Chapter 18

The flight from Manila to Caticlan Airport took just over an hour, and from the airport, I boarded a van provided by the hotel where I had booked a VIP room, and the driver dropped me off at a port where I boarded a private boat that would take me to Boracay, an island at Malay, Aklan, Philippines, known for its white sand and beautiful beaches. It was a short journey, and the hotel accommodations were excellent from the moment I arrived at the hotel. I tried calling Felix's number to inform him that I was in Boracay, but he was unable to be reached. The Golden Dragon Hotel, where I booked, was an hour away from the island where they were. I couldn't see it as a problem at all. What was important, I would be able to meet the girl Felix told me he liked and the woman who had taken over as my best friend—my only dearest best friend, Felicity. It was already late when I set foot inside the VIP room. I didn't expect any of the twins to arrive at that hour, so I decided to take that time to rest. Before that, I went to the bathroom to soak myself in the bathtub for a while to relax a bit and freshen up. I turned on two faucets and I waited for the water to reach more than half of the oval, cyan tub. When the water was already half in the tub, I dipped my hand to check if the warmth of the water was what I desired and discovered it was too hot for the skin. I turned on one of the faucets that release hot water and let the other one fill with more water. When I was already satisfied, that was when I removed my clothes and dived in. I sat and slowly lowered my body. I closed my eyes and submerged nearly my entire body in the water, leaving only my head raised and my hair tied in a bun to avoid getting soaked in the warm water. While I was closing my eyes, I suddenly got transported back to the day when I saw Lucas and Diane together. That moment felt like a nightmare to me, and I wished it was just a dream several times, but it wasn't—it was real, and they were already free to do whatever they wanted. When I decided to cut my ties with him, I also thought I had given them freedom. They would have more time, and Lucas could devote all of his attention to Diane from the day the divorce was granted. It still hurts to think about it, but they must be pleased with the effort I put in just for them to achieve what they wanted. Maybe they were correct; it was a lot of fun at first. That fairytale that most young girls fantasize about, finding their prince charming, was only a fairytale. I was exactly like them. I thought Lucas was my prince—or, more accurately, my king—but look what happened. I need distractions. When I was busy the last few days, I didn't think about that man. I found solace in what I was doing, but it was difficult to get away from that incident; even if I wanted to forget it right away, I couldn't because the wound they had given me was still fresh inside my heart. Lucas left so much damage that we all know a broken heart is not just any kind of wound that medicine or stitches could heal. After soaking and rinsing myself, I put on a robe and left the bathroom. The strong light hitting the window instantly caught my attention. It wasn't blinding because the curtain was closed, but because I was curious where it was coming from, I went to the window and drew the curtain. I saw people having fun in the pool area. Numerous people were holding bottles of liquor and glasses. They were dancing, jumping, and singing around the pool and into the water. There was a DJ on the elevated platform near the pool, although I couldn't hear any music he was playing from the fifth floor, where I was. There was a vibration coming from the ground, but maybe because I was on an upper floor, it wasn't as disturbing, while looking at them below, I got teased to open the window just to hear the music. I heard shouting. The song playing could make anyone groove. The colorful lights were moving along with the beat. As I looked around, I noticed everyone partying seemed to be young. Honestly, I was tempted. I was smiling when I closed the window and looked for something to wear in my luggage. I put on light makeup to look younger—so I wouldn't look like their aunt. I chose high-waisted shorts and a cute crop top. I matched them with flip-flops so that it would only look like I just passed by. I didn't bring my phone anymore. I also couldn't call Felicity because the signal on the island was weak, according to Aunt Eugene. That made me understand why I couldn't reach Felicity's number no matter how many times I tried. As I arrived in the lobby, I simply asked the available staff what the party was for and acted like I got disturbed, which was why I came down. She immediately apologized. 'W-We always have a party every week, ma'am. I'm very sorry that the staff didn't mention it to you. It happens every Friday for all the tourists and nearby visitors here in the area." I secretly smiled. My question was answered earlier in my mind that it might be a private party; fortunately, it wasn't. 'I see—and what time will it end?" It was already nine o'clock at that time. 'Until 1 a.m., ma'am, but it depends on the management. Sometimes it will go on until 3 a.m., but we could move you to another room if you want, ma'am—" 'No, it's okay! Don't bother. I just came here to ask. Anyway, the night is still young, so I'll just stroll around," I interrupted him. 'O-kay, ma'am," he mumbled. I smiled to show him it was really okay before I started walking away. I simply strolled around. I didn't regret my decision after a few moments of walking. It was a beautiful night. The moon was round and full, the sky was clear, and there were tons of stars twinkling in the night sky. Honestly, I didn't remember the last time I watched the moon at its brightest; it seems like a long time since I last appreciated the beauty of nature. The surroundings of the hotel were beautiful and illuminated because of the lights hung on each coconut tree. There were solar lights right at the foot of the plants and on both sides of the trails. When I noticed that I was getting a bit far from the vicinity of the hotel, I opted to return. I went straight to the bar near the pool area and asked for one glass of Long Island iced tea. I didn't have a plan to get drunk that night. I only wanted the noise around and the people having fun to consume my mind. Those were enough distractions. For me to stop thinking about that traitor. As I've said, I didn't want to get drunk, but after a few minutes, I suddenly felt my system was craving for a stronger drink so I asked the bartender for one and told him to charge all I would be drinking to the room number where I checked in. One shot…two shots. I hadn't realized how long it had been since I had sat on the bar's island. All I knew was that the alcohol was gradually taking effect. When it did, I found myself in the middle of a crowd of people dancing and shouting along to the music. I was dancing with strangers when someone grabbed my waist from behind. I turned around to face him after he drew me close to his body. I didn't know him, but who cares—I came there to party! I accompanied his dancing, but I became uneasy when I noticed him rubbing his body almost against mine. I knew there were a lot of people, and he might just be pushed by somebody to get closer to me, but for the way he danced, something seemed wrong already. I started pushing him, but every time I tried, he would also move forward. I knew I was sober, but I wasn't the kind of person who would tolerate that kind of behavior. I wouldn't let a stranger harass anyone. For the very last time, using all my strength, I pushed him away. I felt his hand slip away from my waist, and he eventually lost his balance. He fell right into the pool. When the crowd noticed it, they quickly moved to the side, and then a woman moved forward and pointed her finger at him, which surprised me. 'That's him!" she yelled, and a security guard came near the pool and helped the guy I pushed come out of the water. When he finally got out, another woman came forward and slapped him in the face; another one came forward and poured him a bucket of ice. ‘Serves him right,' I thought. Some people left as a result of what happened, and I was one of them. As I walked back to my room, I realized they made me feel like an aunt; I shielded them from that pervert who didn't seem to be around their age. He seemed to be near my age or maybe older, and he was harassing those youth. It was unfortunate that he chose to approach me. He tasted his own medicine. I didn't care to ask what they would be doing to him, but I hoped they turned him over to the police and got sued. The alcohol seemed to lose its effect because of the earlier scene. I went back to the VIP room as if I had just gone downstairs to drink some cold water, but thank goodness because after drinking, I fell asleep immediately that night, and when I opened my eyes, it was already morning. It was already eight in the morning when I checked the time on my phone. I also noticed I received a message, and shockingly, it was from Felix. I got so excited when I opened it, but the content was not something that would make anyone smile after reading it. [Why are you here?] Even through his text, I could feel his coldness. But I have a valid excuse. I heard he would start a project there, and being a licensed civil engineer like him, I could help him with it. And one more thing, what is Boracay known for? Isn't it a place to unwind? I used those to hide what I came for there. I wouldn't let them know my hidden agenda.