Chapter 6
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|Levi's POV|

"On a serious note, what if Val dates someone?" asks Jayden.

"Are you asking me?" I answer. I don't know if the question is directed to me or to others.

I, together with Ace, Jayden and three others, make our way to our place after we get more drinks since three bottles weren't enough for us. I'm not a heavy drinker if you compare me to the boys, like Oliver and Jayden. I always restrict myself from drinking further than my limit. I like to think that I'm not only looking for myself whenever I go out partying but Val as well, even when I know she can totally handle herself. That girl is a fighter, anyways.

Jayden nods. "Yeah. Just a random thought."

"Hmm..." Val getting a boyfriend? It never occurred to me that someday, she'll have her other half. When that time comes, I'm certain that our time together will lessen, given the kind of friendship we have. I'm aware I can be too clingy and protective when it comes to her, and her future lover won't like that for sure. I don't know why, though. My body just moves on its own. Having been together since childhood, it will be hard on my part, to be honest. Even when she's out of my sight for a moment, I'll worry to the depths of Pacific Ocean.

There's only one answer I can think of but I don't want to admit it since it's not right.

What if Val dates someone?

To be honest, I wouldn't like that. My life would be different without her. She's like me and I'm like her. Losing her would also mean losing myself.

But like I said, who am I to meddle with her life? I don't get to decide for her.

"Dude? Hello? Why are you thinking that much? it's just a question," Jayden says, slightly chuckling.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I'll just be happy for her. 'Cause, finally! There's someone  more important than her studies, you know," I reply, returning his chuckle.

That's right, Levi. Never let your feelings decide.

"So..." Jayden connects both his index fingers and pucker his lips, "Is it okay if I court her?"

Surprised, I say, "You like her?"

"Bro, you should've seen him confess to Val days ago," Ace speaks, holding back his laugh.

"What happened?"

"I got rejected," Jayden responds as he flashes a sheepish smile while scratching his nape. Even with that smile, I can feel it isn't actually what he feels.

"Goodluck with that. Once V rejects someone, that's the end of it," I proudly tell him. Proudly? What am I even proud of?

A few more steps and we have arrived at our table. "Where are the others?" I query, noticing there's no one sitting there. Someone could've left and served as a reserve, but there's none. The four of them sit down, not caring about my question. I look at Ace for answers, only to see him staring at the counter which I then take a glimpse of.

Is that-

"That's Val, isn't it?" he asks, his brows furrowed.

"Val!" As a reflex, I drag my feet the moment my mind creates a clear picture of a girl sitting and laying senselessly.

She's unconscious. Why is she unconscious? What happened?

I move a bunch of her hair that's been covering her face away and see that she's sleeping soundly.

"Bro, is she okay?" Ace pants. He must have run here, too.

"Yeah." I heave out a sigh of relief. "Hey, V. Wake up," I say as I softly pat her shoulder. After trials and trials on waking her up, she groans, and the next thing I know, she says something she wouldn't actually say.

"What do you want, shithead?" She slaps my hand away as she sits upright, eyes squinting. With her forehead creased and one of her brow lifted, her face screams irritation.

Uhm what? Did Val just cursed? Throughout our seventeen years of existence, I have never heard her curse at all. Heck, she doesn't even like it when we cuss.

Ace stands appalled just as I am. "Did she just–"

I nod, "Mhm. You heard it right."

Val moves her upper body forward, still with her eyes narrowed. She scans me up and down as if I'm a stranger that she has suspicions on. When she notices that I'm someone she knows, her eyes beam with delight. She squeals loud enough to catch certain number of people's attention as she throws her whole body on me. "H-hey," I mutter, confused on what is happening.

"Levi!" I wrap my arms around her waist when she hugs me, her face burrowed on my neck. I can feel every breath she makes as she giggles. "You see, I've done something bad." She bite her lower lip while pulling herself away, her arms around my neck and mine on her waist. "But I kinda liked it," she says, slurring her words.

She sounds drunk, but I know that's not the case since she wouldn't dare to drink. Though I think my mind and senses are fooling me because when I moved closer, her scent smelled like alcohol.

"Bro...I think she's drunk," Ace states. He gets his phone from his pocket and grins as he adds, "We need to document this. I wonder what face Val will make when she sees this."

"Aha! Bingo!" Val snaps her fingers and forms a pointy gesture at Ace. "I am drunk! Cause you know, this shithead over here," she continues with her face full of scorn when she takes a glance at her side. She extends her index finger over the guy at the counter. "–gave me a drink when I asked for water. The drink looked like one so I drank it and now boom! I'm drunk!," she explains, her words articulated like a four-year-old kid talking. Simply speaking, she's acting all cutesy and childish, which–might I add–the side of her unknown to everyone except for me as she tends to act matured in front of others.

So it is normal to see Ace shocked by her sudden behavior. "How amusing. She's like a whole different person when drunk." Ace shuts his phone and stops taking videos of her.

Disregarding Ace's reaction, I glare at the guy she pointed at. I place Val behind me and ask Ace to hold her for a while. Given her condition, she might go on a rampage and cause a scene in the club.

"And why the heck did you not follow what she asked? Isn't it clear for you that she wanted water?" I reprimand, my voice slowly rising. "She has low alcohol tolerance, you fucking shithead!" Now that's a lie turned to truth. It wasn't that long when Amy and her left to dance. That could mean that she had only taken a few shots of whatever drink he gave her. Or, worst case scenario is that she had taken multiple shots in a short period of time. Hopefully not.

He defends himself, "Hey, calm down. On the good side, she liked it. No worries." That's all he can say to justify what he did?

I step forward close to the counter, smashing my palms on it. I smirk when I spy him flinching as I did that. No worries, huh? "You're a bartender, right? Correct me if I'm wrong, but your job is to serve drinks requested by the customer, isn't it? "

"Yeah, you're right–"

I cut him off. "Of course I am, fucker. So what makes you think that you can give out a drink and deceive a customer like that?"

"Hey! For your information, I only did her a favour! As a bartender, it's also my job to satisfy my customer, and look at her." She points at Val, who is now being held by Ace as she repeatedly says she wants to dance. "She's...completely satisfied." I catch him mumble, "I guess."

"Do I need to hit you in the head to understand that you're the one who's wrong here? If we haven't found her sooner, will you be responsible if something happened to her while she's drunk because of you? And who knows what you put in that drink!"

"It was her decision to drink more, not mine! Stop putting the blame on me, jeez."

I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. This guy is so stupid. "You know what, let's stop this. It's meaningless to argue with a close-minded person like you. But–" I lean over to whisper in his ear. "–if you do this again to others, consider your job gone. I can end you in just a snap of my finger," I threaten. I don't actually have the power to do that, but it seems like it worked since the word 'scared' is plastered on his face.

Ace and V are still at it when I turn my back. As he notices I'm done doing my business, he says "You gotta take her home, bro. She's out of her mind. Besides, I need to find Amy. They got separated, she said."

I sigh. What am I going to do with you, V?

I call her name and in an instant, she stops struggling in Ace's arms and faces me. "Yes?" she asks, a full smile showing on her lips.

She's somehow...tamed by me?

I extend my arm as I offer, "Come on, let's go home."

She jumps out of Ace and gladly takes–no, more like embraces my upper arm. "Okay!" She presses her cheeks against mine, like a cat craving for affection but minus the purring.

Maybe V being drunk isn't so bad at all.

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