Sunlight Deception (Isla Series #1)

26

"Ano ba, Esme! Sumayaw ka naman, para kang kahoy diyan!"

I was very occupied that I didn't even realize na nahatak na ako ni Cali papunta rito sa gitna ng dance floor. Nakita ko si Marco sa may counter ng bar at may kausap na babae na hindi ko kilala.

"What?" I asked Raya and turned to her.

"Sabi ko sumayaw ka na!" malakas na sabi niya habang gumigiling-giling na rito sa dance floor.

"I remembered sa isla, ganyan na ganyan ka rin. Hanggang ngayon ba naman, 'di ka pa rin sanay sumayaw?" si Sasy.

Nilahad ni Cali ang shot glass sa akin. "Here, to ease your shyness. Pakalasing ka lang, ako bahala sa 'yo!"

"Thanks, but no thanks, Cali!" tumatawang tanggi ko bago inabot ang shot glass na hawak niya. For sure, it would be the other way around. Siya kaya ang unang natutumba sa inuman.

"Okay. It's the other way around, right?" She laughed before drinking straight from the bottle. Tinawanan ko rin siya. See? Kahit siya alam, eh!

I started dancing with Raya who was a dancing wildly. She was even twerking. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung lasing na 'to or naglalasing-lasingan lang. I think it's the latter kasi hindi naman 'to madaling malasing. Ako naman, I was feeling a bit tipsy na rin since kanina pa kami umiinom at nahihilo na talaga ako sa ilaw.

Cali was making us chug tequila through the bottle that she was holding. I shook my head because I noticed that she wasn't even drinking anymore, tamang buhos lang. Mahahalata mo namang lasing na si Sasy kasi grabe na siya makasayaw. Asa ka naman na sasayaw 'to kapag hindi lasing.

"Esme!" sumigaw si Cali dahil hindi kami nagkakarinigan sa lakas ng kanta. She lifted the bottle kaya nag-bend naman ako. She immediately poured the alcohol on my mouth.

"More," I said when she stopped pouring.

"Okay."

Wala na akong pakialam kung malasing man ako ngayong gabi. My thoughts were still bothering me. I know for a fact that Jericho and I would see each other tonight. This was his club and our friends are here, alangan naman hindi lumapit, 'di ba? Bahala na! I just need to get all the confidence that I would be needing to at least look at him.

After hours by The Weeknd was being played by the DJ, pero remix version iyon. I was singing my heart out while jumping a bit. Lasing na talaga ako. Though, I want to get wasted, I was still wishing na hindi aabot sa punto na guguyurin na ako pauwi. Nakakahiya naman kung gano'n!

Biglang pinalitan ng DJ ang kanta. I was not familiar with the song. It was much more upbeat than earlier kaya nagsigawan ang tao at mas lumala ang pagsayaw. Some were even grinding against each other that I needed to look away because I felt like I was invading... something.

Inagaw ko kay Cali ang bottle ng tequila na hawak niya at tinungga iyon. Nagulat siya kaya hindi siya nakaimik. Gumuhit naman agad ang anghang ng alak sa lalamunan ko dahil sa dire-diretsong inom ko.

"Gosh, sumobra yata," nakangiwing sabi ko at binalik sa kanya ang bottle.

Umiling naman siya bago tumawa. "Okay. I'm really not going to drink anymore. Babantayan kita," Cali said.

"Anymore?" I scoffed. "You're not even drinking at all!"

"Shh ka lang." She placed a finger on the top of her mouth, gesturing me to not say anything.

"Hey! Sorry, nahatak ako ng mga kaibigan ko!" sigaw ni Chase nang makalapit sa akin.

Oh! I actually forgot that he was here! Ako ang nag invite sa kanya tapos hindi ko man lang siya naalala! Ang sama ko!