DRIFTING MIST

CHAPTER 2: DRIFTING MIST

“FOR PETE’S SAKE, Tori, can you please tell me where you are right now?!”

Tori automatically pulled the phone away from her ear the second she heard her uncle’s hysterical voice.

She could feel the barely-contained anger mixed with worry in his tone.

“Hi, Uncle!” she answered loudly, making him gasp on the other line.

“You better answer me right now—”

“I’m just somewhere out here, Uncle,” Tori cut him off before he could launch into another lecture. “Don’t worry. Cinderella will be home before midnight…” she added with a giggle.

Right now she was in the middle of the road, driving Uncle Ansen’s Toyota Corolla. She’d managed to sneak it out while he was in his room with Uncle Mon. It was already 8 PM and her uncle probably thought she was asleep again. He was always in a bad mood with her.

She’d only been in San Lorenzo for three days, and in that short time, her mother’s older brother had worried himself sick over her.

“You better be, Victoria!” her uncle snapped.

Ah, she could already imagine Uncle Mon taking the brunt of his anger.

Tori couldn’t help it — she burst out laughing that made her Uncle Ansen irritated more.

“Oh my God, Victoria!” he exclaimed. She could hear how hard he was trying not to lose it. “You will be the death of me!”

And with that, the line went dead.

---

TAJ AND OXYGEN were sitting on stools in front of the bar counter when they both turned toward the entrance of Drifting Mist. The murmurs around them were impossible to ignore.

Taj raised an eyebrow when he recognized the woman causing all the noise. Oxygen, on the other hand, immediately let out a low whistle.

She stood alone at the door, eyes scanning the place.

“Do you know her?” Taj asked casually, taking a swig of beer from the bottle in his hand.

Oxygen shook his head in disbelief.

“Don’t you know her?” Oxygen shot back, frowning.

“Am I supposed to?” Taj asked.

Oxygen rolled his eyes and grinned.

“Man, get your phone and search for ‘Tori Herrera.’”

He said as he lightly tapped Taj’s shoulder.

Instead of listening, Taj just kept watching the woman who had, without trying, stolen the attention of everyone inside Drifting Mist — the first and most popular club bar in San Lorenzo.

“C’mon, dude,” Oxygen shouted. He didn’t even realize Taj had already left his side. “Let’s go join them.”

“Attention, everyone!”

Everyone turned toward the stage at the sound of Karla’s voice — the mayor’s daughter.

Karla lifted her glass of liquor.

“We all know who’s here with us tonight, right?!”

Heads turned in unison toward Tori.

Tori gave everyone a small smile and raised her beer.

“Hi…”

The place exploded with cheers.

“I don’t think it’s wrong to ask her for a free song, right?” Karla continued.

Under the spotlight, Taj didn’t miss the brief flicker of annoyance on Tori’s face. His eyebrow lifted at her reaction, but his attention snapped back to Karla’s words.

Out of curiosity, Taj pulled out his phone from his pocket.

He opened Search Me and typed: Tori Herrera.

[Tori Herrera is a Filipino singer-songwriter, performer, and award-winning actress. At twenty-three, Herrera rose to stardom after being named one of the 100 Most Outstanding Recording Artists in Asia by a prestigious international award-giving body, just a year after her debut. She’s also listed as one of the youngest and most influential celebrities in the country, and has been dubbed the “Infinite Star of Asia.”]

“Whoa.” Taj muttered as he read the article. “She’s that big, huh…”

He looked up again, eyes landing on the woman now standing in the middle of the small stage. A staff member handed her a microphone.

“Thank you,” Tori said to the girl who gave her the mic, then turned to Karla — the reason she was on stage in the first place. “May I?” she asked, gaze steady.

“Yeah, sure…” Karla answered, glancing at Tori from the corner of her eye before facing the crowd again.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s all welcome — Tori Herrera!”

The room erupted. Cheers and applause filled the air, especially when the intro of one of Tori’s hit songs started playing.

Tori smiled toward the DJ.

“Cheers to you, Tori!” Oxygen shouted, raising his glass.

Tori quickly grabbed the beer bottle she’d set on the floor, raised it to everyone, and chugged the rest.

“So, since we’re already here,” she said after setting the bottle down, “let’s hit the night with a bang.”

Another round of applause and screams.

“C’mon, guys,” Tori laughed, noticing everyone just staring at her. “I need energy. Give me that vibe.”

She shrugged off her black leather jacket, revealing a black backless tank top, and tossed it aside. But she froze when she saw who caught it.

It was him. The firefighter from the truck.

Taj just raised an eyebrow and held up the jacket. He grinned, slung it over his shoulder, then picked up his beer and raised it to her.

“Come and get it,” he muttered.

“Yeah!” Tori shouted into the mic, raising one hand. “That’s more like it.” She started moving her head to the fast beat.

Show me your real self

And let me decide

If you ever come to me naturally

Tori kept singing after pulling the mic from its stand. She stepped off the stage and walked toward the wide dance floor where the customers of Drifting Mist had gathered.

Make me lose my breath

Excite and move me, baby

She kept singing as she pointed at Taj, who, on instinct, grabbed the bottle in front of him and downed the rest.

“That’s fire, Tori!” Oxygen yelled, and the crowd followed.

“Move me, baby!” a girl shouted, handing Tori a glass of tequila.

Tori took it, drank it in one go, then handed the glass back.

