Swayed on the Waves

"Ano na, Silene? Are you still coming?" Her voice was louder than usual, probably trying to talk over the blasting music in the background. I pulled my phone away from my ear for a second. The noise was insane—looked like the party had already started. "Yeah, I’m on my way. Medyo ma ta-traffic lang," I said while adjusting my black dress. I slipped on my red ankle-strap heels, grabbed my car keys and baguette bag, then gave myself a quick spritz of perfume. "Hurry up. Ang daming gwapo dito, irereto na kita!" sheteased with a laugh. I rolled my eyes and ended the call. May nakasabayan pa akong dalawang binata sa loob ng elevator na tahimik na nagtutulakan. I ignored them and waited for the doors to open. As soon as they did, I headed straight to the parking lot, unlocked my car, and slid into the driver’s seat. The drive to Makati was a nightmare. Traffic was barely moving, and I found myself just staring at the endless line of brake lights. Nakarating na ako sa Makati club at nag park agad. Just as I stepped out of my car, I suddenly remembered Vera’s gift. I rummaged through my baguette bag, but it wasn’t there! "s**t," I muttered. Before I could decide whether to turn back or just wing it, I heard familiar laughter. I looked up—and there was Justin, walking toward the entrance with his friends. He was smiling about something, but the second our eyes met, he stopped. Justin stared at me and even told his friends to stop. I shifted my gaze to Jeff, who had an arm draped over another familiar face. The guy was talking, looking a bit annoyed. "Woah, anong meron ngayon?" Justin smirked, still watching me. "Hala, pre," Jeff muttered, just now noticing me. Medyo malayo kami sa isa't isa pero kitang kita ko naman sila. They looked different now—especially the guy in the middle, who just stared at me with that unreadable expression. Jeff nudged him, and he finally looked my way. "Muling ibalik ang tamis ng pag ibig," Justin sang teasingly. I blinked and straightened up before calling Vera to tell her I’d arrived. As I watched the three of them walk in while teasing Russel, that was now quiet, I felt a pang of irritation. Damn that snob! "Ano, nasa labas kana ba? Wow ang bilis naman!" Vera chuckled. "Nasa labas na, papasok na ako. Saan ba pwesto nyo?" I asked. "I’ll come get you at the entrance!" she giggled. I hung up and rolled my eyes. Fixing the hem of my dress, I made my way toward the entrance. Malayo palang ay natatanaw ko na si Vera na nakikipag usap sa iilang bumabati sa kanya na malapit sa bungad. Nang makalapit ako ay marahang hinila ko pababa ang buhok niya sa sobrang inis. "f**k you, bakit hindi mo man lang nasabi na imbitado pala siya?" She fixed her hair and pouted. "He’s still my friend, you worrywart." I let out a deep sigh. A few people greeted us as we walked in, and I gave them small smiles in return. From across the room, Dahlia waved at us from a couch, a bucket of booze already on the table. "Oh my god, finally, Silene Kostelo!" Helene’s voice shot through the noise of the bar as she grinned at me. "Welcome shot!" Dahlia pushed a small glass into my hand, her smirk already anticipating my reaction. I downed it swiftly, the sharp burn scraping down my throat. My face scrunched for a second before I picked up and sucked on the lime to ease the bitterness. Dropping into the seat between them, I barely had a moment to settle before they started buzzing around me. "Dito muna kayo girls, may tumatawag saakin sa kabilang table e" Vera said as she stood up from her seat. "Sige na, sawa na rin kami sa mukha mo" Helene shot back with a teasing smirk, waving her off. As soon as Vera left, they practically shook my body in excitement. Nasa gitna pa naman nila ako kaya kawawa ako. "Nagkita kayo ng ex mo?" Helene leaned in. My brows furrowed. "Sinong ex ang tinutukoy mo?" I knew she meant Russel, but I don’t want to confirm her thoughts. "Si Russel, sino pa ba?" she laughed as she nudged my side. I forced my expression to stay neutral. “Nandito siya?” I widened my eyes in fake surprise. They both laughed while tickling my waist. "Hmm, we smell something juicy" Rolling my eyes, I reached for the bottle, poured another shot, and downed it without hesitation. “I already moved on,” I muttered, ignoring their teasing. Sila 'tong hindi maka move on saamin! "Come on, let's dance" I said, grabbing their wrists and dragging them toward the dance floor before they could say anything else. The music thumped, bass vibrating in my chest as we slipped into the crowd. Bodies pressed together, moving with the beat. I let my hips sway, letting the rhythm take over. I could feel eyes on me, but I didn’t care. "Halata ah!" Dahlia teased. Nag sayaw pa kami ng ilang minuto at nalaman ko nalang na hindi ko na sila makita. The alcohol was kicking in now, making my head a little heavy, my steps slower. I kept moving, but my thoughts wandered. Seven years. Seven damn years. I came back thinking I’d buried everything, but the moment I saw him, it was like