AYA didn't expect that this moment with Vince would make her feel wonderful. Relaxed. Her body was tingling all over and her skin felt hot. Hormones raging through her and she was overwhelmed by the impulse to say or do crazy things.
She was tipsy now. Both of them, actually.
Nasa bakuran sila ng bahay, malapit sa puno ng balete. Mayroong wooden outdoor table set doon na iniilawan ng lumang lamp post. Whoever set it up near the creepy old tree must have had some serious mental issues. They didn't want to be there, but it was more comforting than getting drunk inside the haunted house.
"At least the insects are chirping. If there's one thing I learned from watching horror and sci-fi movies, that is, never stay in a place where you can hear nothing," sabi ni Vince kanina a la Morgan Freeman.
Itinaktak niya sa kanyang bibig ang natitirang patak ng likido mula sa hawak na bote. "I'm out." Napasinok siya.
Napabungisngis si Vince sabay lapag ng dalawang bagong beer sa mesa. "Don't worry, may isang case pa tayo sa kotse."
"Whoa! Nakaubos na ba tayo ng isang case? Kaya ba natin ang isa pa?"
"Giving up now, Poodle? Saan na napunta 'yung sinabi mo kaninang, I can beat your ass in a one-on-one drinking game, Zarona?" He propped his elbow on the table and pointed upwards. "Remember, ang unang sumuko, manlilibre ng buffet meal."
"Sinabi ko bang sumusuko na 'ko? You look more wasted than me, Vince. I'm leading, just so you know." They were loosely playing a stupid Do-or-Tell-Something-Interesting game.
If one could wow the other, the latter would be required to drink a full bottle, nonstop. The loser would then hand his or her empty bottle over to the opponent as a score representation. Hiwalay pa roon ang mga tinutungga nila sa normal na paraan.
Napangiti si Vince, ang mga mata at mukha ay namumula na rin. "Kung merong namumukod-tanging bagay na hindi boring tungkol sa'yo, iyon ang alcohol tolerance mo. You're a fighter and I like that."
She was confused whether to feel flattered about it or not. She licked her lower lip. "Why are you with me, Zarona?"
He just blinked, as if he wasn't sure he heard her question right.
"Naisip ko lang na since naka-leave si Megan, hindi ba't mas pipiliin mong siya ang makasama ngayon?"
"I'm having a great time here. Why would I want to be with someone else?"
Ewan niya pero parang kinilig siya sa sinabi nito.
"Time to up the game!" Biglang tumayo si Vince, inilabas ang cellphone sa mesa at nagpatugtog ng kung ano. He then climbed up on the wooden bench and started grooving on the music. He even strummed an imaginary guitar, shutting his eyes, rocking… and boy he was feeling it.
She couldn't stop herself from laughing.
Then in his own raspy voice, he sang along. "Hurt so good… Come on baby make it hurt so good, Sometimes love don't feel like it should. You make it hurt so good…"
Vince was no singer but he could certainly hit notes. Ang cute nitong panoorin habang todo-bigay sa pagpe-perform. Sometimes, he would open his lovely eyes to look at her. Those lingering stares she badly wanted to avoid but unable to do so because she was simply transfixed—she didn't want to admit but Vince was really difficult to resist at times.
"Hey baby it's you. Come on girl now it's you. Sink your teeth right through my bones, baby. Let's see what we can do…"
Naaaliw siyang napatayo. She opened up a fresh bottle and raised it in front of Vince. "Okay, Awesome One, you win this round. But please, itigil mo na ang pagkanta at baka mabulabog mo ang mga engkanto." Her throat burned as she gulped down the beer. She was feeling giddy already, but she could definitely still take it to the next level.
"That's my girl!" Vince shouted, climbing off the bench and victoriously throwing his hands up in the air. "Kukunin ko lang 'yung isang case."
Pinahiran niya ang bibig gamit ang likod ng kamay matapos ubusin ang laman ng bote. "Kailangan mo ng tulong?"
"Just stay here, sweetheart. I can deal with it." Her stomach flipped at the sexy sound of his voice… at the charming way he called her sweetheart. Mabuti na lang at may malinaw siyang excuse sa pag-iinit ng kanyang mga pisngi sa mga oras na iyon.
