"Hello, why'd you call in the middle of the night?" a girl answered.
"Hm. Nothing. Checking up I guess," Ken answered.
"Something wrong? Where are you?" everyone is preventing their smiles.
Something's between them I guess.
"I'm just checking up on you. I'm at a friend's house by the way," he answered.
The girl laughed, "I thought you don't have friends,"
Well, with his face, I would also thought he's friendless.
"I have but not that a lot... I'll be going now. Go to sleep, good night," he lastly said and ended the call.
They just teased him after that and continued playing. I'm getting bored now actually. To the point that I'm already leaning in Kizealla's shoulder. I'm in the urge of sleeping already.
Kizealla knows every corner of my house, I was thinking if hayaan ko nalang siya na mag entertain but I was also thinking na baka mamaya ay magkaroon ng battle of the centuries dito sa bahay.
Baka mag mukhang binagyo 'yung sala.
I just stayed there as I thought I would be. Lumabas ang ako saglit ng dumating 'yung drinks at bumalik din agad.
Everyone looked happy when they saw me carrying a box of soju. If coaxh was here, he would probably be shouting at us to not drink.
Bad influence team captain.
Tama lang para sa lahat ang binili ko. Tig iisa lang. Wala akong balak mag-alaga ng lasing na players. I already saw them drunk one time and I ain't gonna make that happen.
"Si Kuya Lhieon gagi! Hindi pa natatapatan ng bote! T or D na agad!" Zakhston shouted and they all agreed.
Some of them laugh at the youngest's reaction. Zakhston is the youngest among all of us. He's in tenth grade in junior high school, same as Niri. They're classmates as far as I know.
If y'all are wondering who's Niri, she's my sister. She's 2 years younger than me.
"Dare," he answered.
"Since Kuya Ken called his crush. How about giving your crush an item that is sentimental for you but you consider it giving to her," everyone gave him an amused reaction.
"Is it rushed? Or just give it whenever I felt giving it?" Lhieon asked while on his phone.
"Whenever you want to," Lhieon nodded and they finally ended the game.
They just talked a little before heading home. 'Yung iba naman ay pumasok na sa loob ng bahay at tinulungan ako ibaba 'yung extra mattress sa computer room. Why do I have that there? I sometimes stay up late to watch tapos tinatamad na ako maglakad kaya meron non doon.
I don't even know why do I have a lot of pillows here at home.
Niri has her own room here. There's also a guest room but I'm leaving them for the girls. Tatlo nalang naman silang naiwan. Papatabihin ko nalang si Kiz sa akin.
Naninipa siya pag tulog pero sige. Haharangan ko nalang 'yung gitna.
I went up first and changed into my pajamas and did my night care routine before heading back in my room with Kizealla lying down in my bead while on her phone.
"You have a lot to explain, Kizealla," I told her as soon as I came out from my room's bathroom.
"Huwag mo naman ako pakabahin! Para naman ang laking kasalanan noong ginawa ko," she was pouting.
Dude, I will never let this pass.
I look at her while raising a brow, "Eto nga! Kasi before tayo bumalik sa school, Caleb and I are seeing each other for reasons, tapos ayon. We started to go out as friends and he courted me, tapos sinagot ko siya after... 1 month," she was smiling like a idiot while telling me that.
"You look like you're f*cking obsessed," my forehead was creased.
"T*angina mo naman. Wala ka manlang support sa bestie mo?"
"Tigilan mo'ko, Kizealla," humiga na ako sa tabi niya.
She was telling me stories about her and Caleb tapos nakikinig lang ako. Nagtatanong ako minsan kaso wala akong nakukuhang matinong sagot sakanya.
Kizealla talks a lot especially with me. Nakikinig lang ako sakanya pero nagtatanong din minsan. I'm not getting irritated with her voice. It was actually good that she's very open to us.
But Lia is the complete opposite. She rarely opens up. She prefers being alone at her ups and downs. Kung gaano siya kadikit sa amin sa lahat, ganoon siya kalayo pagdating sa sarili niya.
Iniisip ko na nga kung may nakakausap siya tungkol sa mga problems niya. If meron, I'll be happy for her and it will be thankful for that person.
Kizealla fell asleep after talking to me. Hindi ko alam kung sasama siya sa akin bukas o uuwi siya ng maaga pero siguradong gigising ako ng maaga kasi uuwi 'yung iba.
I slept after her and woke up the next day with my alarm. I looked at Kiz who's still sleeping even though my phone alarm was so loud.
