**Eighteen**
**Jc's POV**
I just put that out of my mind and turned my attention to my cellphone. I wasn't able to send a group message today, so I took my cellphone out of my pocket and tapped the screen.
A handful of messages from the clan appeared on the screen. I skipped all that and went straight to Create Message. I will check later if there is a private message.
After a few seconds of typing the message, I immediately sent it to the entire clan via "send to many."
Who said I was drunk? The letters are still clear to my eyes because my dosage is high, and I'm used to hard drinks.
I put the cellphone next to my glasses while letting my message be sent to 125 members.
After a while, an unknown number called. It's not my habit to answer calls from unknown numbers, but it didn't stop calling.
My eyebrows met as I picked up the cellphone and answered. Disturbance.
"Jc Laporre." I tried to make my voice casual.
"This is Cyrel Castino. Is Rhea there?" A voice answered from the other line.
Is it really Cyrel I'm talking to? Dead...
"C-Cyrel? Rhea is still in the ladies' room." I almost stuttered.
Suddenly, my heart beat faster.
"Is she with you? And where are you now?" It was one question after another, and she was obviously not ready to wait for a long time for an answer.
I swallowed first to calm my nervousness. "Y-yeah... We're in the P-party house."
Tell the truth so that people can trust you, even if I feel like it will really hurt me.
"Party House? When did she learn to go to a disco?" Now I can hear her voice really getting louder.
"I invited her."
I heard her sigh. She seemed to be trying to control her temper.
"What time is she coming home? It's almost midnight."
"C-Can Rhea go home tomorrow?-"
"WHAT!?" She scolded angrily before I finished what I said.
She really raised her voice at me because I distanced my ears from the cellphone a bit.
"It's nearly midnight. M-maybe what else will happen to her w-when she comes home at this hour." Because of the nervousness I feel, I answered quickly without thinking. I'm confused now.
A few minutes passed before I heard her voice on the other line. She seemed to be thinking about what I said. But my heart continued to beat fast.
"Can I trust you, Jc?" she asked calmly after a few minutes.
"Of course. Throw all the blame on me when something happens to her." I'm trying to stay calm, even though my hands are sweating from nervousness.
"I will only trust someone once. Don't destroy it, JC." She seemed convinced.
"Y-Of course. Tomorrow morning I will take her home."
"Just tell her I called." It was the last response before the line died.
Terrible. I was very nervous. I really thought that I would get a huge blow for a second.
I try to calm the nervousness I feel when Rhea returns from the ladies' room. I looked closely at her face, and it looked like she had washed her face because her hair near her forehead was a bit wet.
"Get one," I replied while pouring our glasses.
She smiled at me first, then pulled out.
"How many have been your exes?" She almost laughed at the question. "Wait, I'll count first..." She joked while pretending to think.
"Too gorgeous." I even answered her joke.
She laughed and replied with a smile, "Actually, there are only three, and Princebeybe will be the fourth."
"Fourth immediately? The two of you aren't an official couple yet."
"I'm just being advanced. Forever doesn't exist." She reasoned.
"There is. Believe it." I assured while pulling out a question, "Happiest thing that happened in your whole life."
I smiled so big that my cheeks were almost tearing after I read the question and immediately answered, "When I met Crista Segovia, it was the happiest thing that happened in my life. It's like I'm lying on a cloud while being embraced by the fresh air."
"Wow. It's good that you pulled it off." Rhea said with a smile, "You must be good at loving."
"Want to try?" A mischievous smile played on my face as the tone of what I said challenged me.
We both looked into each other's eyes, and Rhea was smiling, obviously trying to be normal. Even her eyes and cheeks were red with excitement.
"Never mind. I have a Princebeybe." This was a sudden answer to interrupt our glowing gaze.
"You're into him?" The Scotch pushed the question that should have been in my mind to come out of my mouth, and I knew I would regret it later.
The smile on her face did not disappear when she answered, "Yes. Maybe I already like him."
"I'm so dead. You better get one." I answered, then immediately took my glass and drank while looking in another direction.
"Hey, what's that? Did I kill you?" Her eyes widened slightly, but her cheeks were still red.
"My body, no, but my heart, yes." I let the Scotch really take over my mouth and mind. After all, I will forget the next day.
"What are you saying all of a sudden? Are you drunk?" She replied, trying to be sarcastic. But it still appeared that she was holding back her smile to make her look grumpy.
"I told you to pull out one." I scolded while avoiding her gaze. I can't look directly at her.
It seemed that my response was effective, considering that she didn't ask again and pulled out one.
"Your first date." She was laughing as she read what she pulled out. "Antony James Armigos. He was my first date who taught me GGX, Need for Speed, and Dota."
"James was your ex?" I said, but still not looking at her.
"Yes. He was my childhood and my first love." She replied with a smile, "Do you know him?"
"The man who is as white as a radish." I looked at her from the corner of my eyes and saw her nod slightly. "Why did you break up?"
"He already loves someone else." Sad but cute, her answer.
"Pitiful." I even teased her, then pulled out a question, "Your first kiss." I laughed after reading the question.
I am the one who wrote this, and then I will also answer. Isn't it great?
"Who?" She asked excitedly.
"Flies." I laughed in response.
She also laughed, "The serious one."
"Of course, my parents." I'm bitter about it.
"Answer properly, Jc." She was still grinning at me.
"I'm sitting properly." I answered philosophically.
"Philosopher." Her eyebrows met while pouting.
She looks so cute...
I burst out laughing, "Okay. Marie Grace Detecio." Still smiling, I answered straight, "She's a friend of CrimeLocca."
She smiled with her mouth closed and drank what was in her glass. "Is she a good kisser?"
"Yes." I answered, "But you might be a better kisser than her."
I looked her in the eye with a mischievous smile.
"Are you challenging me?" She tried to be serious and brave in the tone of what she said, but her face didn't agree.
Her face was still red, and it seemed she was holding back a big smile.
I matched her seemingly brave look with my more serious look.
I stood up and approached her, "Would you agree just in case?"
Without a single word, she also stood up and approached me with her arms crossed, not breaking our gaze.