Chapter 16

"Oh, hey! Amelia!" Dehlia called drunkenly. When Revi and I neared towards the couch that Dehlia has rented, I saw her sitting-- almost sprawling on the couch, obviously drunk. I proved that she really is when she stood up and went to our direction. She welcomed me with a clumsy hug. I even have to hold her shoulders because she might fall.

She reeks of alcohol!

The smell doesn't stink but I am still not used to the smell of alcohol. I am not used to it, that is why. But good thing, I am not the type to puke by the smell of alcohol.

When she let go of me, she almost fell so Revi had to hold her arm to stop her from truly falling to the floor.

Dehlia pointed my face, her long fingernails were nearly touching my cheeks while she's staring at me with her half-closed eyes.

"Why... are you so... pretty!?"

I was a bit taken aback by her sudden shout but I didn't lose my composure.

"She's drunk," Aeone said, laughing. Like that wasn't obvious enough. Dehlia was red all over her cheeks and she's been hiccuping lately.

Dehlia groaned and left me to go near the table full of liquors. She poured liquor from the bottle down to the glass and was putting some ice on it before she walked back to me and handed it to me.

"Dehlia, you know that Amelia is not good with alcohol-"

I accepted the glass before drinking it without hesitation. I think I drank half of it when Revi suddenly snatched it away from my hold and gave it to his friend sitting near us.

Dehlia clapped her hands while laughing. "The girl obviously likes to drink, Revi! Why are you stopping her?"

I heard Revi sigh while shaking his head.

Dehlia cupped my cheeks which got me startled. "Damn. You have such a pretty face!"

Revi forcibly shoved Dehlia's hands cupping my cheeks. With that, Dehlia almost lost her balance so she glared at Revi who was just putting on a straight face.

"Come, sit. Let's talk!" Dehlia invited before dragging me to sit on the couch she was sitting earlier. Revi held my other hand but I assured him that it's okay so he then let me go with Dehlia and he decided to sit and join with his guy friends crowding on the far couch.

Dehlia crossed her legs before facing my way. She leaned her arm on the top of her knee before resting her face on her palm.

"I was the one you were... y'know, talking on the phone," she said in between hiccups. My forehead creased but when I remembered the travel I had with Revi when we were on our way to Ciudad where an unknown number came calling and I was the one who answered it, I realized that maybe, that is what Dehlia meant so I nodded at her.

Dehlia shook her head before drinking a glass of liquor in one go.

"I was in a cafe near the university... uh..." She scratched the top of her head, trying to remember something. "Checking grammatical errors, spellings, punctuation marks, chuchu... what do you call that again?"

I cleared my throat. "Proofreading."

She gasped before covering her mouth and giggled. "Oh, yes. Right! So that's it... I was... uh, proofreading."

I nodded, trying to listen. I don't usually talk to drunk people because I always find everything they say as nonsensical but I happened to stumble upon reading a psychology facts book in the library then that the most honest person is a drunk person.

Regardless of that fact, I am also a bit curious about what Dehlia was supposed to say when she was cut off by someone. This may be out of my character, well, I've been out of my character these past few days, but I also want to know who's the girl that Dehlia keeps on referring to as 'bitch.'

She gulped before drawing imaginary circles on the wind before her. "A girl was pestering me the past few weeks before that very day. And guess what? We found each other in that cafe!"

Tahimik lamang ako sa kanyang tabi at nag-aabang sa kung ano mang sasabihin niya.

She shifted on her seat. "I don't think that's a mere coincidence even if that's her reason. I remember her saying, "Wow! What a coincidence!" Well, fck?! No!" She spat, mimicking the voice of the girl who, according to her, was pestering her.

"I don't think so. She obviously followed me there. My suspicion... grew stronger when... she shamelessly sat across me! I mean, there are so many vacant tables and... and... she chose to share a table with me!"

Judging from her drowsy and flimsy movements, this girl is about to drop soon. I don't know what's pulling her to stay awake though.

She shook her head. "She asked me if how's Revi! You know, Revi, your boyfriend? That bitch is asking about your boyfriend! It's just so obvious... that she's into Revi!"

I nodded, fully lending her an ear. It is my concern too. I mean, not really but I think I am concern either way because I am the girlfriend.

Dehlia sat properly before stomping her feet on the floor, trying to free her feet from her pumps.

"I told her that Revi... has a girlfriend. Well, to my surprise, she seems to know that fact but chooses to ask either way and continued showing an interest. I don't know what to call her but she's a bitch."

I helped her with the strap of her pumps which freed her feet which were now red. She lightly kicked her pumps and it flew underneath the table before she massaged her right ankle.

"I think she's sick in the brain," Dehlia said while pointing on her temple. "Anyway, did you block that number?"

I shook my head. She said over the phone that I should block the number. "There's no need. Revi bought a new sim card the following day."

She nodded and sigh in relief. "Well, that's much better. But any time soon, Revi will have to change his phone number again."

My brows furrowed. "Why?"

She shivered. "That girl has her ways of reaching Revi."

I was uncomfortable about that a bit. Revi has avid and rigid admirers but never have I ever seen someone so determined to the point that even he already changed his phone number, she still finds her way of reaching her! What Dehlia said crept me out for some reason.

Dehlia groaned in pain while massaging her ankle on her left foot before leaning against the backrest of the sofa.

