O L I V I A   V A L E Z

The night wasn't young anymore, and I should probably go home, or I'll get caught. But I wasn't sure if it's late already, or if the sun will soon rise, or it has been a few hours only, I wasn't sure about everything. I wasn't sure if I was drunk. I wasn't sure if I'm okay. I wasn't sure if I'm doing stupid stuff that I'll regret later. The only thing I was sure as of the moment is that I'm having fun. 

A part of me said I should stop drinking and go home, but the other part of me said not to listen to her because she's drunk. 

I laughed at the thoughts playing in my head. I wanted to shake my head to straighten out my thoughts, but my surrounding was already spinning—I certainly didn't need more spinning. I closed my eyes, and laughed again. I don't know why I was even laughing. The loud music suddenly wasn't as loud as it was before. Did the party ended already? I don't know.

Another set of howling answered my question by the party people inside the mansion. The party definitely isn't over yet. It was far from being over. Now, I hear some splashing of water; they probably in the pool now. Should I go there? Should I?  laughed again like a lunatic. Suddenly, a warm slender thing made its impact on my back, making me scream in surprise.

The impact of it almost made me stumble on my feet. Thank god, I was holding onto the wall. I force myself to open my eyes, and I didn't fully succeed. Only half of my eyes were opened, but it was enough to see who was beside me. Prima's split-dyed hair greeted me. I lifted my hands and put it on the top of her head, and then I started rubbing it as I laughed.

Prim made a sound by clicking her tongue—an indication that she was getting annoyed with me.  

"You're drunk, Oly. Let's go home." Prima said as she rubbed my back.

It was sending different feelings to me, especially into my stomach. And I got a feeling that it's not nice. Whatever is coming is not nice. I smacked her hands away from my back, and she glared at me.

"Who's drunk? Are you drunk? Because I'm sure, it is not me." 

Prim rolled her eyes, "You are drunk. Not me. You." she said every word with emphasis.

I clapped like a five years old kid, "You, not me." pag-iiba ko sa sinabi niya.

"No, it's not me. It's you."

"Yes, it's not me. It's you."

Prima looked at the sky and then pinched the bridge of her nose. Bumuntong hininga siya bago ibinalik ang tingin sa akin. Ngayon, ang mga mata niya ay puno ng iritasyon, pero kontrolado na niya. Muli niyang inilagay sa likod ko ang kamay niya, at katulad kanina ay tinabig ko iyon. But this time, I lost my footing. Prima was quick to catch me before I even made friends with the floor. I laughed again. Muntik na ako doon, a.

She grunted in an irritating way, "Olivia, come on, don't make this hard."

But I cannot answer anymore because I'm definitely sensing something from my stomach. I curled my two fingers in a circle and raised the three left. Forming an okay sign while smiling goofily. I saw how Prim closed her eyes tightly and murmured inaudible words. Hindi ko na lamang iyon pinansin, at sinubukang ideretsyo ang tingin sa harap. Masyado na kasing malikot ang paligid. Hindi ko alam na pati pala ang bagay sa paligid ay naki-pa-party rin. 

"Na saan na ba si Briarly." sabi ni Prim bago niya inilabas ang phone sa bulsa. 

Matagal bago sinagot ng tinawaga niya ang phone, kaya todo na ang pagkakukunot ng noo ni Prim. Natatawa kong pinindot ang nakakunot na noo niya, na siyang hinawi niya agad, at tinignan ako nang masama. I giggled at her reaction. She looked so cute and pushed me to do it again. So I did. I pressed Prima's knotted forehead, but before my finger landed, she bit it. I withdrew my finger and pouted at her. She just stuck her tongue at me, and then proceeded to talk to her phone.

Maya-maya lang ay nakita ko nang tumatakbo palapit sa amin si Briarly,habang ang cellphone ay nasa tainga niya. I waved at him and smiled sweetly. I looked shocked at what I did because his eyes went wide, and his mouth parted slightly. When he adjusted from the shock, Briarly waved back at me while slowing down his phase. 

"She's drunk, huh." he nudged towards me.

"Yes, but she won't admit it."

"Well, no one admits they are drunk." Briarly said, then chuckled.

Umiling na lamang si Prim at naglahad ng kamay. Agad namang ibinigay ni Briarly ang susi kay Prim. 

"Take care of my baby, Prim, or you won't ride her again." pagbabanta ni Briarly kay Prim nang makuha na niya ang susi.

