#WIAE Chapter 24

There was a party. And a lot of alcohol involved. Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang nagkaroon ng party dahil wala naman ito sa original na schedule ng school year. But when I saw Night wiggling his eyebrows at me, I knew then that this was his plan. That opportunistic bastard. Why did he keep on insisting that I sleep with Avo? Mamamatay ba siya kapag hindi ko ginawa?

"Avo doesn't get drunk easily so put this in his drinks," sabi niya at saka nilagay sa kamay ko iyong isang bote.

"You're asking me to drug him?!" hindi makapaniwala ko na tanong.

He shrugged.

"It's not a drug. It's herbal," he replied.

"Why don't you try it yourself first bago ko gamitin kay Avo?" I sarcastically said. I didn't trust Night. I wouldn't even dare trust him my life. He's sketchy in all level. He's the personification of the very word. Bawat galaw niya ay nakakapagduda. Once I was done with Avo, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Night. I'd strip him of all the secrets he's keeping.

If I were the queen of this game, I was damn sure that he's the one playing the game. He knew too much. He controlled too much.

"Why? Are you going to take responsibility if I get horny because of this?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows again.

"I'll chop your dick before you can even touch me," sabi ko bago ko siya tinalikuran. I was in no mood to play with him. Tuwing kausap ko si Night, pakiramdam ko ay nauubusan ako ng lakas. He had the capability to drain my energy without even trying. And he was always appearing before me. I was starting to believe that he was stalking me.

I stalked off and went to the library to study. Pre-final exams were approaching and I needed to take care of that first. Maayos naman na kami ni Avo. Unlike before, we're now in talking terms... though he still wasn't as warm as before. I was feeling frustrated because I was slowly losing ideas on how to make him see me again. It wasn't as easy as before... And though it pained me to admit it, Night was right. My tears would only get me as far.

When I was done studying, pabalik na ako sa bahay ng mga Dieux nung makasalubong ko si Cathy. I was about to approach her when she turned the other way around. Agad na kumunot ang noo ko. I was sure she saw me. Iniiwasan niya ba ako? Dahil ba Dieux na rin ako kaya pakiramdam niya ay hindi niya na ako pwedeng kausapin at lapitan?

This was all too depressing. I couldn't wait to go out of this shithole.

Pagdating ko sa bahay, si Lorenzo lang ang naabutan ko.

"They're all out?" I asked. He simply nodded. I sat on the seat adjacent to him. Katulad ko kasi ay hindi kumportable si Lorenzo kapag may malapit sa kanya. I wasn't like this before. I missed being able to stand close to people... Now, I just wanted distance. It was tiring.

"Hey..." I called.

"If you're going to ask me if I know where they are, I don't."

I chuckled.

"That's not what I was going to ask," I said. He closed his book and looked at me. "Palagi mong binabasa iyan," I pointed out.

"It's my favorite."

"Maganda?"

Iniabot niya sa akin iyong libro na The Catcher in the Rye.

"Are we finally friends?" I said, teasing him. He kept on insisting that we're not friends, but when I needed help, he's always there. Siguro sa bahay na 'to, si Lorenzo o si Avo lang ang pagkakatiwalaan ko ng buhay—if ever I were forced to make a choice. Si Night ang huli kong pagkakatiwalaan. He may seem to play it cool but I knew he's quite dangerous.

"I don't do friends," he replied.

"Why? Wala ka ring puso kagaya ni Night?"

"Friends betray each other. I don't like that kind of drama."

"Have you been conned all your life? Why do you have that kind of mentality?"

I knew I was pushing my luck already. Lorenzo's life was a closed book, yet here I was, trying to steal a glance. Something horrendous must have happened for him to be this closed off. Like what happened to me... It only takes a pull of the trigger to permanently cause scar.

But when he looked at me, I felt chills.

"Why? Do you think you can trust your friends?"

I pursed my lips.

"No," I replied, breathing hard. "I don't trust anyone."

I didn't even trust myself.

"Good. Because no one here deserves to be trusted."

Tumayo na siya pero bago pa man siya makatayo, agad kong nasabi iyong tanong na matagal ko nang gustong malaman.

"Do you know my brother?" I asked, hopeful that he's willing to shed a light. Like the other Dieux, Lorenzo had been attending AdM since he was young. Alam ko na kilala niya si Oli. Everyone knew Oli but the Dieux knew him best. He lived here. He talked to them. He was closest to them.

So if anyone could tell me what really happened to him... ang mga Dieux iyon.

"Yes," he replied, his voice barely audible.

"Are you close?"

Umiling siya.

"Si Avo ba talaga ang pinaka-nakakakilala sa kanya?"

He nodded. Night was right. Avo was his best friend.

"Do you know what happened the day he died?"

Lorenzo looked at me. I knew he knew something. Ano ba ang pumipigil sa kanila para sabihin sa akin? Pakiramdam ko ay pinaglalaruan lang nila ako. Sinasabi nila sa akin ang mga dapat kong malaman pero hindi sapat para matuklasan ko lahat. I felt like I was on the verge of everything and yet, I couldn't understand it all.

