MIDNIGHT ENCOUNTER [Completed]

Prologo

The loud music hits my eardrums while a bothersome red light pierces my eyes. Ugh! I despise this place, but I'm compelled to be here because of my boyfriend, Jotham. He insisted on introducing me to his friends, despite my initial refusal due to the noisy bar venue.

Yes! I know I'm KJ but, I'm not really fond of this kind of environment. I simply want to make my parents proud and avoid disappointing them. I was raised with books constantly in front of me, and everything I do is meticulously scheduled. I even have a chart in my room that my mom refers to as my "LIFE PLAN," which honestly gives me the creeps, pero hindi na lang din ako nagreklamo.

Okay enough with my dramas in life basta to make it short, isa akong binibini na pinalaking perpekto "kuno" ng mga magulang ko o di kaya'y mas madaling sabihing pinalaking duwag? I may seem tough and brave outside but I'm not really. Sino ba kasi nagsabing may taong perpekto? Of course, I have my flaws too and I can't be perfect.

Despite the constant pressure from my parents, it doesn't mean that I hate them. In fact, I love them deeply. They have provided me with everything, including life itself, and I understand that they have their reasons for raising me the way they did.

But as you can see, the "perfect" daughter is inside a bar? How did that even happen? Well, let me tell you something. My parents are currently not in the country; they reside in Sakaishi, Osaka, Japan. This circumstance liberates me from their expectations and pressures. Besides, hellooo!!! I have already reached the age of 18, no longer a mere baby. Moreover, even if my mother discovers that I visited a bar, I am fully capable of defending myself. I am now embarking on the journey of becoming an independent woman. I am starting to create a new version of myself, distinct from my previous innocent one. I crave change, you know, hahaha.

"Ayu? Ayumi? Hey baby, are you with me?" teka may tumatawag ba sakin?

And that's when I realized na kanina pa pala ako tinatawag nitong si Jotham.

"A-ahm, I'm sorry, come again?" medyo napahiya ako dun ah.

"Tsk, you're day dreaming again! anyway guys, this is Ayumi Grefaldo, my girlfriend," proud na pagpapakilala sa akin ng boyfriend ko sa kanyang mga kaibigan may kasama pang makahulugang ngiti and I don't really understand kung bakit parang feeling ko hindi maganda ang meaning ng ngiti niyang yun even though I'm happy about him introducing me to his friends eh hindi ko pa din maiwasang mapaisip at mag-alala or maybe, I'm just exaggerating things again.

Kaya naman, imbes na mastress ako sa kakaisip eh nag 'hi' nalang ako sa kanilang lahat. Okay naman ang mga response nila, masyado ngang mababait parang medyo OA na nga, eh.

I wonder why?

Time passes by quickly and halos mga nakainom na sila, yung iba nga eh parang lasing na talaga kaya heto't ako naman ang napagdiskitahan nila.

"You know what, Ayu?" sabi ni ate girl na di ko tanda yung name dahil ang dami nila and wow ah! Maka Ayu naman to, super close na ba kami? Emz

"Ahm, ano yun?" medyo awkward kong tanong.

"Kanina pa namin napapansin na hindi mo ginagalaw yang drinks na nasa harap mo, puro ka juice ano ka bata? Hahaha," alam kong joke lang yun gaya ng sabi niya, pero it hurts y'know?

Dahil nga medyo nasaktan yung ego ko sa sinabi niya, eh walang sabi-sabing nilagok ko nang dire-diretso yung alak na nasa harap ko, I don't know the name kasi hindi naman talaga ako umiinom, it's actually my first time.

"Woaaaah! Ang cool naman pala nitong girlfriend mo, dude! Ang sabi mo bo&$%# blah blah blah," pakinig kong saad nung isa sa mga friend niyang lalaki, hindi ko lang masyadong naintindihan yung sinabi niya nung huli dahil medyo lumakas yung sound at nahilo din ako bigla siguro dahil na din sa bigla at dire-diretso kong pag-inom ng alak, ganito ba talaga ang epekto nito?