I have lost count of how many shots of alcohol I have taken. All I know is I am starting to feel lightheaded. Even though this lightheadedness was one of the things I was looking forward to when I decided to attend the masked party, I am still a tad scared especially as Simona is nowhere to be found. Normally, I wouldn't mind getting drunk with Simona by my side but she had been gone for hours and I have since been the only one dancing and vibing to songs that blasted from the speakers.
I am starting to shiver. The air conditioners blasting from every corner isn't even helpful. I let out a sigh and turn around, trying to see if I could get one more shot of alcohol. Luckily, I get hold of the bartender and go for multiple shots of alcohol. For every shot I drink, I mutter my thanks to him and earn myself a weird stare.
The warmth I get from the alcohol only lasts for a few minutes as I soon start shivering again. Wearing a sleeveless bodycon was a bad idea after all. I shouldn't have. I wrap my arms around myself trying to see if I could get myself to be a bit warm. I think it's high time I get myself home. I am already drunk and although I am still conscious of myself and my environment, there is not much that a drunk person like myself can do.
Biting my lower lip, I am about to turn around and find my way towards the entrance when I hear a voice boom over my shoulders.
"Hey, are you okay?" someone asks gently.
I turn abruptly toward the owner of the voice and immediately regret making such a move. The room spins around me and I lose my balance and fall. Someone quickly grabs me and I find myself in the arms of a tall, muscular figure with this unexplainable aura of mystery. I am unable to see his face because just like me, his face is also hidden behind a silver filigree that makes him look even more mysterious.
Our eyes meet and we spend the next few seconds staring at each other. I suddenly remember where we are and I free myself from his grip, trying to stand properly on my feet. My efforts are futile because I come crashing down – only lucky to be caught quickly by this masked guy. I roll my eyes inwardly and surrender myself to his grip. God, am I that drunk? It isn't even helpful that I am shivering badly.
"Okay, let's get you to stop shivering," he says and holds me with one arm while taking off his jacket with his other hand.
He drapes his jacket over me and I cannot help but be grateful to the universe for allowing this masked guy to come my way.
I feel a whole lot warmer. Before I can mutter a drunken thanks, he helps me to my feet and slouches me across his shoulder. I cannot even protest. Thankfully, no one cares enough to give the both of us as much as a glance.
He gets me to the rooftop and helps me into a seat. I sigh drunkenly and try to get a grip on myself.
"What did you think you were doing getting yourself this drunk?" he asks. As much as it feels like he is chiding me, he still sounded like he was concerned and cared a lot. A smile creeps to my lips and I flash him a drunken but beautiful smile that seems to get him pissed.
"What?" I chuckle, lowering my eyes at him.
"What's funny?" he asks, standing hands akimbo.
"I mean, can't a girl decide to get drunk whenever she likes?" I roll my eyes at him, wondering who he thinks he is to tell me whether or not to get drunk.
"Well then, she can get drunk as much as she wants in her room and not embarrass herself this much in public spaces," he says.
"The hell?" I shoot him an angry look. "Look, I know you were so much help by offering me your jacket and even bringing me to the rooftop so I can get a grip on myself. But that doesn't give you any right whatsoever to insult me or tell me what and what not to do."
"Some of you don't like being told the truth," he shakes his head in exhaustion. "And now that you mentioned it, I should just have pretended to not see you. Maybe you would have been better off as a frozen drunk girl who does nothing but embarrasses herself all over a masked party."
"You're so rude!" I fly up in a fit of anger but I come crashing down as soon as I stand.
He chuckles before he helps me back into my seat. I should have known I wasn't going to be much good as a drunken fellow. But it was too late now.
"I guess I should just take my L in peace," I sigh and shake my head. "Point proven."
"I wasn't even trying to prove a point," he chuckles and slips into the same seat with me. "I was only wondering why someone with a low tolerance for alcohol would still go ahead and take so many shots of alcohol when in public."
