“GIRL, will you relax?” Kellen was calming her down. They were in the ladies’ washroom and locked themselves for no one to see how beast she could be when she was upset.

“I just can’t! How can they be so inconsiderate like that? You read my column, right? You liked it! You said it was great...and...and interesting!” She was literally freaking out! She could feel her blood on her face.

“Yeah, I did. I meant it when I said it was good. If I were them, I already published it. Unfortunately, I’m just a writer like you.”

“That is a masterpiece, Kelz! I am not a newbie for Pete’s sake! What do you think the higher management will think when they came to know my rejections? Rejection after rejection!” She was so down. She kept high hopes. How could she prove her worthiness of that promotion? “They said it’s too safe. They found it boring and sugar coated!”

“It was really boring staying a virgin in your twenties.”

She could slice Kellen with her sharp look. “Seriously? You are not helping!”

“Kidding! I am just talking about the title! I really like the contexts and how you put the words together. You used some mind boggling words there which was fantastic. It…it was good. Yeah, I must say?” Kellen was stuttering and she knew what it meant.

“Say what you want to say! I know you have something in mind. Bring it on! I’ve heard the worst from the editors so I am now a bulletproof!”

At first, her best friend at work was hesitant. “I-I just found it tedious? Just a little. Only career, family and self-care were the only center of reasoning. You should have added some sparks...some naughtiness...you know...some sexual stuff.”

“Why you did not tell me that before?”

“Will you consider? Knowing you, you hate exploring those stuff as if it was a wrong this. Yet, sex was the best thing ever!” That made her roll her eyes. “Without your four-inch heels, I would really think that you are a lesbo!”

Her lips formed on “O”. “Like oh my goodness gracious! Of all the people? Can’t I be a man-hater first or reserved at least?”

“It was supposed to be a joke! You are just as crazy as I thought. Go on a date not only work. We’ve been friends for three years now and I haven’t seen you go out with guys. Live your life! For the nnth time, Mayen, get a boyfriend so that you can write some erotic stuff in your column. People love sex! We love sex! S-E-X!”

Thanks goodness that the door was closed and no one can hear them. “Don’t be like my Mom please! I’d rather stay a virgin but not broke! Life was very hard nowadays. We need to be practical. My brother was still not yet-”

Kellen stopped her from there. “I will really build a statue of you because of your selflessness! You know what, come with us! We have a ladies night out later after work.” She was not invited and that was okay. Her workmates got used to her. She never hung out with them. She preferred to drink iced coffee in front of her computer than a martini in front of her friends french-kissing strangers. She pouted her lips. “Is that a yes?” Kellen’s face brightened in delight.

“Fine!” She did not feel like working anyway. Her mind was polluted with negative vibes. She was losing her temper these past few days. It was so unlikely of her getting over reacting over small matters. Kellen was right. She might be needing a break from the pressure she put on herself.

A moment had passed and everybody was grateful for her presence. They were in a club called Muses. It was amazing she must admit. The atmosphere was loud but not intimidating. She felt hesitant when they were on the way there considering that she hated the smell of alcohol and cigarettes. She might throw up. Good thing, her friends have a taste.

A big couch was reserved for them. They were sitting in front of the bar where they can simply reach the dance floor. She sipped her first raspberry martini. She squinted into the unfamiliarity of its taste. It had been a while. She laughed at herself.

“Listen, Ladies! Let’s toast to this amazing woman beside me. We’re glad you are here, Mayen!” Anna said who was not yet drunk. She hoped.

“To Mayen!”

“To our Virgin Mayen!” Kellen said that made them all laughed.

“Thank you, Ladies. Let us enjoy this night.” For sure these ladies will. But, will she? Her only consolation was that they were all having their day off tomorrow. She looked everywhere. People were really having fun. A lot of people were drinking and some were dancing like no tomorrow. Her eyes captured the darker places of the club. She shook her head seeing people were making out there like they were the only ones in that place. Yet, here she was with her third martini glass.

“Let us play truth or dare!” Anna suggested who was already tipsy. Everybody agreed except her.

“O-Okay,” she hesitantly said. Anna spinned the bottle. She sighed in relief when the bottle stopped on Kristine who was a new joiner in Love Pages.

“Dare!” Kristine bravely answered. She was not expecting that.

“Do you see that guy wearing a grey pullover? Give him a lap dance!” Anna dared.

“Lap dance! Lap dance! Lap dance!” she also joined clapping and cheering. Kristine sipped the vodka shot before getting to her target. “Go, Tin!” she yelled. She was just trying to calm herself. Who knows? She could be the next one!

They laughed to death with that guy’s reaction when Kristine grabbed him and sexily danced on his lap. He was shocked and almost spilled his beer all over his shirt. She got crazier when this guy stole a kiss from Kristine who was not bothered at all. She made up her mind from there. She will definitely choose “truth”!

“Good job, Tin! It is your turn to spin the bottle!” This game was as scary as the recitation they had in schools. She thought she had already graduated from it! She crossed her fingers even tighter when the bottle looked like focusing her. Luckily, it stopped to Kellen who was sitting beside her.

“Thanks, God! It’s me! I could have thrown this bottle if I do not get my turn,” Kellen joked. She hated this game as much as Kellen loved it.