Pakiramdam ko ay unti-unti nila akong binabaliw.

"He left with Avo... and then somebody else returned."

My breathing became uneven.

"That's not what Night told me..." I whispered. Sabi niya, si Avo daw ang bumalik mag-isa. Sabi niya, umalis ang kapatid ko at si Avo, pero si Avo na lang ang bumalik.

Lorenzo slowly lifted the side of his mouth.

"Out of the 10 things Night say, only 1 is the truth."

--

Hindi ako mapakali. Kung hindi si Avo ang bumalik... sino? Pakiramdam ko ay malapit na talagang sumabog ang isip ko sa dami ng gusto kong malaman. At mas lalo lang akong nababaliw dahil nasa harapan ko lang ang tao na makakasagot sa mga katanungan ko.

Avo was quietly eating while Ella was sitting beside him. He was paying her no attention, but Ella didn't seem to mind. Now that I looked at them, I didn't think Avo's in love with Ella. It wasn't the same... Si Ella lang ang gumagawa ng lahat, while Avo quietly accepts everything. Mas lalo lang akong naguguluhan... Avo told me that Ella's special, pero bakit ganoon ang pakikitungo niya sa kanya?

"Let's go to the party together?" Ella said.

"Alright," Avo quietly replied.

Hinawakan ni Ella iyong braso ni Avo at saka hinilig iyong ulo niya sa balikat nito. She's fucking in love with him that it made me pity her. Why was she pushing herself to someone who was clearly done with her? Didn't she have any self-preservation?

"And then after..." Ella said and then whispered something in Avo's ear. "It's been a while, don't you think?" sabi niya at saka hinawak-hawakan iyong braso ni Avo.

I was close to cutting Ella's head off her neck when the devil arrived again.

"How's my favorite girl?" he whispered on my ear. I could see Avo looking at us. That was the only reason why I allowed Night to stand so close to me. "Change your mind yet?"

I glared at him.

"I'm not a hooker, Night. And I'm not that desperate," I told him before I stalked off. I was tired of him forcing me to sleep with Avo—as if it's the only way to get closer to the truth.

Hindi ako ganoong klase ng babae. And I didn't think Oli would appreciate it if I'd sell my body just to shed light to what really happened to him. After all, I was his little sister.

--

I spent the whole afternoon reading Lorenzo's book that I didn't notice the time. Bigla ko lang naalala 'nung mapatingin ako sa orasan. Mabilis akong naligo at namili ng susuotin. I didn't know what Avo liked but I settled on wearing a sleek black dress. It accentuated my neck and I also wore the choker Sandra gave me. Nandun iyong pendant na maaari kong pindutin kapag nalagay na naman ako sa panganib.

The party would start from 10pm to dawn. It was making me heavy with worry. Hindi ko kayang umuwi nang mag-isa sa oras na iyon. I needed to have Avo with me. I needed to have a concrete plan to pry Ella away from him.

Pagkalabas ko, agad kong hinanap si Night. And although he's probably the most devious human I knew, I couldn't deny that he's a genius when it came to plotting against people. And that night, I needed him to get Ella as far away as possible from Avo.

When I found Night, he was with Laurie. Napa-ngiti ako sa sarili ko nung makita ko silang magkasama. Although Night's as filthy as an animal, if Laurie loves him, there's nothing I could do but to be happy for her. After all, love is blind... siguro. Akmang lalapit sana ako sa kanila nung mapansin ko na sumisigaw pala si Laurie. She's also on the verge of tears. Nagbe-break na naman ba sila?

if this was another one of their love-drama, I didn't want anything to do with it... But at the same time, it's about Night. And anything involving him was enough to stir the curiosity inside me. Kaya naman dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanila.

"This is crazy even for you, Night!" Laurie said, her frustration was very evident.

Night stayed quiet for a while... and then he spoke. He stared at Laurie, and I felt chills crept up my system. He's scary when he's like this.

"Stay out of it."

Akmang aalis na si Night nung hawakan ni Laurie iyong braso niya.

"This is dangerous..." Laurie said, tears brimming.

He slowly detached her fingers away from his arm.

"It's not," he said, his voice low and utterly dangerous. "If you keep quiet and stay out of it."

Bigla akong nagtago nung naglalakad na papalapit si Night. I held my breath as I tried to stay hidden. Ano ang pinag-uusapan nila? It obviously didn't sound like a break-up! Night was hiding something and Laurie knew what it was! God, the things I needed to know just kept on piling up! Malapit na talaga akong mabaliw kapag wala man lang akong nalaman na kahit na isa sa mga 'to!

Nung tuluyan nang makaalis si Night, nagdalawang isip ako. Gusto kong malaman kung ano ang pinag-usapan nila, pero sino ang tatanungin ko? I couldn't ask Night... Kung totoo nga ang sinasabi sa akin ni Lorenzo, walang silbi kung tanungin ko man si Night. He'd just end up lying to me. Pero si Laurie? I consider her as a friend... but I knew I didn't have her loyalty. It's with Night.

Mas lalo lang akong naguluhan.

