THE LOUD music keeps Ayze awake. Sa tabi niya ang pinsan na si Lucia, she's dancing gracefully that made her blonde hair bounce. Ayze was holding a bottle of beer in her hand, her elbows leaning against the counter.

"Your hair," reklamo niya sa pinsan dahil napupunta na 'yon sa bote na hawak niya.

She just chuckled. Hindi pa ito nakakasagot sa kanya, nahila na ito ni Nabi papunta sa dance floor.

Nagkayayaan sila na pumunta sa bar ng Tito Alistair nila. They're bored to death, at ayaw na nilang kainuman ang mga matatanda sa village nila. Unlike before, madali na matumba ang mga ito ngayon. They couldn't even lift their head after drinking 2 bottles of whiskey.

Ang hirap tuloy paniwalaan na kaya ng mga itong ubusin ang laman ng mini bar sa village noon.

As usual, Sacxer was mixing booze. Ang usapan ay sila lang ang pagsisilbihan, but after an hour, gumagawa na ito ng alak para sa iba. Napangiwi si Ayze nang makita ito na may kahalikan bago ibinigay ang na-mix na alak.

"Inggit ka 'no?" Kei appeared in front of her and suddenly teased her.

Ngumisi siya sa rito at pabiro na ipinatong ang bote ng beer sa ulo nito.

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo dito, ha? Bawal ang bata dito, Kei."

"Hindi na ako bata, Ate!" She carefully yanked her hand.

"Mukha kang bata. You're too small." Naningkit ang mga mata ni Ayze habang pinagdikit ang hinlalaki at hintuturo niya.

Kei scoffed. "Hindi na 'no! Pwede na nga akong makulong!"

Hindi na napigilan ni Ayze ang tawa sa naging sagot sa kanya ni Kei. She helped her brother mixed up alcohol and even grab Sacxer's collar para lang tumigil ito kakahalik sa mga babae na lumalapit sa counter.

"Where's Kuya Zayndrei?" Kei asked after giving her a drink she mixed.

Muntik nang umikot ang mga mata niya sa tanong nito. She was here to enjoy and have a great and peaceful night, hindi para sagutin ang mga tanong nila about sa lalaki na 'yon.

She just shrugged her shoulders and drank.

"Himala kasi na wala sa tabi mo, Ate. Buntot mo 'yon 'di ba? Maliban kay Vane." Tumatawa na sabi ni Havi habang nakaturo sa kapatid niya. Tahimik lang si Vane sa tabi niya.

Hinayaan niya lang na magtanong ang mga kasama niya, with every question, she's drinking whatever Kei and Sacxer's gave her. Hanggang sa tamaan na siya at humalo sa mga tao sa dance floor para hanapin ang mga pinsan niya.

Ayze found herself dancing. Raising her hands in the air as her hips rolled and swayed, following every beat of the loud music inside the bar.

"Shit! Ate, halika nga!" Vane hissed. Sinubukan pa ng kapatid niya na ibalik siya nito sa counter pero winisik lang niya ang kamay nito.

Natawa siya nang makita ang salubong na kilay ng kapatid niya. He must be really frustrated but couldn't do anything because she's drunk and enjoying the best time of her life.

"Stop dancing! Will you?!" He yelled but Ayze just stuck out her tongue and grind her body hard.

Nalayo siya sa kapatid niya. She was having some fun, dancing with strangers, not until someone shamelessly placed their hand on her butt and squeezed it hard!

Even in her drunk state, nilingon ni Ayze ang kung sino man ang pumisil sa puwetan niya. She saw him smirking and rubbing his bulging manhood. Nandidiri niyang tiningnan ang lalaki at mahina itong tinulak.

"What the fuck is your problem!" sigaw niya.

Ang mga kasayaw niya kanina ay unti-unting lumalayo dahil sa pagsigaw niya. The guy who shamelessly placed his hand on her butt, smirked. She badly wanted to wipe that smirked out of his face!

"Gago!" She throws a punch and made sure to hit his fucking jaw.

He wasn't expecting her to throw a punch, kaya natamaan niya ito. A loud gasped from her audience alone caught her brother attention. Kaagad siya nitong dinaluhan.

