We arrived at the restaurant where we were supposed to meet his friends slash co-workers. I felt his hand on my waist but I didn't mind it, I saw a man waving at us meters from where we were.
"This is Khalel, my most trusted friend and employee," Mathew introduced his friend.
I reached when he offered his hand and I slightly smiled at him. I looked at his right when someone stood beside him.
"This is Nicole, also my friend and employee," Mathew again introduced this lady with shoulder length hair, fair skin, plump lips and almond eyes- she's beautiful.
She's the definition of beauty but those eyes are telling me something, she doesn't like me . . . and she's not hiding it.
"She's Lauren, you know her," Mathew introduced me and I immediately raised an eyebrow because of how he introduced me.
"Yes! I've heard so many things about you. This guy never shut up-" he wasn't able to continue when Mathew covered his mouth.
"Okay let's sit," he pulled his friend away and went to the table nearest to us.
He then slightly pushed Khalel before going to me and pulling the chair for me, I sat and fixed my dress before letting myself be comfortable sitting.
We all ordered first before starting any conversation. I felt Mathew's hands on mine but I let him since it was covered with the table.
"So how are you Ms. Lauren?" Khalel asked, sounding as if I was at a parent-teacher meeting.
"I'm fine but please call me Lauren," I answered.
"Kamusta naman ang pagtrato sa 'yo ng lalaking 'yan?" he asked again.
"Well, so far he's nice. Siguro kasi wala pa kaming label," I said and glanced at Mathew on my side now looking at me with furrowed brows.
"Ano akala mo sa'kin? Sa una lang magaling?" he asked, sounding so offended.
"Parang ganun na nga," I said then chuckled. I also heard Khalel laughed but immediately went silent when he saw Mathew's face.
"Judge mo lang ako, ibabalik ko 'yan kapag kasal na tayo," he said and now it's his time to chuckle since I wasn't able to hide the blush on my cheeks.
"Uy kinilig," he teasingly said and poked my side so I laughed and slapped his hand.
We talked about random things (that I kinda lied about) while eating, Khalel was a funny guy. He may look serious and professional at first but he's a real jokester. However, Nicole was just silent the whole dinner, she just answers when Mathew and Khalel asks her.
"Now, I know why Mat literally claimed you as soon as he first saw you," Khalel suddenly said.
I gave a confused look to Mat since the first time I saw him is that one mission I had in a social gathering and he was alone that time, he gave me a small smile while he glared at Khalel.
"Oh sorry! My bad," Khalel said and looked away biting his lip.
"So?" I asked.
"Well, I am no stalker or something, I didn't hire someone to follow you okay? Hindi ako baliw," he paused and lean on his chair.
"The first time I saw you was at a restaurant, you were with someone. You actually looked at me and raised an eyebrow when you saw me looking at you but I guess you didn't mind that at all," he continued.
"I can't remember going out with-" I stopped when I remembered that I ate at a restaurant with my brother.
"Oh! I remember something, were you wearing something corporate at that time?" I asked, still trying to remember some details.
"Yes, I was in my usual office attire that day," he answered.
"I remembered. You were that guy who kept staring at me," I said and nodded. "I actually didn't mind it. Sanay akong tinitingnan pero naiilang pa rin ako sa gano'n."
"Tell me every time you feel uncomfortable, I'll do something about it. Okay?" He said and I smiled at him.
"Mat, nag-text sa'kin sila Leo nasa 2nd Floor daw sila," Khalel suddenly said while looking at his phone.
"Punta kayo?" Nicole asked.
"Mat?" Khalel also asked so I looked at Mathew beside me who was already looking at me so I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Do you want to go with us or do you want to go home?" he asked me.
"We can go, I have nothing to do tomorrow. Drinking tonight is fine," I said.
"This will be fun!" Khalel said and stood up.
"I'll go home, have fun," Nicole said and also stood. She waved at the boys and didn't even glance at me.
Khalel was about to say something but Nicole already walked away. She really didn't try to hide that she doesn't like me but I don't mind, not all people will like me and I won't cry about it.
"She's not normally like that, maybe she had a bad day," Mathew explained and stood up, I also stood so we could go.
"Baka meron siya ngayon," Khalel said.
----
"Woah! Ang dami ng tao ngayon ah?" Leo said when we got in.
We met Leo and the others outside the bar, we didn't line up like normal people because they knew the guards outside. We sat on a circular couch that fits us perfectly since we were 6 now. I sat beside Mat but he exchanged seats with me so he's the one sitting at the edge of the couch.
"Are you really alright? Tell me when you feel uncomfortable ha?" he asked while leaning on me.
"I'm fine, don't worry too much. I also go to clubs okay?"
“What drink would you like?” he asked.
“Ano sa ‘yo?” I asked back.
“Some beers or maybe hard drinks,” he said.
“Hard drinks? Are you planning on getting drunk?” I asked again.
“No, I won’t drink too much. I have to get you home,” I said.
They ordered our drinks, I just settled for some cuervo so we will drink the same. I was the only girl with them but I never felt out of place, they always included me in their topic especially Leo and Khalel. Parang dapat every 2 minutes naririnig nila boses ko, they’re real jokesters kaya halos ang lakas na rin talaga ng tawa ko.
