Stephanie, the Mafia Queen

Avaluan couldn't help but smile when Stephanie scoffed at her. She anticipated the girl's reaction before even approaching her. For some unknown reason, she enjoyed watching the changes in Stephanie's expression every time she saw her.

"You again?" Stephanie asked.

"Wow, really?" She took a seat on the stool beside Stephanie. "You're so rude."

Stephanie remained silent, simply sipping her drink.

Avaluan turned to the bartender. "A shot of tequila, please. One for me, and one for my neighbor here."

Enteng, the bartender, looked at Stephanie before responding, "Right away, ma'am."

Avaluan faced Stephanie again. "Are we early today? Boy problems?"

"I can say the same thing to you. And no, I don't have any boy problems. I am every guy's problem." As the tequila shots arrived, Stephanie quickly took hers. "Thanks for that."

Stephanie was about to leave when Avaluan stopped her. Stephanie glanced at the hand on her arm, which Avaluan quickly withdrew.

"Sorry," Avaluan said, attempting a smile. "I just really want someone to talk to right now. And maybe some advice, if you're up for it."

"I can't give people advice."

"You can just sit with me and listen," Avaluan said, hopeful that she could persuade her to stay. "You don't have to give advice if you don't want to. Drinks are on me too!" She raised her glass, showing it to Stephanie.

Stephanie looked at her glass before raising an eyebrow. "Do I look like someone who can't afford my drinks?"

Avaluan's mouth hung open, and she lowered her glass, watching Stephanie walk out of the bar. She sighed before sitting on the stool, staring into space.

"Another drink, ma'am?" Enteng asked.

Avaluan nodded. "Thank you, Enteng."

"I'd like to hear your problem, but I need to work."

She smiled. "You always listen to me. I feel bad for my repeated rants, but thank you."

"No problem. Who else will help each other here, right?" He handed her a glass. "Here's your drink. There's no better friend than a shot of tequila."

As more people arrived, Avaluan found it challenging to talk to Enteng. Nevertheless, she was grateful that the guy cared about her and what was happening.

She had many cousins close to her, whom she could confide in. But whenever she told them, they wouldn't keep quiet. Every time something happened to her or her dad, her cousins would go wild. And she didn't want that to happen.

She'd rather deal with the problem herself. She didn't want to make the situation worse. After a few shots, she decided it was time to go home. Despite not wanting to leave yet, dizziness overcame her, leaving her with no other option.

However, she nearly cursed when she saw her cousin giving her a serious look. Based on his stance and expression, he wasn't pleased with what he saw.

Avaluan forced a smile. "Hi, Peter. Good afternoon?" she greeted because she didn't know the time; all she knew was that the sun was scorching.

"Good? There's nothing good about my afternoon, Ava."

She averted her gaze. "Did Jennica do something again?" she asked, referring to the guy's sister. She knew it wasn't a good idea to involve her cousin in the conversation, but she failed.

"I know you know why I react this way. Ava-" He sighed before continuing. "-it's f*ck!ng twelve in the afternoon, and you're already drunk. What the h3ll are you up to?"

Ava didn't reply.

Peter's frown lessened when he realized something. "Ah... it's your f*ck!ng father, isn't it?"

"Peter, he's still my dad. Don't talk to him like that."

"Your f*ck!ng father is an ab.u.ser, Ava. Whether it's your dad, brother, mom, or whoever, my opinion won't change. If not for you, I might be the one who brought him to prison."

Avaluan took a deep breath. It seemed like the alcohol's effect had diminished because of her cousin. "I'm going home if that's all you're going to say."

"I'm taking you home."

"No, thanks. I'm taking a cab." She started to walk towards the waiting shed.

"Don't be stubborn, Ava. I'll take you."

"I said no!" Avaluan retorted. "I'm not going with you and getting in your car to hear a few minutes of your bad-mouthing my dad."

Peter bit his lower lip to stop himself from saying something. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't bad-mouthing; he was just stating the truth. But he knew that if he said that, Ava would refuse even more. His cousin had been drinking, and it wasn't safe for women to go home alone.

"I won't say anything," Peter said. "Promise. Just come with me, and I'll take you home."

