|| Carlo
"What? Ate Firenze and Kuya Ryze just got engaged? You're not joking, right?" Adriano asked doubtly whilst driving. I can't blame him, Reign is a big prankster.
"Oo potek." Reign assured. "Gulat nalang ako na may naguusap na sila about sa kasal at nakasuot na si Ate Florence ng singsing."
"I'm glad that she's going to marry him. They look perfect together." Adriano replied.
We just hopped in Adriano's dark gray Subaru Impreza when Reign spilled this surprising news. Well, we were all astonished about this. Ate Florence and Kuya Ryze have been together for 8 long years, they've been strong through ups and downs and grew together. Who wouldn't want that that kind of love? I wasn't expecting Adriano's response though, I thought love was just a chemical imbalance to him, or it was just an assumption of mine?
We were going to Divisoria to buy some spy cameras. Adriano was the driver, I was seated at the passenger's seat, Maryl was seated behind Adriano, Reign was seated behind me and Axis was in the middle seat.
"Di ko alam boto ka pala sa hayop kong kuya." Reign told Adriano
"He's such a nice and outgoing guy." he answered "Kuya Ryze would be a great addition to our La Famiglia to be honest. Hinihintay ko na nga lang yung kasal eh! But it still feels surreal now that it would happen anytime soon." he added.
"Nice?" Reign asked confusingly. "Kuya ko, nice?!"
"Well, he's your kuya so you know better." he answered.
We drove along BGC, Makati and Manila. We arrived after 30 minutes. Adriano decided to park his car at Lucky Chinatown Mall for he thinks it's safer there. We all got down and roamed around 999 shopping mall. We came across the gadgets section. Pinuntahan na namin yung pinakamalapit.
"Magkano 'tong mga spy cameras?" Adriano asked whilst pointing something from the glass, and it surprised the vendors. Or maybe they were surprised in a fact that a man in a business casual attire asked them?
"Ano sir, depende po sa style saka sa brand." one of the vendor replied.
"Okay sige. Bigyan mo ako one per each kind." he requested, at sinunod naman ng tindero.
"Sure kang pipitsugin mga kailangan mo bruh?" Axis asked Adriano while waiting for the vendor.
Reign crossed her arms and glared at Axis. "Wala kang tiwala kay Ian?"
"Di naman sa walang tiwala, low quality kasi oh." he answered.
Maryl gave him a glare. "Says the one who wore gray pajamas to Divisoria."
"Wala kang karapatan sumagot." Axis mockingly told Maryl. "Ikaw nga denim shorts, gray t-shirt at black sneakers suot mo, kala mo nasa galaan."
"Tara, Jollibee tayo." yaya ni Reign.
"Bakit Jolli--" Axis was about to ask when Maryl interrupted with a warning.
"Don't make her hungry guys."
Axis felt Reign's potential 'hangry' aura, at mukhang ayaw na niyang ma-Batista Bomb ulit. "Tara. Pagkatapos dito, food court tayo." he immediately said.
-----
Maryl
I excused myself to the comfort room while some of them are still eating at the food court. I'm a fast eater eh, we all had rice meals and I finished faster than them. I just realized that I didn't eat my breakfast. After relieving myself, I passed one of the cheap gown stores and saw a mannequin displaying a simple midnight blue tulle gown with a plunging v-neckline.
I'm feeling an upcoming engagement party, and this is the perfect gown.
"Excuse me, how much for that gown?" I asked the vendor.
"It's ano po, 3k ma'am!" sagot ng tindera na bata pa. She was shocked kasi nagenglish ako.
I saw a mannequin displaying a maroon off-shoulder fitted mermaid gown, and another mannequin beside displaying a gray laced 3/4 long sleeve with an asymmetrical skirt.
I pointed those gowns. "Magkano ang mga yun?"
"3k nalang din po. Wala po kasi bumibili gaano dito banda eh."
Matumal benta dito? Hmm... I have to make something about this.
"Along with the tulle gown, gusto ko rin sukatin yung dalawang yun."
She agreed and took those gowns out of their mannequins.
Nagulat ulit siya, dahil siguro nag-Tagalog ako?
She handed me the gowns, and took me to the fitting room.
I started with the midnight blue gown. Its color changes from black when in dark, of course. You can't see the blue hue unless you're in a well-lit area. The tulle skirt detachable and wasn't that puffy, so I could easily wear the gown part. I also noticed the slit on the left side of the gown, I could put a zipper so that I could hide my gun.
It's such an innovative design, bakit 3 thousand lang singil niya dito?
Sabagay, no one would pay 25 thousand pesos for this. Nasa Divisoria kasi.
Oh wait, an idea struck in my mind. I'll make sure to make use of that.
The next thing I wore is the maroon gown. It makes me look mature for I have fair skin. The off-shoulder part can be removed for a strapless look. I would buy this for Reign, I think this would suit her. It may look simple, but it's eye-catching. I noticed the tail part is detachable, so I removed it and wore it on my waist. I also removed the off-shoulder part. Perfect for cocktail parties, I would say.
I attached those pieces in their original places before going to the next one.
Lastly, I wore the gray gown, which actually a jumpsuit in disguise. I would buy this in case of an event that would require this kind of gown, but it looks well on late night parties as well.
Seriously, I am amused of how high-quality and innovative the designs were.
I wore my casual clothes, hung the gowns on my arm as I walked outside the fitting room. It's not that heavy anyways.
"Sino nagdesign nito?" I curiously asked the vendor.