"Did you just punched him?" nakangisi na tanong nito sa kanya at inabot ang kamao niya para tingnan ito.

"She squeezed my butt!" parang bata siyang nagsusumbong sa kapatid niya. God! She's really drunk!

"He did?" kaagad siyang tumango sa kapatid niya. "Hold him."

Ayze blink her eyes twice when Vane pushed her aside. May humawak sa magkabilang balikat niya at nakita na si Lucia 'yon, mukhang lasing na rin at bakas ang takot sa mga mata nang makita si Vane.

Two muscular man held the guy's hands. Archer, handed her brother a lighter and saw how Vane gripped it tightly before blowing a good punch to the guy. Isang suntok pa lang ang pinapakawalan ng kapatid niya pero umubo na ito ng dugo. Vane was too fast that she couldn't see which part of his body did her brother hit.

Hinihingal na binitawan ni Vane ang lighter at humarap sa kanila ni Lucia, "You two, walang uuwi sa village."

Mabilis na tumango si Lucia na nasa tabi niya habang siya naman ay ngumuso sa kapatid. Saan pala siya uuwi? Hindi naman siya pwede sa unit ni Lucia. Her unit was a messed! According to her, it was a good mess but it's not!

Nagising ang diwa ni Ayze nang marinig ang kapatid na may kausap sa cellphone.

"— yes, please? Kindly picked her up."

"Sigurado ka?" natatawa na tanong ni Archer sa kapatid niya at mahinang sinuntok ang braso nito. "Gago, kapatid mo 'yan... Pagkatapos..."

"Tarantado! Tigilan mo nga ako!" Vane loudly hissed.

"Akala ko ba ayaw mo doon? Kasi kamo, inagaw si Ate?" gatong ni Havi.

Kita niya ang inis sa buong mukha ng kapatid niya. But she's too drunk to care. Even Lucia slumped on her seat while waiting patiently for them to finished arguing. The loud music was still there. Although, nabawasan ang mga tao sa dance floor.

Was it because Vane punched that guy? She don't think so. Baka pagod lang talaga ang mga tao.

Mahina siyang bumuntong hininga. Lagot siya sa mommy nila kapag nakita siya nito na lasing, at halos wala na sa sarili. She's definitely going to receive an earful of sermon, madadamay pa niya ang kapatid niya panigurado.

Ayze was busy mumbling to herself. Ganoon lang siya hanggang sa may umakay sa kanya palabas sa bar. She was cursing that guy until they reached the car and someone guided her para makapasok sa loob.

"Hmp! That asshole! Wait– who are you?" naningkit ang mga mata na tanong niya. She placed her hand on his cheek and chuckled. "Damn! You're handsome. Can you be my date?"

"Really, Ayze? Asking someone to date you when you're this drunk?" sarkastiko na sabi nito.

She pouted her lips. "Kung ganoon... Sex na lang tayo?"

"You're drunk." Pinitik nito ang noo niya. Isinuot muna nito ang seatbelt sa kanya bago isara ang pinto at umikot papunta sa driver seat. "Hey, can you be my boyfriend? I am single. Pretty and uhm..."

She heard the man chuckled softly.

"Pretty and?" tanong nito. Tunog naghahamon.

Ayze scoffed. Akala ba nito aatras siya? Maganda naman talaga siya at... Ano pa nga ba? She's rich, a lot of men liked her because of that. Other than that, ano pa nga ba ang kaya niyang ipagmalaki?

"I'm sexy!" mahina siyang tumawa. Kapagkuwan ay bigla na lang siyang nairita nang may maalala. "The audacity to squeezed my butt!"

Tiningnan niya ang lalaki na kasama sa loob ng sasakyan. Thinking that she might judge her, she defended herself immediately.

"It's not my fault..." naiiyak na sabi niya.

She was just enjoying herself. Hindi niya alam but there's something inside her na gusto pang magpaliwanag sa lalaki. Ayze was being swallowed by fear as he looked at the stranger's eyes. Hindi niya alam kung saan nanggagaling ang takot na baka pati ito ay husgaan siya.

"Of course, it wasn't your fault. It was his." Umiwas ito ng tingin.

Ayze sniffed. "Bakit parang labas sa ilong?"

"I am just upset. You're there, dancing, without me."

