CHAPTER 24
When Ade followed Aurora inside, she then went to the bar counter. She gave her phone and purse to Ade. They sat down on the stools.
"You want to drink?" She asked her.
"Just a little. I'm driving."
"Order anything."
"You're not drinking?"
"One Zombie Cocktail, please." She said to the bartender. When she looked at Ade, her mouth gaped open.
"You plan to get drunk?"
"No. Just warming up myself."
Ade ordered her own drink.
After a few moments, their orders were served in front of them. Aurora gulped her drink in half the glass. Ade was shaking her head beside her. She cleared her throat from the burning sensation. Then she whirled around, facing the people and the small platform for the performers. No one was on the stage yet. A music track was playing from the speakers. Customers were slowly crowding the bar. The place has slightly dimmed lights and a twirling disco ball above in the center.
She turned to the bartender. "Arch, are there any performers tonight?" She asked the Filipino bartender.
"Yes. Omar's group. They were upstairs. Talking with the boss."
She nodded and glanced at the door upstairs. The boss's office.
She reached the phone from Ade and texted her friends. While waiting for the response, she requested another drink. She wasn't that easily affected by the alcohol because she was in the right condition. When she received the reply, she immediately emptied the glass and told Ade that she'd talk to her other friends. She left her phone to her again.
Aurora approached a group that just exited the staff room. They instantly hollered when they saw her and greeted her on how she was. They were Filipinos as well. The bar owner was also half Filipino.
She told them that she wanted to perform on drums. Though it was just a solo session until 9:00 pm, they agreed to it. Later, she'd join them in the group. She'd replace the drummer. They always let her join. Oftentimes, they were the ones asking for her to perform when they saw her in the bar. This was her favorite place to hang out because she felt like she was in the Philippines.
She returned to Ade's side as the group set up the stage for her.
"I'll be on stage, Ade." She said to her. Ade nodded. "Order anything you want." She told her.
"Have fun," Ade said before she left her and went on the platform.
People cheered immediately from the audience when the place quieted and a spotlight was directed at the center stage. Some whistled.
"Welcome back, Rosa!" Cheered by some people who knew her. She waved at them and smiled. She sat behind the drum set. She put her drink on a table a little behind her. Then she picked up the drumsticks that were propped on the surface. She'll perform solo with rock songs for now.
She twirled the sticks in her hands and began to hit the drums to test them. She made some runs before starting with a song. It had been more than a week since she last drummed, so she wanted to feel one with the instrument. When she felt she was ready, she reached for the glass first and gulped the liquid. It was a Cuba Libre. One of her favorite basic cocktail mixes. It was just right for her taste, not too sweet but dizzying if taken enough. One of its components was a dark rum.
She raised her stick, signaling to the sound operator to hit play on the song. Then a stage fog came off as the music started. People yelled as the crowd was getting bigger. The song she was drumming for was Linkin' Park's 'In the End.'. Her head was flowing along with the beat. She was also biting her lips in the thrill of the moment. She was smiling to the audience too.
She was twirling the stick in between some beats. Her eyes shut in feeling bliss. She was starting to sweat. She didn't mind though. She was even more driven if she felt like working up. She sang along with the music.
After the first song, she reached for her drink behind her and emptied its contents before the next play. She gestured the empty glass to Ade and placed it back on the table. She held the drumsticks again and started. Numb was on the speakers.
Ade stood up from her seat and sauntered to her friend with a new drink at hand. She changed the glasses. She let her friend drink while performing. Aurora was getting sweaty, so it was fine. She wouldn't get drunk that fast. But she was also monitoring how much drink she'd taken.
Watching her friend perform, doing her thing that she really loves, made her heart swell. Aurora was born for this. For the stage. But she still chose the business route. It was her responsibility as the sole heiress because she was an only child.
And that was one of the many things that she admired in her. She wasn't selfish and rebellious—scratch that—maybe a nit. But all in all, for her, Aurora was such a great person. She was also super proud of her friend's talent in music. She felt like a proud mother whenever she watched her.
After a few more songs, Aurora signed to the sound operator to stop playing. She wanted to have a full-on solo with the drums. But before that, she gestured to Ade to bring her another drink. She was the only one she allowed to give her a glass. She doesn't accept anyone that she didn't know and trust.
She stood up and reached for the drink in Ade's hand so that she didn't have to come up on the stage anymore. She quickly took half of the glass and put it on the table. She pulled a hair tie from her pockets and tied her hair into a ponytail. There were some strands on her face. She fished a hanky out of her back pocket and wiped her face. She couldn't do anything to the few stray hair at the side of her face.
Though the place was fully air-conditioned, she still felt hot from the adrenaline of performing and the effects of the alcohol she had taken. Slight buzz was thrumming in her brain but she could still handle it.
She picked up the drumsticks, tossed the left one in the air, caught it smoothly, and twirled among her fingers, while she started a beat in her right stick. The audience was mesmerized by the basic tricks, then she gave them some full runs.
Aurora was also glancing at the crowd. Her forehead knotted when she eyed Ade's direction. She was talking with someone. He was familiar. Just from his hair color, she already knew who it was.