Sheena's POV
"Anong igib tubig, sibak kahoy, at magbigay ng kalabaw? That was the traditional courting, Sheena. Wala na tayo sa panahon ng great grandfathers natin." Gwen said while laughing.
I was just staring at her, unable to process what she said. Traditional? Hindi ba harana lang 'yon? So, my friends were just playing with me the whole time? Nasabi ko pa kay Gwen 'yong mga 'yon tapos joke time lang pala nila Maloi 'yon? Nagmukha lang akong tanga.
I looked down. Will she consider it a turn off because I don't know shit about courting? I am willing to learn naman eh, pero siguro kay Mikha nalang ako magpapaturo. Wala akong makukuhang matinong sagot doon sa dalawa.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.
I shook my head. "Gwen, sorry ha? I really don't know the concept of courting. I'll understand if you won't allow me." I whispered.
"You're cute." she whispered but I didn't hear it. She faked a cough before continuing, this time, much clearer than her first statement. "I don't really mind. I want to see kung paano ka manligaw."
And because of that conversation last night, I went home happily and slept peacefully. Now, I finally have a reason to enjoy my life and seize every moment of it.
"Tangina niyo!" I shouted at Colet and Maloi and slapped the back of their heads.
Mikha was reading a book, not minding our little banters and loud teasings. Siguro ay pagod na pagod na siya sa amin at wala na rin siyang energy para pumagitna kaya hinayaan niya nalang kami.
"Ang sakit non, Shee! What did we do?" Maloi protested while caressing her head gently.
"I asked you about the concept of courting, diba? Bakit niyo naman nilaro mga sagot niyo? Napahiya pa ako kay Gweneth." I closed my eyes to calm my system down, baka bigla ko silang suntukin dahil sa mga kagaguhan nila.
"Oh, you asked about the concept of courting. We answered you the traditional ones, kasalanan mo na kung bakit hindi specific 'yong tanong mo." Colet explained while smirking at me, alam niya kasing natauhan ako doon at narealize kong tama naman 'yong point niya.
"Come on, Shee! We won't let you say stupid things in front of Gweneth. We love you so much kaya!" Maloi added and hugged me. Hinila niya pa si Colet para mapasama sa hug namin. I noticed them laughing silently behind my back, though.
"Gaslighters." Mikha commented and shook her head while laughing. "Pasama nga!" she said and approached us. Kaya ang simple group hug lang namin, nauwi sa chaotic na rambolan.
We're always like this. Kahit na wala akong kapatid na babae, I'm so glad that I have Colet, Mikha, and Maloi. Mga babae na may pusong lalake madalas.
I can still clearly recall how they got my heart. Our parents are close friends kaya palagi kaming magkakasama sa gatherings. Colet and Mikha were the original best friends. Si Maloi palaging tahimik lang sa tabi at ako, palaging hinahabol ng older brother ko dahil pinagti-tripan ko 'yong mga waiter or even the host of the events. My parents doesn't like the idea of me roaming around the places because it's just mean one thing ; chaos.
I was playing alone outside when I saw Maloi crying while holding her knee, she tripped over the carpet outside the venue and she fell. Tinawanan ko pa nga siya ng palihim because she's very clumsy. Natapon niya pa 'yong dessert na hawak niya. Mikha and Colet accidentally crossed paths with her.
"What will I do? My dad will scold me for being this careless." Maloi cried. Mikha went to her back and gently path her while Colet kneeled down to check her wound.
"Don't worry, we will fix this. We're power puff girls eh, I am blossom and she's bubbles. If you want, you can be buttercup!" Mikha said while sniffing nonstop. May hawak pa siyang red teddy bear.
Maloi nodded in the middle of her sobs. Colet saw me and smiled at me, akala ko pwede pa akong magtago at tumakbo pero agad siyang pumunta sa akin. "Do you have a bandaid? Our friend is wounded kasi." she asked.
"I have but favorite ko kasi 'to eh. Look, it has rainbows and unicorns." I answered while showing her my customized band aids. "Pero I can give one for her basta libre niyo ako." I added and smirked at her.
"Sure!" Mikha butted in, nakalapit na rin pala siya kasama si Maloi. "I'll treat you in McDonald's. I can even ask Dad to buy the entire place for you. We're rich."
"Rich ..." I shook my head. "Punasan mo muna 'yang sipon mo kasi inuuhog ka na."
"What's inuuhog?" young Mikha curiously asked and I laughed at her because of that. Oo nga, mukha siyang foreigner. Pwedeng ibenta dahil hindi marunong mag Filipino.
Kahit na medyo sinagad nila pasensya ko, binigyan ko pa rin sila ng band aid. Sooner, nalaman ko rin na friends nga ang mga parents namin. They even recruited me sa power puff girls shit nila and I am Mojo Jojo.