MAPAIT NA NGUMITI si Zayndrei nang bumagsak na nang tuluyan si Ayze sa kalasingan nito. Maingat siyang nagmaneho para hindi ito magising. She was really mad about what happened earlier. And he's upset for some reason na hindi naman kailangan gawin ni Ayze.

Hawak ni Ayze ang oras at desisyon nito. Wala siyang karapatan na mag demand na magpaalam ito sa kanya kung aalis man sa gabi.

He gripped the steering wheel tight as he sighed heavily. Kinakalma ang sarili.

When they reached the building, kaagad niyang binitbit si Ayze papunta sa unit niya. She was sleeping soundly in his arms again. Zayndrei was filled with emotion he couldn't name once again.

"Don't touch me!" ungot ni Ayze at pilit tinataboy ang kamay niya.

He's wiping her body with warm towel para kahit papaano ay malinis itong matulog. Zayndrei also changed her clothes.

"Don't sleep beside me..." may sinabi pa ito pero hindi na niya narinig.

He slept on the sofa, kaya sumasakit ang likuran niya kinabukasan. Tulog niyang iniwan sa unit niya si Ayze dahil kahit anong gising ang gawin niya, hindi talaga ito nagigising.

"Sir, we have an emergency. May sumabog na room sa hotel sa resort. There's no client harmed, pero may mga staffs tayo na may nasa hospital ngayon." Kolthon informed him. As calm as he could be.

Zayndrei stood up and picked his car keys. Bumaling siya sa sekretarya niya at sinabi, "Control the media and don't let the news reach Ayze. I'll fix this immediately."

Kaagad siyang pumunta sa resort. There's some police, fire trucks, and found most of their clients waiting outside the hotel. There's too much work because of what happened.

The manager immediately informed him kung ilan ang staff nila na nasa hospital ngayon. Thank God! Hindi malala ang mga sugat na natamo ng mga ito.

"As of now, we're doing our best to calm our customers, sir. Pero hindi pa rin ho mapakali ang mga ito. Lalo na at may mga police pa sa loob at tini-trace kung may bomba pa sa loob."

Zayndrei brushed his hair up. Compensating them wasn't enough but there's nothing he could do. He made a drastic decision to close the resort because it's still under investigation. Doon pa lang, malaki na ang lumabas na pera.

Hindi naman niya pwedeng ilipat ang mga ito sa ibang resorts dahil punuan sila ngayon.

He stayed in the resort. Isa sa mga cabin habang iniimbestigahan kung saan galing ang bomba na sumabog sa hotel. Naiinip siya sa resulta.

Zayndrei's mind was working 24/7 by thinking who the hell would plant a fucking bomb inside the hotel. Inisa-isa niya ang mga kalaban niyang resort but there's none of them liked to play dirty. Kung may mangyari man sa resort ng mga kalaban niya, sigurado na sila pa ang pag-iisipan ng masama.

Bumalik siya sa tamang huwisyo nang pumasok sa cabin niya si Kolthon, may dala itong envelope. He asked for a separate investigation.

"Everything we need is inside that envelope, sir." Kolthon said.

Mabilis niya 'yon binuksan at binasa ang laman. His breathing ragged when he read the name of Windelle. The bomb incident was linked to her. There's also some deleted footages included in the file, pati na rin ang conversation ng mga ito sa phone.

Indeed, everything they needed was complete.

In the back of his mind, they're somehow friends. She was asking nicely to help her, he wasn't interested in entering a new line of business, kaya niya ito tinanggihan. And the fact that he couldn't decide alone.

"What's your plan, sir?" Kolthon asked. He sounded impatient.

Mariin niyang pinikit ang mga mata. Na blanko bigla ang utak niya sa tanong nito. If he retaliate, sigurado na mas lalo itong mababaon.

He kept on creating reasons to justify her actions.

"She's your friend, right? I'm surprised, sir." Natawa siya nang ma pick-up ang sarcasm sa boses nito.

"She's not my friend... A colleague, maybe?" maski siya ay hindi na sigurado sa sagot. He sighed and stood up. Niligpit niya ang papel na binabasa at nilagay 'yon sa drawer ng table niya. "Please, keep this one a secret. I'll fix her mess."

☕