Busy day, that's how it always have been on my life living here in Manila. School, hanging out with friends and playing arcade games has been my habit since I grew up here.
*news video playing on phone* "As of February 12, 2023 another victim of the horrid 'claw killer' has been reported...."
"Marko" I heard a voice behind me, it was my classmate and childhood friend John. I glanced at him and continued to watch the news on my phone.
"What are you watching" he asked as he sat beside me and tilted my phone so that he can see too.
"Huh, you really like stuff like these. You plan on becoming a serial killer?--akkk why'd you punch me!" He asked but I just stared at him.
He stood up and went in front of me and turned off my phone. I did not bother to do anything to him since I was done watching that news.
"Hey bro, you know you're going away later right? Why're you just watching some creepy lame-ass video in your phone. We should hang out cuz we might not see each other for a long time y'know". He said and sighed. "Gosh I can't believe you did not even told me! your best friend! You fucker. If I didn't ask uncle Richard last night cuz I saw him packing things I wouldn't know you were planning on going away!" He angrily said and punched my shoulder.
"That hurts Jo, and for your information I just knew about it last night too you know. That's why dad has been visiting school- to ready my papers." I replied.
He grabbed a seat and sat in front of me.
"We're gonna hang out, I'll call the gang to ready up" He said and grabbed his phone then chatted our friends.
I myself can't believe that I'm gonna transfer, dad did not tell me anything as well. I did not even bother to ask him why he was visiting school these past few days as we're not that close since that.... incident happened.
"Come on now Marko, We'll wait for them on the mall." John grabbed me and we started to walk outside the school.
Busy day, busy city. I'm gonna miss this place and of course everything here. For as long as I can remember I grew up here, those happy memories, and also I can't forget that accident... I shook my head. No, I must forget that.
"MARKO" I jolted as I was surprised by John's voice.
"I've been calling you a few times and you were not answering, are you okay?" He worriedly asked. I did not even know that we've reached the destination already.
"Y-yeah, I was just thinking about some things." I replied.
"Come on man, don't get distracted by something, we should enjoy ourselves, this'll be fun!" He cheered me up with a big smile. He's right I should not get distracted by these thoughts. I just need to disregard them and I will be fine.
"Oi Marko, Jo." We heard someone calling for us. We looked back and we saw the gang.
"Marie, Enard, Grace, Axel and Kristof! Glad you made it!" John greeted and did the fist bumps with them so did I.
"Man I can't believe you did not tell us that you're gonna transfer, bastard" Grace said as she punched me.
"agreed" Kristof seconded.
"True true, you don't love us anymore do you?" Axel said while wiping off the invisible tears in his eye.
"You're not a true- gyaaaaak--!" Enard did not finished his sentence as I choke locked him.
"I- g-g-gibehe" He shouted as he taps my shoulders. The other four laughs in amusement to what I did to him and I can't help but laugh together with them too.
"Man I thought you were gonna kill me there Marko." Enard complained while rubbing his neck.
"I might have you know.." I replied.
We then entered the mall and started to play some arcade games. I really like this zombie shooting game. How I wish there'd be zombies man. I remembered way back before fantasizing about the world coming to an end because of zombie apocalypse and of course I'd be the protagonist. I mean most of us would've dreamt about it too right?
As we were playing, I decided to check my phone and it was already 6pm.
"Guys it's already 6 I think we should go home, wanna stay the night with me?" I asked which they promptly agreed with a big thumbs up sign.
We stopped playing and walked out of the arcade. We decided to go the supermarket to buy some foods to cook later. They went to the different aisles where they chose to buy what they want. I said I will be the one to pay but they insisted they'd be responsible for it since this will be my last day together with them. How lucky am I to have such good friends right?
My phone suddenly rang so I checked and it was Ms. Jannie, my step mom.
"Hello Marko? I heard from your friends' parents they'd be staying here tonight?" She asked.
"Uh yes auntie, we were just buying some stuff for later, they said they want to hang out for the last time since it'd be long before we can do it again." I replied.
"Oh okay, I'm gonna cook lots of foods for you and your friends later" she said.
