Chapter 6 Dream Catcher

Previously, Zein's band practiced at the resto-bar where she works, but the band did not practice effectively because her mind was preoccupied with other things. Wilson, their drummer, advised her multiple times to calm down, but she was acting like a newcomer on stage because she got lost in the songs. They agreed to split up initially.

"What's your problem, Zein?" Lester sat next to him.

She did not answer his question. She took the bubble gum from her skirt pocket and took a bite. She was really frustrated.

"Come on, Zein. Tell me."

Zein shook her head and blew the bubble gum over and over again. "I have no problem."

"Nothing? Are you sure? You look tense," Lester asked suspiciously.

Zein exhaled a long breath. She had nothing to conceal from Lester. When she got stressed, she would chew bubble gum. She can't help but be tense. This morning, Amos's face was close to hers.

The intensity of his influence on her gave her headaches. Zein had no idea why her heart was thumping so rapidly, especially when Amos had stated that he had no intention of beating her. She didn't want to think about it, but it didn't seem like a joke to that man.

When Amos labeled his sister a flirt, Zein's ears perked up, but she couldn't be upset since she knew Zelda was the one who was wrong. Perhaps the man was simply overcome by emotion when he uttered such things to her loving sister.

Zein was baffled by herself. Her sister should have been by her side, but she felt uncomfortable about Amos and wanted to deny it as much as she could.

'What should I do?'

"Zein?"

Zein didn't realize that she was stunned because of thinking about that man. She turned to Lester and met his worried face. "I am okay. I am just... distracted."

"About?"

Zein shook her head. "It is just nonsense."

"Okay..." Lester handed her a bottle of water. She knew her best friend wanted to ask her something but he chose to keep it to himself.

"Pardon me. The band couldn't practice because of me."

"It's okay. You know Wilson. That man's head is really hot. He was only thinking about our band."

She nodded unhappily, but felt better when Lester threw his arms around her and ruffled her hair, prompting her to push him hard. Her pal was carried and fell to the floor with the chair.

When Lester complained, Zein just chuckled. She also observed Wilson and Agnes laughing from the stage as a result of what had occurred to Lester. Her acquaintance appeared to have passed through the floor.

"You push hard. Are you sure you're really a girl?"

"You're just thin."

"It's thin, huh?"

Because of what Lester done, the three of them burst out laughing. He took off his denim jacket and waved it in the air. He moved like a macho dancer and elevated the hem of his shirt. He actually got closer to her to show off his wonderful body. The man's body was gorgeous. Lester had broad shoulders now that he attended to the gym on a regular basis.

'But Amos is more appealing than him...'

Zein's body shook as a result of that thinking. Her brain was a traitor, even her feeling confused simply because Amos was around. Why was she even thinking about it?

"Les, you're seducing Zein too much," Wilson laughed.

Zein turned around at their behavior and saw that Wilson was smiling too much while Agnes took a video. "Hey stop that!"

Lester laughed again. "It's not effective, huh."

She turned to the man and just like that she walked away because his body was really close to him. "You are disgusting. Get away!"

"When will you be attracted to me, Zein?"

Zein was confused by Lester's question. What did she see in his pleading eyes? What for? His tone was serious but Lester still continued to grind jokingly so her brain suddenly went into overdrive. Her doubts disappeared when he suddenly laughed and threw his jacket in her face. He immediately removed it from her face and threw it back at Lester.

"You thickheaded!" Zein only got long laughs from them.

They continued the practice because after a while, the night will be alive again with the arrival of customers at the resto-bar. She has been fine. She tried not to think about Amos because the man was a distraction from her work.

Zein was relieved when they performed well. There were many customers, so many requested songs, but that's fine because she loves music. Even if she was hoarse, there was no case against her. They were on their way home so they went to the parking area of ​​the resto-bar together.

"Let's... catch up tomorrow." Lester rode a motorcycle. Wilson and Agnes had already gone home so only the two of them were left in that place.

"Why?" Zein asked wryly. She put her guitar in the backseat before facing Lester. Her friend seemed hesitant to say that's why she couldn't help doubting. "Don't tell me... you still consider me to be your fake girlfriend?"

"No," he answered promptly. "I already fixed that problem."

"Nice to hear that. So, what do you want now?" Lester just played with the mirror of his helmet.

Zein just laughed because the man looked tense. "Looks like you're the one with the problem, Les."

"Ha?" After a while, the man sighed. "I just want to... treat you."

"Am I dreaming?" she asked the man in surprise.

Zein even touched Lester's forehead and neck to find out if he had a fever but there was none. He did not want it for no reason. Lester was the type of person who loves free.

"Why? Is it bad if I invite you to eat out?"

She slapped her lightly on the back jokingly. "Of course not."

A restrained smile drew on Lester's lips. "I'll just pick you up tomorrow."

"Ha? I have a car. Why are you picking me up? What? Shall I ride your motorcycle?" she asked the man one after the other.

Lester nodded innocently. "It is a... date."

"We should use my car instead. Let's also include Agnes and Wilson."

"What?" gulat nitong tanong. Nasa boses nito ang pagtutol. "It is just the two of us."

Zein grimaced. "Like that? Your budget to treat us is not enough?"

"Of course not," he quickly replied then smiled.

"That's it. Let's include them in our friendly date."

"Friendly... date?" The smile disappeared from his lips and was replaced by disappointment.

Zein couldn't help but laugh because Lester didn't want to treat them all. "Are you okay? Alright, don't worry. I will divide the payment."

Lester put on his helmet and started his motorcycle. "Nevermind. I will pay for the four of us. After all, it is just... a friendly date."

Zein was left stunned when Lester finally left. "What's wrong with that man?"

She was about to get into her car when her cellphone rang. Her chest pounded suddenly when she saw the name Mang Tasyo on the screen.