At paano nila nakuha ang puso ko? Well, we ended up enrolling in the same school and when we graduated in kinder, they gave me a corsage necklace made up of candies and chocolates. Colet awarded as the Most Talented, Mikha awarded as the Most Industrious, Maloi awarded as the Most Polite, and me as the Most Naughty.
Even at this present time, I am still wondering if Mikha already knows the meaning of 'inuuhog'. Natatawa nalang ako kapag naaalala ko ang back story as to why we became best of friends.
I woke up from daydreaming when Colet hardly slapped my shoulder. Love language na yata namin ito eh, napapadalas na. Volleyball player pa naman.
"Aray ko! Putang ----"
"Go say it, Gwen's looking at you." she whispered and pointed at Gweneth who's at the counter of Bloom's, ordering a drink.
She's looking at me as if I am committing a crime.
"Put tang in a water. Tang, 'yong juice. You have to put it in a water to dissolve it. Ganoon kasi dapat, Mikha!" I stuttered.
"Tanga! Kung ano-ano pa sinasabi. Lapitan mo na!" Maloi pushed me harshly kaya nabunggo ko pa 'yong table in front of me.
I apologized as I walk towards Gweneth.
She signaled me to follow her to her table kaya sumunod ako na parang tuta. I looked at my friends pero tanging likod nalang nila ang natanaw ko kasi naglalakad na sila papalabas ng Bloom's. Pakshet! Iniwan pa nila ako dito.
"Hi!" I smiled sheepishly and waved my hands at her repeatedly. Hindi ako tumigil hangga't hindi niya ako pinapansin. She's busy enjoying her drinks eh.
She rolled her eyes, "Hello! Why are you guys here?"
"Uh, we're enjoying our last day of vacation lang. You know, masestress na naman sila sa acads eh." I answered.
"And I'm assuming na ikaw hindi?" Gwen curiously asked.
"Nope." I coolly replied.
She laughs, "Okay, smartass."
"De, hindi naman kasi ako nag-aaral." I told her at tumawa ng malakas. She threw a tissue paper on me kaya tumigil ako at nagtino. Oo nga pala, Miss Nonchalant pa rin itong kaharap ko.
"Kami rin eh." she started. "Actually, I'm nervous for tomorrow. I don't have friends yet and I am new to this kind of face to face learning. Home schooling kasi ako before since hindi kaya ng katawan ko. But it didn't stop me from learning."
I'm suddenly speechless. This is the first time she told me things na hindi ako ang unang nagtatanong. Siguro this is her, trying to be open. Maybe she's slowly getting comfortable with me.
"Why are you smiling? Mukha kang baliw diyan." and now, she's back to her usual poker face. Sinimangutan ko lang siya pero tiningnan niya lang ako.
How can I be this comfortable kahit hindi kami nag-uusap ng ilang minuto? This girl ... This girl is really something.
Nadagdagan pa ang kilig ko when a familiar song started playing. Oh God! I really love Bloom's. Kahit na medyo maasim ibang costumers dito, dahil si Gwen ang kasama ko, para silang bumabango.
Ibibigay ko ang lahat
Pati na rin ang 'yong pangarap
Sasamahan kita kahit saan
Kahit saan
I heard Gwen singing along with the music kaya nakisabay na rin ako kahit parang mas gusto ko nalang sumayaw.
"Gwen ..." I called for her attention.
"What?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Silent Sanctuary kumanta niyan diba?" I asked her and she just nodded.
"Hindi ba wala pa silang new release na kanta?" I asked her again.
This time, sumagot na siya. "Yep, sayang nga eh, they're a good addition to opm pa naman. I wonder why they didn't release songs na."
"Kasi ano, nakasilent sila." I joked but just like her usual reaction, tiningnan niya lang ulit ako. "Ano, diba Silent Sanctuary nga? Nakasilent sila kaya wala pa silang new release." I explained. Para akong tanga dito. Should I beg for her to laugh at my corny joke?
"Oo na, Shee." she said and smiled at me.
"Sana malipat sa'yo 'yong tatlong helium kasi mukha silang masaya eh." I told her.
She just gave me her questioning look.
"Tatlong helium. HeHeHe." I explained again.
I don't mind explaining my jokes to Gweneth repeatedly as long as I'll be able to be this close to her.
Babanat pa sana ako when suddenly, an ugly tall guy appeared out of nowhere. He's looking at me and Gwen. Masama itong nakatingin sa aming dalawa.
"What are you doing here? Sabi ng friends ko trouble maker daw yang kasama mo. Gwen naman!" he said.
"Valfer ..." Gwen tried to calm down this ugly dude.
"Tara. Ihahatid na kita." he said at kinuha 'yong bag ni Gweneth.
I have to hide my hands under the table because it's slowly forming into fists. Ayaw kong mag-eksena rito at ayaw kong mapagalitan na naman ni Gwen. Kahit gustong gusto kong manuntok, I tried calming myself.
"I'll message you, Shee." Gwen smiled and assured me before leaving the cafe with that ugly guy named Valfer.
Nakakainis!