C3 CHAPTER 03

On the same day, night falls. Dwayne and his circle of friends agreed to meet up tonight. Driving to the venue that's approximately a 15 to 20 minute drive from their house. By means of meeting up, in their term, booze is involved. Even though Dwayne's mom does not like Dwayne going out at night, he still picked up his car keys from their key rack and still went out to meet his friends tonight.

Finally finding a parking space that fits his Honda Civic, the continuous buzz of his phone was heard even more when the engine of his car was turned off, signaling his friends who has been messaging him during his whole drive over. Dwayne just lets out a light chuckle scanning their messages from the notification bar of his phone.

He immediately took the stairs going up to the 2nd floor of the building where the bar he agreed to meet his friends is located.

The place is located at the part where most night life businesses come alive. Night clubs and bars with live bands are mostly found in this area. Livebands were scheduled during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, where you can request songs by writing it on a piece of paper. Since it is located at the 2nd floor, it's spacious and open, which means fresh air from outside can be felt once the wind blows. It is also a good spot for people who likes to smoke while drinking. Below the bar is a 24 hour convenience store, convenient for those who wants to sober up after hard drinking.

Dwayne didn't have a hard time looking for his friends they were seated at the far end of the bar, beside the railings of the veranda style bar. some of them smoke e-cigarettes that's why they picked the far open end.

"There's our college dude!"

"Kenzieboooiiii!!!!"

The table his friends are in became noisy by his arrival. They were whooping and cheering as if it was a celebrity who came. They opened him a bottle of beer, but the bottle of Cuervo sitting on the table along with other drinks caught his attention. However, Dwayne doesn't plan on getting drunk tonight. It's a school day after all. Each of them went and captured photos to be posted on each of their social media accounts.

A loud "Cheers!!" was heard at their table before gulping down each bottle of beers and shot glasses they have in hand.

"How's your first day, Kenzieboi?" with a teasing smile, one of his friends ask. Dwayne just scoffs as he remembers what happened earlier. What an intriguing coincidence.

"My God, our other youngest in the group has entered college now too!" They erupted in laughter. Dwayne is one of the youngest in the group, two of them already finished school and is now working, while three of them including Dwayne is still in college. one of them is a 2nd year while the other one is the same as Dwayne- 1st year student. However, he goes to a different university in the metro. He often comes home every weekends.

they all met in high school, the two were ahead of them. Although that did not came between them they all clicked since they have similar interests with each other. Dwayne had friends from his class that time too, but not as close as he is with these four. The other friend he has who is also a first year is at the other section next to his back in high school.

"Don't tell me you found yourself a girl already? It's just your first day," lan, the other first year in his friend group teases.

"Damn, you really are something else."

"Hey, as your mentor, I didn't teach you to grab yourself a girl on your first day of school. At least let a week or so by before doing it!!!"

"Don't teach him! what a bad influence you are!"

"Is she pretty?" one of his friends Charlse, asks first after teasing their friend.

Dwayne did not respond and only smiled at the thought, thinking of the encounter he had with Akira earlier by the office of the registrar. Low key still could not believe the coincidence that happened earlier, the name he got switched with is the one holding the materials with his name on it. He was amused at what happened.

"He didn't answer, he's guilty!" The table once again erupted in cheers due to teasing. They poured him a shot. "Drink up, you're guilty!" They laughed.

Dwayne lets out a loud exhale when he drinks the shot. The alcoholic liquid runs down his throat, leaving him to scrunch his nose at the scrawny taste. "Agh! That's a strong one,"

"What really happened was..." He starts. "I got the materials I'll be using for the semester from the Registrar's office. The admin in charge was not there, so I was signaled to come inside instead,"

"Oh my God, please don't tell me you're crushing on a teacher!"

