Bewitching the Tempter

Chapter 19: Another Face

"Oy hala, 'diba si Ashtine 'yon? Jowa mo beh!" Kyla shrieked ngunit nanatili lang akong nakatayo sa pwesto ko, still absorbing what I am seeing.

"Wait wait. Tama ba ang nakikita ko? Kasama niya si Katia?" Agatha's eyes widened.

"Omg! 'Yong ex niyang engineering student? Siya 'yong first girlfriend, 'diba?" Ani Kyla at mas lalo pang naningkit ang mata habang tinitingnan ang dalawa. "Ano 'yon? They got back together? Pero paano... 'diba kayo?" She then looked at me with her confused expression.

That's when I snapped.

So it's his ex, huh? Ano 'yon? Mahal niya pa at siya ang sadya niya rito?

I laughed.

"We broke up. I broke up with him. Like I told you, friends. It's just a game and I got bored, kaya tinapos ko na. You know me, guys. I hate plain and boring things." I answered and flipped my hair.

But those were lies. I didn't break up with him dahil hindi naman talaga kami. I hate plain and boring stuff but that's just a projection, gano'n kasi ako e, and I hate myself.

And as I looked at them, I couldn't help but compare myself. So ironic because I hate comparison pero heto ako ngayon, kinukumpara ang sarili sa iba nang walang matinong dahilan.

I feel insecure again of my tanned skin dahil maputi iyong Katia, and of may Filipina beauty dahil mukha siyang Latina.

But then, it's not a fucking loss, dapat nga ay matuwa pa ako dahil sa wakas ay nasa iba na ang atensyon niya. Dapat ay magdiwang ako! Dapat magparty!

"So are you guys free later? Versus tayo?" I asked, smiling.

"Oo naman!" Kyla and Agatha immediately answered.

I smirked. "It's settled then. My treat."

I was in game mode during the remaining hours of the day. Denver and I also almost fought when asked regarding our stand about abortion. I am pro while he's not, of course lagi naman niya akong sinasalungat e, kaya ang haba ng naging diskurso namin. Mabuti nalang ay next class na dahil kung hindi ay baka umabot pa ng maghapon ang sagutan namin.

"Gosh! It's really tiring! Tara na nga!" Kyla pulled me to the bar, nagpahila na rin naman ako dahil kailangan ko iyon.

I need to party because finally...tatantanan na ako ng lalaking iyon! Kasi sila na ulit ng ex nila o kung hindi man, at least nasa kanya na muli ang atensyon niya. Wala naman akong pakialam kung anong ugnayan ang mayroon silang dalawa. Kahit na fuck buddy pa iyon!

The girl must be really good in bed kung iyon ang ugnayan nila pero magaling din naman ako ah, kaya nga siguro tinapos na niya kasi takot na masapawan.

I laughed. Bakit ko ba iniisip 'to? Nababaliw na ba ako?

"Tara, let's get wasted! Walang pasok bukas!" I shouted and poured Bacardi into my glass.

I partied the whole night, danced and talked to strangers, drank a lot...and yeah, I got wasted.

Wala ako sa sariling napasandal sa labas ng bar pagkatapos sumuka. Damn, it's been since I got so drunk lang this. Hinahabol ko ang aking hininga at inayos ang buhok na nagulo. I was in that position when I suddenly spotted a familiar person looking at me.

Dahil doon ay agad akong napaayos ng tayo.

Bakit siya nandito?

"You look wasted," aniya at nginitian.

"Oh, hi AJ." I greeted and smiled back.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay!" I answered and chuckled. "Don't worry about me."