Dahan dahan siya nagraise ng hand and answered coyly. "Ako po, Miss Liu."
I smiled sweetly and tapped her shoulder. "You don't have to be shy. Saan ka nagaaral?"
She looked at me. "Senior High School palang po ako sa pinakamalapit na university mula dito."
"From what strand or track?"
"Arts and Design po."
Can she accelerate to college? She got some world-class skills!
I took out my business card and 10 thousand pesos from my wallet and gave those to her. "You have a potential. I'll take these three. Sa iyo na rin yung extrang 1 thousand. Feel free to hit me up if you want to enroll at Alexandra University, I'll make sure to grant you a scholarship."
Alexandra University has a system for poor students in order for them to pay less but still get the high-quality education that the university offers, but gifted inviduals can be granted scholarship, especially art majors. The guidelines are pretty strict for potential art majors to enter, like the STEM majors.
Nanlaki mata niya with the amount I gave, it seems that her smile is painted on a canvas. "Th-thank you po Miss Liu! Sobrang idol po kayo and di ko po ineexpect na mamemeet ko po kayo!" and she gave me a hug, and I hugged back.
-----
Reign
"Kunin mo yung isang box mamaya, the one with a maroon gown." utos sa akin ni Maryl habang papasok na siya ng kotse. Nauna kasi ako pumasok para sa tabi ako ng driver, at tabi sina Maryl at Carlo hihi.
"Alam mo namang di ako mahilig sa gown, ba't ka bumili?" sagot ko.
Sinara ni Maryl ang pintuan ng sasakyan. "For future use."
Lumingon si Ian sa likod. "Where is Axis?"
Tumapik ako sa balikat niya. "Sabi ni Axis may bibilhin pa siya, baka matagalan pa siya kasi naiwan niya wallet niya sa kung saan. Ayaw niya rin makaabala sa atin so ayun." sagot ko.
"Ba't di siya nagtext sa akin?" pagtatakang tanong ni Ian.
"Nagtext siya sa akin." at pinakita ko yung staged na text kay Ian na nasa phone ko. Staged kasi kinuha ko phone ni Axis at nagtext ako sa sarili ko. Dinelete ko rin yung kopya ng text na yun sa phone niya. Di kasi naglolock kaya naaccess ko agad.
"Oh yeah." pagkasilip ni Ian at nagdrive agad para maiuwi na kami sa kanya-kanyang bahay. Si Maryl at Carlo ang tahimik sa likod, mga di nagiingay habang nasa biyahe. Nakakaurat lang paano ako magkakaroon ng inaanak niyan?!
Unang bumaba si Maryl dahil sa AXU dorm naman siya nagstestay at may dalawang gown siyang dala, yung isa nasa box. Bago siya bumaba nang tuluyan, hawak niya yung wallet ni Axis na kinuha naman ni Ian.
"Axis lost his wallet di ba? I saw this here."
"I'll hand this when I--" napatigil si Ian saglit. "Makakauwi ba yun?"
Nagkatinginan kaming lahat.
"Should we go back to Divisoria?" tanong ni Carlo sa amin.
"Iuwi niyo muna ako. Inaantok na ako eh." banggit ko na may kunwaring inaantok na boses at mata.
Ramdam kong may sinasabi si Maryl sa isip niya na 'ano nanaman ginawa mo Lawreign Ellison?' at sumakay nalang sa trip ko. "Iuwi niyo nalang muna si Reign guys. Take care." Lumabas siya ng sasakyan at kinuha yung mga gown, iniwan niya yung para sa akin.
Pagkababa sa akin ni Ian sa bahay at hindi na nagbabye nang maayos dahil babalik sila agad ng Divisoria. Kinuha ko yung plastic bag na sinasabi ni Maryl at pumasok. Agad akong umakyat sa kwarto at naupo sa higaan ko. Kinuha ko yung 2 thousand na nasa bulsa ko, na kinupit ko mula sa wallet ni Axis. Kinuha ko rin yung phone ko mula sa bulsa at agad binuksan ang Grab Food. Umorder agad ako ng 20 milk tea, at saktong may 2,000 pesos pa ako na laman sa Grab. Ipapamigay ko lang din naman sa mga maids, butlers, at pati na rin sa magdedeliver kasi I'm feeling generous today.
Madali ko lang nakuha mula sa bulsa ni Axis yung wallet niya at hinulog. Silk pa na pajama yung sinuot ng gago, alam namang Divisoria pupuntahan jusko.
Ang rason kung bakit ako kumupit ng 2k? Malaki-laki utang nun sa akin, mabawasan manlang utang niya sa akin.
Pagkatapos umorder, sinukat ko yung gown na sinasabi ni Maryl...
Napansin ko natatanggal yung off shoulder part kaya sinuot ko muna ng strapless. Binalik ko yung off shoulder para makita yung buong gown in its beauty.
Tumalikod, nagpose sa harap ng salamin at naghair flip, naglabas ng legs konti at nag power pose.
"Ganda mo talaga Lawreign. Hays." pagcompliment ko sa sarili ko at naghair flip pa ulit.
Bagay nga sa akin, marunong pumili 'tong best friend ko! Mukha pang mamahalin kasi ang ganda na nga ng tahi, ang ganda pa ng materials na ginamit. Goodness. Kudos sa designer nito!
Mukhang nahanap ko na ang perfect gown to wear. Di na ako mamumroblema sa engagement party nila kuya at Ate Florence, well kung meron man.
_____
Beyond the Spectrum | Wave 7: Cheap Thrills • © mxylms