Hi guys! You're about to read the last chapter of the series! It's quite a wonderful journey! Enjoy reading!

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Chapter 35

Trent told me not to wear the necklace inside the club so I followed his order and removed it from me. Binalik naman niya iyon sa box nito kanina at nilagay sa glove compartment. I know it will be safe naman on his car. This club we'll be going ay isang club so it's better to be safe than sorry. Mabuti na lang din ay pumayag si Trent because I know he hated too much crowds but for the sake of me, he agreed basta napagkasunduan namin na hindi ako aalis sa tabi niya just like what happened the last time.

I won't leave him naman. Takot ko lang noon pero ngayon, there's no reason to be afraid and leave him behind. Bakit ko pa tatakasan ang future life ko na kapag hawak-hawak ko ang kamay niya ay pakiramdam ko ay kumpleto na ang mundo ko.

Kapit na kapit ang kamay ni Trent sa kamay ko. It's like he doesn't want to lose me in these sea of crowds. He even wear a shades para raw hindi siya makilala once we're inside the club. Takot na takot ang jowa ko na makilala siya, but that's his way of preventing anyone who would invade his privacy and I totally understand it.

"We'll only be staying until midnight," paalala sa akin ni Trent.

"That's alright, that's not a problem. And I miss going to clubs around here kaya naman parang first time lang ulit sa akin."

"Weren't you going out when you're in the Philippines?"

Umiling naman ako. "I don't usually go to clubs lalo na sa Pinas. It wasn't my cup of tea, but my brothers usually does. Sa club sa Taguig nakilala ni Kuya Welbourne while si Kuya Nico naman na-meet niya 'yong ex-wife niya somewhere sa Makati. And then I met you here. Ibang-iba mula sa kanila."

"Have you had boyfriends?"

Napataas naman ang kilay ko sa tanong niya at bahagyan akong napangisi. "Why would you want to know that ha? Curious ka or nagseselos ka?"

"I was just asking," ngisi rin nito. "Don't make a big deal out of it."

I was slightly offended when he mentioned that. "How—wow. I'm not making a big deal out of it and so should I tell you, I never got a boyfriend ever."

"But have you flirted with anyone else?

"I did but that doesn't count as an actual relationship," depensa ko pa sa kanya. "I've had a few crushes back in college but I was more focused on my academic tracks so love life was never served for me at that moment. I didn't even mind getting one—"

"Until you met me," pagpapatuloy niya. Lumakas bigla ang hangin dahil sa sinabi or it was just Trent after all. "You didn't get a boyfriend because you're waiting for me, right?"

"Don't be so confident, okay?" I chuckled. "I wouldn't even met you if I needed to get out of family."

"And you wouldn't be away from your family if you haven't found out about my nanny job posting," he debated. "So what are you saying now?"

"You're..."

"I'm what?"

"Mahangin."

"And what that should be mean?"

"It means you're gwapo."

"I don't think so," he smirked, shaking his head. "I know you meant something."

"Guys!" Naagaw naman ni Sasa ang atensyon namin at sabik naman itong lumapit sa amin. "They have private rooms here. What would you like to have? Be in the huge area with everybody or we can get into the floor where we can still be around the crowd but on the second floor."

Tumingin naman sa akin si Trent like I have to take care of all the decision. "What do you think so?"

"I think it'll be good if we should be in the second floor area?" I said. Nilingon ko naman si Sasa. "Would we be alone in the area if we ever get there?"

Umiling naman si Sasa. "Unfortunately not, we'll be room with others. It's like a semi-private area. Ano ba sa tingin niyo? Gusto niyo bang sumali sa public crowds or we should get a private room na tayo-tayo lang o kaya naman ang semi-private area na pili lamang ang tao?"

"I think I'll go with the semi-private," I said, raising my hand. Tiningnan ko naman si Trent. "What do you think so?"

"I'll go wherever you are."

Tumapon naman muli ang tingin ko kay Sasa. "I think we'll be fine to the semi-private. Kayo ba? Anong sa tingin niyo?"