'Why is this Mang Tasyo calling again?'

Zein took a deep breath before answering the call. "You know if you think-"

"Hello, Miss Witch?"

Her mouth fell open at the voice of the man on the other line. She looked again at the caller on her cell phone screen and she was sure to be Amos but he was not the man she was talking to.

"Who are you? Why did you call me Miss Witch, huh?" She already had an idea why the man holding Amos' cell phone called her that but she didn't want to think too much because it only made her more stressed.

"Sorry. I'm a waiter. It's Miss Witch because it's in Sir's contact list and then I saw that you're the one he always calls and it's on speed dial, so I just called you," he said.

Zein messed up her hair that she just tied earlier. "Why? Why am I on that man's speed dial? That's not my relative! What happened?"

"Ma'am, I don't know why you are on his speed dial. Only you can ask him when he's not drunk. I'm just a simple waiter with a dream-"

"Stop!" Zein raised one hand in the air and closed her eyes tightly. "You talk too much. Where is he?"

"He's here at the Granison Bar. He is very drunk. Please just pick him up."

Her eyes widened at what he said. "What? Why me? I don't know that man."

"Seriously? You don't know him but he calls you all day and night. Maybe you just have a lovers quarrel. Poor sir..."

She gasped for air. She didn't think she could be annoyed with the waiter because of his teasing. "I can't-"

"Please just pick him up. I still have work."

She laughed sarcastically when that waiter ended the call. She dabbled before getting into her car and messing up her hair even more.

She was questioning whether or not he ought to pick up Amos. Even though she did not want to see him anymore, she did not want her conscience to haunt her when something horrible happened to the man. She chose Amos since she knew she could pass the bar too.

Zein was met with loud music on the dance floor. The tavern was still active at night because of the throng. As she moved to locate her goal, she noticed Amos at the bar counter. His face was droopy and he appeared like he had really fallen due to intoxication.

She approached Amos and shook him to wake him up. "Mang Tasyo, wake up." Zein just blew out the air violently when she didn't get an answer from the man.

"Ma'am, please take sir home. He has been drinking for a while. He even vomited on that one girl he was talking to earlier," the waiter suddenly said in front of her.

'He was already drunk, he even had the guts to flirt!'

Zein shook his head and tried to spit him out. To support Amos, she placed his arm on her shoulder. Even if the man is awake, his mood isn't right. They staggered out of the bar. Amos's clinging on Zein made him appear like a monkey, which prevented them from moving properly. The weight of the man was no joke. Despite her desire to leave Amos, Zein was not a ruthless person.

"What the hell, Mang Tasyo? If you don't stop, I won't take you home!" she shouted a threat to the man.

Amos stopped but suddenly started laughing even though there was nothing to laugh at. Zein breathed a sigh of relief when they got to her car. She rode him in the front carelessly so he bumped his head.

"Ah!"

"You are a drunkard. Did you really bother me?" she asked annoyingly. She immediately got into the driver's seat. She handed the man the bottled water that Lester had given her earlier.

Zein watched Amos first after he helped him drink. He looks incredibly problematic. If Zelda was to blame for this, she couldn't hold Amos responsible. She thought all the attributes of a lady that a man wants were in her sister. It's hard to let go of a woman like Zelda. She couldn't help but be jealous of her sister. A lot of people like her sister even if she didn't have a single lover.

She couldn't see that she was lovely despite what others said. Also, love was not a tangible manifestation. If someone truly cares for her, they truly care for her. There should be no cause.

"Zelda..."

She shook her head. "Forget about Zelda." He fastened the seatbelt on Amos.

Amos was creating confusion in her head as she was driving to the village. The man couldn't always mess with her sister and then get drunk. She had heard every request he had made to Zelda this morning. She couldn't believe such a man existed. Her sister is married but the man still did not want to let go of his memories of her sister. Zein did not want to witness her sister crying in such a way.

Zein should do something so that the two won't get wounded. If Race learns, the situation will deteriorate further. She had no idea why, but she also didn't want to hurt Amos. She actually felt bad for him. She couldn't even accept that her sister really cheated on Amos.

Zelda told her what really happened. Zein couldn't help but be annoyed at first because her sister really cheated on Amos but she just fell in love. Even though she did bad things to her ex-boyfriend, she still understood her. They were also the only ones who will suffer if the relationship where only one person loves continues.

"Which of the mansions here is your house?" He didn't answer so she stopped the car.

"I'll just drop you off the road."

Zein got out of the car and helped him down. Even though she just left Amos somewhere, she wasn't such a bad person that she wouldn't help him.

A few moments later, a light from a motorcycle greeted them. The driver removed his helmet and approached them. Zein frowned. The man was familiar to her but she could not remember where she had seen him.

"Amos, you look sh*t."

Zein was relieved when she realized that the man knew Amos. She motioned for the man to support her which he did. "Take him to their house. I don't know where his house is."

"Thank you for taking care of him," he thanked her seriously.

"I didn't take care of that man. I just picked him up."

"By the way, I am Barney. Lady, nice to see you again."

She didn't notice the man called her because she suddenly laughed at his name. The two seem to be really good friends; both mentally ill.

She even breathed jokingly. "Ah, you're Barney?"

Barney nodded then smiled. "Yes, I am Barney."

Strong! He repeated!

"We're consistent, aren't we?. I'm Batman." She patted his shoulder.

"Ha?" He gave her a confusing question. "Are you going home?"

She laughed loudly. "It's up to Batman."

Zein left the two and got into her car. She spotted a jewelry as she was traveling to Mapski Street. It was a dream catcher and the bright blue and black colors merged throughout the object. Sadness quickly emerged on her lips when a remembrance came to her mind.

Amostacy...