A Journey To Love (COMPLETED)

FOUR

Michaella Francisco

Today is a three-day no class. This happens every week kaya free time talaga para sa amin. This means another meet up with my two friends way back in highschool, Andrea and EJ. It all started when we promised each other na magmemeet every free schedule and guess we thrice have the same free schedule. Kaya every free time is gala time.

I prepared myself, put on light makeup, dressed comfortably and left my small home, locking it first before walking away. We decided to meet up at the mall, planning to play some arcades. Syempre libre ni EJ since he's the wealthiest among us.

I received a text saying nagaantay sa akin ang dalawa sa labas ng dormitory kaya I figured na libre na naman ako sa pamasahe. What a sweet life.

Dali-dali akong bumaba at nakita ang Honda Civic ni EJ na nakapark sa gate ng dorm namin. Tumakbo at binuksan ang gate sabay sara nito. Agad akong pumunta sa kotse at binuksan ang back seat dahil alam kong para kay Andrea lang ang passenger seat. "Hey!" I greeted them after locked the door.

"Hey Miks!" Bati ni EJ sa akin sabay tingin sa akin sa rear mirror. "Hey babes." Bati sa akin ni Andrea na busy sa kakatingin ng kanyang cellphone. I looked at EJ, asking why is she busy tapping with her phone. EJ shrugged but I knew something happened.

Since both of them were quiet, the awkward silence was dominating the whole ride. It was so quiet that I felt like the surroundings changed. "Are you okay? The both of you?" I asked them both kase curious ako sa nangyare bakit ang tahimik ng dalawa. They're like cats and dogs fighting endlessly pero ngayon, it was more like awkward calm waves hitting the shore.

"I'm okay. How about you?" EJ said while smiling forcefully. What the h*ll? I looked at Andrea who's smiling while tapping on her phone. I secretly looked and again, another person who's been victimized by Andrea. She's flirting with someone right now.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." Sabi ni Andrea. Okay both of them are already weird but this is another level of weirdness. "By the way EJ, how's Niana?" I asked him, diverting the topic away from Andrea because I know he's hurting. "Niana? What about her?" He asked while not looking at me and instead focusing on driving.

"I thought kayo na. She's too close." Sabi ko and I looked at Andrea who stopped tapping on her phone. "Oh, saan mo yan nalaman? There's nothing between Niana and I. We're close friends. But she's excellent." EJ praised Niana and I smiled. Niana was the girl who always has been papansin kay EJ. But not the typical papansin, more like EJ's been telling her things and she basically tells him advice and more. A good papansin.

"Who's Niana?" Andrea finally said while she hid her phone in her pouch. "Remember the girl from our highschool who's always with EJ? The one who's beautiful but chubby?" I said while looking outside the window.

"Oh. The one who had—" before she can spill anything else, agad kong diniretso sa kanyang bibig ang kinakain kong sandwich na ginawa ko. "What was that?" EJ asked while looking at us weirdly.

"Nothing. Anyways bagay kayo ni Niana." I said sabay tukso kay EJ na ngumiti na parang baliw. "Talaga ba?" He asked and laughed. I laughed at him too while Andrea was quiet. "If papipiliin ka sa amin EJ, me or her?" She asked suddenly making us both stop. What's with this girl suddenly asking questions like that?

"Of course you. No one else." EJ said while whispering the last part as if he doesn't want to let Andrea hear the last phrase. As the closest one to EJ, I eventually heard that one. Andrea looked happy when EJ answered her and started to eat the remaining sandwich.

I felt odd at that time, like I get this feeling that both of them are becoming toxic. But of course it's just a hunch and nothing more than just a feeling. Nagpatuloy kami sa paguusap hanggang sa nakarating din kami sa Mall.