Dahan dahan akong pumasok sa guest room at gising na 'yung iba at nag-aayos. While 'yung mga lalaki sa baba ay kakagising lang.
And Ken is one of them.
"Good morning," I said as I opened the living room lights.
I decided to make them breakfast as well. Egg, bacon, and bread. I also cooked rice for those who wants it.
Everyone is busy preparing to go home and I'm trying to call Niri. She's already awake at 4AM. But sometimes, she's oversleeping.
After many rings, no Niri picked up the phone. Puntahan ko nalang siya mamaya.
"Morning," tinignan ko kung sino 'yon and I was shocked after seeing Lhieon there.
"Morning. Akala ko umuwi ka kagabi?" I asked.
"Walang tao sa bahay. I'll seat beside you by the way, is it okay?" I nodded as a response to his question.
Naupo siya sa tabi ko sa dining table. Inabutan ko siya ng plato at tinidor na agad naman niyang tinanggap. He got himself a bread and egg. Pinalaman niya lang sa tinapay 'yung itlog.
"Won't you eat?" he asked.
Umiling naman ako, "I don't eat breakfast," sabi ko.
"Breakfast is important. Why won't you eat?"
"I just don't. Used to being like that. I sometimes do. Pero kasi wala akong gana mag almusal lagi. Don't know why," I explained.
Mag-isa lang din kasi ako kaya nakakatamad kumain sa umaga. Wala na pati akong time para kumain. Hindi din naman ako nadaan ng 7/11 para makabili ng pagkain or kahit sa mga cafe. May breakfast din naman sa cafeteria.
He got another bread and filled it with scrambled egg before giving it to me, "Eat. We're not that close, I know. But at least eat something. Athlete ka, breakfast is important, you should know that,"
I accepted the food and ate it. Na g-guilty ako sa hindi ko pagkain sa umaga. I mean, Mom also told me it's important and yet I'm being stubborn.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" tanong ko kay Lhieon nang mahuli ko siyang nakatitig sa akin.
"You're pretty up close. For real," tuloy tuloy na sabi niya, "But... why did you changed?" that made me froze.
I don't know. I've changed, I know. The exact reason why? Can't answer that.
"There's no connection between your appearance and you but why?" he was asking with respect. I can feel that.
"I... I don't know. But I'm trying to be myself again!" I told him.
I was devastated the past months. Maybe that's the reason why. But still, thats doesn't matter because I wanted to feel like I'm me.
Lhieon chuckled and ruffled my hair, "Don't be too hard on yourself. I just noticed this past days that you're being different," he removed his hand from my head before talking again, "I'll gladly help and be part you with your heling process,"
I smiled. A genuine. Pero hindi ko magets bakit kahapon ang sungit ni Lhieon tapos ngayong ang bait.
After our talk, the others started coming in the dinjg area and I was just there, talking to them. Lhieon stayed beside me and Caleb on the other side.
They are fighting because of a freakin' bacon.
"Puwede pa naman kayo magluto," sabi ko.
"Lhieon! Luto na!" sigaw ni Caleb.
"Ikaw umubos kaya ikaw magluto. Itlog ngalang kinain ko dito," he shot back.
"Baka kasi masunog," bulong niya habang nakamot sa ulo.
"Kasalanan mo na 'yon,"
Everyone laughed. Well, kasalanan naman talaga nang magluluto kung bakit masusunog 'yung lulutuin niya. I once left the rice that I was cooking and Mom scolded me for that. I don't even know how to cook rice that time!
"Madali lang lutuin ang bacon. Hindi mo naman basta masusunog 'yan," I told Caleb.
"See? Now cook," Caleb gave up whwn Lhieon told him that.
"Puta. Kumampi sa crush," bulong ni Caleb na agad namang tumayo para pumunta sa kusina.
Ambobo naman bumulong neto.
A little later, others already went home but the three stayed. Si Kiz ay hindi padin nababa kasi sarap na sarap sa pagtulog.
"Gala tayo bukas," bungad ni Caleb pagbalik niya daldala ang plato ng bacon.
"Bakit hindi pa ngayon?" takang tanong ni Ken.
"Sige ba. Saan tayo?" Caleb immediately approved.
"Ikaw nag suggest kaya ikaw mag isip kung saan," pambabara ni Lhieon.
Pag uuntugin ko 'tong dalawang 'to.
"Tangina mo naman! Venus oh! Long time crush ka neto ni Lhieon!" Caleb fought.