Disclaimer: I do not own TRMD and its characters.
"You did what?!"
"Hoy!" Batchi shushed her friend with a frantic wave of her hand. "Ano ka ba? Nasa library tayo," she whispered harshly before smiling awkwardly at the few familiar faces who are looking at them due to Althea's sudden outburst. "'Wag ka ngang OA."
The other girl glared at her behind a tower of books. "Hindi OA 'yun. Appropriate 'yun. Ikaw nga 'tong parang ewa-"
The short-haired girl then slapped a hand on her friend's mouth. "Kumalma ka," she whispered loudly while glaring back. They glared at one another for a few minutes—Batchi could already feel the curious stares of the other students at their antics—before Althea's eyes softened.
"Okay ka na?"
Althea rolled her eyes before nodding. The short-haired girl then took away her hand and mockingly wiped her palm on her sleeve. "Yak."
"Maka-yak naman 'to," the other girl said with an eyeroll before squinting at her friend. "So why'd you do it?" she asked again, now considerably calmer. But Batchi could still sense the uneasiness as Althea drums her finger on the table.
It's a subtle mannerism whenever Althea get anxious about anything.
"Pabebe ka kasi," Batchi teased and the other girl sported a scandalized expression before playfully throwing a crumpled piece of paper at the short-haired girl. She managed to dodge it before throwing it back with more force. "Guilty ka?"
"No." Althea then pulled the open book closer to her. "Just surprised. Paano mo nahanap yun?"
"Ako pa," Batchi exclaimed with a cocky grin and a wink. "Madaming paraan ang maparaan."
The other girl just mouthed 'whatever' before flipping a page on her book. But as the short-haired girl continues to observe her friend, she saw (in her great amusement) that a hint of smile is playing on Althea's glossy lips.
Tinamaan nga 'to, she thought. "So okay na? Payag ka na?"
The other girl rolled her eyes. "Aayaw pa ba ako?"
"Aysus," Batchi tut-tutted with a smirk. "Kunwari ka pang kalmado diyan. If I know kinikilig ka diyan."
The other girl scoffed. "Ako? Kikiligin? Not that kinda girl, my friend." Althea then gathered her books and rearranged her scattered notes before standing up. As the scraping sound of her wooden chair echoed ever so slightly inside the library, she added, "and tell her I'll be waiting."
Batchi suppressed her chuckle as she watched her friend go. She stayed for a few minutes, doodling on the wooden table, before feeling the vibrations on her pocket.
David: Okay na ba?
The short-haired girl smiled at the guy's enthusiasm about this whole thing. It was nice to witness a friendship this strong in action.
Me: Pumayag na.
As she pressed 'send', she absentmindedly doodled 'Abby' on the wooden table all the way thinking how this thing will fall into place.
This better be worth it, she mused as she read the address of the place that David sent after a few minutes. She then pocketed her phone, got up, and gave an angelic smile at the glaring librarian as she passed by her.
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"Okay na ba 'to?"
"Yep."
"Eh eto?"
"Uhuh."
"Eh yung isa kaya..."
Batchi felt her eyes roll for the umpteenth time as Althea paced back and forth, looking for the 'perfect outfit'. Her friend grabbed a shirt here, grabbed a skirt there, and tossed everything everywhere: clothes are literally scattered in her bedroom and the short-haired girl is suppressing the urge to put a leash on her friend and tie her somewhere until she calms the fuck the down.
Because the date won't be happening for four hours and Althea is already hyperventilating.
The funny thing—at least it was funny an hour ago or so—is that Althea seems pretty unaware that she's already panicking.
"Isa pang tanong mo, itatali na talaga kita para matahimik ka lang," Batchi threatened as her friend showed up with another dress in tow. "Maganda ka kahit ano pa isuot mo, okay?" she reassured as the worried expression remained despite the semi-serious threat.
"Ewan. Maybe the green one or yung purp-"
"Althea! Kanina ka pa papalit-palit dyan! Kasing-dami na ng ka-fling mo yung na-try mong damit," she commented exasperatedly before raising an eyebrow in challenge as the other girl glared at her. "That one is fine. Seriously."
Althea sighed before tossing the dress somewhere. She then fell back on her bed with an audible, soft thud before sighing again. "I'm nervous."
