Chapter 2
“Melanie, stay home. Let’s just think that she’s not the one God intended for you to be with.”
“Avah, I love him! You can easily say that because you haven’t experienced being hurt yet.” Melanie was crying.
“Melanie, we’re both from the orphanage. We’ve never felt like having a parent. That man’s son will be, do you want him to be like us? The child in your womb is God’s grace, Melanie. And everything in the world it happens according to the will of God. ”
Melanie’s crying only got louder because everything Avah said was true and she didn’t want to deny the naive child her right to have a father. Avah helped the friend to her feet and then took her to her own room to rest. Avah watched over Melanie until her sobs subsided and she finally fell asleep.
Because she escaped drowsiness, she cleaned the house first and ate a little before returning to her friend’s side. It was three o’clock in the morning when she finally fell asleep on the sofa next to Melanie’s bed.
Because she was used to waking up early in the convent, it was only six o’clock in the morning when her eyes opened. She cooked her friend a sip of soup to relieve her headache caused by alcohol.
After she fed Melanie she went back to sleep. Her eyes were swollen from her tears the night before.
Because she was also awake, Avah decided to take a nap in the room lent to her. But before she rested, she first cleaned the kitchen and everything she used for cooking.
When she woke up around one o’clock, she quickly went to the kitchen to prepare lunch for her friend. But she caught up with Melanie in the kitchen who was already cooking.
“M-Melanie… I’m sorry. I fell asleep.” Avah apologizes.
While mixing whatever dish was in the pot Melanie smiled at it.
“What are you, you’re not my maid to ask for an apology. I should even thank you for understanding me last night. Imagine how many chores are waiting for me if you aren’t here last night and you didn’t clean up my mess. ” She smiled mantra.
“Are you okay? How are you feeling?”
“Better thanks to you.” Lanie turned her gaze back to her cooking. And when she remembered what she had been thinking before, her gaze returned to Avah. “Avah, are you free tonight?”
“Yes. I don’t know anyone other than you out here so I don’t have a chance to meet.” Avah answered the friend’s question.
“Cool! Save your time for me tonight. I’ll bring you to a place you’ve never been. When you arrive, you might change your mind about becoming a nun.” Lanie laughed even though her eyes were still hiding pain.
“All right, I’ll come, but no matter how beautiful the place you take me to is, my decision to become a nun will not change.”
“We will see about that.” Melanie let out a soft chuckle before announcing, “Lunch is ready!”
She tried to act happy but her heart is rotten and tore. Later that night, even though she was drunk, Avah was there to accompany her on her journey.
After taking a bath, Avah put on her newest and best clothes. Her wooden skirt reached below the knee dyed with a loose sweatshirt. Her feet are also comfortable inside her soft flatshoe that she has been using for almost two years but until now she still looks good.
When she left the room she waited for Melanie to come out of her own room. After just a few minutes of waiting, Melanie came out. But unlike her appearance, Melanie was wearing a kind of dress with only the chest and just below the thigh hidden.
She is also very well -groomed, she looks like an artist in her form. Melanie’s heels are so high, she faces a tower when she and Avah are side by side.
When Melanie looked at her friend, she can’t help but to look at her with distaste! They’re attending bars, they’re not going to pray in the convent. Avah is still a very beautiful woman but because she wants to be a nun, she looks like a old lady.
“What are you wearing, Avah?” Lanie’s question after she inspected the friend’s clothing from head to toe.
“W-why? Is there a problem with me wearing it?” Avah looked at her clothes again and saw nothing wrong with it.
“Everything… is wrong.” Lanie said pointing her from head to toe. “Go get change.”
“But I don’t have any other sensible clothes, Melanie.”
“I have plenty of it, Avah. Come here, follow me.” And she followed her friend.
What kind of dress did Melanie give to Avah but the only thing she accepted was a black dress with long sleeves reaching to the wrist, it was knee length and the neckline was also high. Lanie dyed it with two inches heels.
Melanie also removed Avah’s navel and left her long, black hair loose. Whatever Avah’s refusal to put on her makeup, Lanie was not shaken. What kind of makeup did she put on Avah’s face.
She’s so beautiful. At least people will see how beautiful you are before you can become a nun. Melanie’s brain said when she finished putting light makeup on Avah.
Avah’s eyebrows are thick so there is no need to shade, her skin is also white, smooth and obviously not soaked in the sun, Avah’s nose is also piercing. She also posses a small but plumy lips, long eye-lashes and double eyelids. In fact, she is even more beautiful than Melanie, and Melanie is aware of that fact. Avah’s friend’s face was so gentle.
“Finished!” Lanie said when she finished applying nude brown lipstick to Avah. The matte lipstick dried on her lips so when Avah covered it and tried to erase it, it wasn’t erased or spread.
All was well when Melanie noticed a black rosary under Avah’s dress. She removed it without any hesitation and put it in her drawer.
“Melanie, I can’t take that off! That’s my guide, Melanie.” Avah’s surprised said.
“Honey, calm down. Nothing bad will happen to you tonight.” Lanie laughed at this and they finally left the condo.
Avah and Melanie got out of a taxi at around 8 pm in front of a colorful building called ROMANZA. At the entrance of the building there were large men guarding. They are all black and have bulky bodies. Melanie called them the term bouncer which she didn’t even understand.
When Avah finally entered the building, a deafening scream and music rang out. There were so many flickering lights that every time it hit her eye she felt dizzy. Almost every corner of that place has drunken friends or lovers kissing or being beaten.
“Welcome to the real world!” Melanie shouted in front of Avah’s ear. The truth is Melanie just wants to forget and get drunk. But since Avah’s reason and purpose why she left church is to see the other world that she haven’t seen, she is happy to take her friend with her. Who knows? Maybe she might find this type of life interesting than praying, right?
“Melanie what place is this?” Avah asked hesitantly.
Melanie grabbed her hand and then gave her a little squeeze of encouragement. “You’re with me, Avah. You will be safe. Besides, this is my type of world. Aren’t you out to discover these places?” she gave her a little smile and then she dragged Avah to the island in the bar.
Melanie sat down on a stool and Avah imitated her. Melanie snapped her fingers in the air and when the bartender saw her signal, she faced the two women and then asked what drinks they wanted. “Two bottled Rum please,” Melanie said.
“Coming up, ladies.” The guy said. She turned her back to the ladies as she grabbed two bottled rum. “A drink with mixture of rum, lime juice, and sugar-water for beautiful ladies.” The bartender says.
“Why, thank you.” Melanie said as she accepted the two bottles of liquor. She gave one to Avah and she stared straight at her. “Drink that, God bless you.” Melanie said after a chuckle.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Avah look at the liquid. She had her first taste and it wasn’t bad at all. The two talked even though there were too many barriers that prevented them from understanding each other. After an hour and a half, Avah hadn’t even finished her drink and Melanie turned two and a half immediately.
Melanie became tipsy. Alcohol has already hit her. She also began to express her resentment regarding the divorce of her ex -boyfriend.
“He’s an asshole! He even promised to marry me when the time is right! Fck him! Screw his life, Avah! He is such a cheating bastard! Fck you Greg! Fck you!” Melanie kept on screaming inappropriate words and surprisingly, nobody seems to be bothered. Nobody on that place mind to hear such cruel words.
Melanie looked up again and at that time a foreigner approached her. One half Filipino and Spanish.
“Mi Señora, can I have this dance?” said the man to Melanie who immediately accepted him.
“Bye, Avah. Go have some fun!” Her friend giggled and then they went to dance floor. To the ocean of wild people.