untouchable

4

"Y/N, I'm letting you go."

Your brows furrowed in confusion at Aika's words.

Aika shook her head with a laugh. "Ay sorry, medyo weird pala pagkakasabi ko. But yeah, I am letting you go."

"I'm... still not understanding, Miss Aiks. What do you mean po?"

"I'm grateful for everything you've done, and you've been there since day one. But with a heavy heart, I have to let you go for now."

You looked down at your hands, still not grasping the situation. Your head trying to recall events where you did anything offensive. "I, uhm... Am I fired or something? May nagawa ba ako?"

Aika snorted and pursed her lips to stifle a laughter at your obvious confusion. "Sira. Minsan may pagka-dense ka pa rin talaga, 'no? Paano kita ifa-fire, hindi ka naman nagwo-work for me? I'm just saying na you can refrain from coming along with us, and I completely understand, Y/N. 'Di ba you did voice out to me once na medyo reluctant ka if we have to go outside Luzon for long periods of time, since hindi ka pa nagre-request for your VL and medyo tight din ang budget mo?"

"Ahh! Kasi naman, Miss Aiks? Pa-suspense pa 'to, alam mo na ngang ayoko ng mga ganyan, e!"

Aika giggled at you and gleefully answered, "Pasensiya na. Pambawi lang din sa mga pangaasar mo." She folded her hands together and proposed something, "I know you'd still love to volunteer pero baka i-transfer kita kay Jill or kay Pat, I know one of them would love to take you. If okay lang naman sa 'yo."

You nodded and exclaimed frustratingly, "Pero you got me there ha, Miss Aiks. Kakainis! Alam mo namang kaba ako first, human second!"

Aika laughed and replied, "Parehas na parehas talaga kayo ni Patty. Kape na mga dumadaloy sa dugo niyo." She then held a longing expression on her face and pouted a little. "Pero mamimiss kitang kasama lagi, Y/N. Wala na kaming clown."

You raised a brow and winced playfully. "Forda drama ang ferson?"

"Oo na! Allergic ka na." Aika shook her head disapprovingly.

You giggled but embraced the shorter woman and swayed her side-to-side. "Mamimiss din kita, Miss Aiks. Wala nang bad cop to my good cop sa team, wala na akong pipilitin pasayawin sa stage tuwing mini rallies, wala na akong iinisin every morning, charot."

"I never thought I'd see the day na ang pinaka-malakas mang-alaska sa team ay fa-fly high butterfly na. Maraming salamat sa lahat ha." She answered.

"Grabe ka naman, Miss Jessica Marie! Para mo naman akong pinatay! Masamang damo yata 'to!"

"Gagi!"

All those months of being inseparable from Aika, your relationship with her upgraded from 'acquaintances' to 'friends'. She's someone you really look up to and would want to emulate as an Ate or as a young professional. You still have a lot of things you don't know, and the woman gladly took you under her wing. She became the Ate you've always wanted to have. Frankly, you never ever imagined befriending an Aika Robredo. She's just so up there. Their family aren't elites nor see themselves as celebrities, which is their charm for they seem so reachable, but they're still above you. So getting to rub elbows with someone of her status is truly hard to imagine, much more with having her as a friend. A part of you don't want to attach fully, for you know this is only temporary. People can brand you as a 'pessimist', but that is just the way of life. Reality is ugly, and you can only ever mingle with people of your class. After all, dipping your feet down on the trenches is easier than clawing your way up the impossibly high palaces of snooty elites. You will always be closer to the masses than the millionaires.