The Game

“Live a little…”

That coming from C, struck me like a poisoned dagger to the heart. Am I not? I think I am, or I’m trying to. His idea of fun is way different from my mine, but I’m trying my best to keep up and adapt. C and his friends would usually party the night out starting late night to the wee hours of the morning. I’ve begged off numerous times, and I think his friends already think I’m a kill joy.

My chwirrer dad mentioned about going to Banchetto or Mercanti. C wanted us to go, so I DM’ed dad waited for his reply. Unfortunately the reply came too late, and so C was invited, instead, to a drinking spree and he’s tagging me along.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

The scene is like that of Central in Makati. HONGODOMENG TAO… seriously. And it’s just the entrace. When we got inside, it was a full house.

“Good morning,” said C. (It’s kind of our code; which means that he saw someone hot. It’s interchangeable with “Hi Koya…”)

“San?” I looked around, and viola! Lots of eye candies.

“Cute yun, babe oh…” I said, pointing to a certain guy.

“Oo nga…” said C, “Eh, yun babe? He looks hot diba?”

We were like that till we’re able to secure our seats. Cocktails and food were ordered, and in the middle of the drinking, they wanted to play a game. It’s kind of an initiation rite. You’re not officially in with the group unless you’ve joined “the game.”

It’s kind of a category game. The “it” would have to choose a category, and the others would have to enumerate stuff related to the category. If you fail to answer in 10 seconds or cited an answer that’s already given, you get to be punished.

Last time they had their drinking spree, the punishment was you’d be doodled on the face using a permanent marker. This time, the punishment was less harmful. You’d be wiped on the face with petroleum jelly.

What makes the game more exciting was almost all of us are buzzed.

5 shots of the green goo, and I turned red all over and rashes started appearing. C took away the sixth shot away from me saying, “Tama na babe, saluhin ko nalang yung shots mo.”

“No, babe. Masarap eh.”

“No, tama na. Ampula mo na.”

They searched their bags for antihistamine, but to no avail. In fact, I was a bit hesitant to go with them ‘because I forgot my medicine kit.

Anyway, the games went on, and guess who lost?? Me.

I had the most smudges of petroleum jelly on my face.

The upside of losing, though, is those who also had smudges on their faces cannot clean up, unless I’m done washing my face. So I took my time, while the others would have to bear with the icky feeling a bit more.

When the last round of shots is done, we billed out and called it day.

It was five in the morning.

***

If this is his idea of fun, then so be it. Sasabayan ko siya sa trip niya. Actually, I had a lot of fun hanging out with C and his friends. He’s happy to know I enjoyed, and had fun.