The Second Time Around

One Archers Place

Manila's been in chaos for days now.

It's a Tuesday, and I'm here lying lazily in my bed, just staring at nowhere. Most classes has been suspended, or just professors are lazy to have class, or it's just me didn't go to school? Ouie huy you reading, please don't sumbong me, just shut up na lang okay? Good!

It's the APEC week, and the streets around my campus are most probably blocked or in heavy traffic or in deep shit with protestants.

My classmate have texted me saying how lucky of a monster I am for our professor cancelled my last subject for the day, and so they invited me to hang in one of our classmate's crib in Antipolo, but being the lazy me, I lied saying I'm going to my Aunte's house, cause she asked me to... Gladly they bought it, who wouldn't? Hihihi

'Kapoy...' I said to myself as I got off my bed and out the room.

I'm Nikko Khael Pascual, eighteen years of age, and a freshman of De La Salle University.

I looked at my watch, it says quarter to three... Geezzz, I already hear my tummy grumbling. I haven't had lunch yet, and I just had three slices of bread for breakfast. Okay, don't make sumbong me again, patay ako sa Mama ko.

Readied myself to go out and take a quick lunch. Dyan lang sa baba.

As I'm waiting for the lift to arrive at ground floor, my cellphone sings, message received.

'To, punta ako dyan.. May dala ako food, luto ni Mama.. See yah!'

Eto nanaman ang gagu kong couzin. Bribery at its finest. Tho he knows naman din na food cooked by Mama Tita will always be my weakness. Sarap kaya!

'Okay Nong... Diin ka na?'

I replied. Baka ba malayo pa to, eh gutom na ako.

'Traffic to, Edsa na..'

Malayo pa nga. Kain na lang muna ako.

'Layo ka pa man Nong, kaon ko anay wala pa ko kapanyaga.. Derecho ka na lang sa unit Nong ha may yabi ka man to..'

And he replied ok. Yun lang. Haynaku!

This gagu cousin of mine.

Wala rin talaga ako sa cousin kong eto. Lakas din kasi maka bribe eh. Pero love ko to gagong to.

Tho gagu to, I still love him. He may have made wrong decisions but he's human eh, nagkakamali din, pero gagu kasi talaga. And he knows naman.

Tell him gagu and he'll just agree with you. See, gagu! But well, hope he had learned his lessons already. Or I don't know, buhay naman yan niya eh. Sarap patayin diba?

Gagu.

Mr. Gagu.

The Gagu.

I walked my way to Manang's, have a quick lunch of their famous dish and tumambay muna.

But then when I looked at the surroundings, I saw Starbucks. Oh, parang I wanna drink matcha ah. Still green, my favorite. Coz yes, I bleed green! So I decided to grab my drink. I walk to Starbucks just across One Archers, where my unit is located.

Settled in a table just near the counter while waiting for my drink to be called... Checks Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and again and again.

And then I heard it being called.

'One grande match green tea frappuccino for...'

I'm halfway standing from my seat when...

'...Mika!'