nothing had changed. No matter how much I told myself I’d moved on, that familiar pang in my chest told me otherwise. Seven years and I was still doubting myself. Shaking it off, I left the dance floor, weaving through the crowd until I reached the bar. "Mojito," I told the bartender, sliding onto a stool. The bartender nodded. Umayos ako ng pagkakaupo nang may biglang nagsalita sa gilid ko. "Umuwi ka pala talaga, akala ko bali-balita lang" Rio said, holding a glass of scotch. My eyes widened a bit. Oh, nandito na rin pala siya? "Yeah, I have two projects here. How about you, walang ipapagawa?" I joked. He chuckled. "Ikaw ang ni-recommend ko kay Papa para sa ipapagawang building sa Pasay," My eyes widened. "Really? What a surprise!" He scratched the back of his neck, looking almost sheepish. "But I don't have your new number. Hindi ko tuloy maibigay kay Dad kahit gusto ka na nyang makausap," Kinuha ko agad ang calling card sa baguette bag at binigay ito. "It's an honor to work for your family, Rio!" "Yo, bro. May chika ako" someone said, walking past behind me. Nag usap pa kami tungkol sa trabaho at nangyari dito sa Pilipinas noong wala ako. Then I excused myself to find Dahlia. Una kong hinanap si Vera dahil hindi pa siya bumabalik mula kanina sa table namin. Nahanap ko naman agad siya sa kabilang side ng bar at may kausap na pamilyar na lalaki. "Where are they?!" I asked. May tinuro agad sya at pinuntahan ko naman agad kung nasaan sila Dahlia. Dahlia on my right, Helene on my left, both too busy making out with their respective guys to even notice me approaching. I slumped onto the seat between them, sighing. "Get a room, for f**k's sake!" I muttered, brows furrowed. They pulled way, laughing. "Hanap ka na kasi ng iyo," "Herman lang ba sapat na?" Dahlia teased while fixing some strands of her hair. “He is just a friend," I simply said. "Friends with benefits?" Helene teased. "Kung ako sayo maghanap kana lang, marami namang gwapo dyan at malinis. Hindi naman basta basta ang mga bisita ni Vera e," Dahlia added. "Huwag n’yo nga akong igaya sainyo," I shot back with brows furrowed. Bumalik ako sa iniwang table namin at halos maubos ko ang tequila bago bumalik sa dancefloor. . My friends were too drunk to care about anything else, so why should I? Might as well just drink. The dance floor started to feel too much—too loud, too bright, too crowded. My stomach twisted, and I knew I needed to get out of there. Pa gewang gewang pa ang lakad ko papunta sa powder room. Right after entering one of the cubicles, I barely had time to kneel before I threw up. I immediately flushed it before staying for a minute, catching my breath. When I finally felt a little better, I stepped out to rinse my mouth, popped a mint, and fixed my hair before stepping out. A group of guys whistled as I passed by. I ignored them, not even sparing them a glance. Dahil madilim sa bandang parte ng bartender's area ay mantic na akong matisod dahil sa humps na hindi ko napansin. Luckily, a hand caught my waist and arm, preventing my fall. "Thanks.." I muttered. "You're welcome," I pushed his hand off the second I recognized his voice. The neon strobe lights flashed just enough for me to catch a glimpse of his face. Lumayo agad ako at nanlilisik ang mata habang siya naman ay may mapaglarong ngiti sa labi. He said something, but I didn’t bother to listen. I simply flipped my hair over my shoulder and walked away, my heart pounding in my chest. He's married, Silene, okay? Speaking of marriage, how are they? I avoided any news about him. All I knew was that he was married. She won. And I hated that it even crossed my mind. Bumalik ako sa pwesto namin nila Dahlia at naupo sa pinaka gilid bago mag isang umiinom dahil hindi pa rin sila natatapos sa ginagawa. I exhaled, staring at my glass. I felt out of place for no reason. Then, I noticed a guy nearby—decent-looking, my type, even. I called him over. Mukha pang nagulat at nagtaka pero lumapit pa rin saakin. "Uh… bakit, miss?" he asked, a bit unsure. He was just inches away, so I grabbed his collar and pulled him down, pressing my lips to his. I moved against his lips, but he didn’t kiss me back. I pulled away, frowning, then downed a shot of tequila. "First kiss mo ba 'yon? Anyway, I'm Silene." I introduced myself as I set the glass down. He just stood there, stunned. "Patay ako neto," he muttered. "Huh?" I asked with my left brow raised, confused by his words. The music drowned out whatever else he was saying. He shook his head and walked off, mumbling something under his breath. "Ano, magaling ba?" Helene asked. I looked at her, and she was now fixing her disheveled hair. I glanced at her and scoffed. "Hindi nga gumanti." I threw back another shot, the burn trailing down my throat. Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa headrest ng sofa at hindi ko namalayang nakaidlip na pala ako. The next thing I knew, Vera’s laugh cut through my daze. "Lasing na yata, kanina pa umiinom e" Dahlia, almost laughing. "Naubos 'yung natirang tequila," Helene added. "Hindi natin kayang buhatin patayo ‘yan," Vera said. "Alam na," Dahlia laughed mischievously. Hindi ko sila maaninag nang maayos dahil sa sobrang hilo nang sinubukan kong idilat ang mga mata ko. "Gising na siya," Then a familiar voice spoke. "Oh, lasing na?" "Yes, Russ. Hatid mo na ex mo," Dahlia said. – "Put me down!" I shouted as someone carried me out of the club. The noise faded, leaving only my voice. "Stop wriggling, Silene. Baka sa kalsada ka matulog ngayon," he said firmly. My eyes widened. "Wow, you know my name? Are you my stalker?" He stayed silent. "Sabing put me down! Isusumbong kita sa boyfriend ko, magagalit 'yon saakin!" I shouted, landing weak punches on his chest. Russel….Russel would be mad… "Sana naisip mo 'yan noong umiinom ka," he shot back, his tone cold. Narinig ko ang pagtunog ng sasakyan at pagbukas ng pinto nito bago ako pinasok sa loob kahit nagpupumilit pa rin akong kumawala sa kanya. I didn’t want to go with him. But then something clicked in my hazy mind. This is my chance to date someone else! The door shut, and I reached for the seatbelt, only to realize it was already fastened. With a sigh, I slumped against the window, eyes drifting closed. As soon as I felt him settle into the driver’s seat, I muttered, "Sa Alfano Twin Towers mo 'ko ihatid." He didn't respond, he just kept on driving. Pilit akong dumilat at tinignang mabuti ang lalaki pero umaalon pa rin ang paningin ko. "Kung may balak kang galawin ako, sa five-star hotel mo ako dalhin. Ayoko sa cheap places," I blurted out. He still didn’t say a word, which only pissed me off more. Parang wala siyang kasama kaya binabalewala niya lang ako. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. No reaction. Naging pipi ba agad siya? "Ano, may alam ka na ba kung saan mo ako dadalhin kung ayaw mo akong ihatid sa suite ko?" I teased. "f**k, stop talking" he muttered, sounding so annoyed. Something about the way he said that sent a spark through me. Was it the alcohol or the sudden desire for him tonight? Probably both. "f**k? Here in your car? Wow, new experience!" I laughed, clapping my hands like a kid who just got a new toy. Still no reaction from him. He just kept driving in silence. Minutes passed before we finally stopped, and I had no idea where we were. Umalalay naman agad siya saakin paglabas pero hinawi ko agad nang makaramdam na naman ng pagduduwal. Dumuwal ako sa malapit na basurahan. And while I was vomiting, I felt him gather my hair to keep them out of the way. "Infairness, ang gentleman nang nakuha ko" I chuckled weakly, taking the wet wipe he handed me. He didn’t say anything as we headed into the building. Inside the elevator, my legs nearly gave out, but he caught me just in time. Now that I was this close to him, a familiar scent hit me. My head lolled to the side as I muttered, "I don’t know if I should say this to you…" "Hmm?" His breath—cool, minty—brushed against my neck. I blinked lazily up at him. "May kakilala ka bang Russel Serevilla? Damn that man, ipagpalit ba naman ako!" A sharp pain tore through my chest, and before I could stop them, tears started rolling down my cheeks. I felt him stiffened. Pinalis ko agad ang luha ko nang makalayo sa kaniya. "Who's that?" he asked, like he actually wanted to hear more. I let out a small laugh. “My ex-boyfriend,” "Where is he now?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't know, probably with his wife and son" I chuckled, but it came out bitter. He let out a sigh, but didn’t say anything.When the elevator doors opened, I stepped out first, shaking off the strange feeling creeping up my spine. He caught up beside me, and I let him. Hahayaan ko nalang na lumipas ang gabing ito na kasama siya. As long as Russel wasn’t in my head, I didn’t care about anything else. Nang pumasok kami sa suite ay hinarap ko siya bago pinalibot ang braso sa leeg nya at nilapit ang sarili sa kanya. His hands landed on my waist, firm but not pulling me in—more like stopping me. "I don't touch girls without their proper consent," he said, the voice was loud and clear. I tiptoed a bit, tracing his jaw with my fingertips. "But I'm already sober," He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Silene, stop" I pouted at his resistance, then reached for the zipper of my dress at my back. Even though my whole body was on fire with want, he still looked like he wanted no part of it. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice controlled. "Stripping," The dress slipped off, pooling at my feet. Now in just my underwear, I flopped onto the bed and sat up only to take off my heels. Tinignan ko ang lalaki at nanatiling malabo ang hitsura niya saakin pero alam kong nakapameywang sya habang nakatingin saakin halatang hindi na alam ang gagawin. "If you don't want to touch me, then fine," I said, smiling at him. He let out a heavy sigh. "You’re just wasted, Silene.” "You sound like my boyfriend," I rolled my eyes and grabbed a pillow, ready to pass out. He muttered something, but I was already drifting away.