Cold as Ice, Hot as Fire (EDITING)

001

Azaes

I was busy proofreading the article Cy, member of journalism club, passed when I heard my phone rang. Found out it's Nicole "Nikki" Thompson, one of my bestfriends slash classmates for long. I lazily tapped the answer and loud speaker button so I could hear her loud voice without damaging my eardrums.

["BEEEEEEEB!"]

As expected.

I never answered her calling. I just continued proofreading the article and enjoying myself correcting Cy's minimal grammatical errors.

["BEEEEB! MALL TAYO. NAMISS KO NA 'YONG AMOY NG CINDERELLA, GUESS, TERRANOVA, COTTON ON, H&M AT MARAMI PA. HUHUHU!"]

"Busy ako. Si Althea na lang isama mo."

["MAGPAPAIWAN BA 'YON. DALI NA SUMAMA KA NA, PLEASEEE~"]

I could imagine her pouting as she said the word 'please'.

"Si Yara na lang hilain n'yo."

["NASA BUSINESS MEETING PA. BAKA SUMUNOD NA LANG DAW S'YA KUNG SMOOTH 'YONG BIYAHE. OTHERWISE TATLO LANG TAYO. DALI NA KASI. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE.]

"Ayoko."

["PLEASE..."]

"No."

["PRETTY PLEASE..."]

"Still no."

["'DI KITA TATANTANAN HANGGANG SA MAG-YES KA."]

"So do I."

["DALI NA KASI BEB! MINSAN LANG E! ANG KJ MO!"]

"Every day shopping is sometimes. Wow."

["HEHEHE. DALI NA, NGAYON KA LANG NAMAN SASAMA."]

"A-yo-ko."

["F.O"]

"Not my loss."

["JOKE LANG E. TARA NA KASI. LILIBRE KITA NG KAHIT NA ANO. DALI NA."]

"Baka ako pa manlibre sa'yo?"

["HINDI 'NO. BINALIK NA NI DADDY ATM CARD KO E."]

"So balak mo ulit ipakuha?"

["HINDI N'YA NA MALALAMAN THIS TIME. KAYA NO! NO! NO! NO!"]

"Whatever."

["DALI NA KASI."]

"What did Prof. Ty wants you to remember, Thompson?"

["WHAT?"]

"No means no."

["PSH. BAHALA KA PUPUNTAHAN KITA D'YAN. BYE. LIGO NA ME. SEE YOU LATER. MWAAA."]

I was about to speak when she dropped the call. The toxic side of Nikki.

Mabilis kong niligpit ang mga papel na nakakalat sa kama ko at nilagay 'yon sa study table. Wala talaga akong balak sumama, but I knew Nikki wasn't joking when she said she'll go here. Not that I didn't want her here, just that I hated how her voice echoes in every corner of this house, especially in my room.

Before I entered the bathroom, I sent her a very short message saying, I'll go. And in a matter of seconds she replied, Sasama rin pala pinatagal pa.

Whatever, Thompson.

Meet us at the parking lot, I've already booked a parking slot for the four of us. Same spot. Well, in case Yara came may parking rin s'ya. Today is payday kaya overloaded ang mall. And by now, puno na 'yon. Hehehe. Buti na lang nagpareserve na ko kahapon pa.