3: Hangover

Chapter 3

Hangover

***

POV: Maria Amor ‘Mia’ Salazar

I woke up with a terrible headache the next day. It wasn’t new to me, though. I blinked a few times – only to realize that I was already in my room.

I let out a deep sigh before I placed my arm on my forehead and closed my eyes once again.

Good thing I was on-leave today because I knew I would have a hangover – just like in the past years when that certain day came.

I bit my lower lip just by thinking about it.

I took my one-day leave at work, one month ago and it was already approved. One of the perks of being a workaholic person and having a great performance at work, my boss didn’t argue with me when I requested my leave.

Perhaps, it was also because we are going to have new boss around. And of course, he couldn’t say ‘no’ since he was always asking me about taking a leave or leaving work early. He is old enough and it seemed like he was simply like a father to me.

I reflected on what had just happened to me last night, but it was just a hazy memory. But with every second that I tried to remember what happened, I ended up making her headache worse.

I massaged my temples as I tried to get up and find something to ease my throbbing temple.

Gosh! I wasn’t really friends with hard liquor. I couldn’t even think of those alcoholic beverages that I had been drinking last night. Perhaps, it was rolling inside my stomach – making me want to puke.

‘But you still love tasting it, right?’ A part of my mind mockingly commented.

I agreed.

Especially on that day.

I groaned in annoyance as it made my head throbbed in pain. I was about to curse when someone suddenly cleared her throat – making me flinch a bit as I placed my hand in front of my chest.

I instantly heaved a deep sigh as I saw my best friend, Sheena – leaning at my door frame.

“Gosh! Shee, are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I frowned as I told her that.

Sheena just raised her eyebrow while staring – no, she was glaring at me – as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

‘God! She’s dead with her best friend! What to do?’ – I mentally pondered.

I knew I would never get away with my best friend’s litany again. I shook my head slightly. I didn’t even know what the heck had happened and how did I managed to go home. I groaned inwardly, trying to remember what my escapades were last night.

I recalled being alone in my condo unit, silently weeping to my heart’s content, when Sheena decided to barge in uninvited. She dragged me out of my condo unit and asked me to go with her to her crush’s prestigious bar.

I continued my binge drinking in the bar until…

Well, I couldn’t remember anymore what happened next after that.

“Shee, what happened?” I whispered – in a low tone of voice – as I folded her legs and rested my elbows on my knees while I was holding my aching head.

But my lunatic best friend exaggeratedly looked at me with wide eyes and with a slightly open mouth. If my ears were not really on stake right now, I really might have rolled over and laughed my *ss out looking at my best friend’s expression.

She was really such an overreacting person – like to the highest level of being an OA best friend.

I was waiting for Sheena’s litany when I smelled the aroma of coffee beside my bed – and it was making me forget what I was trying to remember. Well, it wasn’t that important… maybe?

I really loved my best friend’s pastries. I was looking at the blueberry cheesecake and coffee on the bedside table waiting to be devoured. Sheena sensed me drooling over the food as she took a deep breath and motioned her to go on.

Without thinking twice, I excitedly got the food and started eating.

My best friend was really the best!

I couldn’t understand why she hadn’t expanded her business. Her pastries were the best, and it wasn’t just because she was my best friend.

It was the entire truth.

In fact, a lot of people who were into business ventures wanted to franchise her pastry shop, but she didn’t want to. I just didn’t know why, though.

I was busy eating when Sheena started walking back and forth in front of me – as if something was really bugging her. I didn’t mind her though. I smiled inwardly, looking at my best friend’s frustrations as if trying to contemplate how to calm herself.

While of course, I, on the other hand, was now calm and was getting more and more okay because of the comfort food that she baked.

“Oh my gosh! I can’t take it anymore!” Sheena loudly yelled and let out a frustrated grunt.

I just looked at her with my forehead creased and shrugged my shoulders. She might want to share something to me again.

About her crush, perhaps?

“You’re such a naïve creature, Mia! What? Are you trying to play like nothing happened now? You got drunk last night and urgggggghhhh! I don’t know what to do to you anymore!” She suddenly blurted out as she harshly ran her fingers through her dark brown straight hair.

I didn’t mind looking at Sheena. I met my best friend. She loved exaggerating every detail. I silently ate my delicious breakfast as I tried to look so innocent – as if I was listening intently to her words.

