"Beaaaaaaa!"
Someone screamed my name so loud and it almost damaged my eardrums. Sinubukan kong takpan ang mga tenga ko gamit ang mga unan pero patuloy pa rin siya sa paghila sa akin upang tumayo na ako. A literal human alarm clock.
Ginusot ko pa ang mga mata ko para luminaw ang paningin ko. "Mimi, 'wag ka na mag-ingay. I'm awake, okay?" I said, my voice a little hoarse because I just woke up. Inayos ko muna ang buhok ko bago tuluyang tumayo. "Six o'clock pa lang?" I asked while looking at her.
Bumagsak ulit ako sa kama. Hindi pa naman pasukan kaya okay lang na ma-late magising. I don't know why she's here early. "Beys, nakalimutan mo na ba? Today is the enrollment day that's why we need to go. Magprepare ka naaa!" she said, pulling my hand for me to stand up again.
Muntik ng mawala sa isip ko. Friday na nga pala ngayon and we need to enroll. Dahil do'n ay napilitan akong tumayo na at magprepare para umalis. Nakasalubong ko pa si Faye na nakaupo sa sala habang nagpo-phone. I greeted her 'good morning' and she just smiled at me.
Mimi literally pushed me inside the bathroom and said, "Go prepare yourself! Then we'll eat."
After I took a bath, I went out of the bathroom with my clothes on, still using the portable hair dryer. Naabutan ko sila sa sala na gano'n pa rin ang posisyon, their attention focused on their phones. When Mimi noticed me, she immediately shifted her eyes on my direction.
"You done? We can now eat, yey!"
Nakapamewang ko silang hinarap, raising my brows at them. "Tapatin niyo nga ako. Pinapakain ba kayo sa inyo? Why is it when you're here, pagkain agad ang hanap niyo?" I asked them. Mimi just chuckled at my sarcasm.
"We just love to eat! Kaya, tara na, huwag ka ng mag-emote riyan. The breakfast is already prepared by Manang!" She guided me and made me seat at the dining table. Faye was following us. Food was now served on the table. We talked about random things while having our breakfast.
When we're finished, nagpahinga muna kami a couple of minutes before going.
Medyo marami ng students na nasa university when we arrived. May mga buildings na mukhang inayos since the school break. Good thing mabilis lang kaming nakapasok sa enrollment room when we lined along with the other students. Medyo na-late nga lang si Mimi na mag-fill out ng form because someone was talking to her outside. She literally knows everyone in the university. Napaka-social kasi at friendly.
"What took you so long? Tapos na kami mag-fill out ng form," medyo inis na bigkas ni Faye sa kaniya. She's the complete opposite of her cousin. Kung friendly at madaldal si Mimi, serious type naman si Faye. Minsan nahahawaan sa kabaliwan nitong si Mimi, pero madalas parang nakaperiod.
"Sorry na. I just met someone outside." Mimi explained while filling out the form. Nang matapos, we ate again in a fastfood chain dahil nag-aya na naman itong si Mimi. This time, Faye seconded at her because she's hungry too. Lunch time na rin naman kaya pumayag na ako. After our meals, naghiwa-hiwalay na kami at napagdesisyunang mag-meet nalang ulit next next week to bond.
Last week na ng May at matatapos na nga nang tuluyan ang summer. We're just here in the house, hanging out. Those straight two weeks were boring, sineryoso kasi ng dalawa na hindi pumunta rito. Akala yata nila may galit ako sa kanila dahil kapag nandito sila lagi kaming kumakain. I don't mind naman as long as we're together. I didn't expect they'll take it seriously. The whole two weeks, they were offline, nag-online na lang ulit nu'ng Monday at nagchat na pupunta na raw sila rito finally.
"Mauunahan na kita!" sigaw ko kay Faye while she's busy pressing buttons on her joystick. I was competing with her. Since lagi akong talo, we decided to bet. Kung sino ang magfi-first place, siya ang maglilibre sa labas namin next time. Mimi was just silently scooping her ice cream. Food is her priority.
"As if!" she remarked and smirked. Race car lang naman ang laro namin. We're inside my room right now, nasa corner ang malaking screen for video games. Mimi's front was facing my couch's front while watching.
"Guys, 'yung ice cream niyo matutunaw na!" Mimi said but we're so focused that we ignored her. I started hearing her 'tsk' & hmpk' meaning she's pissed at us. Inaya naman kasi namin siya pero ayaw niya naman. Akala ata niya mauubos namin 'yung ice cream na binili namin.
Nakita ko sa map na sobrang lapit na namin sa finish line nang tapikin ni Mimi ang joystick naming dalawa kaya bumangga ito sa other side of the road. We're both defeat at nanalo ang computer rival.
"Mimi! Malapit ko ng matalo si Faye, eh! Bakit ba kasi?" I accidentally shouted at her. Then she turned her back at us.
"I'm going," she said, face a little dull. Mukhang napikon na namin siya dahil kanina pa namin siya hindi pinapansin. Palabas na siya ng pinto nang pigilin ko siya at yakapin.