"Okay auntie, thanks." I replied and hanged.
Ms. Jannie… I really can't call her mom. I mean she's been taking good care of us, especially me, she really cares for me as her son. She's been with us for almost ten years and not since did I call her mom. I know she hides the fact that she wants me to call her mom but she doesn't want to push me to call her that which is why I like her.
"Hey Marko we're done let's go now." Grace called.
"Yep! be right there." I shouted and walked towards them.
We grabbed a cab and made our way to the house. We got home in just a couple of minutes since our house was located near the school and on the highway. As we took off the cab, I saw auntie outside the house taking the hanged clothes and sheets she washed earlier in the morning.
"Hi tita Jannie!" Grace greeted.
"Auntie let me do that" I said and grabbed that sheets but she stopped me.
"Let me do this son, go there in the living room and the foods are ready. I also prepared some lemongrass juice there. Don't worry about it you all should just enjoy." She insisted.
Well I couldn't do anything but heed what she told me. I told my friends to go in the living room ahead since I'd just change my clothes as I feel sticky due to what we did earlier. I hurriedly changed my clothes and went down to eat with them.
There were many foods on the table, fried chicken, adobo, caldereta, pancit, lumpiang shanghai, carbonara, there were even desserts such as macarons, mango float, ice cream and cake.
"Wouwhs ids sho delshhs!" (Wow it's to delicious). Grace said as she's mouthful so we did not clearly understand what she said.
"Now, now Grace you should eat carefully, there's still more you know." Auntie Jannie said.
She grabbed that cup and drank the juice like a madman then slammed the cup on the table.
"Maaaan, tita Jannie it's just that your food's really delish y'know. I can't help myself but gobble it all up." Grace replied.
Auntie just smiled sweetly and went upstairs. I guess she's preparing the things dad and I will be using tomorrow when we depart.
"Grace you're gaining weight stop eating too much. geez" Kristof said to Grace
*bak!* a spoon went flying towards Kristof that hit his forehead, causing it to swell a bit.
"Hey what was that about!" Kristof complained while rubbing his forehead.
Grace, whose tummy is out- leaning on the seat just smirked at him.
I can't help but enjoy this night. After that we sang, and played video games. After that we decided to go out on the lawn. I grabbed thick black sheets to lay on the grassy lawn, while Kristof and Enard brought the foods they bought on the Mall, While Grace helped Auntie Jannie washing the dishes and John, who's with me, helping to lay the sheets and arrange the things needed for our outdoor night sleep over.
"You know Marko, If I'd ever had a chance to go with you I'll go you know." He suddenly said.
I stopped what I'm doing and looked at him.
"You know you're such a cry baby and I can't help but worry about you." He continued.
I just smiled at him.
"I've grown now Jo, don't worry about me." I replied and continued what I was doing and so was he.
For as long as I can remember, John and I were very close, he treated me like a younger brother as I treated him as an older brother too. He knows that I tend to get depressed over things and I did depend on him most of the times but I'm pretty sure now, I can handle myself.
"Oi! You two done there already!?" Enard asked.
"Yeah come here you lot we're gonna start Marko's Despedida party." John replied.
We gathered and opened the drinks they bought and started to talk about things in the past.
"I can still remember 8 years ago when we met each other, do you guys still remembered it?" Kristof asked.
"Yea I sure did, I cannot forget that day, I mean its a core memory you know HAHA." Enard replied.
"It was 3 in the afternoon right? Me and Marko were playing in the park when we suddenly heard someone shout and turns out it was grace- running away because she was getting chased by a big dog." John said.
"Yeah and her snot was like all over her face she looks disgusting!" Kristof replied and looked at Grace with a disgust face, jokingly. Grace then can't help herself but be shy about what they just said.
"H-hey no fair I was etremely terrified that they you know, and the dog was humungous!" she defended herself.
We just laughed all the way until we can't help but get tired. I looked at them and just smiled. How lucky am I to have them? Guess this is not goodbye but farewell my friends. My eyes slowly closed as I was extremely tired.