“Thank you!”

“Cool!” the crowd cheered.

Tori started walking toward Taj, who was watching her the whole time. When she finally reached him, she brushed his face with her hand, then turned around and pointed to her back, where a crown tattoo peeked out.

And I’ll be your queen

So excite and move me, baby

---

“So what is the Infinite Star doing in a country town, and in a place like this, alone?” Taj asked the moment Tori sat on the stool beside him.

Instead of answering, Tori signaled the bartender.

“One margarita, please.” Tori mumbled as she turned to the man beside her and held out her hand for the jacket on his shoulder. “Is that a compliment, or the other way around?” she asked.

The corner of Taj’s mouth lifted. He turned his stool to face her and rested his elbow on the bar, propping his chin on his hand as he studied her.

“It depends on how you take it.” His dark eyes stayed locked on her face.

Tori rolled her eyes and looked at the bartender instead.

She took the margarita from him.

“I’m not in the mood to argue,” she said, sipping her drink.

“So I’ll just take it as a compliment.”

Taj chuckled softly.

“So?” he pressed after a beat.

Tori shrugged.

“Well, I just wanted to run away from all the pressure. And I’m here — in this ‘place’ because I want some ‘me time.’”

She emphasized the words 'place' and 'me time'.

Silence stretched between them until Taj finally broke it.

“Taj Sebastian,” he said, holding out his hand.

Tori stared at his hand for a second before taking it.

“Victoria Herrera. But Tori will do.”

The moment their palms touched, both of them froze.

Taj knew it wasn’t just him who felt that sudden heat running through their veins.

Startled, they let go at the same time and looked away.

Meanwhile, Tori’s heart was pounding so hard she thought it might burst. Her breathing sped up. Without thinking, she lifted her glass and downed the rest of her drink.

“Aw, shit,” she muttered as the burn hit her throat.

She set the glass down and stood abruptly, walking fast toward the door of Drifting Mist.

Her chest felt tight. She needed air.

Taj stood too, leaving money on the bar, and followed her.

He found her leaning against his motorcycle.

“You left your jacket,” he said as he approached.

Tori looked at him, took the jacket from his hand, and put it on.

“Thanks…” she said quietly after a moment.

Taj didn’t answer. He just stared at her.

Tori felt uncomfortable under his blatant gaze and waved a hand in front of his face.

“Hey, stop staring.” Her cheeks were burning.

Taj laughed softly. “Sorry. I just can’t help it.”

He snapped his fingers like he’d just remembered something. “Care for a ride?”

“Excuse me?” Tori blinked at him.

Taj pointed to the motorcycle she was leaning on.

“That’s my baby,” he said with a grin. “Wanna ride with me?”

Tori hesitated, glancing between Taj and the bike.

She had no idea it was his.

“It’s okay if you don’t,” Taj said when she didn’t answer.

“I understand—”

“No! No!” Tori cut him off. “I mean… I’d like to.” She was a little embarrassed seeing the flicker of disappointment on his face.

Taj immediately brightened. “You mean?”

A small, happy smile tugged at Tori’s lips. “I mean yes. I wanna ride with you. But—”

“But?”

“My car. I mean, my uncle’s car,” she said, glancing at Uncle Ansen’s Toyota Corolla.

“Give me the key,” Taj said.

Confused but obedient, Tori pulled the keys from her purse and handed them to him.

“Wait here,” Taj told her, holding up the keys.

“I’ll have Oxy drive your uncle’s car home. Then I’ll take you home later. Is that okay?”

Tori thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Okay.”

“Good.” Taj grinned. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

Tori nodded and watched him disappear.

While she waited, she looked around. Drifting Mist was at the entrance of San Lorenzo town, so a few cars still passed by. It was past 11 PM. The lights in nearby houses and establishments were already off. All that could be heard were crickets and the night wind rustling through the trees.

“Let’s go?”

Tori jumped at the sound of Taj’s cool but gentle voice behind her. She turned and nodded.

“Okay.”

Taj picked up a black helmet from near the handlebars and silently put it on her head. Tori stared at him, then her eyes drifted to his straight nose, down to his lips — pink, with a slightly fuller bottom lip that looked like it was begging to be kissed.

She wondered what it would feel like to be kissed by him.

To bite that bottom lip.

“Stop it, Tori, or you’ll regret it later,” Taj warned, making her quickly look away.

Her face burned as she stared into the distance.

God, so embarrassing.

Taj’s jaw tightened as he adjusted the helmet on her head.

He wasn’t blind. He felt the tension coming from her. And he definitely noticed where her eyes had been. Damn it but he had to use all his self-control so as not to kiss her.

Once he was sure the helmet was secure, Taj got on the bike and started the engine.

He looked at her.

“Hop in.”

Tori hesitated, then climbed on behind him. She held onto his shoulders for balance, but froze when Taj grabbed both her hands. He moved them from his shoulders… to his waist. And not just that — he wrapped her arms around him too.

“T—Taj…” Tori called, nervous and unsure.

“Stay still,” Taj ordered before accelerating.

Tori had no choice but to hold tighter to his waist as the bike sped up. She wondered if he was doing it on purpose or not. But when the cold wind hit her face through the helmet’s visor, she closed her eyes and let herself feel it.

She could feel the heat of Taj’s body through his shirt.

She smiled to herself as his scent filled her nose.

“Hmm… you smell so good,” she couldn’t help but murmur.