It was almost five o'clock in the afternoon when Lissa and her friends clocked out from their work. She was suppose to go out with Anthony this afternoon, they planned to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from the nearest grocery or farmer's market and a bit of meat from Walmart.
Anthony thought of the idea after he practically finished the meal in a second after it was given to him. It was so good that he asked Lissa if she could replicate the meal her mother cooked for him. But their plans has been postponed for another day, because an emergency meeting had been announced a few minutes before their shift ends.
All managers, supervisors and heads of the company must be there.
She was about to leave the building, a frown on her face when she was pulled by the arm. It was Nina. One of her closest friend.
"Bish!" Was Nina's way of show and tell that she had missed her friend. "Let's get drunk tonight! Since it's payday, plus I want to get really really drunk!" Was her excited yelp to her friend, her eyes sparkling at just the thought of getting wasted.
Lissa made a face of disinterest and was lax when she removed Nina's tight hold from her arm. "Sorry, Bish..." Was her gloomy reply. "I'm not really in the mood for drinks..."
Nina frowned and was a bit hurt that Lissa did not want to come. She knows that something is up, because usually, whenever she ask Lissa to come, she always say yes. Except if there's an underlying reason. "Really, why?" She said with a frown. "Are you really Maria Lissa de Leon? The dark horse of the JD&A drinking team?"
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! I'm the evil twin sister. Monalissa!" Was her sarcastic and over-the-top reply. "This silly girl... of course, it's me! Who else, dios mio."
"See?! That's the spunky latina I know... Let's just go, I swear we're going to have a good time." Was her rather convincing speech. "And you know, Chrome has this new promotions. They also have new appetizers, and more thing Lissa... Just to remind you, you haven't been hanging with us for three weeks now. Remember, you owe us for that horrible night your mother put us through! You promised you'd pay us back... And... we miss you..."
Lissa breathed in deep before she lifts her left arm to check out the time. It was still a bit early. 7PM in the afternoon. "Fine... fine, fine!" Was her exasperated series of replies. She looked Nina directly in the eyes and placed her finger between Nina's eyes, just above the bridge of her nose, somewhat threatening her friend. "But remember, I have no money... I give half of my salary to my Mom. Either you pay for my entrance, or I'm gone! I don't have the budget anymore..."
'Once a cheapskate, always a cheapskate...' Nina whined inwardly with a smile. "Okay, fine... My treat, you don't have to pay for anything. I'll even pay for your entrance and first round of drinks. All you need to do is get drunk, wasted and have fun." She bargained with a sneer. "But..." She grabbed Lissa's hips in a tight embrace, and pulled her closer. "You will have to play the drinking game with us."
Lissa smiled and then leaned her head to the side. "Okay, I accept the challenge." Was her brave and fearless answer. She reciprocated the hug, giving her friend a hug that was just as tight. She missed her friend as well. "You're going to regret that you dared to challenge me."
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The three of them were sitting pretty inside Nina's new car. A black and white sleek Mustang that was gifted to Nina by her awfully wealthy father. She was recently promoted. Now, on top of her coming big fat check every month, she has a new car to boast about to the world.
After hearing the news, Lissa and Judy teased their friend that the two will not be spending a single cent tonight. Nina will be the one to pay for everything since she's the one who asked them to drink and celebrate.
A night of celebration, as Judy explained.
They arrived at Chrome at almost eight in the evening. The night is still young and there were only a few people inside the bar.
Nina ordered the first batch of drinks. Something strong and it's called seven-horsemen. A mix of seven different liquor and spirits mixed together.
"Bish, are you planning to kill us? Isn't this too much?! This is alcohol intoxication in a shot!" Judy exclaimed with much exaggeration when the bartender served them three glasses each. Nine in total was sitting in front of them. "Obviously, you're trying to kill us. This is homicide. This is ridiculous."
Niña let out a loud---boisterous laugh as she looked at her friends who were obviously not amused. "Well, it was your idea that I buy drinks for you. You didn't specifically told me the type of drinks, right?" She said with an evil grin as she hands over a shot to each of her friend. "...and you said, since I pay for everything, I can make you drink anything I could think of, remember?"
Judy and Lissa had an exchange of looks.
"This is your fault." Was Judy's direct accusation to Lissa, lashing out at her friend before she drinks the god forbidden mix.
Instantly, Lissa went on defense mode saying "Hey, hey, hey, hey! Why me?"
"Well, you asked Nina to pay for everything!"
"I'm not the only one who asked to be paid for. You asked her too!" Was Lissa's retort.
Niña raised her glass, signaling for a toast. "A toast, for my new car and for my promotion."
They clink their glasses together and gulped it one go. The strong mix of liquor was hot against their throat. It was so strong that it feels like they were drinking poison. A poison made of Lava and hot water. Their faces contorted
"Bish, I change my mind." Was all Judy could say after drinking the shot. She placed the glass on top of the table and squirmed at the after taste. "No need to pay for everything. I will pay for everything instead. I'll just have Sex on the beach. I can't take this. I'll get so wasted someone may as well fuck my virgin ass and throw me on the dumpster and I won't still feel a thing.."
