"Hey, Maureen, you still alive in there?" Sebastian's voice piercing from the other side of the door.
I rubbed my face with my hands for the last time.
This is so freaking embarrassing! Bakit ba kasi ako pumayag na buhatin niya 'ko kanina? Alam ko na ngang nahihilo na 'ko, tapos pumayag pa 'ko!
Kasi nga tanga ka, naririnig ko nang sinasabi ng sub-conscious ko.
Yeah, I really am. Shit. Good thing I was able to hold my vomit until I reached the bathroom. Because if I happen to puke in front of my friends, I would definitely pull out every strand of my hair in embarrassment.
"Yeah, I'm okay! Thanks!" I answered back to Sebastian, who I think is still waiting for me outside of the bathroom.
When he noticed I was about to puke my guts out earlier, he was the one who escorted me here. He felt responsible, since he was the one who did the lift with me, which was, by the way, the reason why I feel awful right now.
"Bumalik ka na do'n! Kaya ko na 'to!" sabi ko pa dahil nakakahiyang paghintayin siya.
"Hindi na. Hihintayin na kita. It's my fault, anyway."
I bit my lips.
I didn't have the chance to tell him earlier that it wasn't his fault, because I felt like the contents of my stomach would burst right out of my mouth if I spoke. So I kept it shut and just let him help me.
Nahihiya tuloy ako ngayon dahil sarili niya pa ang sinisisi niya.
"No, Seb," I answered back. "It's not your fault I was an idiot."
Instead of answering, Sebastian only laughed really hard. I could even picture him there, on the other side of the door, with his wide smile, white teeth, and broad shoulders that kept shaking from his laughter. He might have even threw his head back.
I don't know if he's laughing at me, or if it's because of what I said, but either way, it made me smile.
Nakakahawa kasi ang mga tawa niya. He laughs like he doesn't have a care in the world. It's refreshing to hear, it's contagious, and it's really carefree. Pretty much just like his personality. No wonder he instantly fit right in with our group.
After a few minutes of gargling some mouth wash and freshening up, I finally had the courage to step out of the bathroom. I instantly saw Sebastian leaning on the wall, busying himself with his phone. But when he noticed that I opened the door, he quickly slid his phone inside of his pocket and pushed himself off of the wall.
"Uy. Ayos ka na?" he asked.
I nodded, even though my head was still faintly aching and my stomach still feels uncomfortable from all that vomiting I just did. "Yeah. Ready for the next round."
"Seryoso ka?"
He looked at me as if I just said something stupid, again. Maybe I did, but I wasn't joking, though. I guess I tend to be stupid when it comes to partying.
"Sa tingin mo?"
He shook his head, but his smile never left his lips. "You are one helluva party girl."
I shrugged. "Born to be one."
We walked back to the room where the others are still playing 'Spin the bottle'. When Sebastian and I entered the room, all their eyes quickly darted towards my direction.
"Ano Maureen, kaya pa?" Franco said, teasingly.
I smiled.
Seeing me almost puke just after a few shots of whiskey must've been pretty funny for them. After all, they never saw me in that situation before. But they know me. I don't back out easily, not until I'm totally wasted and is about to past out. So when Franco and everyone else saw me smile, they snickered and smiled back.
It's too early to stop. The night is just beginning, and the party is just about to hit its peak. So no one's backing out just yet.
"Tara, tuloy! Kaya pa ni Maureen!" Olly yelled out, then spin the bottle once again.
"Are you sure?" I heard Sebastian asked, so I turned to him.
"I told you I'm ready for the next round, didn't I?"
Sebastian grinned, then shook his head before walking towards his spot earlier. I followed suit, and sat in between Romeo and Andrea again. But as soon as my butt reached the floor, Andrea scooted closer to me, and my best friend Danielle switched places with Romeo so she could do the same.
I was totally confused, to be honest. Hindi ko alam kung anong nakain o nainom ng dalawang 'to kaya bigla silang lumapit sa akin. Pero hindi na rin nila pinatagal ang pag-iisip ko dahil agad nila akong binulungan.
"So?" panimula ni Andrea. "What's the deal between you and Seb?"
"Oo nga. Ano nang mayro'n sa inyo?" dagdag pa ni Danielle.
Okay. What the heck are they talking about?
Hindi naman na ako lasing. Well, at least 'yon ang alam ko. Pero hindi ko pa rin magawang maintindihan ang sinasabi ng dalawang 'to.
"Anong anong mayro'n?" I replied, in a voice as small as theirs.
"Duh! Seb volunteered to escort you to the bathroom! I think he has eyes for you," Andrea explained to me, as if it was an obvious fact.
"Tingin ko rin!" Danielle butted in. "May sinabi ba siya sayo no'ng nandoon kayo sa banyo?"
"Syempre wala! And correction, nandoon ako. Hindi ko siya kasama, ako lang ang pumasok."
"That's so weak. Akala ko pa naman hahalikan ka na niya kanina." Andrea giggled.
What the fuck? Nalasing ba ang dalawang 'to sa sandaling panahon na nawala ako?
"You know what, you guys are not making any sense. Kayo na lang ang mag-usap. Mukhang kayo lang naman kasi ang nagkakaintindihan."
Ibinalik ko ang atensyon ko sa mga kasama namin. Almost everyone was cheering while Walter was doing a dare that I can't distinguish, but I still kept my attention on him. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay masisira lang ang ulo ko sa pakikinig o pakikipag-usap kay Danielle at Andrea.
But watching Walter didn't served that much of a distraction for me when I felt Danielle's breath on my ear and then said, "Seb's looking at you."
Without realizing it, my eyes quickly shifted from Walter to Sebastian. I even almost slap myself for doing that! Because not only did I fell for what Danielle said, but Sebastian wasn't even looking at me. He was clearly busy watching Walter too!
"I hate you," I said to Danielle while both her and Andrea giggled.
"Oh, come on, Maureen! Don't be dense. Seb likes you! And I think you do too."
"You guys are insane."
"We're just telling you what we think, Maureen."
I shook my head, and opened my mouth to say something back to Danielle. But before I could even utter a word, Walter's deep voice echoed around the room when he said, "Maureen!"
My head snap to his direction and was instantly welcomed by his, and almost everyone else's mischievous smiles.
"You're up," Rick said, but I was still confused.
Hindi kaagad na proseso ng utak ko ang mga nangyayari, dahil ang nasa isip ko pa rin ay 'yong mga sinabi sa akin ni Danielle at Andrea. Even when Walter asked me if I'm going to pass or do the dare, I still couldn't wrap my head around what was going on.
Until my eyes landed on Danielle, and she pointed at the bottle right in the middle of us.
Damn. It was my turn.
"Uhh..." I stupidly said out loud because I couldn't think of an answer yet. "Tell me what the dare first, then I'll decide."
"Okay." Walter smiled. His eyes were on me, before it scanned through our small group, and eventually landed on Sebastian's direction.
Oh, shit. Please don't, I immediately thought.
My heart stared to beat faster than normal. I suddenly had this uncomfortable feeling in pit of my stomach because without even Walter's words, I could already tell what he was thinking, if the look he's giving me and Sebastian isn't any indication. And for the first time tonight, I was hoping, praying, even... That I was wrong.
But, shit.
Fate didn't effing listen to me.
"I dare you to make out with Seb."