The Night We Met

Chapter 1

Annika

"Mommy? Can you tell us how you met Daddy and how you fell in love with him?" Sunod akong napalingon sa anak kong si Sydney habang nakaupo sa sahig at kasama ang mga pinsan niyang sina Amber, Elysse, Jenny at Steph, na mga anak ng mga iba kong kapatid.

"Yes, Tita! Tell us how you met Tito Rhyze!" Sunod na hirit ni Elysse. "Opo, Tita! Do you mind telling us about it?" Sunod naman na tanong ni Jenny. "Come on, Tita. I bet it's like a fairytale story nung una mong nakilala si Tito Rhyze!" Nakangiting wika ni Amber. "Please, Tita? Tell us!" Pagmamakaawa ni Steph.

Mahina akong napangiti sa kanila. Gosh, these adorable little girls are so cute. Hindi ko naman sila matiis dahil ang cute nilang magpabebe sa akin kaya diretsahang sumagot ako sa kanila habang nakangiti. "Okay, sure. Basta mag-behave kayo habang nagkukwento ako, ha?" Tanong ko sa kanila.

"Opo! We promise po!" Sabay sabay nilang tugon sa akin at inayos ang pwesto nila sa kakaupo sa sahig. Mabuti nga at nalinisan ko ang carpet bago pumunta ang mga chikiting na yan. I breathed heavily and sighed, as i started.

"This is how i met him," i started to mutter out the words, as the flashback inside my mind began to do its own work, bringing me back to the years where i first Rhyzantiel.

---★---

10 years ago...

"Gaga ka, Ann! Tama na, lasing ka na!" Narinig kong saway ng kapatid kong si Maxine. Ramdam ko din ang pag-saway sa akin ng isa ko pang kapatid na si Krystal. Nasa bar kasi kami nagce-celebrate dahil birthday naming tatlo and we all turned 25 by this year. I was fucking high and i didn't even know how many drinks i have drank, and i could feel my head spinning and spinning.

"I don't fucking care kung lasing ako! This is my birthday, too! I want to enjoy it, at may karapatan din akong magpakasaya at magwalwal sa ayaw at sa gusto niyo!" I muttered at them in a slurred and intoxicated way before giving them a glare.

"Putangina ka, Annika! Mapapagalitan tayo ni Daddy! Ang sabi ko lang ay uuwi tayo ng maaga, hindi tayo uuwi na lasing ka at puno ng alak sa katawan mo! Bwisit ka," angil sa akin ni Krystal. Inirapan ko lang siya. "Come on, parang hindi ko kayo kapatid ah? Spend the night and enjoy it with me! Birthday naman nating tatlo eh!" Dagdag ko pa.

"No. Uuwi na tayo sa ayaw at sa gusto mo. You better stay here and be still dahil lalabas kami at kukuha ng taxi," sunod na madiing tugon ni Maxine bago ko pa sila makita ni Krystal na naglakad patungo sa exit ng bar at nagpatungo sa labas para kumuha ng taxi pauwi.

Fucking hell, hindi lang ako basta't basta uuwi nang hindi nasusulit ang gabing ito. It's my goddamn birthday and i have my own freedom to do what i want. For god's sake hindi naman ako bata para pagbantayan nila and i can handle myself without their help at all.

I walked away from the chair and went to the counter. It was so freaking dizzy and my vision was getting a bit blurred. Doon ako mismo nag-order ng isang bottled tequila and i wasted myself away with all the liquors i ordered.

I was fucking drunk. At hindi ko nga alam kung nasaan na nga ba ang dalawa kong kapatid na wagas na mag-alaga sa akin at wagas na tratuhin ako na parang bata pa din hanggang ngayon. My mind went blank and i could feel the alcohol rummaging through my body. I could feel the heat rush through me.

Nang ubusin ko ang isang bottled tequila na inorder ko ay lumingon ako sa katabi ko. There was this guy who was also ordering wine. Weak human, hindi na lang alak ang i-order. And to my surprise, our gazes met and i couldn't see clearly whether he smirked or just let out a fake smile at me.

I didn't know what to even do at this rate but he seems very kind and i guess a bit polite. Inunahan ko na siyang nginitian pabalik bago ko siya inalisan ng tingin. To my surprise, that wasn't just the interaction we had.