I didn’t notice the time and also how many drinks I took, I just felt like my whole world was spinning when I leaned on my seat. I closed my eyes to try and sober myself up, I held Mathew’s thigh when I felt like I was about to fall.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, love,” I answered and looked at him.
“Okay enough drink for you,” he said and got the glass I was holding.
“I need to pee,” I said and stood up but immediately sat again. Is there a f*cking earthquake?
“Come on, I’ll accompany you,” he said and pulled me to stand.
“O-okay,” I said and walked while he held my waist securely.
We walked to the restroom side by side while trying to protect me from people around me. We stopped in front of the women’s restroom and he opened the door for me.
“I’ll wait for you here, please be careful,” he said.
“I can take care of myself, don’t worry,” I said while holding tightly to the door knob.
I went inside and tried to walk straight but I ended up holding onto the sink so I wouldn't fall. I’m so f*cking dizzy I can’t even see my surroundings.
I looked at my figure in the mirror but all I could see was a blurry figure. I opened the sink and washed my face, I washed my face as if I was taking a bath.
I was kinda sobering up because of the water but when I felt my stomach turning, I walked fast to the cubicle and threw up everything in my stomach. I was still throwing up when I felt a hand on my hair and a hand caressing my back. I flushed the toilet and looked back just to see a woman still holding my hair.
“Let’s wash your face, you’re wasted as f*ck,” she said and held my arm.
“W-who are-” I wasn’t able to finish what I was about to ask when she washed my face and mouth. I gargled the water to remove the taste and looked at her again.
“The guy outside talked to me and asked me to look if there was a girl laying inside the restroom,” she said and wiped my face with a tissue.
“Then I heard you throwing up. So I came to help,” she continued.
“T-thank you,” I said while looking at her through the mirror.
She fixed my hair and also my dress, I just watched her since I was still too dizzy to even talk. She’s a beautiful woman with a very kind heart. When she finished fixing my hair, she pulled me towards the door and opened it.
“She’s really wasted,” she said to the man leaning on the wall.
“Come here. Thank you, did you help her?” he asked.
“She needed help, lucky you I was there,” she answered.
“I’m not drunk,” I said while looking at Mathew’s face.
“Okay love you’re not,” he said and chuckled.
I wanted to look at his face but everything was moving, he was moving so I held his face.
“Love don’t move, I want to look at you,” I said.
“Good luck with that little baby,” the girl said before going back to the restroom.
I saw him laugh and then bite his lower lip before holding my waist.
“I need to know your limit so you won’t be this wasted again,” he said then pinched my cheek.
“Come on, I’ll get you home,” he said, then pulled me to walk.
“Hindi ako lasing ‘di ba? Say it love, I’m not drunk.” I was struggling to keep up with his pace. Kung hindi niya hawak bewang ko siguro nadapa na ko.
“Hindi nga,” he said.
We arrived at our table and he let me sit for a second, I closed my eyes and leaned on the couch.
Third Person’s POV
“Pre bagsak, ano nangyari ‘jan?” Storm asked.
“Masyado ata nasiyahan kainuman kayo,” Mathew answered while gathering all of Lauren’s things from the table and her bag as well.
“Uwi mo na ‘yan,” Khalel said.
“Galingan mo ah,” Leo said as Mathew punched his arm lightly.
“Gag* kita mong lasing gano’n iisipin mo, demonyo ka ba?”
“Consent pre. Hindi mo ata alam na kailangan ‘yon kasi puro galing lang sa bar inuuwi mo,” Khalel said.
“Aray bro, joke lang naman. Bakit may personalan na agad?” Leo asked and act as if he was shot on the chest.
“Una na kami,” Mathew said and gave his friends fist bumps before pulling Lauren to stand who is now sleeping.
“Lord, please don’t make her vomit in my car,” Mathew whispered while walking towards the exit of the bar with Lauren by his side.
They arrived at Lauren's apartment, luckily Mathew saw her house key inside her bag so he was able to take her inside. He laid her in her room then removed her shoes and got some water to clean Lauren.
"I wasn't expecting this night to end like this," he said while wiping her arm with the towel he got.
When he finished cleaning Lauren's arms, neck and face, he fixed Lauren's sleeping position and covered her with the blanket. He removed his shoes and opened the first few buttons of his dress shirt while walking towards the sala and laying on the couch there.
Mathew woke up suddenly when he heard a loud thud of the door in Lauren’s room, he immediately run to the room and looked for Lauren who is now in the restroom. He came inside and held Lauren’s hair while lightly tapping her back. Lauren finished throwing up and fell asleep on top of the toilet bowl.
“Oh Lord, what do I do with you?” he whispered then flushed the toilet.
He covered the seat and picked Lauren up to make her seat on the toilet. He washed Lauren’s face again and made sure that she didn’t throw up on her clothes. She picked her up again and walked towards her room then laid her on the bed, he fixed her and the blanket before going out of the room again to try and go back to sleep.