Everything was so loud - from people to the large stereos. My ears couldn't take in the words coming out from those blaring stereos. Meanwhile, my eyes can't be comfortable with the lights as they were blinding but it wouldn't keep me from having fun.

The largest club in Milea Bay just opened a week ago and I've been here every night. This club literally attracts the whole population of Milea Bay 'cause they're packed every single night.

A pop-rock song blared through the stereos. And it was as if the song's spirit possessed my body. My right hand was in the air doing a rock sign while my head was banging left and right.

Everyone around me seems to be possessed by the song too. It was like we were free; we were freed by the song from our reality.

As the song goes on, I realized it wasn't an English song nor a language that I know. Despite the language barrier, I managed to sing along with the song with its few English lyrics. And the singer's voice made my whole body goosebumps.

I hate you
I don't need you
I'll forget you

I hate you
I don't need you
I'll forget you

Hingal na hingal ako nang matapos ang kanta. Pawis na pawis na rin ang noo ko pati leeg kaya umalis muna ako sa dancefloor at lumapit sa bar para uminom ng tubig.

Jam-packed pa rin ang dancefloor kahit na may nag-alisan dahil may mga bago ring lumalapit.

Katulad ng mga dati kong lakad, ako lang mag-isa. It's been a month na walang mga taong parating nakabuntot sa akin.

Nang iabot ng bartender sa akin ang tubig ay ininom ko iyon ng isahan at naglakad patungo sa powder room. I need to retouch, sanitize and spray fragrance on my body dahil tingin ko'y sobrang haggard ko na.

Maraming mga babae ang nasa loob ng powder room at halos sakop na nila ang buong sink kung saan may malapad na salamin. Ang iba ay totoong nagreretouch habang ang ilan ay nang-babackstab lang.

I strutted in their direction, making sure my stilettos would make a sound every time I took a step.

Ang isa ay napatigil sa pagsasalita at napatingin sa akin. Napasunod ang iba sa kanya at tumigil din sa pagsasalita.

"I'm going to use your space," I frankly said. They were taken aback kaya wala na silang nasabi at tumabi na lang. Glad they were not stubborn.

Giggles from a distance made me pause from applying lipstick on my lips. Habang lumilipas ang kada segundo ay unti-unti lumalapit ang mahihinang tawanan.

Ayaw kong lumingon kaya sa salamin lang ako nakatitig dahil makikita naman dito ang entrance ng powder room. I rolled my eyes as I managed to identify the faces of the culprits.

They're literally all over Milea Bay. Kahit saang establishment ako pumunta ay may isa talaga sa kanila na ma-eencounter ko. Nakakarindi ang pitong bibig nila kapag nagsimula na silang magsalita.

"Nandito si Axis girls," bulungan nila.

Tatlo sa kanila ang pumasok sa mga cubicle kaya may apat na naiwan. And four mouths are still a lot kaya napabuntong-hininga nalang ako.

"5 pm pa tayo nandito 'no?" saad ng isa na halatang nagpaparinig na mas nauna silang pumunta rito kesa sa akin.

Ano 'to school? Na dapat maagang pumasok dahil bibigyang plus points ng professor?

Inilabas ko ang YSL perfume ko at ini-spray sa buong katawan. I purposely sprayed some in the air on their side.

"Mabaho kasi," pagdadahilan ko at ibinalik ang tingin sa salamin.

These girls, they are all just words. Pagpaparinig at pagkakalat ng mga fake news. Noong isang linggo ay pinagkaguluhan ako sa internet dahil may ka make-out daw ako sa isang liblib na lugar. It was just a mere silhouette of two persons and they undoubtedly assumed it was me with a cheap-ass guy.

"If I know fake naman." komento ng isa, tinutukoy ang pabango ko.

Nakita kong lumabas sa isang cubicle ang isa nilang kasama mula sa salamin at gamit ang duck lips niya ay itinuro niya ako tsaka mahinhin silang tumawa.

Dahil sa walang hiyang ginawa nila ay tinignan ko sila mula ulo hanggang paa. I smirked when I saw how their shoes are all covered in dust. May nakikita pa akong lupa na nakadikit.

"Gross," tinuro ko ang mga paa nila at lumabas na ng powder room. Sarap nilang i-flush.