"We'll go wherever you guys are," Sasa said, sumang-ayon din naman sa kanya si Dakito.

We headed to the front desk and paid for our access in the semi-private room. The public was the private one, but drinks are much expensive. When we got our access, tumungo na rin naman kami sa second floor. It's like a balcony na may open view from the DJ stage and where the public crowds are.

We got settled then with a few strangers. Hindi pa rin naman inaalis ni Trent ang kanyang shades kahit ang dilim ng ibang paligid. Mas maliwanag sa baba dahil ang mga spotlight ay doon tumatama.

While we hanging out with the DJ's music down there, the four of us ordered some drinks. Hindi naman ako pinayagan ni Trent na uminom ng alcoholic drinks kaya apple juice ang in-order niya. I even asked for wine na kahit kakaunti lang ang alcohol content but he's still won't budge. Aside from drinks, they get some snacks at sa tingin ko ay hindi na ako makakakain. I'm still full from our dinner.

"I think I deserve to take a sip from that one," pagturo ko pa sa basong iniinom niya. "We're official now and it's a celebration. Kahit tikim lang ng kaunti. I would be fine with that."

Isang malalim na buntong-hinnga naman ang pinakawalan niya. "Sure, just a bit."

Hawak-hawak niya ang baso at saka niya dahan dahang pinainom sa akin ang alak at nang dumikit iyon sa labi ko ay agad niyang binawi. I scrunched my face and pouted like I didn't get my gift on Christmas. He just continued drinking his glass until he emptied it.

"I don't think you should get another one," aniko. Gumaganti lang. Tinaasan naman niya ako ng kilay. "Remember you're driving and 'di ba it's prohibited when a person gone drunk driving. Well, I can drive naman if you still want a drink."

"No, you won't. I'm not drunk yet and will be kept sane for the rest of the night," aniya.

A moment later ay may bagong dating na dalawang tao na sumama sa amin sa area na ito. At first, they were okay dahil nagtatawanan lang silang dalawa but they were drinking relentlessly na para bang wala silang kasama sa paligid. This was called semi-private because we still needed some privacy but I can sense that Trent wasn't getting any fun out of it. Sasa noticed it too. Dakito was just bobbing his head to the music.

Not until Trent snapped.

Hinawakan ko naman siya sa braso niya para pigilan ko siya sa gagawin niya. "No, please, Trent. Hayaan mo na lang din sila. They were having fun naman din katulad natin."

"But they're disturbing us and it's not good," Trent debated.

Pinapanood na lang din naman kami ni Sasa at Dakito na inaabangan ang susunod na mangyayari. Pero hindi ko napigilan si Trent kung hindi ay tumayo siya at nilapitan niya 'yong dalawang locals para kausapin. But the locals took it as an offense at tumayo rin ang dalawang locals para sagutin si Trent.

My boyfriend then removed his shades and throw it on the side. Kinuha ko naman iyon kasi alam kong mamahalin din 'yon. Sayang naman kung hahayaan niya lang. But then the local one started pushing Trent on his chest. That was the moment na naalarma rin si Dakito pero pinigilan siya ni Sasa.

What happened next was made me feel scared for him dahil sinuntok no'ng isang local si Trent sa mukha. Trent landed on the floor. This time ay lumapit na si Dakito para tulungan si Trent na makatayo hangga't sa nauwi sa suntukan ang magkabilang kampo.

Agad naman kaming nagtawag ni Sasa ng bouncer upang aawatin ang gulo. A few seconds later ay dumating sila and because those two guys started the fight, they were pulled out of the area. Ipinakalma ko naman si Trent at gayundin si Dakito.

"That's why you shouldn't be drinking as well," aniko.

Hindi naman ako pinansin ni Trent kung hindi ay hinayaan ko muna siyang kalmahin ang sarili niya.

"Sasa, wanna go to the restroom?"

