Gael asked for the bill and paid for it while Matteo sat at the table, staring outside. Gael noticed that Matteo seemed to be looking for something or someone in the dark. He shook his head and approached Matteo, tapping him on the shoulder. “Let’s go, Matteo?”
Matteo turned to him, snapping out of his thoughts. “Yeah, let’s go.”
The two went to the local bar, Barrio Cinco. When they entered, they settled into a seat and table. Gael ordered the beer. The sounds of disco and the lights added to the effect of the beer they were drinking. They both consumed five bottles of beer when Gael felt his cheeks warm and his ears buzzing. His body felt energized, and he wanted more, so he ordered again. He didn’t care if he got drunk later. All his thoughts were on enjoying the moment. He stared at Matteo when he returned with ten more beers, and it seemed the five beers hadn’t affected Matteo at all. He sat and drank the beer.
“Beat the bottle, Matteo?” Gael grinned as he raised his bottle for another sip.
Matteo shrugged. “It’s easy. You, though, seem to be getting drunk.”
Gael laughed, a little too loudly. “Not yet, bro. I can handle it. Besides, look at all these people. This place is so much fun!”
Matteo chuckled. “Okay, but don’t forget, we still have to walk home.”
“You’re drunk, Matteo. We have a motorcycle.”
“Fine, you can drive, but if we get into an accident and I die, I’ll haunt you.”
He laughed at what Matteo said. “Whatever, Batman! Let’s enjoy tonight. It feels like the old days!”
“Old days, huh? Well, I hope you don’t collapse like last time,” Matteo teased, knowing that Gael used to drink less but now seemed to drink a lot and get drunk easily.
“Hey! That was one time!” Gael defended himself, laughing. “But seriously, have you noticed how everyone’s dancing? They’re so good.” He started demonstrating some dance moves and laughed at his own steps. “I don’t even know how to do budots anymore.”
Matteo glanced at the dance floor, where people were indeed dancing energetically. He didn’t like to dance. He’d rather be alone than dance like those people, and the beer he drank didn’t change that. “Yeah, there are a lot of great dancers. Do you think you can keep up?”
Gael smirked. “Watch me.” He danced again in front of Matteo, and Matteo just laughed. After Gael got tired, he sat down and took another sip. He stared at the girls dancing. They were looking at him and Matteo. “There are so many beautiful women here. They’re staring at us. They’re expecting us to dance too. Let’s go, let’s join them!” he said, standing up and heading to the dance floor.
Matteo sighed but followed his friend to the dance floor. They started dancing, and Gael’s wild moves immediately drew attention. Matteo, with more reserved steps, couldn’t help but laugh at Gael’s exaggerated motions. A few songs later, a group of girls joined them, giggling and trying to match Gael’s energy. One of them shouted over the music, “You’re so hot!”
Gael's grin widened as he soaked in the crowd's admiration. “You want more?” His voice was deep and resonant, carrying a hint of playful confidence. With deliberate grace, he peeled off his t-shirt, revealing a physique that could only be described as sculpted perfection. His chest was a landscape of rippling muscle, lightly dusted with a trail of dark hair that drew the eye downward. Each abdominal muscle was sharply defined, forming a captivating six-pack that seemed chiseled from marble. Beads of sweat accentuated every contour, reflecting the stage lights in a mesmerizing display.
Gael's arms were strong and sinewy, their well-defined muscles flexing subtly with every movement. Broad shoulders tapered down to a trim waist, highlighting his masculine proportions.
“Wow, so hot,” the girls shouted, thrilled.
He approached Matteo and pulled him closer, whispering, “Let’s give them a show.”
Matteo smiled and shook his head. “You’re crazy, Gael.”
But soon, Matteo was dancing too. They danced together, the music pulsing through their veins, their bodies moving in sync. Gael’s bare chest brushed against Matteo’s shirt, the contrast adding to the electric atmosphere. The girls around them danced closer, drawn to Gael’s charisma and Matteo’s easy charm.
As the music slowed down, Gael leaned in and whispered to Matteo, “You’re a natural, man. The ladies love you.”
Matteo smirked. “Maybe it’s your abs they’re after.”
After a few minutes, both were tired and returned to their table, catching their breath. Gael grabbed one of the remaining beers. “I need to hydrate,” he joked, taking a long drink.
Matteo laughed. “With more beer? Great plan.”
The friends finished the remaining beers. After a while, Matteo said he needed to use the restroom. When Gael glanced back at their table, Matteo was still nowhere to be seen. Gael searched the dance floor and every corner of the bar, but Matteo was nowhere in sight. Feeling dizzy and his vision blurry, he decided to check the restroom where Matteo had gone earlier. He stumbled his way there, feeling increasingly disoriented.
Inside the restroom, Gael looked around but found no sign of Matteo. He returned to the bar area and searched again, weaving through the crowded dance floor, but the disco lights were now overwhelming, making him feel even more dizzy.
“Hey, it’s you again!” said a girl who recognized him. She was the one who had shouted for him earlier while he was dancing.
“Yeah, I’m looking for my friend, the one I was dancing with earlier. Have you seen him?” Gael asked, trying to steady himself.
“Your friend?” the girl replied, a bit confused. But she quickly moved away when her friends called her.
Gael looked around anxiously, his heart pounding in his chest. Where could Matteo be? Despite feeling dizzy and his vision blurry, he continued searching for Matteo. But where was his friend? He was starting to get confused and annoyed about where he could have gone. Earlier, he had said he was going to the restroom. But now, it was as if Matteo had vanished. He thought maybe he had gotten drunk and fallen somewhere, maybe even slept on the grass. But he had noticed that Matteo wasn’t drunk yet. He had spoken clearly and wasn’t slurring. He tried calling him but couldn’t reach him.
He went outside the bar and checked his motorcycle. His bike was still there. When he looked at the dark corner, he saw something moving. He thought it was Matteo. But before he could take a step, he saw a man in black. The man looked like the one he had seen last night when it was raining, peeking through the window. Who was that? Was he following him? The stranger was staring at him, but his face was unclear because the area was dark. After a while, the stranger began retreating into the darkness. Gael shrugged and tried not to think about the stranger.
“What are you doing here?”
Gael’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest in surprise. He turned around to face Matteo. “You scared me to death. Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you. Why didn’t you come back right away?” he asked rapidly. He didn’t care if it sounded demanding. He was genuinely worried and searching for Matteo.
“Just somewhere, doing a quickie with one of those girls earlier,” Matteo said with a smile.
“That was fast,” Gael replied.
Matteo tapped Gael’s shoulder and led the way to Gael’s motorcycle.