Student’s Short Fiction
When a girl just wants to have fun...
What could possibly go wrong?
Shot Glass
By Charmaine Sanchez
I never went out with them anymore. I worked hard on patching my grades up. I knew my friends weren't happy with how I suddenly ignored them so much, but I had to do what was right for me. I realized all the other girls didn't really care about their academics-grades, quizzes, recitation, projects, papers, and the stuff. But the rest of them were filthy rich and no matter what happened to their grades, their parents' money could handle their future. I was different. If I didn't study hard, I would end up in our barrio forever.
I was heading to our dormitory one Saturday evening. I came from the library doing some research. With some weeks of renewed self-discipline, I was back on track. I smiled with the thought and opened our room's door.
"Hey! What are you girls doing?"
"We sneaked in all these drinks for you. You never go out with us anymore, Isa. We miss you. So we thought, if you can't go with us, we'll bring the fun to you," Nikki said.
All they really cared about was fun. But honestly, I was touched with what my friends did. Even if they really were pasaway, they were good friends and maybe they just wanted me to be happy, too.
I gave them a wide smile.
"Well, let's have some fun then!"
The room was filled with laughter. I decided to give them a chance in order not to waste their effort in sneaking in all those heavy bottles which was a big No-No in our dorm's rules. We have emptied three bottles of tequila, taken with a saucer of salt and countless lemon slices, when we heard a knock on our door.
"Hey, Isa, we sneaked in a guest, too," said Pauline, excitement lined her already shrill voice.
"We would like you to meet Tom. He wants to know you."
I have never been comfortable with boys. Not even with just one, but with the tequila playing games on my mind I thought it would be all right to know one guy for the night. He held out a glass with what seemed like table wine but smelled like the ordinary rum older men in the barrio would drink with tuba.
"Hi, Isabel. Here, just a toast for friendship." The boy said with mischief in his eyes, something that I only see now when that night would come flooding back to me.
He was really handsome and very tall. I wanted to make an impression since it was my first time to actually talk to a boy so close. I accepted his drink with my best smile.
Right after the liquor went down my throat, I suddenly felt so dizzy. The room was like spinning. The last thing I saw was my friends' mischievous smiles and Tom getting closer to me. What was he up to? Before I even found out, my vision went black.
I woke up with a dreadful headache, but I later found out there was something more dreadful that that. I wasn't wearing anything besides a thin blanket sheet! When happened last night?
No! No! No! My friends wouldn't do such thing! Why would they? No!
It was a horrible trick played on me. It was too late to even try to confront everyone when tears started racing down my face. I felt sore all over and all I could do was slap my own face. I almost killed myself on that bed.
"Goodness, Isa, what's wrong with you?" Mae asked, acting like nothing happened.
I couldn't answer her. I felt like killing her.
"It was just a little fun," said Nikki with her stupid wink.
I cried. I cried all day.
Days passed and it felt like the darkest days of my life. I never saw the boy after that night all I could do was pray and hope nothing else would make things worse. I couldn't blame anyone. I gave in to everybody's temptations due to my own stupidity. I felt so dirty and broken. I had to fix myself because I didn't want to end up 'mental.' I never talked to anybody as weeks passed. I focused really hard on my studies just to get rid of all the worries inside of me.
A day before our semestral vacation, I was packing my things for my early travel the next day when I suddenly felt upset. I was sure I was perfectly fine when I woke up but I suddenly felt terribly sick. I ran to the sink and it was like I threw up my intestines. I was sure nothing was wrong with what I ate the night before. The realization struck me when I thought about one other thing. I haven't had my monthly period when I was supposed to have it two weeks ago.
"Anak! Anak!" Nanay and Tatay raced down the barrio's entrance when they saw the habal-habal I was on. The moment I stepped down the vehicle, I ran as fast as I could towards them. I gave my parents the tightest hug I could ever give them. Nanay, suddenly taken aback with the noticeable changes in me, asked, "Are you all right, anak?"
"Of course, Nay. I'm just tired with the long travel. Oh! I miss you so much!" I faked a smile.
Later that evening, when Nanay and Tatay were already sleeping after a festive dinner they had prepared for me, I sneaked in to their small room. I wanted to look at my parents for the last time not having any idea when I'll ever get the chance to see them again. It felt like I was carrying the world upon my shoulders and I couldn't let my parents know. I could never have the strength to hurt them that much. Listening to Tatay's heavy breathing, I cried in silence. I stood there for a few more minutes and went close to give them both a kiss on the forehead. I just went home that day to see them.
"Isabel? Isabel?” Yes, Nanay must be looking for me now. I took a deep breath as the long road came to an end.
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