"Ito na, oh. Tapos na kami, hehe. Huwag ka ng magtampo," paglalambing ko and kissed her cheek. She pushed me while wiping her face using her hand. "Bro, no homo."
"Bro..." Nagkatinginan kami atsaka nagtawanan sa sarili naming kalokohan. We even heard Faye chuckle a little. We were interrupted when Manang Fely entered the room.
"Ito na ang mga fries na pinaluto niyo mga anak," ani niya atsaka inabot sa amin ang bowl na puno ng fries. The funny thing is, sa dami ng kinakain namain, ni hindi kami tumataba. Hindi naman kami nag-gym dahil hindi naman kami gano'n ka-body-conscious. But I keep on telling them to lessen eating fastfoods and junkfoods.
Habang nagpapahinga bago maglaro ulit, kumain kami ng fries with ice cream. Pumipili na si Faye ng game na pwede sa aming tatlo maliban sa race games. Napili niya 'yung isang fighting game na pwedeng may kasangga, pero they chose to make me their enemy kaya ayun nagvirtual fight kami.
"Did you hack my video games or something? Bakit lagi niyo akong natatalo?" I asked them. Tinawanan lang nila ako. Sa susunod na gala namin, ililibre ko na naman sila. May company naman sila at halos magkasing-level lang sa amin, pero bakit para silang pinagkaitan ng karangyaan? Laging nagpapalibre ng kahit na ano? Hmpk.
"So, bukas. Ano na ang balak niyo?" Faye asked while eating her ice cream. Napahawak ako sa baba ko at nagkunwaring nag-iisip pero actually isang bright idea na ang pumasok sa isip ko.
"What about... we go shopping!" They frowned at me na para bang ine-expect na nila ang sagot ko. Napasalumbaba ako at pinaikot ang fries sa baso ng ice cream. I ate it afterwards.
"We always go shopping. Something different naman sana," Faye commented. The answer I expected from her. Ano pa kaya ang gusto nilang gawin maliban sa shopping? Ang saya kaya magpunta sa mall at bumili ng mga damit at accesories.
"Punta tayong beach!" Mimi suggested. Since nasa Baguio ako this summer, wala kaming swimming activities together. 'Yun nga lang, next week na ang pasukan at baka umitim kami. It was a great idea sana if malayo pa ang pasukan.
"Hindi papayag ang lolo ni Bea," Faye answered back. One more thing pala, kapag hindi namin kasama si Lolo or wala akong chaperone, hindi tuloy ang outing. Gano'n sila ka-strict sa akin. They won't allow me to be exposed to harm because I am the future succesor of Buena Companies.
I remembered one time I had a fight with this man in black na sunod nang sunod sa akin. Akala ko stalker, but it turned out to be one of Lolo's people. They are looking over me secretly kase, eh.
"Kung hindi pwedeng outing at beach sa malayong lugar, then let's just swim here! Sa pool niyo, Beys. Well let's just add some effect para naman masulit na natin ang remaining days of Summer!" Mimi suggested. Napatango naman si Faye na parang agree sa ideya niya. Okay na rin 'yon since hindi na namin kailangang magprepare at mag-impake. Just enjoy the familiar view.
Matapos mapag-usapan ang iba pang bagay at maubos ang pagkain, napansin naming mag-gagabi na kaya naghanda na sila sa pag-alis.
"We should clean the mess na. Mag-7pm na pala. Kailangan na nating umalis or we'll here a sermon from mom, featuring her rapping skills," pagbibiro ni Mimi. Natawa na naman kami sa kaniya while piling up the trash and the things we used to eat.
"Yeah. Mag-aalala na naman si Tita sa prinsesa nila," bigkas ni Faye habang winawagyway ang kamay sa ulo ni Mimi na abala sa pagliligpit. Matapos maayos ang lahat, bumaba na kami at sinamahan sila hanggang sa makalabas sila ng gate.
"Bahala ka ng magpaalam kay Lolo ha. We're going na," sabi ni Mimi. Tumango lang ako sa kaniya atsaka ngumiti. "By the way, tumawag ka na ba ng cab?" tanong niya kay Faye. Napakunot-noo ako.
"Walang susundo sa inyo? Magpahatid na kayo sa personal driver namin. Baka mapano pa kayo at gabi na." I said, sounding concerned. Well, marami na ang nababastos sa taxi these days kaya mabuti na 'yung alam kong ligtas ang mga kaibigan ko.
Ibubuka na sana ni Faye ang kaniyang bibig pero pinigilan ko siya. "Don't even try to refuse my suggestion. I just want you guys to arrive home safe."
"Okay, sige na. We'll just text you when we arrived. Goodnight, babe." sabi ni Faye atsaka bumeso sa akin. Gano'n din si Mimi atsaka bahagyang nag-wave.
"Thank you, baby." dagdag ni Mimi. Linabas na ni Manong ang sasakyan atsaka na sila sumakay pagkatapos. I waved at them bago tuluyang umalis ang sasakyan. This day was so tiring but fun. It's really nice to have a friend talaga.