Breaking the Rocks (Provincia de Marina Series #1)

Kabanata 25

Kabanata 25

Breaking the Rocks

Ngayon ko lang na-realize na sobrang na-miss ko ang pag-inom ng alak. I kind of missed the feeling of the burning sensation of the alcohol in my mouth and throat. I never touched any alcohol in Exodus' house, except for wines. Maliit lang naman ang alcohol content noon at hindi naman ako palaging umiinom.

Pumikit ako nang tinungga ulit ang beer na hawak. My friends were the kind of beer people. Nasanay na ako na iyon lagi ang iniinom nila simula pa noong college kami. I had taken a liking of the drink that it had been my best buddy since college. Kapag bagsak ako sa quiz namin, iyon agad ang takbuhan ko. Hindi lang naman kasi ako ang palaging bagsak.

I never complained about having all those bagsak moments. Sanay na ako. I was never smart. Laging pasado lang palagi kahit sinusubukan ko naman ang kaya ko. I know that engineering was hard and yet, I tried to enter that field. Luckily, I endured those bagsak moments and graduated safely.

I chuckled as I remembered crying over a failed exam. Kahit pala sa pag-iinom ay maaalala ko pa iyon. I remember asking Landon for help because I don't know how to passed it. Pinagpasa-pasahan nila akong dalawa ni Exodus. I tried asking Nile for help but he was busy with the band. Sinubukan ko ring humingi ng tulong sa pinsan niya na nasa engineering din and luckily, he was able to help me a little bit. Ang ending ko, kinuha pa rin ako ni Exodus at tinuruan.

It wasn't a bad mentoring. Though, most of the time I'd complain to Exodus because he was not good at explaining things. Sasabihin niya na lang na 'that's it' but I couldn't understand a thing. Inulit niya nang inulit hanggang sa maintindihan ko.

Pagpapasa-pasahan nila akong dalawa ni Landon tapos sa kaniya pa rin pala ang bagsak ko.

"Muriel! Dance? Punta kami ron sa taas," Ella, a friend, asked.

Umiling ako. "Dito na muna ako. Susunod na lang ako mamaya."

"You sure?"

"Yep!" I raised the bottle in the air. Humalakhak si Ella sa kabila ng ingay at tumango-tango sa akin. Hinatak niya na ang ibang kasama namin doon.

I drank the beer again and leaned on the seat. Kinuha ko sa aking bag ang aking cellphone para tingnan kung may text ba roon si Exodus.

He had sent me a text earlier saying that he invited a friend over. Hindi niya binanggit kung si Landon ba o isa sa mga barkada niya. Baka nga si Landon ay hindi pinayagan ni Ayana na umalis.

"Walang text?" I asked out of nowhere. Kumunot ang aking noo at tinitigan ang huli kong text sa kaniya kanina.

Ako:
I'm drinking beer right now.

In-update ko talaga siya sa gagawin ko. At least he won't ask too much if ever I went home drunk and he won't able to talk to me.

Thirty minutes na ang lumipas simula ng na-send ko iyon sa kaniya. Maybe he was busy with 'that' friend that he wasn't able to reply.

Itinago ko na lang ulit ang phone ko at inubos ang beer sa bote. I decided to follow my friends upstairs where the music is louder and the party is wilder.

Hinalughog ng mga mata ko ang lugar para mahanap ko ang mga kaibigan ko. I easily found Ella's dyed hair. Bright red iyon at kahit sa dilim ay alam na alam ko. She was already dancing with a stranger and it was wild. Tumataas-baba ang paggiling niya rito. Not bad, though. Wala naman siyang boyfriend kaya malaya naman siyang gawin ang gusto.

I feel like dancing, so I did. Malapit lang kay Ella at pinaaalam kong nakasunod ako sa kanila. Katabi kong magsayaw ang isa pang kaibigan namin na si Diana.