Bumalik-balik naman ang tingin niya sa dalawa. "Uhm... I think I'll stay here na lang muna."

I nodded. Naiintindihan ko naman kung anong ibigsabihin niya ro'n kaya nagpaalam na lamang muna na pupunta sa restroom. Semi-private area doesn't have restroom kaya kailangan pang bumaba while private rooms have their own small restroom kahit papaano.

Nagpaalam ako kay Trenyt and it seemed like he didn't mind kaya naman bumaba ako mag-isa patungo sa restroom. Their fight was stressful. Mas na-stress pa ako ro'n kaysa sa ginawa sa akin ni Albertyne. But I believe he'll be fine. Sadyang nagkataon lang na hindi trip ni Trent ang mga gano'ng tao.

When I finally reached the restroom. It was packed kaya kinailangan ko pang pumila sa labas. The men's restroom has a quick line at ang girls ay halos naghihintay pa kami ng five minutes before the other one.

Puputok na lang ang pantog ko, hindi ko pa nararatinga ng dulo ng linya. It took me fifteen minutes before I finally got inside the restroom. Pumasok ako sa cubicle at isang malaking ginhawa ang lumabas sa pakiramdam. But while I was peeing, heard a couple of screams outside the restroom. I wasn't alarmed when I thought it would be another trick from the DJ to hype the crowd.

I also thought it would be fun kung pinili rin naming pumunta sa public area but after what happened with Trent and that local guy, mukhang hindi na mangyayari 'yon. Si I think it would be much better to stay inside the semi-private room.

When I walked out of the cubicle ay nakarinig na naman ako ng sigawa sa labas. I even heard bombarded knocks from the door kaya naman sinabihan ko na lamang na may tao pa sa loob at palabas na ako. I headed to the sink and washed my hands but I kept hearing the screams outside. Kumunot ang noo ko at nagtataka kung bakit ang hyper ng mga tao sa labas pati ba namna pinto ay kinakalampag na.

I grabbed a paper towel to dry my hands off. Tinapon ko sa basura ang paper towel at tumungo na sa pinto. But when I started opening the door, it won't budge. It's like the door was blocked and I couldn't open it. Hindi naman siya naka-lock from the inside so how I couldn't open it?

I was still bothered by what's happening outside dahil mas lumakas ang hiyawan sa labas. Hindi iyon normal na mga sigawan na lamang. Bigla namang namutawi ang kaba sa dibdib ko. Kinalampag ko na rin naman ang pinto at humingi ng tulong but it seems like people won't hear my voice from the inside dahil sa pinagsamang lakas ng tugtog sa labas at mga hiyawan ng tao.

Mayamaya lamang ay nakaamoy ng kakaibang amoy na hindi ko mawari kung saan nanggaling. I checked the toilets and they were clean. Nang bumalik ako sa pinto ay napansin ko ang usok na nanggagaling sa ilalim ng pinto at maging sa ibabaw ay pumapasok sa loob ng restroom.

Tinakpan ko ng kamay ko ang bibig ko. Pilit ko namang ikinakalma ang sarili ko pero hindi ko maiwasang hindi kabahan. Ang lalalim ng bawat paghinga ko. Walang nakakarinig sa akin. Wala akong mahingian ng tulong. I hastily grabbed my phone pero biglang namatay ang ilaw sa paligid kaya nataranta ako at nabitawan ang phone ko. Kinapa ko ang phone ko sa sahig pero inaatake na ako ng ubo dahil sa usok.

Hindi ko makapa ang phone ko sa sahig at pakiramdam ko ang usok na pumapasok sa loob ng restroom ay kumukulob na. I'm trying to be braved and bold at ayokong isipin ang ibang bagay. A few moments later, I was hearing a firetruck alarm outside of the premises, and no one would know that I was here.

"Trent..." I breathe in, but there was too much smoke around. Not until I feel my head lighten until I feel my world was shaking. I just found out before losing my consciousness, my face was kissing the floor and that's the last thing I remembered.

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

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