Goodbye Lullaby (COMPLETED)

Chapter 5

She's driving me crazy, but I'm into it,
but I'm into it
I'm kinda into it
-
Kiwi by Harry Styles

***

My eyes rolled heavenwards.

Kanina pa ako pinaghihintay ni Justin and he had the audacity to welcome me with a lovely smile when I entered his car? If only he wasn't my cousin...

No. I still smacked his head. Minura niya ako bago tumingin sa rearview mirror para ayusin ang buhok niya.

"What took you so long?"

"Do you really need to mess my hair like that?" He countered, still fixing his damn hair.

"Stop being dramatic. Hindi naman nagulo."

"Next time I'll," then he ran his thumb on his neck, "you if you do that again."

I made a face. "Ooh, scary. Ba't buhay pa yung mga nakamomol mo."

He smirked. "That's a different case, queen."

Napairap na lang ako nang paandarin na niya ang kotse. We're on our way to Valen's house. Naghanda kasi ng dinner si Tita para raw sa successful performance namin sa festival at graduation dinner na rin kahit ang tagal na no'n.

"It's your birthday soon. What's the plan?"

I sighed. Pinatong ko ang paa sa dashboard at sumandal sa backrest ng upuan. "The usual. Pick a country. Wala na akong maisip puntahan."

I stared at the road ahead. Every year I travel with them for my birthday. Sa una'y mga kalapit na probinsya lang pero kalaunan nakakalabas na kami ng bansa.

No. Wait.

Actually we travel kahit walang rason. There's this time na nagpunta kami ng Bali nang walang kaplano plano. If I remember it correctly, si Eros ang nag-aya sa mismong unang araw ng sembreak. Valen didn't even know where the fuck Bali was, but he's the first one to agree. So Justin and I agreed as well.

We have this wherever the hell you go, I go relationship. That's why we're also fond of roadtrips. Kahit sa mga gig o pasok sa school, may sari-sarili mang sasakyan, meron pa ring isang manunundo at makikisabay patungo sa pupuntahan.

Sa ilang beses na naming nagawa ito, wala na akong maisip pang lugar na gustong bisitahin.

"Let's go to Macau," Justin suggested.

"We've been there before."

"Ah, shit," he whispered. "Wala na rin akong maisip."

"I know, right."

Just as I was about to think of other things to do on my birthday, biglang pumasok sa isip ko ang concert tickets kay Eros. Napaahon ako sa pagkakasandal.

"Daniel Caesar's concert! I can't believe I forgot that we're going!"

He shook his head. "Mauuna pa yung birthday mo do'n."

"Yeah," inirapan ko siya. "I just said I forgot."

"Whatever. You sure you want to travel this year? Let's just ask Valen kung may gusto siyang puntahan kung wala ka na talagang maisip."

"Sure," sabi ko na lang habang ang isip ay nasa concert tickets ni Eros.

I wonder if he has a place in mind that he wants to visit. Or maybe an activity that he wants to do?

We've done motocrossing because of him. Pati tennis ay naaral namin dahil lang nagkainteres siya do'n. We're all adventurous, but Eros seems to be on another level. He's like the influencer of whatever the fuck he does.