"Don't worry. I won't even let a single scratch land on your baby's body."

Prim guided me towards the car carefully. She kept sighing every second whenever I blubber something she cannot fathom, or whenever I started giggling and pointing at something. When she successfully put me in place on the driver's seat. I glance at the time and saw that it's already quarter to two AM. I do really need to go home now. 

Parang nawala yata ang lasing nararamdaman ko nang magsimula ng patakbuhin ni Prima ang sasakyan. Bigla akong napakapit nang maigi at napaayos ng upo. I gulped audibly and looked at Prim nervously. The car was almost flying! I think Prim mistook the car for a plane. She was overtaking the cars ahead, and she was almost reaching a hundred-twenty speed. We are on a fucking highway, not in an expressway!

She looked at me with an evil grin on her lips, and then she winked at me, making me gasped. 

I smacked her arms and said, "Slow down, Prim! Satan is not chasing us!"

She laughed darkly and sped up again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! O, my god!" I said when she ate the opposite lane, and an upcoming car almost got us!

"Chill, Oly. This is the best way to cure drunkness." 

The whole ride was full of loud beeping of horns from the other car that Prim almost crashed into. I'm not a religious person, but I prayed the whole ride for our dear lives. I thought I'll never make it alive, especially when Prim took a sharp turn when we reached our subdivision. The tires of the car made a screeching sound, and the smoke from exhaust filled the back. She didn't saw the humps, making the car jump a little and making me bumped my head on the car roof.

Dali-dali akong lumabas ng sasakyan ng makarating kami sa amin. Para akong sumakay sa roller coaster! Napasandal ako sa pader na aking aakyatin mamaya, at huminga nang malalim habang nakapikit. Ang kamay ay nasa aking puso. Hinding-hindi na ako sasakay 'pag si Prim ang mag-dri-drive! Tatawa-tawang lumabas ng sasakyan si Prim at pinaikot ang susi sa kaniyang daliri. Ngayon alam ko na kung bakit siya pinagbantaan ni Briarly na alagaan ang sasakyan. 

"Do you have a driver's license?" halos bulong na lang ang pagkasasabi ko no'n.

"Yeah, student's license." she said nonchalantly.

Nakapasa siya sa driving test sa ganoong pagmamaneho? I cannot believe it! Nakakuha talaga siya ng lisensya niyan? 

"Stop being a baby, Oly. Bilisan mo na at alas dos na ng madaling araw. I'll help you climb the wall."

Kahit nahihilo at kabado pa sa byahe namin pauwi ay kumilos na ako para umakyat. Prima guided me up carefully and safely. Muli akong nakaramdam ng kaba nang matanaw ko ang tahimik namin mansion mula sa taas ng wall. I shivered when the cold breeze of the dawn touched my skin. Muli akong nahilo nang masulyapan ang bababaan kong may kataasan. Mabuti na lamang at safe naman ang nakababa, ayon nga lang ay na out of balance ako nang umikot ako paharap. Bahagya akong gumulong papunta sa malapit na puno.

I grunted when I felt pain in my butt. I jumped from my position here on the ground when someone talked.

"I didn't know you can roll like a panda, Little girl." 

Agaran akong napatayo mula sa aking pagkasasalampak kahit na masakit pa ang aking pwet. Nagpagpag ako ng aking pants, at dali-daling inayos ang buhok ko. Lumingon ako pero hindi ko nakita nag nagsalita, pero sigurado akong si Mr. Atlas Mate iyon. I know that sexy baritone voice well. I know how my whole being reacts every time I hear his voice. Kaya hindi ako p'wedeng magkamali. Alam ko siya 'yon.

"I'm here, Little girl."

I turn around again, and this time. I saw him leaning on the tree not so far from me—a cigarette on his lips as he looked at me darkly. My mouth opened and closed— unable to say a word like a fish out of water. Atlas stand properly, his hand on his pocket while the other one was on the cigarette. He blew out the smoke and removed the ash forming at the tip of his cigarette by tapping his slender finger on it. The motion was simple yet enticing like it was hypnotizing me to oversee his move. 

I gulped again as he took a step forward me. He put the cigarette on his lips again. The burning red tip seems so dangerous at the moment, together with his dark eyes. How can his heavenly blue eyes look so dangerous right now? How can something so fascinating make me shiver? He took his time as he stepped forward towards me like a king walking to his throne. He looked like a fucking king, even if he was only wearing a white v-neck shirt and loose riding gray sweatpants. He was purely made to look like a glorious ruler of this land. 

