Bound by the Strings

Simula

"Do you believe in strings of fate?"

Jaida and Diah looked at me with their brow raised. I rolled my eyes when I got no answer from them.

"Ang KJ niyo!" Inis na sabi ko at nag-focus nalang sa myth na kanina ko lang nalaman.

Paulit-ulit ko iyong binasa mula sa cellphone ko. I have red a lot of myths about destiny, soulmate, fate, and all that stuffs about love but this one really caught my attention. I don't know what's about it that really got my interest-oh, who am I kidding? Everything about love piques my interest. Always.

"You really believe in that stuff?" Jaida asked. I nodded.

"Who knows, right?" I said while still reading the myth repeatedly. I think I already watched some movies featuring this myth.

"Cliché."

Umismid ako. Well, I can't blame them. I've been an avid fan of love stories that surely most people nowadays thinks boring.

"Wala ka namang lovelife!" Diah exclaimed then threw a pillow at me.

Nasagip ko ang kaniyang unan na ibinato sa akin. "Probably because my future someone's string and mine doesn't connect yet. Maybe he's still out of my reach at the moment."

Sabay silang napailing sa akin. The looks on their faces is telling me to stop my delusions.

Natawa nalang ako sa mga kaibigan ko. I'm a fan of love stories but I have never been romantically involved into someone yet. I'm curious about how it feels like to be in a relationship, but I'm not fond of wasting my time. Wala pa naman akong nagugustuhan sa ngayon, at least not in a romantic way. As for now, I'm contented with having crushes only. I just turned eighteen, I still have a lot of time to take before I focus on my love life.

I glanced at the wall clock. It's already 7p.m. Jaida's party will be starting in an hour. Nag-bihis na ako. I wore a red dress, it's the dress that all Jaida's eighteen candles will wear for the event Since Valentine's day ang birthday ni Jaida, her parents decided to make the theme all red. Jai didn't like it, but I did!

Nauna na si Jaida sa venue dahil minamadali na siya ni Tita Jelly, her Mom. Hindi pa kasi ako tapos ayusan kaya't naiwan kami ni Diah dito sa bahay nila.

"Sipag kasi mag-basa ng myth, e! Pero kung sa textbook nga ni hindi makatapos ng isang page. 'Yan! Late na tayo!" Inis na sabi ni Diah habang nakaupo sa tabi ko. Bakit kailangan masali 'yung katamaran ko magbasa ng textbooks?!

"Kalma," natatawa kong tugon. She's already done with her style so she's only waiting for me. Well, I red the entire myth repeatedly without noticing the time. It's kinda my fault that we're the only ones left here.

When the hairstylist was done doing magic to my hair, nawala na ang kunot sa noo ni Diah. I looked at my reflection on the mirror. I'm wearing a light make up and my hair is tied into a bun.

Sabay kaming pumunta ni Diah sa venue. I think we arrived just in time.

"And now, let's all welcome the debutant! Jaida Carmine Panagsagan!" The emcee's voice echoed in the whole venue.

Nang makarating kami sa table na assigned para sa mga eighteen candles, nag-cheer kami ni Diah kay Jaida na parang nasa isa siyang pageant. The program went on and it didn't last longer than I expected.

After the dinner, the real party just started. Diah and I greeted Jaida for the nth time this day. Before partying, we decided to call Aileen first. She's our friend that now lives in US. When it's done, I was left alone in our table because almost everyone is now on the dancefloor, including my friends. Partying is not really my thing so I couldn't join them.