“I’m sure I’m dead with my Lee-baby because of what you did! Goodness, Mia! I told you not to get drunk! You danced like a maniac last night! You even puked with my baby’s best friend! I really don’t blah… blah… blah…” Sheena started bickering litany at me.

‘My goodness, what’s the big deal about puking…? Oh my god!’

My eyes grew wider as I realized what my best friend was talking about.

‘Is she talking about me?’ I mentally inquired about it.

I couldn’t even chew my blueberry cheesecake in my mouth! And it’s a good thing I wasn’t holding my hot coffee – or else it might spill all over to me now.

But I didn’t dodge the inevitable – I was slightly choked with the cake that I was eating. I coughed so hard – that I had no choice but to drink my not-so-hot coffee to settle myself.

“Wait, wait, wait… What did you just say?” I carefully asked her as I tried to compose myself and wipe the small tears that escaped my eyes.

‘Maybe… I heard her wrong… Right?’ I mentally hoped.

I wanted to confirm the details of my actions last night.

‘It couldn’t be true, right?’ I reasoned in my own mind – like a mantra – as I tried to calm my heightened emotions.

I was surely drunk last night, but… dancing like a maniac?

I couldn’t do that!

No!

I wouldn’t do that!

Besides, I wasn’t dancing anymore!

Not after – I was taken aback by my own thoughts.

Then, my cobalt blue hooded eyes suddenly turned into thin slits while staring at Sheena, who had this serious look on her face.

And puked on someone?

I shut my eyes tightly!

What on earth did I do?!

Panic started to creep into my head!

‘No, Mia! Get straight to the details. You can’t do that!’ A part of me tried to castigate me.

But I clenched my hands into balled fists.

‘God! You can! You’re drunk! Arghh! What the heck?!’ The other part of me reasoned out.

My mind was already in a raucous state from what I had learned.

“What the hell!? I told you a lot, Miss. Where would the part that you need clarification on?” Sheena’s forehead creased and she crossed her arms, looking at me like I was already her prey.

“The one… that I danced and p-puked… Where?” I asked hesitantly.

My head was excruciating with pain with all of that information now. I thought that I might need a lot of coffee this time.

“It’s not a matter of ‘where’ Miss, it’s a matter of ‘WHO’ you puked at.” Sheena annoyingly corrected me as she slightly shook her head in pure disappointment and disbelief.

I bit her lower lip as I tried to remember what happened when Sheena started her endless litany again.

“Mia, you puked at Lee’s best friend! God! You were so drunk, and you really chose when I already had a moment with my Lee-baby, huh? Blah… blah… blah…”

I groaned and took a deep breath as I held her head, trying to remember what the heck happened.

Gosh!

I wanted to curse at my terrible hangover – that I couldn’t remember was torturing my mind already.

Then, a glimpse of what happened to me suddenly popped into my mind – like pieces of the puzzle getting ready to be solved.

I remembered drinking like a fish last night. I shut her eyes tightly. I was drunk while I was heading to the dance floor. I looked at someone, but I couldn’t remember his face.

I let out another frustrated groan. I was such a mess last night!

I am a composed lady, but I really couldn’t handle myself when drunk! I knew that my alcohol tolerance was not that high, yet I drank to my heart’s content.

I let out a deep sigh again.

I won’t really drink anymore!

‘Sure?’ A part of my mind was mocking me.

I slightly shook my head.

He had dark gray eyes – and that was it.

I couldn’t remember his face anymore.

He was looking at me intently. I could see a lot of emotions running around his eyes. It was so expressive that I was lost in it. Maybe, it was the reason why I had only remembered those soulful eyes.

“But in all fairness, Sis…” My best friend suddenly shifted her tone into a teasing one.

I questionably glanced at her.

“He’s so handsome! But I was contented by my Lee-baby.” Sheena added dreamily.

“I really don’t like your night-outs.” I commented with a grimaced face – as I ignored my best friend’s praises of the stranger.

I remained silent as I tried to build a story about whoever that stranger was. His dark gray eyes had caught my attention – but nothing more, nothing less.

I let out a deep sigh.

‘What the hell is that anyway?’ I mentally asked myself.

But then…

At least – today – I didn’t wake up with a tearstained face like what I always do for the past five years of my life.