FREEDOM IN GLASS"

Pagkarating ko sa location ng bar, pinark ko ang sasakyan ko sa medyo malayo dahil na rin sa maraming sasakyan sa tapat mismo. Bumaba na'ko ng sasakyan at may nakikita pa ako na mga kasabayan kong dumating at papasok sa bar, may pauwi rin, sumusuka sa gilid, and even kissing! Well, that's not new anymore, bar to eh.

I went inside the bar, the dim place with its colorful lights welcome me. Patay sindi ang mga ito, kasabay nang beat ng music. The air was thick with perfume, sweat and alcohol mixing into an overwhelming haze.

I roamed my eyes around at ang daming tao. I felt nervous for going out but this feels like freedom. Dumiretso na'ko sa countertop ng bar area and ordered a whiskey.

I was here but my thoughts were at home, thinking they would know na lumabas ako to party. I drink my whiskey dahil sa iniisip ko and I felt guilty. Pero siguro, okay lang, ngayon lang naman to besides pag-nameet ko na yung guy that was chosen for me na papakasalan ko, the more na parang nakakulong na'ko. I can't do this thing anymore. Maybe?

Naging sunod-sunod ang paglagok ko nang inumin dahil sa iniisip ko. I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts.

I ordered another glass of whiskey and drank it in one go. The whiskey burned as it went down my stomach, damang-dama ko pa rin sa lalamunan ko ang lasa.

Pagkatapos ng ilang shot ay pumunta ako sa gitna para sumayaw at mag enjoy. I move my body kasabay ng musika, dinadama ang pagiging malaya sa oras na to na para bang walang problema. Malaya nga ba?

Everyone was so energetic and was dancing wildly. The smell of perfume here was mixed with sweat but it doesn't anymore as long as everyone was enjoying. Who still cares about that?

I sieze the moment while I was in the crowd. May mga lalaki pang hahawak bigla ng beywang mo at sasabayan kang sumayaw. Alam ko na san pupunta yang ganyang mga galawan.

Napagod na'ko kakasayaw and my heart was beating fast. I also felt my sweat, lalong mainit sa pakiramdam dahil sa alak na din sa katawan ko.

Bumalik na'ko sa countertop ng bar area at nag-order ulit. I was about to drink when I heard someone called my name.

" Elyse, is that you?" I heard someone mentioned my name kaya napalingon ako and I saw someone I knew.

" Oh, hey, Krisha! You're also here." I greeted and gave her a hugged and kissed on her cheek.

" Yeah, I'm with my friends. Today was Chelsea's birthday kaya party." She laughed then drank the glass of tequila she's holding.

" You looked so hot with your outfit, Elyse. Makakabingwit ka nyan." Pangbibiro nya.

" Thank you, Krish. Nakakatawa ka talaga!" I looked at her and laughed by what she said.

" Come and join us, right there lang oh." She said while pointing the direction of their table.

Since wala rin naman akong kasama, sumama ako kay Krisha. I greeted Chelsea a happy birthday. They were 4 but the two brought their boyfriends kaya bali anim sila lahat.

" Bakit nag iisa ka lang yata, Elyse?" Chelsea looked at me habang hawak-hawak ang basong may inumin.

" Wala lang, naisipan ko lang lumabas ngayon." I uttered and gave her a small smile.

Tinignan ko sila at mukhang nage-enjoy sila sa buhay nila. Siguro masaya yung sa kanila, they were free to do the things they want, pumili kung sinong nais nilang mahalin pero ako, heto, lumabas at umiinom dahil sa nakakabwisit na nangyari.

Mga dalawang oras din pala kaming nagkwentuhan nila sa iba't-ibang mga bagay. Tapos, ayun umuwi na sila kasi late na at kasama rin naman ng iba yung boyfriend nila.

I called the waiter again and ordered another glass of whiskey. My hands were unsteady, my head starts to ache, I'm not sure if this was because of the alcohol or the swirling thoughts.

How I wish I could be drunk and face my parents and tell them how much I weighed their expectations from me, the thing I couldn't do but I wish to.

I wish I could say no to them, that f*cking marriage. Sino ba namang gugustuhin na ikasal sa hindi nya naman nakilala. Ano? Magkikita kami tapos ilang buwan o ano ikakasal na? How could I live with someone I don't even love?

My mind was so occupied that I don't even realized how much I drank. I felt dizzy, gumagalaw na yung mga bagay sa paligid ko. Napalingon-lingon ako sa paligid and I saw some guys sa couch.

