One More Chance by Jaycelle Rodriguez

Chapter 62: This is what we called life! ~~~You, you turned and walk away. I closed my eyes to hide the pain inside. Though the feeling hasn't passed, sad to say our love didn't last. Please don't askto pretend, 'cause I know it's over. When I'm done forgetting you, you can say what you wanted to. Please don't askto pretend, 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S OVER NOW~~~ -Kyla Alvarez- Jack's POV: "Whooo! This is life! I missed this, Jack, whoo!" I shook my head as Sam screamed loudly before taking her shot.

We were at the exclusive bar with sof our friends, the last place I would have imagined Sam drinking and swaying to the loud music on the dance floor. She seemed to enjoy every beat of the piercing sounds that almost made our ears explode. But even though she's smiling, she still can't hide the real emotions that silently show up in her eyes.

I never thought she would invitehere, but if this is her way of forgetting her problems even for just one night, then I'll be just on her side.

"Hey, let's go in the middle!" She said taking my hands but I grabbed her by the arm.

"Sam, wait, you're drunk already." "Ohh, yes I've been drinking but I'm not drunk yet." and she giggled.

"Con, Jack, don't kill my mode. Let's go before the music changes." "Haist, fine!" I drank the remaining content of my glass before letting myself be dragged to the dancefloor.

By the twe reached the middle, she started screaming again.

"Whoo! If only I knew that going to a bar like this feels great, I would have done it four years ago! I would have avoided being stupid that night and what I felt for him would never have deepened!" "Sam!" I tried to stop her but she continued dancing while screaming.

*** Samantha's POV: I couldn't help but scream and let out the frustration inside me. I don't know, I also couldn't explain but it givessrelief.

Jack kept tugging my arm as she tried to stop me, but instead of listening to her, I continued to scream.

I was just screaming the things I should have and shouldn't have done before. I know it's too late and for sure nobody would care even if I've lost my voice all night.

"This is life! I love my life!" I continued to dance and sway to the fast, piercing rhythm of the music that currently splitting in the air and making out the dancer in me.

I never stopped nor even sat down every tthe music ended and changed it to a new one. Tonight, I really wanted to be wasted and exhausted, so that when I get home, I couldn't think about my problems. I will go straight to my room, slump my tired body in bed and fall asleep. And when I wake up tomorrow, that's when I will face and fix the mess that I started. I was the one who started it, so it means that I have to finish it too.

Jack already leftand gone back to her seat, but I remained dancing and having fun like there was no tomorrow to come. The mixtures of sweat, the different types of perfand the smell of sweet and strong alcohol filled my nose but I ignore it.

But after a few minutes, someone accidentally hit my arm.

"Ouch!" I screamed and immediately turned to see who it was only to be surprised when I recognized him.

"Samantha?" "Paul?" We uttered in unison. Surprised were written in our both eyes when we recognized each other. Paul was one of Dale and Luke's teammates on their basketball team back in college.

Wow, look who's here?" He said almost screaming next to my ear.

I laughed at him as I screamed too.

"It's been a long time, Paul, how are you?" "Well, I'm fine, Sam. Honestly, I was surprised to see you here. I didn't know you also go to a bar." "It's only my second time, actually." "Really?" I nodded and later decided to invite him to our table. I was about to ask him if he could still remember Jack, but they already greeted each other before I could open my mouth.

We started having a conversation and I asked him about his life after college, but when he returned the squestion to me, I shook my head.

"I got married." "Oh, w-with whom?" "Who else, to your captain!" Jack was the one who answered for me.

"Captain--- you mean to say, Luke our basketball captain?" "Exactly!" It was from Jack again.

"W-Wow! Well, congratulations." I gave him a half-hearted smile before opening my mouth.

"Thanks, but we're now getting a divorce." I don't know why I suddenly blurted them out, maybe because I was heartbroken or it's just the spirit of alcohol. "Huh? B-But why?" Surprise and confusion shown in his eyes, but this tJack chose to remain silent.