--

The party was already in full blast when I arrived. I didn't even know why I was here. I had no plans... and I absolutely had no regards to Night's suggestion. I wasn't as immoral as he was. He had already embraced immorality and he had no qualms about it. He's seriously the most fúcked up person I knew, and that says a lot.

Tahimik lang ako sa lamesa na nakalaan para sa Dieux. Everyone was here except for Night and Fuji. Ella was being disgusting with Avo again. Kulang na lang ay bulagin ko ang sarili ko dahil sa nakikita ko.

"Where are you going?" I asked Lorenzo when he stood up. Siya na nga lang ang kasama ko dito, iiwan ko pa ba siya?

"Getting drinks," he replied.

"Can you get me some, too?" I asked. Might as well get drunk kaysa masuka ako sa dalawa sa harapan ko.

He shrugged, but I knew Lorenzo. He'd get me something to drink. Tamad lang talaga siyang magsalita.

Habang naghihintay ako, biglang umalis si Ella papunta sa impyerno sana. I was left with Avo. He was looking at me. I raised a brow.

"The world is too small for the three of us," I commented. "Kapag ba may bagong Dieux, gagawin mo ring girlfriend agad?"

His jaw clenched. I smiled inside. I still had a hold of him.

"You broke up with me," he said.

"And I already said sorry."

"Does that fix anything?" he retorted.

I scoffed.

"Was I the one who lied between the two of us? Ikaw pa talaga ang may ganang magalit?"

Akala ko ay mauuwi na talaga kami sa pag-aaway. Mabuti na lang at dumating na sa wakas si Lorenzo. Agad kong inagaw iyong dala niya at ininom iyon ng diretso. I turned away and I was about to thank him when my heart almost jumped out of his cage.

"You motherfu—"

Hindi ko na naituloy ang sasabihin ko nung magsimulang tumawa si Night. This spawn of evil! Agad akong napatingin sa ininuman ko. Was this spiked?! Shit! Mabilis akong tumayo at saka naglakad palabas. I couldn't be near anyone right now. That asshole! Was he desperate to make me sleep with Avo na gagawin niya sa akin iyon?!

Halos magtatakbo ako papunta sa bahay para sana magkulong sa kwarto ko nung bigla kong marinig ang pangalan ko.

"We're not yet done talking," Avo said, holding me by my arm. I tried to yank it off but he was much stronger than me.

I breathed. I could slowly feel the effect sipping through my system. I'd kill Night when I see him again!

"Let's talk tomorrow," I said. Sinubukan ko ulit na tanggalin iyong hawak niya sa akin pero hindi ko magawa. Napapikit ako. I was starting to feel hot all over. God, Night! I'd break your neck and chop your favorite part when I see you!

"No," Avo said, his voice low.

Tinignan ko siya nang maigi.

"Let go of me," I replied, closing my eyes. I didn't like the effect of his touch. I didn't trust what I was feeling. "Please."

But instead of letting me go, hinatak niya ako palapit sa kanya.

"Stop asking me to let you go," he whispered. He was so close. Too close. My breathing began to harden. I couldn't even look him in the eyes for I knew that my self would betray me. "I tried. So hard."

As I began to get lost looking at those orbs, he held my face.

"You never let me finish talking," he breathed. "You always wanted to have it your way."

Those lips. They're begging to be kissed.

"Now, you shut up and let me talk."

I absentmindedly nodded. I was focused on his jaw and how I wanted to trace it.

"Ella's special because she's my first friend—"

I cut him off. Again.

"I don't want to talk about her."

"But I need to explain myself—"

"Enough talking," I said as I reached for his lips and kissed him. God, I couldn't control myself anymore! I felt so hot! As I kissed Avo, I couldn't help but silently curse Night in my mind. It's his fault! Everything that I was doing was his fault! I wasn't as randy as this, but he made me do it again! Fúcking asshole! I'd castrate him!

Avo tried to stop me, but he couldn't. I kissed him so hard that he ended up moaning in my mouth. I knew he gave in.

"Stop fighting this," I whispered against his mouth.

He looked at me. He was as drunk as I was.

"You'll regret this."

"Probably," I murmured. "But that's for tomorrow to worry."

As mouths were entangled, he rested my back against the tree and wrap my legs around his waist. I was already getting lost with his kisses and his touch when I was reminded that cameras were looking at us. I stopped kissing him so he began to shower kisses on my neck.

"Let's go somewhere," I said, my eyes closed as I enjoyed the sensation he was giving my neck.

"Where?"

"Somewhere private," I breathed hard.

Avo stopped kissing me and then held my hands. Fingers were intertwined as we made our way to his room. Pagpasok namin, agad akong hinalikan ni Avo. I responded fervidly. My fingers were entangled with his hair while his hands were caressing my waist and my back. I didn't know how we managed to get to his bed without tumbling down.

And as clothes started to get discarded, Avo looked down on me.

"If you want to stop, now's the best time."

I looked him in the eyes. I reached too far. There's no backing down.

"I'm yours, remember?" I said as I pulled him down and kissed him again.