Parang lahat ng matatapakan niya ay pag-aari niya. P'wede mo rin ba akong tapakan? Fuck! Get your shit together self! Saan naman nanggaling iyon? 

His hair was flowing freely as the air sway it. It looked like his sun-kissed hair was dancing on a graceful rhythm. So different from the party songs that I danced to a while ago. My legs shook a little when he was only an inches away from me. I tried saying something, but it seems like all the words I knew flew away from this universe. I took a step back, but I tripped from the big roots that I obviously didn't see.

Before I fall, big strong arms encircled my waist and pulled me up. Now that we are so close to each other, I can smell the cigarette mixed with his natural scent. His face has a dark expression, and his jaw was tight—I can clearly see it moving when my eyes met his. I gulped audibly again. He took a hit in his cigar while he was still holding me. He looked up and blew the smoke into the air. I watched as his neck stretch, and his adam's apple was facing me, forcing me to watch it as it moved. I cannot take my eyes off it—off him. 

Atlas slowly leveled his eyes to mine, "Aren't you a bad little girl?"

"N-No." I was planning on saying it with conviction, but I failed to do it.

I was distracted from his gorgeous face, dangerous eyes, intoxicating scent, low baritone voice, and body heat. It was all distracting me from keeping myself sane in his arms. I'm starting to lose myself—starting to drift away from this world and to be imprisoned in his eyes. To the world, he was creating right now—the world where it was only him and me inside. 

"Hmm, no? Am I supposed to believe that even though I saw you sneaking out to party? And going home..." he leaned in until his nose almost touch the skin on my neck. I craned my neck to give him more access, and I didn't even know where I got my confidence to do this. He looked at me darkly as his nose still near my neck, and then he inhaled, moving his pointed nose up to the bottom of my ear. "Smelling like an alcohol and men." 

I shivered when I felt his breath on my skin. That felt good. How does his breathing felt good on my skin? My hand landed softly on his broad shoulder, and I felt his arm tightening on my waist. His cigar was forgotten in between his fingers. 

"I don't smell like m-men." I said breathily.

Then Felix faced popped in my head, and how his lips met mine. It was my first kiss. I gave him my first kiss, and I didn't even realize it. My cheeks tainted red, and he noticed it, making his eyes darken more. Atlas was now boring his eyes to me deeply like he was searching for the sin I committed tonight. 

"You know that I can see through your lies, right, Little girl?"

I blicked at what he said. It's true. He can see my lies. He can see me inside the mask I wear outside. He can clearly see me. The real me.

"Do you?" 

I lay the challenge between us.

He smirked darkly at me, "What should I do to a bad little girl who sneaked out?"

"I-I—" I was about to reason out again, but he cut me off.

"You are indeed a talented child. Didn't know that you can climb a wall." he laughed without humor. 

Atlas tilted his head and took a step forward. I was forced to take a step back because he was still holding me. My back was now pressed on a tree. He removed his arms that were holding my waist, and I suddenly felt lonely—missing the warmth of his embrace. He looked down at his cigarette and discarded it on the ground by stepping on it. I was watching him intently; by the time I lifted my eyes, he was already looking at me.

I wanted to take a step back, but I can't—no, my legs won't even move. 

"Now tell me, sneaky little girl. What should I do to you?"

I don't know why, but I started feeling dizzy again. I don't know. Was it because of his dark deep gaze? The smell of the smoke with his scent? His closeness to me? Or all the things he said and did? Or simply, was it because he caught me? 

My stomach started churning again. Something started crawling up to my stomach up to my throat. I tried pushing him on his shoulders, but I was feeling weak. 

He pushed away my hands and said, "There's no escaping, Little girl."

Muli kong sinubukang lumayo sa kaniya pero makulit siya. Ano ba naman 'yan! I'm not feeling well. The churning on my tummy started getting worst, and I cannot control it anymore. I know this is bad. I know this kind of feeling will never end in a good way. 

Atlas was about to say something again, but it was cut off by a curse when his clean white shirt has now my puke. 

O, great. I am so dead!

~TBC~

Sorry, late update. Nawalan kasi kami ng net.

Feel free to share your thoughts, and keep safe, everyone.

Love lots! :>>