Bumalik ulit ako sa bar para umorder ng cocktail. When you're all by yourself, you need to protect yourself all by yourself too that's why I won't order hard drinks. Drink responsibly ika nga.

I glanced at my watch and it was 12:34 am. Peak hour kaya mas lalong dumami ang mga tao.

"Kanina ko pa napansin na wala kang kasama." Muntikan na akong matumba sa kinauupuan ko nang may hayop na bumulong sa tenga ko.

Napatakip ako sa aking ilong ng maamoy ko ang hininga niyang amoy alak at sigarilyo. May iba namang ganoon ang amoy pero mabaho kasi ang hininga ng hayop na 'to.

"Can you move away?" I shove him with my hand pero hinawakan niya ang kamay ko na nagbigay sindak sa katawan ko.

I've never felt this fear before. Kakaiba siya na parang gusto ko nalang tumakbo papalayo.

"Maaga pa naman.. good time muna tayo," he said flirtatiously while trying to intertwined our hands. I tried to pull off my hand away from his pero hinihigpitan niya ang hawak.

I raised my hand to call the bartender but he was too busy entertaining other customers kaya hindi niya ako malapitan agad.

"We can have a good time without holding hands." Talking softly is not so me pero nagawa ko ngayong gabi dahil ang mga ganitong tao ay hindi dapat prinoprovoke.

"Aalis ka e kapag binitawan kita," pagdadahilan niya at nilalaro na ang mga daliri ko. Mas malaki ang kamay niya sa akin kaya sakop na sakop talaga niya ang kamay ko.

He doesn't look like a jeje boy but his face screams he's a total flirt and jerk that would do anything just to get in between a girl's legs.

And I don't like it every time he'll answer me because he'll always whisper it in my ears. Nakakadiri!

I could hear the giggling girls again near me kaya napalingon ako. I can't believe that they took a picture of me while struggling to get away from this manyak! Gagawa na naman sila ng panibagong fake news.

Every time the time passed, mas lalo akong kinakain ng takot. Dumarami ang pumupunta sa bar kaya umuusog papalit sa akin ang manyak hanggang sa magdikit na ang mga hita namin.

Our hands were on the table but as he gets closer to me, he placed them on my lap and I'm wearing a skirt!

"You're really beautiful," he smiled at me but all I could to is wince. He got an accent but it doesn't make me comfortable.

Sa tuwing nilalapag niya sa hita ko ang kamay namin ay buong lakas kong inaangat ito.

"Your hand is sweating!" reklamo ko at tuluyan na niyang binitawan ang kamay ko.

To my horror, he placed his hand on my exposed thigh. Napatalon ako sa kinauupuan ko at tinulak siya.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted on his face, feeling humiliated.

Our fight did not garner any attention from others as they were busy doing their things or so I thought.

"Hayaan mo na.. alam naman ng babae na club ang pinasukan niya kaya expected na may mga lalaki talagang lumapit at makipag-flirt." I heard someone say on my back.

My feet became immobile. Hindi ko inaasahang maririnig ko iyon kahit na nakita na nilang tini-take advantage na ako ng lalaki.

Nagsimula ng sumakit ang ulo ko dulot ng dalawang cocktails na ininom ko. At sa isang iglap, bigla kong nakita ang sarili na nakatayo habang pinapanood si Ady na tinataboy ng mga kaibigan niya sa isang lalaki.

"Why I am seeing things?!" I cried and run away outside the club while hugging myself. As the club is packed, hindi maiwasang mabangga ako sa mga tao. Nadadapa pa ako dahil sa suot na stilletos at nakakatapak ng paa ng ibang tao.

The fresh air of Milea Bay made me breathe. Nasa labas na ako at mas lalo ko pang niyakap ang sarili para protektahan sa malamig na hangin at para na rin sa manyak na lalaki.

Nang napalingon ako sa club ay may nakita akong lalaking tumatakbo sa direksyon ko kaya napatakbo ako ulit.

I cried my heart out when I tripped and scraped my knees and arms on the rough road. Sobrang hapdi na ng nararamdam ko pero nakaya ko pang tumayo at tumakbo ulit kahit na paulit-ulit akong nadapa at tuluyan ng bumigay ang strap ng stilletos ko.

The hell! Why did I get a flashback on that night? Ady deserved what happened while I don't.