A few strands of her hair covered her face but she doesn't seem to care. She craned her neck towards my direction and eyed me seriously despite her sleepy eyes.

She pointed at me. "If I were you, be careful. That girl..."

I scooted closer to help her leaning her back in the right position. She'll get cramps if she sleeps in that sprawling position.

"That bitch! Urgh! But you know what?"

"Hmm?"

"That girl is freaking scary!" She screamed enough for me to hear amidst the resounding booming of speakers.

Dehlia is scary but her and an already scary person saying that she's scared of someone is making me nervous.

She shifted her weight before her neck craned to the opposite side. Her eyes are now fully closed. I heard her calm yet deep breathing, on the brink of sleep.

"Dehlia," I called. She mumbled softly.

"What's the name of the girl you were talking about?" I asked despite the low chances that she'll ever answer. I think she's asleep already, I could hear her calm breathing.

I waited for a moment but when she didn't respond, I heaved a deep sigh before leaning against the backrest of the sofa. I scooted farther just so I wouldn't come to disturb her.

I poured water on a clean glass before putting a cube of ice on it. I waited for the ice to melt first before drawing it to my mouth.

I heard Dehlia groan which made me look at her. When I found her eyes still closed, I shook my head before pouring myself a liquor.

"That bitch..." I heard Dehlia. My hand holding a tong and was about to put a cube of ice on my glass of liquor froze from what I've heard.

"Aubrey. That bitch..." The ice cube fell inside my glass of liquor, creating a sound.

I already have a feeling that it is Aubrey, after all, she's the only one whom I know that's claiming my boyfriend as originally hers. I've been wishing and hoping silently that my suspicion that it really was Aubrey as wrong and unjust. But Dehlia won't lie to me. Not in her drunken state.

My eyes wandered. Revi's girl friends were sitting and were having fun on the near couch while Revi and his guy friends were sitting and crowding the far couch. I could hear the girls' giggles about something while the boys' direction was loud and all laughs.

My eyes were glued to the entrance of the bar which was kinda' getting less of attention because the people were busy having fun.

The bouncers were firmly and strictly not letting the girl in. I squinted my eyes just to be sure that the girl I am seeing from that way was Aubrey. I came to prove that it really is her when I heard her familiar voice despite the loud booming of sound.

I drank the liquor on the glass I am holding in one go, without hesitation. I chewed the ice cubes on my mouth, creating a sound. I smashed the ice cubes by my teeth, feeling its tingling coldness inside my mouth.

I stood up but through my peripheral vision, I saw Revi stood up from his seat too. I looked at him and pointed out the comfort room's way. He gave me a slight nod before going back to sit together with his friends who are talking and playing cards.

I cleared my throat after smashing the ice cubes. I wiped my lower lip with my thumb before I strutted to the entrance's way.

"I said I know the birthday celebrant. It's Dehlia Minosa! Let me in, will you?!"

"You were not included in the list, Miss. You better go back to where you're from because you might disturb our customers inside." The bouncer said while the other was busy holding Aubrey in her place, not letting her get on the way in.

"I know her," I said which made the bouncers look my way. Aubrey was shocked to see my sudden appearance too but she was quick to change her expression, she immediately put on her serious face.

"What?"

"She's Aubrey Sanchez. Was her name not on the list?" I asked the guy who's holding the paper, probably the said list.

"Yes, she wasn't, Miss." The guy said. "What's your name, please?"

"I'm Amelia Rosacea Savamonte," I said, stating my full name. "Uh... I know the birthday celebrant and I am invited here. Does that change a thing? Is she still not allowed to come inside?"

"S-Savamonte?"

I nodded before smiling.

"I... I think it will be alright. Let her in, bro," the guy holding the paper said to his comrade in a rush.

Aubrey rolled her eyes and flipped her mid-length hair on the air before passing through them, going inside.

She stopped right in front of me, leaving us a couple of inches for distance. We were about the same height and besides that, it was said that we somehow share similar features. The color and length of the hair, our figure who doesn't differ much from each other, and the form of our eyes. Aubrey's eyes were chinky while mine was upturned. Her lips were perfectly curved while mine is a peaked cupid's bow and my lower lip is full.

At the first glance, you'll mistake her as me and vice-versa. But that's not what it is. That's what most people say but according to those people who really know me, we share some but not entirely. Aubrey and I are different... way different from each other.

"I can get in without your help. So, I won't thank you."

I shrugged. "I don't need to hear it though."

She rolled her eyes at me, smoothly gliding her eyes from me to the direction of the noisy people behind me. She secretly glanced behind me and when I followed her line of vision, it led me to a group of men who were having fun.

I heard Revi's laugh from here which made Aubrey's lips stretch for a smile which then crept me out for a second.

She was about to walk past me when I blocked her way. She shot me an irked look. "What's your problem?"

"We need to talk."

I need to get rid of the nervousness I am feeling and to do that, I need to talk to Aubrey and hear those things from her. I was never bothered by my boyfriends' admirers but if it's Aubrey, my friend who doesn't consider me as one anymore, was who we're talking about, I think there's a need for me to care after all.

She flashed me an amused yet mocking smile. "What shall we talk about?"

My boyfriend and the man who happened to be the reason for our broken friendship. I'll settle this at once.