Avaluan sighed before heading to the parking area and getting into Peter's car. As Peter promised, the ride was silent. Even Ava didn't speak until they reached her house.

Upon arrival, Peter walked her inside to the terrace. Ryan, Ava's dad, was sitting there, a bottle of alcohol in front of him and a few empty ones scattered on the floor.

Upon seeing Peter and Ava approaching, he quickly stood up unsteadily. "Where have you been, kid? I've been looking for you!"

Avaluan didn't answer, so Peter did. "Why are you looking for her? You don't even have money to buy your own booze, right?"

"Peter," Avaluan scolded her cousin in a hushed tone.

"Oh-! What are you staring at there? Go buy some. Hurry up!"

Avaluan sighed before turning away. Before she could leave, though, she heard her father's voice again. "Wait! What did I hear?" He stood up and approached Avaluan. "Did you talk back to me? Are you complaining now?"

"No, I'm not complaining. I'm just tired, so-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence because she received a strong slap from him. She gasped, holding her numb lip.

"You really have no gratitude, huh? Hey! I let you stay in my house. In my house! What right do you have to talk back to me? Why? Have you proven anything? Can you live on your own now? Then go! If you can live on your own, go!"

"No," she whispered.

"Not really. So why the complaining?"

Avaluan bowed her head, accepting his words. She didn't speak and simply agreed with him until he calmed down. When Ryan returned to his seat, she left without saying goodbye.

Instead of buying alcohol as she initially planned, she went to the field owned by Kise's family, one of her cousins. From a distance, she saw workers enduring the blazing sun.

She was about to head straight to Kise's house when she noticed the familiar figure with the workers. She knew that this person often helped on their farm, but she didn't expect to see her working in the middle of the scorching day.

Before calling her cousin's name, one of the workers pointed at her. She approached, and Kise left her work to come to her. Avaluan pointedly looked at her bleeding lip, which she hadn't noticed before. "Do you have a wound?"

"I don't."

Kise began to treat Avaluan's lip. Only then did she realize that she had a cut that stung. She didn't respond and let Kise handle her lip.

Once Kise was done, Avaluan noticed that her cousin wasn't in the mood. "Are you okay?" she asked Kise.

Kise sighed. "I'm not okay."

"Is it something with Keisha?"

Kise looked at her. "This isn't about Keisha and me. It's about you." Her voice raised. "It's been years, Ate Ava. Why are you still putting up with that man?"

Kise blew out air before continuing. "I know you might get angry because I don't respect Ryan. But you know I can't respect him for what he's doing to you and to Auntie. Since Uncle Patrick passed away and Auntie introduced that man, nothing good has happened to you."

"But he's the one giving us a place to stay."

"We can provide you a place to stay without asking for anything in return. That's what family is for. But it seems like he doesn't see you as family. He hurts you!" Kise took a deep breath to calm herself.

"But we can't leave him." Avaluan almost whispered. "We're the only ones he has, and Mama loves him."

"Love..." Kise chuckled softly. "Sometimes I really can't understand Auntie's love for that man."

They fell silent after that. They sat on the terrace, looking out into Kise's vast farmland. For the rest of the afternoon, Kise didn't leave Avaluan's side. Even though they didn't talk, they were just there. Avaluan didn't leave Kise to help in the field, as she wanted. But Kise insisted.

"Don't go home yet, she might still be awake. Let her sleep first so she won't hurt you again. Stay inside for now and do whatever you want. I'll just fetch Paulle and Keisha."

Avaluan nodded before going inside. She sat in the living room, turning on the television while waiting for them. But her attention wasn't there. She thought about how lucky and unlucky she was in her family.

They were unlucky because her father was gone too soon. They were unlucky because her mother's new love was the one hurting them. But they were also lucky in a way because they had a large family on the father's side, and they were all very close.

Avaluan sighed. Despite everything that had happened and worried her, she found herself laughing at the thought of the girl she met at the bar.

It wasn't new to her to feel this way. She was attracted to girls since a long time ago. She didn't pay attention to it before, but lately, every time she saw the girl at the bar, her heart raced. She got excited at the thought of seeing her again.

But the pain from that rejection still stung, and she remembered it as she drank in the bar.