"Well, it's fine if someone takes me home for the night." Was Lissa's flirty statement, squirming as she imagined a handsome young stud. "But of course, he has to be big and strong and smells good, like Rasputin!"
====================
The three ladies lost count on how many orders of seven horsemen went down their throats. All they remember and know is how hot the place is getting and the tables and dance floor was slowly filled with people who are just as hot.
Their blazers and corporate jacket came off minutes ago, the place was getting too hot for them to wear too much layers.
"Hey, bishes! Are you still up for the game?" Judy asked through a scream, the place was getting so loud, it was hard to communicate properly. "You still up for King's cup?"
Right on cue, as soon as Nina heard the name of the game, she grabbed her bag and pulled out a box full of cards. She placed it on top of the table with a smirk, presenting the card as if she was a cute little promo girl. They ordered another set of drinks but this time it's a little bit milder than their shots before.
Judy was focused on shuffling and arranging the cards when she caught a glimpse of Lissa who was busy typing on the screen of her phone, squinting as she reads the small letters on the phone.
"Bish." She loudly called for Lissa. "Put that phone away, we're about to start."
Lissa chose to ignore her overly tipsy and nosy friend. She reads through the message again. She just received this a few moments ago.
She couldn't figure out if she's just hallucinating, overly drunk or maybe she's really beginning to lose her sanity completely. Or maybe some coworker is here at the bar who spotted them from a few tables away, trying to prank her to have a good time of their own.
(email not saved to contacts) anthony.lee@gsnail.com
Where are you right now? Sorry our plan to go to the farmers market was postponed. The meeting just ended. Message me if you still wanna hang out, I'll pick you up. Let's eat, I'm still hungry. I haven't got the chance to eat.
-Mr. Lee
"Impossible." Unconsciously she let out the words that were circling on her hazy and drunker brain, earning a few looks from her friends. "Impossible. This is just impossible."
"Impossible?" Was Nina's silly impersonation of her friend, teasing Lissa. "Impossible that you're still a virgin?"
Judy laughed out loud, her mouth is so wide open that the back of her throat is visible even though the dim lights. She looked at Lissa who was still on the phone and slapped her friend's shoulder, earning a scowl from the latter.
"Bish, don't you dare." She said threatened with a frown. "If you do that again I'll shove my phone up your ass so far it'll come out of your mouth!"
Judy pursed her lips and made a zipping motions against it.
Lissa rolled her eyes and pay no mind to her silly friends. She leaned closer until her phone was lined with her vision, then she quietly replied to the message. And she thought, if the person who sent it was just making fun of her, then he or she wouldn't bother to even get close to where she is, right?
Right?
(Maria Lissa de Leon) LissaMonalissa@gsnail.com
I'm at the place where I first met you. Just come here if you're really who you say you are. And if you're not. I swear to God I'll hunt you down, cut off all your hair, collect it one by one and shove it down your throat!
Lissa placed her phone on top of the table, then paid no heed to it.
Then Judy placed the cards on the middle of the table. And when everything is set and in place, she signaled to Nina and Lissa that the game is about to begin.
The first to draw was Niña.
She picked a card, lifted it halfway then took a peak. She moaned when she laid eyes on the card. "Ugh... Three is Me, son of bitch!" She took a shot glass and drank it in one go.
"Four is for Whores, bishes!" Was what Judy as she pulled up a card and showed it to both of her friends, earning a scowl from the two. The three of them gulped down a shot.
The next to draw a card was Lissa.
"Eight is mate." A big menacing smile showed on her lips, she looked at Nina slowly, her wicked smile widened even more.
"Try me out, bish! I swear if you hand over that shot-glass to me you'll be paying for every fucking drink you've ordered and every food and appetizer you ordered! Try me, bish... just try..." Was her low and feral warning to Lissa.
"Fine." Was Lissa's answer, handing over the shot glass to Judy instead.
Lissa's attention was too drawn in the game that she didn't notice that someone had been calling for her attention. She continued to play the drinking game along with her friends, laughing and throwing the cards in dismay or amusement.
It was when Judy spotted a familiar figure approaching that her eyes widened and her jaw almost dropped down on the floor.
"Mi---mister... Mr. Lee?" She asked with wide blinking eyes while her she points at the man standing behind Lissa like a ghost, earning a confused stare from the her friend.
Niña looked at her side, the shot glass she's holding almost slipped away from her fingers.
Lissa was still in denial of the truth. "What's going on with you two?" Was her question as she laughed at her friends faces. They literally look like they're seeing a ghost. "You both look ridiculous."
Not minding her friends, she picked a card from the deck. "Six for di---"
"Six for dicks." Anthony took one of the shot glass from the table, drinking it in one go. He placed the empty shot glass besides Lissa's phone. He grabbed a chair then sat between Nina and Lissa, earning a stare from the two. "Can I join the game, ladies?"
There was a moment of silence and he felt oddly satisfied. He particularly examined Lissa's and her face looks utterly stupefied that he can't help but laugh.
"What'ya say, Curly..." His voice was a little bit cold and sultry as he leans close to whisper in her ears. It hit the sensitive part of her ear and it made her body shiver. "Can I join in?"