EVERYONE WAS LOOKING at me. I was sitting outside of the car, trying to recover from that dreadful image that I saw earlier. Kelly was right this time, it was a hallucination.

I told everyone about the woman with no eyes that has kept banging her head into the window of the car and the way how the blood started pouring out of her wounds. Napasigaw ako dahil akala ko ay nagawa nito kaming sundan at may ginawa itong masama sa mga kaibigan ko.

"Ayos na ba ang pakiramdam mo?" Kelly asked me as she leaned down on me. Hinawakan niya pa ang aking noo, nagbabakasakali kung mainit ba ang aking pakiramdam.

Tumango ako at dahan-dahan na tumayo. "A-ayos lang ako. Nagulat lang talaga ako sa nakita ko. Para talaga siyang totoo."

"That's hallucination for you," Kelly tapped my back as she help me stand up. "Hindi siya totoo, pero pinagmumukha ng utak mo na 'yon yung reality mo."

Napatingin ako sa direksiyon ni Lorenzo, and I saw him standing there with his arms crossed, as if he's trying to communicate to me telepathically to say 'let it go.'

Which certainly I would just let go. As much as possible I would choose not to have any conflicts. Kung magagawa naman talagang iwasan.

Nilapitan ako ni Jameson. Napansin ko ring dala niya ang iba ko pang mga gamit. Nagawa niya pa akong tapikin sa braso para tuluyan akong pakalmahin, and that really helped, a lot.

Being friends with Jameson is like having a brother from a different family, there's no blood related attachment, yet at the same time it feels like you both do. In a way, something that is beyond explainable, not intimate, but more of a partners in crime, almost blood bound.

Jameson looked at me, then to my friends, as if he had me as a prized possession. "Kulang din kasi sa tulog si Alex gawa't galing siya ng work nang umalis tayo, 'di ba?" he then looked at me.

I smiled. "Possibly. Pero seryoso guys, ayos lang ako. I'm just surprised, and shock, but that's all about it," I casually waved my hands in front of me to make sure that they're getting my point.

See? In this circle of friends that I have, logic is one thing that is pretty common. Matalino silang lahat at alam ko sarili ko na bawat isa sa kanila ay may sari-sariling kakayanan. An edge that I can say, useful for something.

So when I told them I'm all good and fine, they all agreed and taken it as it is. Lorenzo broke the silence between each and everyone of us by clicking his tongue.

"Alright guys, it's getting dark," he pointed to the sky. "Let's settle down for tonight. And like what Winona usually say, ang mahalaga, nandito na tayo sa wakas!"

Everyone cheered in their own way and I just carefully observed them. When Lorenzo mentioned Winona's name earlier, I saw her looked at Danny and they both smiled. She probably thought she got herself stereotyped.

Samantalang si Kelly ay nakangiti lang at tahimik na nakatitig sa kaniyang nobyo. There's something that I can see in her eyes yet I couldn't really pinpoint it. Is there something going on between them?

"Finally makakapag-relax na tayo," tinapik ako sa balikat ni Jameson. "Ako na ang bahala sa gamit natin."

"Sige," aniko.

Everyone started to bring their stuff along with them and Jameson brought our things with him. Habang naglalakad sila palayo ay hindi ko maiwasang huminga nang malalim. Padilim na rin ang kalangitan pero pakiramdam ko ay masyado pang mahaba ang oras bago tuluyang matapos ang araw na 'to.

Before following my friends, I looked back into the car, checking if everything is all good. All I can see is my reflection looking back at me, and fortunately there was no eyeless lady in the background.

I heaved a sigh of relief and smiled to myself, "Okay na 'to."

WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE that something like this was going to happen. Nasa loob kami ngayon ng isang cabin sa loob ng resort habang pinagmamasdan ang isang grupo ng mga kabataan na nagsasalu-salo sa tabi ng pool, may mga nagkalat pa na lata ng beer sa sahig, they're probably too drunk to even care about that.

"I thought you booked us alone in this private resort, babe?" I heard Kelly asked Lorenzo as she was hugging him from behind.

Nakasimangot si Lorenzo habang ang kaniyang mga mata ay nakatitig sa mga kabataan sa di-kalayuan. "Yes, I certainly remember that  I did. Ipinakita ko ro'n sa caretaker kanina na tayo ang nag-book nito for tonight. Kaso dahil wala nga tayong signal, hindi ko ma-open yung email ko para sa confirmation."

"Wala ba silang wifi rito?" Ang tanong ni Winona na nakita ko namang naglalakad palibot ng cabin habang hawak ang phone niya. "Kanina pa ako naghahanap ng signal, wala talaga akong masagap. Kahit wifi nga wala rin."

"Tinanong ko rin yung caretaker kanina tungkol diyan, wala raw silang wifi rito. Wala rin daw signal dito gawa't malapit na raw tayo sa dagat," dagdag pa ni Lorenzo. "Wala raw masyadong tore ng mga telephone companies."

"So kasama natin sila rito buong gabi?" I asked Lorenzo while I'm looking outside, to one of those strangers partying away from us, he was cute and he was reading a book alone by himself while the rest of his friends are drinking and partying.

Lorenzo slowly nodded his head. "Wala tayong magagawa, hindi naman tayo puwedeng umalis gawa't bayad na rin tayo rito. Ang weird nga lang na kahit reservation, wala raw silang nasagap na nagpa-reserve tayo rito."

"Baka naman Lo na-scam ka?" Danny hopped into the conversation, he was busy checking on his things while sitting on top of their bed. "Kasi kung wala silang nakita na nagpa-reserve tayo, baka wala talaga tayong reservation ngayon?"