Kristine cleared her throat. “Look for a random stranger and unzip his pant’s zipper using your mouth!”

“Easy peasy!” said Kellen while tying her hair up. Mayen’s jaw dropped. What the heck? Anna gave her shots and she drank it continuously like a pro while praying for Kellen. That much tensed she was. “Oh my God! She found someone and she’s gonna do it! Shit!” She even covered her eyes.

“Woooh! Kellen! Kellen!” Kellen accomplished the dare without a sweat. She even exchanged numbers with that stranger guy as expected. Mayen’s vision was starting to blur. She was not sure if it was only the bottle spinning on the table or the alcohol already dominated her being.

“Got you, Mayen! Truth or Dare?” Kellen asked.

“Dare!” Everybody answered on her behalf. She stood and almost losing her balance. Could be the four-inch heels! “Fine! Dare!” she said.

“Let me think…” Kellen was skimming all the people in the club. “That one is...uh-oh! That one looks too young...No!Ahhh! Target found!” Kellen touched her face. “You see that drop-dead gorgeous man wearing a black shirt in the last counter?”

“N-No.”

“Silly! Focus! That handsome man right there,” she repeated.

“Uhlala, so hot! Jackpot! He looks familiar,” Anna added.

“Yeah...he looks like a demi-God!” Kristine said. Unfair, she could not see anything.

“So, I want you to go to him and ask him to buy you a drink.”

“What? That’s it?”

“Guys, let us be gentle with our new recruit. You got it, Mayen? Go and good luck!”

SETH was sitting in the bar of his favorite club - Muses. They were high spenders there. One of the perks of having tons of money was having his own security guard looking after him to protect him from crazy women.

“Seth, my darling!” a familiar voice called him. It was Chloe...or Zoe? The temptress from last night.

"Shit!" the only word came out from his mouth.

“Ma’am, you might need to stay away from him,” Tyson said. One of the guards assigned that night for VIPs like him.

“What? Do not touch me or I will sue you! I am Seth’s girlfriend!”

He just massaged his forehead. It was really hard to deal with anyone when alcohol was involved. But, he never learned. He made everything clear to her that commitment was not in his vocabulary. Like all the women he satisfied in bed, she wanted more of him.

“Ma’am, please. You will be blacklisted here forever if you do not listen to me.”

“I told you already! You saw us together here! I am his girlfriend! Babe, please!”

He sighed. He just wanted a peaceful night. “Tyson, please do the needful.”

“Certainly, Mr. Alarcon!” Tyson called the bouncers and gave them a green signal to remove this woman from his sight. “One more shot, please!” he ordered. After this shot, he will be going home. A figure from a far caught his attention. He could not see her face clearly. But, he liked the way she moved. She was not dancing nor standing normal. She looked like tipsy. He smiled as he found her cute.

“S-Sir? Sir, here’s your shot.”

“Oh, sorry. Thanks!” He lost his senses. When he looked back to the cute lady, she was not there anymore. He looked everywhere and found her heading to him. Her face was getting clearer whenever the party lights got on. He blinked as fast as he could. He could not believe it.

“D-Debby….” he uttered. He stood up without taking his eyes off of her. It was very impossible that Debby was alive!

“Is everything alright, Mr. Alarcon?” He did not bother to answer him. “Miss, may I help you?” The lady who looked like his late fiance just gave them a laugh as an answer.

“Can I talk to him?” She pointed him. Tyson looked at him and waiting for his signal.

“It is okay. Let her come to me,” he said. Still confused.

The lady walked in a drooping way. In his horror that she might fell, he grabbed her waist. He got a chance to look at her face clearly. She smiled at her and touch his face. He was awestruck. Her hands were not as soft as Debby’s but they were hot.

“C-Can you... act like buying me a drink, Mr. Handsome?” She pouted as she looked intently to every part of his face.“My friends are right. You...you are hot and yummy. And...you smell so good.” She sniffed his shirt and laughed like a child again. “Look! They are my friends...hi...friends!” He wondered what she drank. He just wave at her the group of ladies looking like they forgot about their friend. He got it now. Ladies should drop this stupid “truth or dare” game.

“What do you want exactly?” he asked. She touched his lips and smiled. In a very sexy and inviting way.

“You have such luscious lips…”

“Mr. Alarcon, just tell us what you want us to do.”

“It is okay. I got her,” he mouthed to them. “What do you want?”

She chuckled. “Why your voice sounded like a lullaby? So soothing. I want...a drink...Oh...no I actually want to go home. But don’t tell anyone…” she whispered. She kept her head on his chest. Rubbing comfortably her cheeks. “Can I be here? It is very homey…”

“I will take her with me. Just please make sure that those ladies go home safely. Charges on me. And, please call my driver and ask him to pick us up here. I came with my bike only, ” he told Tyson. He carried the lady who fell asleep on his chest. Women nowadays, he sighed. He wondered what would happen to her if he was not there? Other people might take advantage of her and her friends.

He waited for his driver a couple of minutes only. It was already past two in the morning. There was no traffic at all. His driver immediately opened the car for them. He slowly got her in. She was really in a deep sleep.

“In my pad, please.”

“Noted, Sir.”

He still could not believe what had just happened. There was a woman who exactly look like his one great love whom he was taking home.

Who are you?

He could not stop himself from caressing her face.