That One Lie

11th Lie

"Manonood ka ba ng festival, Anya?"

Napakunot ang noo kong nagtaas ng tingin sa tanong ni Archer during lunch break. "Anong klaseng festival?"

"Fireworks festival! Don't tell me hindi ka pa nakakapunta sa fireworks festival? I won't buy that."

Nakalimutan kong matatapos na pala ang first term. Tuwing natatapos kasi ang first term, yun ang isa sa pinakapinag-uusapang event na pinuputahan din ng lahat.

"Hindi naman ako noob pagdating dyan no. Of course nakapunta na ko." Nakangiti kong sagot kay Archer. Napadako ang tingin ko sa gawi nila Allie at Mia na nakangiti sa isa't isang nag-uusap. I admit that I planned to go there with them this year just like how it happened last year. Unfortunately, hindi na yun mangyayari.

"You want to go with them instead?"

"Huh?" Naalis ang tingin ko kila Allie ng marinig ang boses ni Simon na saktong paupo na pala sa upuan nya sa tabi ko. "No way." I found my voice defensive, tsk, but anyway. "It's just that I thought of them when Archer asked me about going to the festival. I never went to a festival with a boy so it makes sense that I thought of them. Lagi lang namang kaibigan ang kasama ko sa mga ganung festival." Muntik ko ng kutusan ang sarili ko dahil mas lalong defensive ang explanation ko.

"Okay sabi mo eh."

"Never ka pang nakapunta sa festival with a boy, Anya??" Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat dahil sa exaggerated expression ni Archer. Ano namang sobrang nakakagulat dun? "A romantic night, with lots of fireworks and a lady wearing traditional clothes..." he seemed lost in his own imagination. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili na mapailing. "How can't you not spend it with a boy? Don't tell me na wala ka pang nagiging boyfriend?"

So what naman? In my kind of situation, how can I even think of having a boyfriend or someone to even date to begin with?

"Bakit ganyan ka namang makatingin?" Napansin ko kasi ang matiim na tingin sakin ni Simon, as if waiting for a confirmation regarding my ultra personal love life. "Is it a crime not to date a boy? We're only in second year of highschool."

"Anya, meron ngang nakikipagdate kahit middle school pa lang and that's what you call normal. Your dating lifestyle is what we call uncommon. Where have you been all your life, Anya?" Archer said and look at me as if I am the most pathetic girl in the universe.

"Sobra ka naman, Archer. Ikaw lang ang may ganyang klase ng point of view." It's another mistake that I looked at Simon which has the look in his face that he's perfectly agreeing with Archer. I rolled my eyes. "Maglulunch na nga lang muna ko." Sabay tayo at labas ng room. Why am I bothered by this in the first place?

Bumili lang ako ng melon bread at strawberry milk saka naupo sa isa sa mga bench sa labas. Ang dami kasing tao sa cafeteria na puro yung festival ang pinag-uusapan. Saints, hindi kasama sa plano ko ang makipagdate this year. I already have one unplanned person this year which is becoming friends with Archer, I can no longer afford another unplanned boy to date. It's getting troublesome.

"Anya..."

Mia is standing in front of me holding stuffed breads and yoghurts. Hindi ko alam kung mag-ooffer ba kong umupo sya sa tabi ko o itatanong na lang kung anong kailangan nya. Ilang linggo na rin ba nung huli ko silang makausap? Basta ang alam ko matagal na.

"K-Kumusta ka na?" She sounds awkward. Ngumiti na lang ako gaya ng palagi kong ginagawa to make her at ease.

"Ayos lang. Ikaw? Are you taking good care of Allie?"

Bahagya syang natigilan pero agad din namang ngumiti. "Yeah. We're fine." Nakagat nya ang ibabang labi as if what she said is something terrible. She cleared her throat. "I mean, don't worry too much about us. I'm sure, magiging okay din kayo ni Allie. Maybe just give her more time?"

"Sure," I replied with a nod. "If there is anything you need, you're free to talk with me, Mia."

"Okay. Uhm, sige ha? Baka nagugutom na si Allie. Nagprisinta kasi akong ako na lang ang bibili ng mapansin kong lumabas ka din ng room kanina."

"No worries." Nakatalikod na si Mia sakin ng tawagin ko sya ulit. "Ah Mia, nakalimutan kong itanong kung pupunta ba kayo sa fireworks festival ni Allie?"

"Oo pupunta kami."

"I see. Glad to hear that."

"Kasama din namin yung boyfriend ni Allie." Natigilan ako. Hindi ko alam kung ano bang dapat kong i-react. I was out of loop but in case I know, does that makes sense? Hindi na kami friends.

"Congrats to her." I replied. I would have been happier if I can congratulate her personally. Afterall, she moved on for the better even if it costs us our temporary friendship. Sana magkaron din ng chance na makilala ko yung guy na dinedate ni Allie.

"Hindi nga lang yun taga dito. Taga Westridge Academy sya. Sabi nya, childhood friend nya yun na matagal na nanliligaw sa kanya pero dahil nasa Capital ang Westridge, ayaw nya hanggat maari ng long distance relationship. Pero somehow, nung nireject sya ni Simon, he's there for her so she decided to try. She introduced me to him just last weekend. They looked happy together naman."

"That's good news." I smiled. "I'm glad she's happy. I mean it."

"Yeah. I will continue supporting and cheering for her. Pano Anya, mauna na kong bumalik sa room ha?"

"Sige."

I stare in mid-air even after Mia left. I wonder what this feeling is all about. Am I sad? For what reason? Samantalang good news naman ang binalita sakin ni Mia. What in the world is this new feeling? Even after my temporary friends and I parted last year, I never felt an attachment to them. Why with them?

"Helloooooo!"

Actually, kanina ko pa napapansin tong malaking kamay na kaway ng kaway sa harapan ko pero mas may sense kasi yung tumatakbo sa isip ko kesa pansinin sya.

"What do you need this time, sweet?"

I heard him clicked his tongue. "I want to tease you for your expression just now but I don't want to talk to the pretentious Anya. Can't you just be your real self when it's only the two of us? Wala na rin naming point yang pagpapanggap mo kung nakita ko na rin naman ang totoong ikaw."

"A-yo-ko nga. Bleh!"

"Y-You!" Tinusok nya ng hintuturo nya yung noo ko.

"I will not exchange this personality if it means seeing your flustered face whenever I call you sweet. Besides, nasa school tayo. It's a must for me to be the cheerful Anya."

"I'm never flustered!"

"As if, ayan o namumula yang tenga mo, sweet. Hahaha." He touched his ears unconsciously. "Joke! Gullible Simon hahaha."

"You, ugh!"

"Bleh!" Tumayo na ko at tumakbo palayo sa kanya. I glanced back once again to see whether he's chasing me or not. He's not chasing me but I caught him smiling as if a satisfied dad looking at her daughter now riding a bike on her own. I feel like my days has been peaceful lately. Should I get him a strawberry milk later?