"It's a long story, Paul, but to make it short, let's just say we're not really meant for each other and I realized that we should never force someone to love us because you will only hurt yourself when they didn't reciprocate your feelings. So after all those years, I finally woke up now with the truth that I should have to let him while I still knew how to define myself." "Ohh... okay, I get it. Well, I guess that's the right decision to make. I don't know the whole story, but seeing the gloom in your eyes, I think I don't really have to ask because your eyes already speak out for your heart." He was interrupted when Jack suddenly excused herself for the ladies room.

"Sometimes, even if we have already given our best, there's still no certainty that the person we love will return our feelings or will love us too. You know what, I believe that a relationship can be compared to closed-door or period in a sentence." I couldn't help but stare at him with a frown.

"Listen, when someone closes the door on you, knock on it. Now after knocking a couple of times and it's still closed, it just means that someone who closed the door on you isn't meant for you, so you have let go and let that door stay closed forever. Do you get it?" I smiled and nodded.

-'Let it stay closed forever'- I repeat in my head.

"And about the period, well, they say when you see the period at the end of the sentence, don't try to turn it into a comma. You must know when something is over and move on because if you continue doing it, only you will be hurt in the end." He ended his speech with a shrug. "Yeah, for so many years, I've been trying to turn that period into a comma, but lately I've realized that I shouldn't have done that." "Yeah." He smiled at me. "Don't just stay behind his shadow. You shouldn't let yourself be lost for someone who doesn't give you importance. We don't know, maybe someday you'll find the man who is really meant for you and that man is the exact opposite of the man you married." "I hope so." I shrugged.

When Jack returned from the ladies room, I suddenly felt tired of dancing, so I just stayed on my seat and drank the remaining shots on the table. I even took Jack's glass.

"Hey, Sam, please slow down, you're drinking like it's just water and not alcohol." "Shhh! I'm fine, Paul don't mind me." I said laughing as I swatted his hand when he tried to get the glass from me. "Anyway, are you alone? Where are your friends?" "Honestly, I chere with two of my friends, but they already left ten minutes ago before I saw you." "Ohh, so you mean to say, you're just dancing alone earlier?" "Well, I saw a girl earlier in the middle, so I pretended to dance, but I was surprised I bumped into you instead." "Seriously?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup." And he chuckled.

"Did you intentionally hit me?" "Ah---no, of course, not!" His eyes widened as he shook his head.

"Okay, I was just asking." I shrugged.

We stayed in the bar until 1:00 in the morning with Paul at our table. I didn't bring my car and just got a ride with Jack when we chere, but since Jack was drunk as I was, Paul insisted on taking us home. We left Jack's car in the bar's parking lot and got into Paul's car. He sent Jack hfirst before askingfor my address, so it's almost 2:00 in the morning when I got home. I don't know what cto my mind because as soon as the car stopped, I started singing the last song the band performed in the bar earlier.

Paul opened the door forand helpedout of the car. He just om parked outside and since the Black huge gate was already open, we both didn't notice the figure waiting at the entrance door. "Oops!" "Hey, Sam!" It was merely a second before my body could slump to the ground, but thanks to Paul as he immediately grabbedby the arm and pulledtowards him.

"Whoa!" I giggled as I noticed my legs wobbled. "Thank you, handsome." And I giggled again.

"You should go to bed now, I'll help you get to the entrance---" "No, Paul, it's okay, I still can walk, you know." I removed his hand that was holding my waist.

"But---"

"Don't worry aboutbecause I'm already home, just worry about yourself as you have to drive home. So careful handsand thank you for the wonderful advice earlier." "Don't mention it, I know you needed those words, so I shared them with you." "Yeah, honestly, you're the third person who toldto let him go, but from now on I promise to listen to all of you, guys." "Good girl!" He said ruffling my hair.

"Haist!" I glared at him but he just chuckled.

"Is your husband waiting for you?" "Ohh...I don't think so." I shrugged. "That's the last thing he would ever do."