That Unexpected Feeling

Chapter 5

"Daniela Javier?" Alessa asked, carefully navigating the road towards the city's IT Park. Home to several call centers and rising food establishments, it was one of the places to be if you wanted to enjoy the city's night life. She blew the horn twice when one car attempted to cut their lane. "I didn't even know she was back in town. Didn't she move to Manila to be with that boyfriend of hers?"

Jen nodded as she gripped her seatbelt for support. "Erik said she waited for Justin at the parking lot. That girl has no shame. How dare she try to approach him again after all these years?"

Alessa shrugged. She knew very well how Justin had suffered after Daniela dumped him in high school. The experience drove him to never take any relationships seriously, casually going through dates like they were a one-time thing. She couldn't even remember the last time he had dated someone that lasted for more than a month.

"We're here," she said after another five minutes of driving. She made a right turn and parked a block from where the Tino's was located. If her instinct serves her right then Erik and Justin should be just around the corner.

Erik found his friend at the exact drinking spot where Alessa took them a few years ago. He knew Justin only frequented the place whenever he was upset and that chance encounter with Daniela at the parking lot must've caused it. Rolling up his sleeves, he joined him at the corner table just as Justin quietly downed a bottle of Red Horse.

"Three bottles already," he said to him, counting the empty ones on the table. "It's not even seven o'clock, bro."

"Erik! Come and join me, bro." he exclaimed, sounding quite drunk. Erik wasn't surprised. Justin, like him, never held his ground well with alcohol.

"Let's go home, Justin." Erik said. "This isn't like you."

"I'm perfectly fine," he drawled. "I just wanted to unwind after a stressful day."

"By drinking yourself to death?" a female voice came from behind.

Erik turned to see Alessa and Jen approaching with a disappointed look on their faces. The latter was eyeing the place with hesitation as it wasn't the typical hang-out of their group. They always preferred somewhere quiet. The place was filled with call-center agents and yuppies drinking the night away to kick-off the weekend. He stood up to acknowledge the new arrivals but Justin simply sat there in a drunken stupor. Alessa quickly fussed about how Justin shouldn't be drinking by his lonesome. If he was upset, he can always talk about it with friends. But he wasn't listening.

"I guess I'd better take him home," Erik offered.

Alessa countered with a better offer. "His house is closer to my place. I'll drive him home instead."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Jen asked Alessa.

"I'll be fine," she replied. Erik reluctantly tossed her the keys he fished out of Justin's pocket and made Alessa promise five times to call him once they reach his house. Being the concerned friend, he never left with Jen until he saw Justin off to the car.

As she drove out of the parking lot, Alessa couldn't help but stare at the inebriated Justin who was now fast asleep in the passenger's seat. She thought she heard him murmur a name but she couldn't quite get it as she kept her eyes on the road.

Justin woke up the next morning, confused.

The familiar wall decorations assured him he fell asleep in his own room. But how? He was quite wasted last night he never even remembered driving.

"Damn!" he cursed, bringing his hands to his temples. He tried to remember details but they seemed blurry at the moment.

Justin's head ached like a migraine squared and he flipped over, hoping he'd feel better after another ten minutes of sleep.

Seeing Daniela again set off some pent-up emotions he never knew were bottled deep inside. The last thing he remembered was going out for a drink alone... Erik finding him... Alessa's voice... and everything went blank.

He grabbed a shirt from the closet and headed for the door despite the headache. But the door swung open and Alessa stepped inside carrying a cup of coffee.

"Good morning," she greeted, looking annoyingly awake. "Care for some coffee?"

"Alessa!" Justin yelled, alarmed that the privacy of his own bedroom had been invaded. Alessa had been a frequent visitor at their house since she was twelve but she was always confined to the ground floor. He hurriedly pulled the shirt over his head and quickly retreated to the comforts of his own bed. "How... why... what are you doing here?"

Alessa flopped herself at the end of the huge bed and shrugged. "You know what's funny? From high school up until now, you still can't carry your liquor well." She looked at him intently. "How do you suppose you got home last night?"

His expression looked mortified and she had to keep herself from laughing in amusement. "Where's my car?"

"Relax," Alessa said nonchalantly. "I'm a pretty efficient driver. Your car is still intact."

They lasted a good two minutes in total silence before Alessa mentioned that she had prepared breakfast. Justin told her it might not be a good idea since he was still nursing a hang-over from last night.

"Suit yourself," she said. She stood up and headed towards the door, resigned to eat the food she had asked their helper to prepare all by her lonesome. It wasn't until her hand was on the knob when she realized that he had followed her. As soon as she stepped out into the hallway, Bianca darted outside of her own room. She stopped in her tracks upon seeing the two coming out of her brother's bedroom.

"Kuya?" she spoke, eyeing them suspiciously. "Hi, Alessa."

"Hey!" he greeted. "Where are you off to?"

"Dance practice, remember?" she explained, showing her brother the outfit she was wearing. "Are you two having breakfast? I smell pancakes."

"Why don't you join your brother?" Alessa chimed in. "It's not much, but he should at least eat it with some company."

"You cooked? Oh goodie!" Bianca squealed.

"Oh no," she politely refuted. "Manang Susan made lots earlier so I decided to bring over some."

"That's so sweet, Alessa. Wait, are you guys now a thing?"

Both Justin and Alessa burst into fits of laughter. "Where is this nonsense coming from?" Justin cut his sister off. Turning towards Alessa, he looked apologetic for his sibling's behavior. "I'm sorry. Sisters can be quite a handful these days."

She waved his apologies aside. "It's okay, really. Binks, I've always been here a lot since I moved next door."

"I can't quite explain it, but I'm feeling a vibe." Bianca gleefully went on. "You'd be happy to know not even his past girlfriends are this concerned to pay him home visits because of a hang-over."

Justin was now giving his sister the death glare. "Stop it, Bianca!" he hissed.

"I'd better go ahead," Alessa said, before the conversation turned awkward. "I'll see you around, okay?"

As soon as Alessa was out of earshot, Bianca told her brother she knew what caused his drunken misadventure last night. "Daniela's back, isn't she?"

He nodded. Looking worried but needing no further explanation, she offered her brother a hug.

"Promise me you're not entertaining the thought of taking her back?" Bianca pleaded to her older brother.

"Trust me, I have no plans." Justin assured his sister. "Daniela is nothing but a part of my past."