A string of fate

14

"Happy birthday, Seah! I missed you." Mahigpit akong niyakap ni Gwen. We still see each other at work but we don't really have much time to talk.

"Thanks for coming, Gwen. I thought 'di ka makakapunta." Sabi ko at sunod ko ding niyakap si Jai at Lian. Not everyone is here because of having different schedules. Some are just really did make time for this day. Isa na doon si Gwen.

"Ikaw pa ba? I don't wanna miss this." Sabi ng kaibigan ko at kumindat pa sya sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung anong kalokohan ang ginawa nya para lang makapunta ngayon. I appreciate it though. I might do the same thing for her.

"You look good. I have a gift for you." Inabot sa akin ni kuya Randy ang regalo nya at saglit din naming niyakap ang isa't isa. I missed him too.

"Thanks, kuya." Sabi ko at malaki ang ngiti nya sa akin.

"Primo really forced me to be here. He knows how much you want us to be here." Sabi nya pa.

Tiningnan ko si Primo na nasa likod at nakikipag usap kay kuya Theo. Mabilis ding napunta ang tingin nya sa akin and it looks like he's just waiting for me. I gave him a smile at sabay nadin kaming lumapit sa kanya.

"Happy birthday, Seah." Niyakap nya ako at inabot sa akin ang paper bag na dala nya. "You smells good. Is that the new perfume that you are talking about?"

"You like it?" I just mentioned to him last time about the perfume I bought. I've been having one perfume for years dahil hindi ako masyadong nakakahanap ng perfume na pasok sa taste ko. Ngayon lang ako nahanap ulit ng talagang nagustuhan ko.

"Yeah. And you really look good today."

Isang beses pa akong ngumiti kay Primo hanggang sa tuluyan ko nadin silang niyaya sa loob. I introduced them to my family and friends there. Magkatabi kami ni Primo at nakita ko agad ang tingin sa akin si Aubs at Kate. Aside from Carrie, they're the only ones who knows about the thing going on. My cousins might have noticed something already but I didn't say anything to them yet.

The celebration has started and I get to enjoy more. Nang dumilim na ay isa isa nading umalis ang matatanda. I gave my tito's and tita's a hug and Papa said he's gonna take a rest too. He gave me kiss and told me to enjoy the night.

Naiwan ako kasama ang iba. Iba't ibang circle ang nandoon at ginawa ko ang lahat para maasikaso ang bawat isa. So this is how it feels like to combine different circle of friends. Everyone is just having fun. The drinks are served in the table. My cousins and some of my friends are torturing the microphone. Halos wala nang bumitaw doon. The rest are just busy talking and laughing.

"Seah, come here.."

Nakikipag usap ako kina Meryl nang hilahin ako ni Lian papunta sa pwesto nila. Our team is there. Hindi ko alam kung anong pinag uusapan nila at saglit silang tumigil para kunin ako ni Lian.