Umiling si Lorenzo. "Hindi puwede 'yon. I got the receipt and we all paid a downpayment for tonight. We booked for an overnight stay here and we'll get what we paid for," I saw a hint of clenching teeth on his cheek, pakiramdam ko ay mukhang nainis siya sa nangyari.

The only reason why we're able to come inside and stay in one of the cabins here is because Lorenzo and Kelly paid afront for tonight. Idinagdag na rin namin ang mga bayad namin nina Danny at Winona habang ako na ang sumagot para sa kaibigan kong si Jameson.

The caretaker that Lorenzo was referring with is an older guy, probably in his early forties, and he was busy reading a worn newspaper right in the reception area. Nang datnan nga namin siya kanina ay parang hindi pa siya handang tumanggap ng guest gawa nga ng may naka-book na raw sa gabing ito na ibang grupo ng mga kabataan.

Fortunately Kelly and Lorenzo knows how to negotiate and they saved our butts from being kicked out. Kahit na dismayado kami sa nangyari kanina, kahit paano ay kumalma naman ang bawat isa nang makarating na kami sa loob ng cabin.

The private resort that we booked an overnight for is not that extravagant. It was pricey enough for us who is working with bare minimum salary, but we all agreed it's for a special occasion reason why we still chose to go here.

Mabuti na lang at kahit na hindi gano'n kalakihan ang private resort na ito, may dalawa naman silang pool na magkahiwalay ang location. Yung malaki nilang pool na hugis oval ay matatagpuan sa labas kung saan kasalukuyang nagpa-party ang mga kabataang nauna sa amin dito, samantalang ang pool na plano naman naming tambayan ay nasa loob naman ng isang malaking kuwarto na malapit dito sa cabin, technically an indoor pool.

I also checked if they have some other amenities that we could use, but compared to the other resorts that I have tried, medyo disappointing itong private resort na ito. You couldn't even consider it private knowing that it even let us in, regardless of the situation.

Pero thankful akong nagawa naman nilang makipag-compromise. The only problem that we have right now is that Lorenzo and Kelly only spoke with the caretaker, but none of those teenagers know about us. Masyado silang abala sa pag-inom ng alak sa puwesto nila para mapansin kaming palihim na pumupuslit paloob kanina.

I even heard the caretaker that the cabin that he would let us stay on is actually a staff quarters. Kaya nang pasukin namin ang loob nito ay hindi gano'n ka-comfortable tingnan kung alam mo kung saan ka magiging kumportable.

There's four different double-decker beds and between those beds you would see a small cabinet. Sa magkabilang gilid naman ng mga kama ay may maliit na bedside table kung saan ay may nakapatong na maliit na lampshade.

Danny and Winona chose the first double deck that is located nearby the door while Kelly and Lorenzo chose the second bed beside it. Parehas silang nagdesisyon na magkatabing nakahiga sa kama at ang mga gamit nila ay inilagay naman nilang parehas sa kama sa itaas nito.

Jameson and I decided to take the third and fourth double-decker bed, siya yung nasa bandang dulo malapit sa pader at ako naman ay nasa bukana rin katapat lang ng higaan nina Danny.

"You know what guys, I think it's better for us to start the night now," Kelly suddenly broke the deafening silence around the cabin. "Nasaan na ang ating mga foods?"

Winona raised her hands. "Ako na ang bahala sa mga pagkain natin," she stood up and grabbed their bags.

Tinulungan ni Danny si Winona. "Nagdala kami ng mga inihaw. Kayo?"

"Nagdala ako ng drinks," Jameson grabbed his bag and opened it, showing us four 1.5 liters bottle of softdrinks.

"Oooh, ang dami," I heard Kelly whispered and smiled. "Anong dinala mo, babe?" tumingin siya kay Lorenzo na hanggang ngayon ay nakatingin pa rin sa labas ng bintana habang naka-krus ang kaniyang mga braso.

"Alak," bulong niya.

"Naipasok mo rito?"

"Hindi naman chineck ang mga gamit natin nung caretaker na 'yon. Kanina pa nga ako naghahanap ng iba pang staff dito pero wala akong nakitang ibang tao kung 'di siya lang," may halong yamot sa tono ng pananalita ni Lorenzo. "Medyo nagsisi tuloy ako na dito tayo pumunta kung ganito lang din. I'll make sure to leave a review once we leave."

His vibes gives me this kind of weird feeling knowing that I really didn't see him feeling angry at all. Yung tipong siya yung may paraang magalit na ayaw mong makitang mangyari.

Kelly on the other hand just simply hugged him even tighter. "Babe, I know this is not what you expected, but let's just enjoy the night okay? Kung may mga bagay tayong dapat ipakiusap sa caretaker kanina, we can do that tomorrow. Sayang ang gabi kung gugugulin mo lang 'yan katitingin sa mga 'yon," napatingin si Kelly sa mga kabataan sa labas.

May mga nagsasayawan na ng budots sa kanila.

Lorenzo must have noticed me looking at him before slowly shaking his head in surrender. "Fine, fine, palilipasin ko muna 'to ngayon para kay Alex. I don't want to spoil this special day," nginitian ako ni Lorenzo na siya namang ikinatuwa ko.

I looked at everyone and I smiled, "Dala ko yung drinking card game!"

Everyone's face lightened up as if they finally found a room to breathe. Aminado akong masyadong mabigat ang mga nangyari ngayong araw matapos ang mga masasaya naming lakad kaninang umaga, pero matapos kong makita na kumpleto kami rito at magkakasama, sapat na 'yon para mabuo ang birthday ko.

The next thing I know, the night had officially started.