CHAPTER 2

–ALORA EUNICE’S POV–

I don't know how much time I spent in the shower, but after I made up my mind and had the courage to face him again, I went outside, just wearing a bathrobe without anything underneath. I forgot to get new clothes because I panicked earlier. Gosh… I shouldn’t, right? It’s Oliver and I know he’ll not force me to do what I don’t want to.

"Oliver?" I looked around but…

He wasn't in the room. Is he upset? My heart throbbed at the thought. Maybe…

I messaged him but minutes later, no reply. I yawned as I waited for his message. This day is kind of tiring, but I don’t want us to sleep without talking over this, a bit of a misunderstanding. I visited my socials while waiting for him, but hours passed, he hadn't come back yet. I decided to turn off the lights and let the side lamps on. I felt the heaviness of my eyelids.

"Where are you, Oliver?" I felt heaviness in my chest while looking at my ring finger where the diamond ring is placed.

I slept but woke up around eleven in the evening. Ugh! I thought I could have slept longer, but my body clock betrayed me. I didn’t have a good sleep. I looked at the part of our bed where Oliver was supposed to lie, but he was not there. I sighed heavily. Looks like he doesn’t have any plans to go back. What am I supposed to do?

I decided to call him, but he did not answer. Is he really mad? I sighed before changing my clothes from nighties to simple beach dress. The dress is kind of see-through, but I have two-pieces underneath in case I suddenly decided on night swimming.

The night is still on fire. Seems like no one has any plans on sleeping until dawn. I tried calling Heather but instead of answering, she just texted me to go to the bar, but when I got there, I couldn't find her.

Really? Like what I'd said earlier, I'm not into bars or any chaotic places, but I think I want to drink tonight. I really don't know what I'm feeling right now, but my heart is kind of throbbing again. Maybe I am pissed at the thought that Oliver doesn’t have any plan to reconcile. Is it really a big deal?

"One shot, please," I said to the bartender. I bottomed up the glass and requested another one and another one and another one until I lost count. Damn... it's strong, but I don't care. Guys approached me but I rejected them immediately.

Someone sat beside me and asked for a shot. I thought he was like the other guys who would force me to dance with them, or worse, go with them somewhere they call ‘quiet.’ Jeez. But he is different. When I look at him, my eyesight is kind of blurry, so I cannot distinguish his detailed features, but I know that he is attractive. He caught my attention.

Damn... his Adam's apple moving up and down gives me butterflies in my stomach. He's hot.

Okay... what am I thinking? Am I attracted to this guy? No, Alora! Stop it. Just Oliver.

"Hi, I'm Alora," I offered him my hand for a handshake. I cannot stop myself from doing this thing. Maybe I’m truly drunk. But who cares?

Fine, I just want an acquaintance. A drinking buddy is not that bad unless we do something naughty, right?

"You are?" Besides my blurry vision, I couldn't recognize him because of the darkness surrounding the place. Only the blinking colorful lights struck my eyes. I admit, I am not a heavy drinker, so alcohol doesn’t help me in this situation.

"You're drunk." He shakes his head and drinks his shot. I rolled my eyes and chuckled when he ignored my hand, so I decided to put it down.

"A little," I said while playing with the empty shot glass on the bar.

"Get back to your room," he said in a serious tone. I think I know his voice. I squinted my eyes, trying to see his face clearly, but I really couldn’t.

"I still want to drink," I just said.

He didn’t respond and just drank his shot.

"Is he ignoring me?" I mumbled while thinking about Oliver, and I asked for another shot, but minutes had passed, it wasn't served yet. "Hey..."

The bartender seemed not to hear me, or should I say he was ignoring me? I am a customer too! Out of madness, I grabbed a sealed bottle near me and left.

"Miss! You haven't paid your bill—"

"Here. Keep the change." I heard the guy I met say.

While hugging a bottle of liquor, it felt like the floor was wobbling. I touched my head because it suddenly felt like it would be cut into half. I don’t really know what’s going on around me. Then I remembered, I almost got into a fight.

"Alora Eunice, where are you going? You don't know what you're doing—" Someone grabbed my arm but I pushed him away.

"Don't touch me."

"Okay, okay." The same guy whom I met at the bar said while placing his hands up as if he was surrendering but touched me again to catch me before I fell on the ground.

"I said, don't touch me. I'm engaged. Look!" I showed him my ring, frowning.

"I know," he said in a low voice.

"Stay away—ah!" I fell on the ground when he suddenly let me go.

"I'm done with your drunkenness." He mumbled, and I pouted because I didn’t hear what he said. I groaned when I felt a bit of a sting on my knee after the fall. My eyes became watery when I saw a reddish scratch on it.

"You—" he was about to leave when I held the hem of his shirt. "Assist me?" I asked in a small voice.

After a moment, I found myself sitting on the sand and staring at the vast dark sea. The sea breeze gently caressed my bare face and made my loose hair dance with it. I tried opening the bottle of wine, but my hand felt too weak. The guy, who was standing beside me, grabbed the bottle and opened it for me.

"Thanks," I said and chugged the bottle and cussed after tasting the strong liquor. "Damn..." My chest felt like it was burning because of this liquid. It’s too bitter. Nevertheless, I simply gave it another shot because a problem I had was still bothering me nonstop.

People say liquor sometimes helps ease the burden. Why not try? This is my first time, so I don't know if it is true.

The guy beside me suddenly speaks. I thought he suddenly wanted to talk to me, but when I looked up to say something, he was speaking to someone over the phone.

"Hey, Jana," he said, looking down at me. I look away and drink again. He may think that I am eavesdropping. "I'm out of the bar... just taking care of something... Yes... Don't let Raña fools around. Hm... thanks."

"Sit," I tapped the sand beside me, offering a seat to the guy who didn't leave me alone in the middle of the dark night. As I looked up again, there was no moon nor stars in the pitch-black sky. "When someone politely offers you a seat, just take a seat."

"No."

"Just do it."

"No."

"Don't kill joy. Come. Sit."

"I said—ugh!" I pulled his hand and his butt fell on the sand. He didn’t expect that I would pull him even though I am not that strong enough to pull someone as huge as him. I heard him sigh in defeat and made me smile a bit. I won.

He sat properly beside me, of course, inches away from me, and dusted off the sand on his big hands.

"You want?" I offered him the drink.

"No."

"Is that the only response you know? No?"

He said nothing.

"Okay. I’ll finish it alone then,” he didn’t protest and silently sat beside me. I almost finished half of the bottle when I had the courage to open up to a stranger. "I almost gave myself to him but..."

I yawned, and my eyes got teary. I'm sleepy. I want to sleep.

"Fear ate me. Besides..." I hiccuped. "I want to do it after the wedding," I hiccuped again. I slightly punched my chest and grabbed the bottle again to drink. I wiped my lips before talking again. "I thought everything was fine but a message or even a call… he couldn’t answer? It makes me worry. Is he mad? Disappointed?"

The guy didn't say anything and I don't know if he even listened to what I was saying. At least I had said what I wanted to voice out in my mind, right? I don’t know, but it lessened at least a bit of a burden.

I rested my chin on my knees and looked at the stranger sitting inches away from me…

Who is this guy again?