Behind His Mask

Chapter 1

Riley tapped Quint's shoulder nang maubos niya ang lamang alak ng baso niya. Then he stood up at napakapit siya sa gilid ng lamesa nang maramdaman niyang umiikot bigla ang paningin niya.

"Dude." Riley uttered as soon as he stood up.

"I... gotta go." Dagdag niya tapos itinuro pa niya ang pintuan ng club at bumuntong hininga naman si Quint.

"Let's go. Ihahatid na kita." Quint stated at tatayo na sana ito nang hawakan ni Riley ang magkabilang balikat nito at pinilit itong umupo.

"No.. No no.." Riley murmured as he shook his head.

"I'm good!" He stated with a chuckle.

"I'm not drunk... Hindi ako..." A hiccup cut his words. "lasing." Riley continued his words and Quint tsked.

"You're obviously drunk. Huwag ka nang maarte, come on. I'll send you home." Pangungulit ni Quint sa kaniya at muli naman siyang umiling sa kaibigan.

"No.. Let me.. be alone." Riley stated with a blank face.

"I'll be.. fine.. Really." Dagdag pa niya at napabuntong hininga na lang ulit ang kaibigan niya tapos ay nangalumbaba ito sa lamesa.

"Call me if you need me. I'll come flying to wherever you are." Paalala ni Quint sa kaniya at tumango naman siya rito.

"Sure.. I'm not.. a fucking kid." Riley answered as he sniffed tapos ay tinapik pa niya ang balikat ni Quint bago siya tumalikod dito at maglalakad na sana siya nang may maalala siya bigla kaya lumingon siya kay Quint.

"Don't follow me.. I'll hate you." He stated before he started walking.

Nang makalabas si Riley sa club na pagmamay-ari ni Quint ay marahas siyang bumuga ng hangin as he squinted his eyes. His head is spinning and pulsing. He can feel the fast beating of his heart dahil sa sobrang dami ng alak na nainom niya at pakiramdam niya, he would vomit at any time.

His mind is blank as he started walking. He didn't know kung saan siya pupunta. He's not even sure kung saan ang daan pabalik sa bahay niya. The only thing that Riley knows is that, he's walking right now.

Patuloy siyang naglakad kahit wala naman talaga siyang patutunguhan. He doesn't care kung makatulog ba siya sa daan dahil sa sobrang kalasingan. But this is the only thing that he could do right now that would make him at least, feel like, he's doing something.

Its the only comfort that he could find.

Napahawak si Riley sa poste nang maramdaman niyang may humahalukay sa tiyan niya. He started vomiting at inilapat ni Riley ang noo niya sa poste nang maramdaman niyang mas lalo siyang naliliyo. Tumatagaktak ang pawis niya dahil sa pagsusuka and he felt like his throat is parched. Dumura muna si Riley bago niya sinubukang tumayo ng maayos, then a few moments later, he continued walking.

Wyndell was humming to a song nang may madaanan siyang lalaking nagsusuka. Napatingin siya sa side mirror niya and she glanced at it for more than three times dahil parang minamagnet ang tingin niya sa lalaki.

She just got off work, and she's on her way home. Ayaw pa sana niyang umuwi, pero pinilit siya ng boss niyang magpahinga dahil kakabalik lamang nito galing sa ibang bansa at mukhang may konsensya pa naman ito kahit papaano pagkatapos nitong ipasa sa kaniya ang lahat ng trabaho nito.

Wyndell sighed when the thought about that man didn't leave her mind. She clicked her tongue as she stopped on a convenience store to buy two bottles of water, tapos nag drive siya pabalik sa lalaki, hoping that he's still there.

Hindi siya sigurado kung bakit, but the image of that man in her head continued to bug her. 

She then found him, sitting on the sidewalk like a kid, habang nakatingin ang lalaki sa langit. The sky is dark and gloomy. Walang bituin sa langit at kahit ang buwan ay hindi masyadong maaninag dahil natatakluban ito ng ulap. Wyndell sighed as she parked the car on the side, before she went out of it.