Dwayne laughed at the thought. "No, stupid! There was only one envelope left inside the box labeled Business Administration, but written on it was not my name. I decided to get it instead since all of the materials distributed to the students must have the same content as the one I'm holding, regardless of the name. Later on, I was making phone calls to dad in front of the building hoping he could help me with my situation since he has friends working inside the university. As I was out, there was a girl outside too with an irritated expression painted on her face. She too was holding an envelope similar to mine. And fortunately, she was the one who got the envelope that has my name on it,"

His friends was listening carefully to every detail their friend speaks. It was as if they're watching an intense basketball game between two of their favorite teams. "Ah~ talk about fate,"

"Fate my stupid ass!" Ian complains.

"Admit that you're just bitter when you knew that your campus crush already has a boyfriend who is the school's varsity player!" Charlse sticking his tongue out at Ian who obviously isn't taking the joke right.

Dwayne went ooo-ing first before shifting to comfort his friend. "That's okay, pal" Tapping Ian's back.

"Wait Dwayne, so that was it? How about the envelope that you got?" The older one in the group asks.

"That's another funny thing. I found out that the envelope that I was holding was hers. So basically, our envelopes were mistakenly distributed to one another." Dwayne laughs before chugging down another bottle of beer. He also couldn't help but think about the incident that happened earlier as he was telling it to his friends. That moment replayed like a DVD in his mind, which he didn't bother.

"See, Ian? Fate is what its called!" Charlse once again teases Ian who is still bitter with his crush. "Right, Dwayne?"

"I don't know, man" Dwayne says. "Or maybe it really is just a coincidence,"

Meanwhile, as they were all busy chatting and teasing each other. Marco on the other hand was just quietly listening to them as he enjoys the snacks served with the beer they ordered.

He suddenly felt a slightly hard tap on his shoulder. "Hey, don't munch on the snacks like it's rice dude come on,"

"Hey, I was taking your shots when you're too busy chitchatting"

"Come to think of it, Dwayne" Ian calls his friend's attention. "Didn't you say that there was a name written at the back of the envelope?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"What's the name? Let's look her up on social media," Ian comes up with a plan to put a face behind the name.

I'd rather not, you'll surely find her attractive. Cause she is. Of course he didn't said that. "Come on! Just give the name already," Teasingly bumping his shoulder against Dwayne while the others come at him too with teasing punchlines, trying to squeeze the name out their friend.

"Alright, alright. Fine" Pretending to think. Truth is, he just don't want to give it. "Akira Buenesco," Grabbing his beer bottle to drink. This is so against my will!

They immediately typed the said name on the social media's search bar that they're on. Just like gossiping 8th graders, they gathered around to look for the person behind the name spoken. Intently waiting for the page to load just like how citizens wait for Manny Pacquiao to step into the boxing ring to start the fight.

"Wait, Her???"

"First year with the same envelope as you, this means she's your classmate?"

"She's indeed pretty!"

Dwayne almost felt like pushing them to get them away from the phone. "Stop it already, she might feel shivers telling her that she's being talked about," He jokes. They all have the same humor, maybe that's why the five of them all clicked in the first place.

"FRIEND REQUEST, FRIEND REQUEST!"

"Dwayne, give me your phone! Send her a friend request!"

"Dude no, are you crazy?!" Dwayne tries and get his phone back from his friends, but he was put into halt when Marco spoke. The place may be noisy due to the club sounds, but they all put their attention to him when he spoke.

"Yeah, I know her" Marco even pointed at the phone Ian was holding that was still on Akira's social media profile.

Dwayne went back to his sitting position and pays attention to Marco. Snapping his fingers in attempt to remember Akira's significance. "I remember now. From my brother. That Akira has a younger sister who is in the same school as my brother. If i'm not mistaken, my brother is courting her younger sister. He even asked me a favor one time to buy him chocolates and flowers on Valentines day so he can give it to Akira's sister...Saiko is her name I think."

Everyone was listening, so as Dwayne who just nods as his friend continues. He was slightly anxious that maybe Marco had a past relationship with her or maybe even courted her or something. Good thing there's none. Safe.

The night carried on like that, Dwayne taking a mental note to not get drunk because he's driving himself home and it's a school day tomorrow. Which means he'll see Akira again.

Will what he's feeling lead into something more stronger? Or is it even right that he should be feeling this way about a person he just met today?