Hiding the CEO's Daughter

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Never in my life have I ever thought of going to a club. At grabe naman ang saya na dulot ng pagsama kong ito sa mga kaibigan ko.

“Oh, my gosh, Lia,” Jea exclaimed when I arrived on our meeting place. “I know you said that you were really going out with us, but seeing you now… it made me so happy!” she said. “I never really had my hopes up dahil alam kong hindi mo hilig ‘to. But now… wow!”

Napailing ako. “Ewan ko sa ‘yo, Jea,” sabi ko na lang.

Sa totoo lang, nahihiya talaga ako sa mga ganito. Hindi ako sanay. Never akong sumama kina Jea at Camille kapag nag c-club sila. Palagi lang akong nasa bahay kapag lumalabas sila sa gabi. Pero ngayon, iba na. I want to enjoy life before I tie the knot with someone I don’t know.

“Why did you come with us?” Camille asked with her eyes squiting.

I smiled at her. I don’t want to answer that so I just shrug. “No reason,” I answered. “I just want to try this kind of thing,”

Jea held unto my arms and pulled me inside the club. “I won’t ask why you came with us because I know that if you have a problem, you will tell us about it when you’re ready,” she said as she turned to me with a smile.

Napangiti na lang ako at nagpatianod sa kaniya habang nakasunod sa likod namin si Camille. Nang makaabot ay ikinawit din nito ang kamay sa braso ko.

Dumiretso kami sa couch ng mga kaibigan nina Jea. We were greeted by them. Others were so shocked to see me. Hindi ko alam kung anong irereact ko kaya ngumiti na lang ako. Hinigit ako ni Camille paupo sa couch. Tumabi din naman sa akin si Jea.

Hindi na kailangang tumawag ng waiter dahil may nagkukusa nang pumunta sa kada couch para maglagay ng mga baso at bote ng inumin. Nakatingin lang ako sa paligid.

This is my first time being inside a club. The neon lights are dancing together with music being played by a DJ. The dance floor is already crowded with people dancing, they may be sober or drunk, I can say that they are all enjoying the music. The people were all hyped up!

“Here!”

I stopped looking around and turned to Jea when she talked beside me. I looked at the bottle in her hand. “It’s just a beer,” she said as she smiled at me.

I slowly took it out of her hands. “Thanks…” I guess.

“Drink it!” Camille said beside me. I looked at her sideways with a smile on my face. She wiggled her eyebrows as she took a sip from her bottle.

I put the opening of the bottle on my mouth. I took a sip of the beer. My face crumpled after I drank a little. This doesn’t taste good, I thought.

“It will taste better when you are already drunk,” Jea whispered beside me. I looked at her with my eyebrows furrowed. “Come on, Lia, loosen up!” she cheered.

I just chuckled. Fine. This is what I want right? I will enjoy my remaining year, months, and days as single. Because after I graduate from college, I will marry the person that my Dad has arranged me to.

And with that thought getting inside my mind is enough for me to endure the taste of the beer that I was holding. I took a sip as tears formed in my eyes. I shook my head after I hold the bottle away from my mouth.

“You want a drink harder than that?” Jea asked beside me.

Should I drink something harder than this? Parang ito pa nga lang, malalasing na ‘ko paano pa kaya kapag mas matapang pa dito?

“Don’t worry, we will take care of you,” Camille said beside me. I turned to her and she just winked at me.

I looked back at Jea. I shrugged. “Well, I can try?” I said, not sure.

Jea nodded. “We got you,” she said. She reached for the three glasses that her friend Xiara was filling in. She handed one to me, and the other one to Camille. She raised the remaining one that she was holding.

“To Lia embracing the lifestyle of her best friends!” she shouted. “Cheers!”

My face heated up because of what she just said. Everyone on the couch raised they glasses. I chuckled as I raised mine. “Cheers!” everyone shouted. I looked at the downing the liquor in one gulp. I put my glass near my lips. The strong smell of the liquor filled my nose. I closed my eyes as I drank the liquor.

Jea and Camille were smiling widely as they look at me. I shook my head at them. “Ugh… this is gross,” I told them which made them laugh.

Jea handed me another shot. I took it from her and drank it immediately. They drank their shots together before they stood up. “Come on, Lia!” Camille said, motioning me to stand up.

I laughed as I stood up. Napahawak ako sa balikat ni Camille nang muntik na akong ma out balance dahil sa umiikot na paningin ko.

“Careful,” ani Camille na inalalayan ako. “Kaya mo pa?” tanong niya.

I grinned as I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I told her.

“Let’s go!” tawag ni Jea na nauna na pala sa amin. Natatawang hinigit ko na si Camille. Muntikan na naman akong matumba mabuti na lang at nahawakan niya akong mabuti. “Lia! Slowly!” rinig kong sigaw ni Jea pero hindi ko na pinansin.

Inalalayan ako ni Camille at Jea hanggang sa makarating kami sa dance floor. “I know you dance good, Lia!” Camille teased.

I just laughed at her before I started dancing. I was feeling the music while dancing with my friends… neverminding anything. I just want to forget everything even just for tonight. I want to forget that I have a f****d up family…. I have a f****d up parents, and a f****d up life.

I want to forget that I am going to marry someone I don’t even know, let alone, love. I want to forget that it was my parents who brought this problem into my life. I want to forget that I have dreams for myself in which I won’t be able to make it happen.

I just want this one night. Just this one.