"Let's get our facts right," I wave my index finger at him. "One, I am an adult and I am free to do as I wish. Don't think you can come here and father me around; I don't even know who you are, stranger. Two, this is a party and if the organizers were not expecting people to get drunk, they wouldn't have made provisions for so much alcohol. And then three, some of us would do anything to get some haunting memories away from our heads, including getting ourselves dead drunk. And that, stranger, is not even our fault."
I cannot see his entire face but his eyes look sober and sorry and I am glad he finally understands why I decided to get myself drunk.
"I'm sorry," he says slowly.
"Oh, that's fine," I sigh and wave in dismissal. "I wasn't even trying to get pity. I was only trying to make explanations."
"Looks like you could use some listening ears," He says slowly.
I look at him, chuckle, and look away.
"What makes you think I need listening ears?" I ask slowly. "You think alcohol is not enough for listening ears?"
"Alcohol is alcohol," he chuckles. "Once you stop being lightheaded and all, whatever memories you're trying to suppress come back to you like a bucket of ice water thrown at you in the face."
I chuckle at his allusion. Well, he has some points right there. After the effects of the alcohol wear off, it would be me and my haunting memories against the world.
"You seem to be speaking from experience," I chuckle again.
"Well, somehow," it is his turn to chuckle.
I smile sheepishly, partly under the effects of the alcohol and partly because someone can finally relate to some of the things I go through.
"It's fine if you do not want to talk anyway," he says, following my silence. "No pressure."
"It's nothing much," I shrug. "I mean, it's a biggie to me but. . ."
He reaches for my hand and gives it a little squeeze. I shudder especially as I do not expect a touch of any sort.
"Here's a safe space," he says slowly, giving my hand another gentle squeeze.
A slow but painful smile tugs at the corner of my lips and somehow, I warm up towards him.
"I lost my parents at a very young age and under the weirdest kinds of circumstances," I say solemnly, staring ahead. "And although so many years have passed since their death, life just seems very difficult and mysterious without them. Every day, I can't help but wish there's something I could do to turn back the hands of time and stop certain things from happening."
My voice is now muffled and shaky. Tears sting my eyelid and threaten to fall. I haven't talked about my parents to anyone in a long while so I can't blame myself for being that emotional.
"Can I hug you?" He asks slowly. "Heard hugs can be very therapeutic."
"Sure," I sniff as he pulls me close to himself and envelopes me in his arms.
I close my eyes and allow myself to melt in his arms. There's this warmth that hugging this stranger brings to me. Maybe, just maybe, a hug was all I needed all along.
I lose track of the time as I melt in his embrace. When I feel like I have hugged him to my fill, I pull away slowly and smile my thanks with teary eyes.
We lock eyes and slowly, I watch his hands find their way to my face. Even though my face is masked, he finds a way to place his palm on the bare side of my face. He pulls my face close, tilts his head, and stares into my eyes. Our eyes and mouth are the only parts of our face that are not covered by our masks.
I do not expect the next thing that will happen. He slowly places his lips on mine. On reflex, my lips part, giving him the chance to take my lips in his. He kisses me slowly. At first, I try to hold myself back but I soon catch myself surrendering to his lips. What's the worst that could happen anyway? Our faces are masked and I can bet I would be unable to identify him after this party.
I close my eyes and kiss him back with equal fervor.
Then suddenly, he pulls away.
"I. . ." He sighs. "I'm sorry. Didn't think it would escalate to this."
"You don't have to apologize," I say slowly, leaning towards him. This time, I place my palm on his cheeks and pull him closer to me.
I place my lips on his and he kisses me back immediately. I wrap my arms around him and for the next three minutes, we kiss slowly and yet passionately.
This time, it is me who pulls away from him and lets out a loud sigh.
"If this has made you uncomfortable, we could just pretend none of this ever happened," he says quickly.
"We don't even know each other," I say calmly, placing my hands in his. "So it's fine. Besides, I can barely recognize you in your mask. I'd just take this as the break I needed from my chaotic life."
He chuckles.
"Thank you so much for your help," I say and get to my feet. I slowly take off his jacket and slowly drop it on his lap. "And thank you for the safe space too. Will never forget tonight in a hurry. Gotta run off now."
I flash him a smile and hurry away in search of Simona.