Prologue
Everything felt wobbly. It was a bad idea. Bad. I could only blame my lunatic best friend for that. The red and yellow lights also are the worst. They hurt my eyes.
We've been in this karaoke bar for four hours! The whole place was too loud and smelled of liquor. People were shouting as they took their shots while I spent my time gawking at them and getting drunk alone. After some time, I ran out of booze so I dizzily made my way to the kitchen to get some more. But when I returned to my seat, a blonde girl with a dumb look on her face was already sitting there.
“Please scoot over. This was my place.”
"Well it’s not anymore,” the girl smugly replied.
Not wanting to pick a fight over a silly worn-out couch, I decided to leave. Perhaps I’d just go to the nearest comfort room and wait there until all of this is over.
Kelly, the lunatic best friend I was talking about, was on the microphone when she saw me sneaking out.
"Bestie! Where do you think you're going?" she shouted on the mic, filling everybody's eardrums with her usual high-pitched voice. For a moment there, I thought everybody’s eyes were on me.
"I—I have to pee!" I shouted back.
"Better be back, Lexis. You're taking me home later!" I rolled my eyes. Right, what’s new? That had always been my role since high school. She didn’t have to remind me.
There were about fifteen people inside this small karaoke bar. All of them were Kelly's high school squad. Despite me, being her best friend, it’s obvious that I didn’t belong here. I wasn't supposed to be attending this party but Kelly bribed me for 2000 pesos in exchange for my presence.
Kelly Verzosa came from a well-to-do family and her parents were devout Catholics. Even though she’s already 21, Kelly still had to ask permission wherever she went. Thus, I became the best friend who was always willing to cover her ass whenever she wanted to play renegade.
Not that I was also like the other young adults who were free to do whatever they liked. Being the extended Filipino family that we were, I wasn’t allowed to separate from my family even though what I wanted so much was to have my apartment. And so, I still had to live under my parents’ roof as long as I remained unmarried. And marriage was completely out of the picture.
I was already walking towards the exit when a girl with a curvaceous body approached my direction.
"Hey, Alexis,” she said. I smiled at her and recalled her as Abigail. I supposed she was the birthday girl. “Happy birthday, Abi!”
Biting her lips, she replied, " Thanks Alexis. Enjoy!"
She then sashayed towards Marky, one of our transgender friends. He was frantic when Abigail unexpectedly sat on his lap and everybody started teasing them.
I continued walking and was relieved when I reached the door. Finally, I stepped out in the open. I immediately filled my lungs with fresh air because the atmosphere inside was horrible. I held onto the railings as I was about to step down the stairs leading to the first floor of this commercial building.
It’s just 2 in the afternoon but the air seemed cool enough to ease my drunkenness. And it was May, a summer month. It was surprisingly breezy but that didn’t help in stopping my bladder from screaming inside of me. I half-jogged towards the comfort room and felt clumsy as I bumped into two elderlies who were talking just outside the CR’s door.
There was someone else inside.
A girl, probably my age. Her head’s bowed, two palms on the sink, and back was turned against me. So, I didn’t quite see her face. I decided to ignore her and went directly inside an empty cubicle. When I got out of the cubicle; the girl was still there. Several times she raked her fingertips through her shoulder-length hair. She looked up and I realized I completely recognized her. I was utterly taken aback not just because I recognise her but also because my heart just had a summersault the moment our eyes met.
"Y—You’re Mary Jane Castillo, am I right?” I stammered.
"Crap, just please drop the Mary Jane thing, you knew I hated that name. MJ would be pleasurable enough,” she replied with a little chuckle. Geez, even her chuckles rang so beautifully in my ears.
"Well, it was already a long time ago but I didn’t forget your fancy and girly name,” I replied laughing.
“Yeah and I was quite offended, Miss Alexis Rosales,” she taunted as she emphasized my name.
She then stepped aside and gave room for me near the sink. Momentarily, I looked upon her reflection in the mirror and I felt suddenly conscious when I caught her staring. “It smells like shit here,” I joked. She laughed a little and stood beside me, snaking her arm around my shoulder. Even the simple touch pricked my skin. Seriously, what’s happening to my senses?
“I vomited,” she whispered. I only replied with a laugh. I stared at her again and she did the same. A smirk was displayed on her face as she pressed me closer to her.
"It’s been a while since we last saw each other, isn’t it?” she said.
I faced her as her hand slid down to my side. I looked her in the eye and replied, “Yeah, six years. What happened back there was sort of a high school reunion, but it wasn’t really fun to me though. I felt like a dummy and out of place... by the way, you look good.”
"Are you kidding me? I look fat!” she retorted, frowning.
"You don’t look bad, trust me,” I commented. “Unlike me, I’m still as skinny as ever.”
"You look good too. So, what are you up to these days?”I gave her a genuine smile and replied, “I’m a teacher now.” MJ’s eyes popped open and she patted me on my head. “I knew you’ll be successful,” she added.
I only laughed a little but then felt glad when her palm touched the top of my head.
When we got back to the karaoke bar, a game was played, and like the others, MJ and I participated.
"Alright, truth or dare?”
I was nervous as I looked at Abigail’s eyes.
"Truth,” I replied in an unsure tone.
"Nope,” she replied. “You just got three truths. It’s time for you to choose dare, Alexis. Please don’t spoil the fun. Right, guys?”
Damn, was I spoiling the fun?
“Go on, Alexis! This is just a game,” they taunted. Even Kelly said the same that I could only reply to a pout.
“Fine! I choose to dare this time.”
I didn’t know if anyone else saw what I saw but the smile on Abigail’s face gave me the creeps. So, the moment she opened her mouth to speak, I panicked.
“Alexis,” Abi said in a rather ominous voice. I thought she’ll be more sympathetic, but then, she just dropped it like a bomb. “I dare you to make out with MJ.”
I choked on my saliva when I heard it all.
"Abigail, you’re crazy. I’m not doing it.”
“Do it, Miss Alexis,” she bluntly replied.
"And what makes you think so?”
“Because you’re in my game and it’s my birthday party. Besides, you’re just Kelly’s plus one. So, just fucking do it.”
"Stop it, Abi!” Kelly interjected.
"What, Kelly! It’s true. She wasn’t invited.”
I looked around, rather embarrassed. "Well, if it makes you happier, I’ll just go,” I exclaimed as I stood up to stomp out of that room. Kelly and the others protested, but I only scoffed at them. But just when I thought I would’ve gotten out from the ordeal, a powerful grip took over me and forced me to sit on somebody else’s lap.It was her. I was sitting on her lap.
“M—MJ?"
I felt her warm palm at the back of my neck while the other one rested around my waist. Before I could even blink, MJ pulled me closer and our drunken lips crashed.
Suddenly, I stopped hearing things.
It was as if everything just stood still as I met her kisses with an equally passionate synchronization. I found myself responding to her kisses. Worse, I was liking her kisses. Everything felt good, but not until my mind suddenly called a name.Gab.
That’s when the world started to move again—in fact, it moved too quickly that I almost hurt myself when I stood up to pull away from MJ. I looked her in the eye, then Abi’s. The smug look on Abigail’s face and the judgmental stares from the people around us registered on my mind.
“Happy now?" MJ asked Abi as the latter clapped her hands slowly. It was horrible. So I ran away from them. I was even crying when I hailed a cab.
Guilt started to consume me. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was never going to forget that kiss from her. Still, I was blindsided and it was my fault for allowing it to happen. I screwed up. I did.