Umiinom sila, siguro kakasimula pa lang. May mga itsura sila, but the guy on the middle ang pinakagwapo. He's wearing a button down blue long sleeve paired with a beige pants. His hair was put on the other side, he was talking to his friends when the guy next to him, siniko sya and dinuro ako gamit ang bibig nito.

His eyes locked on mine as if nasa karera kami na kung sino yung unang umiwas ay syang matatalo. My heart skipped a beat like it knew something I didn't even know. Was he staring because of my outfit? Was it me or was it because I was staring him for a long time earlier

.

Agad akong napaiwas ng tingin at ininom lahat ng natira sa glass. Gaano ba'ko katagal nakatitig? Di ko napansin yun. Baka isipin nya type ko sya. I was just staring to describe him, that's all. Tinitignan nya pa kaya ako ngayon? Nakakahiya. I slowly turned my head para makita kung nakatingin pa nga, and he was still staring whil holding a small glass of wine.

I was caught with that! Di ko na sinubukang lumingon muli, umorder nalang ako ulit kahit nagdadalawa na yung paningin ko. I was in the middle na inunumin yung another shot but nasusuka na'ko. I immediately run outside to vomit.

I was holding my hair habang sinusuka ang mga nainom ko. I hated this part that I couldn't handle the drink to let it spill out. Kung iinom ka ng mamahalin, wala pa rin kasi ilalabas naman.

Pagkatapos nun, I was holding my head sa sobrang sakit, matutumba na yata ako sa bawat hakbang ko, lalo na't naka heels ako.

Napahawak ako sa sasakyan malapit sa'kin dahil sa nangdidilim na yung paningin ko. I saw na may nakalatag na play mat sa likod nito and it has a pillow. Aha, this will be a nice place to stay kahit saglit lang. Di naman siguro magagalit yung may ari.

By this time, Wala na'kong pakialam muna kasi hilong-hilo na'ko. I am really wasted tonight.

I climbed at the back of the pick up car and lay down. Saglit lang to, aalis din ako. I closed my eyes sa sobrang hilo at nakatulog ako.

I woke up since the rays of the sun hit my eyes. Umaga na pala, anong oras na kaya? Napahawak ako sa ulo ko dahil sa hangover. I opened my eyes and I saw the wallpaper of the room. Did I changed mine? It was in beige color but now it's gray with white. I looked at the bed sheet that was cover to me, it's color blue. The room seems to be owned by a man.

Napabangon ako to realized na hindi ko kwarto to, wala ako sa bahay kundi nasa ibang bahay! Lagot ako nito. My eyes widened at napatakip ako sa bibig ko. Did I slept with a man? Pumayag akong sumama sa condo nya? Ano ba kasing nangyari kagabi pagkatapos Kong binalak matulog saglit? How did I ended up here? Yan lang naman yung mga tanong na pumasok sa isip ko habang kunot noong hawak ang ulo ko. I looked at what I wore, it's a oversized black shirt. It's confirmed, I slept with a man sa sobrang lasing.

I heard the door knob moved kaya dali-dali akong humiga at nagkunyaring tulog. I heard his footsteps coming then he sat beside the bed. I can smell here his manly scent. Halatang bagong ligo kasi naamoy ko pa yung shampoo.

" I know you're awake, wag kanang magpanggap na tulog." He said in a monotone.

I slowly opened my eyes only to saw he's the guy last night. " Ikaw?" Bigla kong Sabi sabay turo sa kanya. Napatakip ako ng bibig ko when something hit me na Hindi pa ko naghihilamos even mouthwash.

Bumangon ako to ask him where's the bathroom kaya tinuro nya din agad. I run towards the bathroom at nilocked.

Nasampal ko yung forehead ko because of how messed was my hair. I washed my face using his cleanser, nagmouth wash na rin ako at sinuklay ang buhok ko gamit ang kamay ko. Lumabas na'ko pagkatingin kong mukha nakong tao.

He was still sitting on the bed crossing his arms, his brow rose when he saw me coming near to him.

" Hey, did something happened to us?" I ask shyly, napangiwi pa'ko.

Bigla syang tumayo at lumapit sa'kin. Sobrang lapit nya ngunit mas inilapit nya pa yung mukha nya at tumitig sa'kin. My heart raced, naririnig ko ang kabog sa dibdib ko kasabay ng pagsikip ng dibdib ko habang tinititigan sya.

" What if I told you that there was?" He answered in a question, then smirk.