"AAAHH!! LUMAYO KA!" I screamed my lungs out when a car stopped in front of me.

"Ikaw ang lumayo miss kung ayaw mong masagasaan. Makakapurwisyo ka ng ibang tao!" Bulyaw ng driver na nakalabas ang ulo sa bintana ng kotse niya.

And that's when I realized I was in the middle of the highway, almost got hit by a car.

Umatras ako at tumabi sa gilid.

I am not supposed to feel these emotions.

I feel so vulnerable...

I feel so weak...

And I finally feel the pain of my scratches and wounds.

I just want to feel numb like I usually do because atleast I know, I'm still myself.

***

It was past 2 am and I am walking restlessly alone in the highway. I keep moving despite my uncomfortable situation.

Palagi akong napapalingon sa likod at sa magkabilang gilid para tiyaking walang taong sumusunod sa akin.

Wala ng gaanong sasakyan ang dumaraan sa highway at tanging mga kabataan na nagmomotor ang dumaraan.

What happened earlier left me in great shock. Never kong naisip na mababastos ako sa loob ng club na iyon. Kaya ngayon, tinatahak ko ang daan patungo sa pinakamalapit na police station.

Asking help on the club never crossed my mind. Nadismaya ako nang hindi ako nilapitan nung bartender. Wala siyang pinagka-iba dun sa nambastos sa akin.

I may feel vulnerable but I am a strong independent woman. Hindi ko kailangan ng anumang tulong mula sa mga taong hindi naman trabaho ang tumulong. That's why I'm heading to the police station whose job is to help, defend and give justice. I hope so.

Walking barefooted reminded me on the time when Cherry's dad kinda helped me from escaping Yohan. Well, hindi iyong tulong kasi binayaran ko siya.

Masaya kaya siya kay Ady sa tuwing magkasama sila at kumakain sa mga cheap na kainan sa tabi-tabi? I guess so kasi mababa ang standards niya.

Kung hindi lang krimen ang pagtatapon sa kahit saan dito sa Milea Bay ay kanina ko pa itinapon itong stilletos ko na nagpahamak lang sa akin.

I closed my eyes and shouted in frustration. Wala namang makakarinig sa akin at sabihan ako na baliw dahil wala namang mga tao.

"Problema mo?"

My body tremble in fear as I heard a male's voice. The effect of what happened tonight has surfaced and I want to suppress it. Hindi ako sana'y na ganito ang nararamdaman sa tuwing nilalapitan ng lalaki. And to think na nakaramdam na ako ng takot sa boses pa lang ay hindi na maganda.

Before I could reclaim my old self - who's not afraid of anyone - I started to imagine myself being dragged in a dark alley where my screams are totally useless. My body trembled even more that I became too stunned to move.

Papunta na nga ako sa police station pero bakit ako napunta sa ganitong sitwasyon?

"A-anong nangyayari? Bakit ka nangangatog at umiiyak?" The voice was kinda familiar but I'm completely consumed with fear which resulted in making me unable to decipher the owner of the voice.

"Axis? Axis?! Naririnig mo ba ako?"

My entire body seems to be malfunctioning. Para akong nawalan ng utak at lumulutang lang pero may pakiramdam pa rin.

I just really want to escape from here and get to the police station to call for help because this is no longer me. Axis Laurier is a fearless woman, a fearless human.

"Blink twice kung gusto - hindi, hindi... Axis, this is Cherry's dad. Acquainted na tayo sa isa't isa at hindi ko alam kung anong nagyayari sa'yo ngayon."

"I'm harmless okay? Huwag kang matakot sa akin para matulungan kita. Kilala kita bilang palaban at hindi ko maalalang may ganito kang side."

"I'm Cherry's dad, you can count on me. Hindi ako nagtatanim ng sama ng loob. Hindi ako nandito para awayin o saktan ka. Inuulit ko, I'm Cherry's dad. Kung ina-acknowledge mo ang presence ko, nod twice and let me help you."

As the words Cherry's dad keep on repeating from the person's mouth, unti-unti akong bumalik sa huwisyo at na-recognize ang tao sa harap ko.

Cherry's dad. Nice.

I'm on the brink of getting persuaded that we are tied by a red string and all of our encounters mean more than anything I could imagine.

I nodded twice to acknowledge his presence.