A Quicksand Named Laurie Crisostomo

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Huan Yi stared at the woman sitting next to him. She had caught his eyes the moment he saw her on the dance floor. He has no plan to play around with her or any other woman here tonight, hence, he declined her invitation when she was on the dance floor.

He was about to leave the bar when he saw her searching for him in the VIP area, and he couldn't resist talking to her.

And now, he was caught on a quicksand named Laurie Crisostomo. He wants her, but his phone buzzing in his jeans back pocket told him that the night wasn't right. He sighed regrettably.

He pulled his wallet instead and took out a business card. He turned it around his fingers and put it under her drink as he leaned in to whisper in her ears.

"Miss Crisostomo, I would love to play with you tonight, sadly I have a business to attend," he kissed her earlobe, "Call me?" His voice was slick as his action when he got off the barstool he took her with him, just as he was expecting she gasped in surprise.

That was the moment he was waiting. He crashed his mouth onto hers and kissed her with enough fervor letting her know how he wanted to stay but can't.

He turned around, pulling the phone from his pocket to let his friend who screamed at the other line the moment he answered the call on how he was going to murder him, feed him to dogs until there was nothing left of him but his sorry bones.

"Was that the guy you were eyeing from the VIP seats?"

She was startled when a sweaty Koko appeared in front of her.

"Yeah, that was the guy."

"What happened? He ain't fun?" She picked up her drink and downed it in one go. When she put down the glass, she saw the business card on the counter.

It was a black card, not the usual white. There was no name that wasn't written on the card, rather a logo was embossed on it in muted silver.

"Interesting card. It looks familiar, but can't remember where I saw it."

She got the calling card from her friend and inspected the card. The card logo does feel familiar, but right now she was pissed off at that guy that left her. It annoyed the shit out of her that after flirting he just walked away like that.

What will she do with this fancy-looking card? Will it help the frustration she was feeling right now? Yes, she was totally frustrated. Sexually frustrated! Damn, that jerk had her real good. His lip ring was as good as she imagined it to be.

After drinking her drink, Koko asked the bartender for another glass of drink, "You want more?" she asked over her shoulder.

"No, I'm good. I have to work tomorrow."

"Oh, you got work tomorrow," she crooned sarcastically, "but a while ago you look like you were going to leave me and go with that guy."

"Why would I do that?" she scoffed and rolled her eyes. She tapped her glass when the bartender glanced her way. He slightly nodded and after a few minutes, he came to their side with a new drink for her.

When Koko saw the drink she had, she raised her glass as a salute. "To having fun and not caring about jerks who were acting cool and leaving a business card with no number or name to call when they could just give their number."

"Cheers!"

"Cheers."

After that one glass, she doesn't remember how many more shots they gulped like it was nothing but water. And just like any other time where she drank, she would wake up with regrets.

She threw the blanket to the left side of the bed where Koko was sleeping, spread out like she fell asleep while making a snow angel.

She doesn't need to check what time it is, her body clock was so brainwashed with waking up at seven-thirty in the morning every freaking day, right on the clock. It has always been like that since she started working.

She made her way to the bathroom and the first thing she did was sat on the toilet and pee. She then stripped off her clothes and took a freezing shower to wake up all her brain cells that died from all the overpriced alcohol that she consumed last night.

Thinking of the amount of alcohol and the money they spent on that bar, she made a mental calculation on how much she still has on the bank. She chuckled as she shivered from the freezing shower.

She is now awake. Her brain is now processing like a responsible adult. Too bad it was too late. Or got lost when she needed it to make a sound decision for her last night. She grimaced with the idea that she has to make an actual choice of eating out or cooking at home for this week if she wanted to survive until the next payday.

She fell from grace too far down. At this time of the day, she felt going home to her mother was a good idea. Until she has her coffee fix.

And got reminded that going back home to her mother was never going to be a good idea. 'Boiled egg with fresh tomato and cucumber taste really good, and healthy.'

When she was blow drying her hair, she smirked at her image in the mirror, "Bitch it's healthy not for your body but for your wallet. You are broke!"

She didn't deny the accusation that she hurled in her image. She has no way to dispute the harsh truth. She is broke as fuck.

She was smearing a generous amount of moisturizer on her face and remembered Huan Yi from last night. 'Should I search for him?' The question was at the back of her mind until they meet again...accidentally.