'I'm just drunk. Totally not affected by him... Really.'
Maya-maya ay bitbit na ni Vince ang isa pang case ng beer na binili nila kanina sa bayan.
"For someone who mocks my obsession with 90s boy bands, you sure have an interesting taste in music, Vince," tudyo niya sa lalaki matapos silipin ang mga kanta sa playlist nito. "You even have The Beach Boys here, really?"
"My taste in music is still way cooler than your cheesy boy bands. I can love Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran, and still be a fan of the awesome oldies," he retorted in a slur.
She slammed her palms on the table and leaned toward him. "Who set the standards for cool and not cool? Hindi ba pwedeng magkakaiba lang ang interes ng mga tao? You want to go down that road? How about me liking thriller and gory stuff, while you cry over a movie about a dog waiting at a train station?"
Lumukot ang mukha ni Vince na para bang nilabag niya ang Sampung Utos ng Diyos. "You're a heartless woman, Aya. How could you not get touched sa loyalty ni Hachiko sa amo niya?"
She rolled her eyes, recalling that one movie night when they watched that Hachi movie with their college friends. Kinabukasan, nag-ampon ng asong kalye si Vince at pinangalanan iyong Ayaboy—which she almost strangled him for. Pagkalipas ng ilang buwan ay nagkasakit ito at namatay. Vince had been so depressed for weeks that he swore not to get another pet, ever.
"Nami-miss ko pa rin si Ayaboy." Napatanaw si Vince sa malayo habang niyayakap ang bote ng beer. He then took a long sip.
"I still want to kill you for that name, Vince," aniya, nakapangalumbaba na sa mesa. Her eyelids were dropping. "Okay, my turn. I made out with Stacy."
Naibuga ni Vince ang ininom na beer. His bleary eyes suddenly widened in great astonishment. "Wait the fucking minute! You did what with whom? Where? When? Why?"
"Third year. Naglalaro tayo ng Truth or Dare sa condo ni Droy, remember? They dared me to make out with Stacy."
"Nando'n ba 'ko? Bakit hindi ko naalalang nangyari 'yon?"
"Malay ko sa'yo. Ang akala namin nakatulog ka na sa banyo eh. O siguro, nakikipag-sex ka sa pinsan ni Droy nang oras na 'yon." Lasing na nga talaga siya. She wouldn't have the guts to drop those words if she's sober.
Umiling-iling si Vince saka ito kaswal na uminom ng beer. "I don't screw anyone when I know you're around. Your presence distracts me."
Hindi siya nakaimik.
"So going back—" Natabig ni Vince ang isang bote nang dumukwang ito sa mesa. "How did you make out?"
'Why are men so fascinated with the idea of girls kissing each other?'
"L-Like with…"
Napangiwi siya. "Are you seriously asking me the how, Vince?"
"Just asking the details, is that bad?" He grinned foolishly.
"Nag-clash ang lips namin, our tongues kissed. There were small touches here and there. Happy?"
"There were tongues and touches? Jesus Christ…" Vince comically covered his mouth with his hands. She knew he was trying to imagine it. "Hindi ako makapaniwala na ginawa n'yo 'yon, pero walang nagkuwento sa 'kin?"
"I told them not to tell you."
"Mean. But tell me, how was it?"
"Weird, but fun," pag-amin niya. "It just lasted a minute though."
"I take back everything I said. You're not boring," he said in serious face, placing his hand over his chest. "Now, all I need is a singing-and-dancing Aya. Kompleto na ang bucket list ko."
"What?" Ngimi siyang tumawa. "Drink up, Vince. You lose this one."
"Counteroffer." Itinaas nito ang isang kamay. "Three bottles. Straight. Sing-and-dance. I know it's going to be interesting for sure, so…"
Sandali siyang napaisip. "Make it four, we have a deal."
"Four???" Nanghilakbot ito. "Papatayin mo ba ang atay ko?"
She tilted her head to one side, mocking. "Bakit, Vince? Hindi mo na kaya?"
"Oh please! You're challenging the awesome, James Vincent Zarona. I don't back out from a fight, baby." He rubbed his nose like a bad boy. "We have a deal."