"Ay talaga? Hindi obvious eh," Batchi deadpanned before sighing as the other girl sighed again. "Hindi tayo sasali sa pageant, tsong. 'Wag kang kabahan. Okay na 'yang suot mo."
In all fairness, Batchi is being honest: her friend is currently wearing a fitted, black strapless dress that ends just halfway on her thigh. With the right shoes and accessories, Althea will be a sight to behold.
She also knows that, on a normal cirsumstance, Althea won't have any problem with dressing herself up—she has quite a taste in fashion. But then again, this is not a normal cirsumstance.
"It's okay to be nervous," Batchi added kindly. "Pero tsong, kalma muna."
As the nervous wreck of a girl is about to answer, Batchi felt her pocket vibrate. She fished her phone from her pocket and frowned slightly at the message.
"Bakit?" Althea asked when she saw Batchi's expression. "Cancelled na ba?"
"Huh?" the short-haired girl absentmindedly replied before sporting a (hopefully) comforting smile. "Ay, hindi. Si Abby lang 'to. Nagpapasundo lang. Okay lang ba?" she asked, wiggling her phone.
The other girl waved a dismissive hand. "Sure. Go ahead. Dito lang naman ako."
"You sure?" Batchi asked, skeptical. "Baka kung ano gawin mo 'pag umalis ako."
"'Wag kang OA," Althea deadpanned as she her hand, shooing her friend. "Now go. 'Wag mong paghintayin si Abby."
Batchi just nodded and got up. But before she walked out the bedroom door, she turned to her friend with squinting eyes. "Umayos ka ah."
"Maayos ako," Althea mockingly reassured with a thumbs up and Batchi just rolled her eyes before closing the door on her way out.
Outside the apartment door, she immediately dialed a number.
"David!" she hissed as soon as the other line picked up. "Anong nangyari?"
"Hindi ko alam," the other line responded and the short-haired girl could almost hear his confusion. "Bigla na lang silang nag-away. I had to get my girlfriend away muna."
Batchi ran a frustrated hand on her hair. "Eh pano na 'yan?"
"Masusundo mo ba siya?"
"Sino? Si Jade?"
"Yeah," the other line confirmed in a worried tone. "I told her to calm down muna so nasa bahay pa siya."
"Hindi niya ba kayang mag-drive?"
"She's upset. I won't advise her to drive. And I don't trust her with cab drivers."
Batchi wanted to say that Jade is a grown-up woman, but she thought better of it. The one thing that stood out from David and Jade's friendship—from her point of view—is that the former is overprotective of the latter.
Like a big, fussy older brother.
"Fine," she acquiesced, thinking how she can pull this off. "So ano, ideretso ko na siya sa apartment?"
"Maybe?" There was a pause before she heard a chuckle. "Lagyan mo na rin siya ng ribbon and tell Althea na may surprise ka sa kanya."
"Or ilagay ko na lang kaya siya sa loob ng malaking cake," Batchi retorted sarcastically, but she chuckled at the ironic hilarity of it all. "Para mas clichéd."
The guy on the other line laughed a genuine laugh despite the corniness of their conversation. "Could work. Tell Jade to twerk it like Miley," he jested before a feminine voice was heard at the background. "Gotta go. Duty calls. Ikaw na bahala kay Jade ah."
"Sure sure."
"I trust you." Even through the line, the short-haired girl felt the sincerity in his words. "And I owe you one. Send my sister my love."
Despite not seeing his face, Batchi smiled at his sentiments. "Consider it sent."
As the line was cut off, Batchi heaved a sigh. She then started walking towards the elevator, musing on the fact that getting two people together is hard work.
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"31... 32... 33... and 34. This is it."
Batchi then parked the car beside a moderately-sized and spacious-looking house. She then killed the engine before getting off her car, all the while mentally counting the time it took her to get there.
An hour and a half, she thought as she fished her phone to call Jade as per David's instruction. Ang layo din ah, she mused as the other line picked up.
"Hello?"
"Jade. Batchi 'to. Nasa labas na ako."
"Oh! Wait a sec!"
The short-haired girl heard some shuffling sounds on other line. A few seconds later, she heard the creaking of metal as the gate was opened and she saw Jade.
In a towel.
With widened eyes, Batchi immediately strutted towards the other girl with wide eyes. "Huy! Ba't ka lumalabas ng bahay na kaganyan lang?!" she asked, slightly scandalized as she whipped her head left and right. In her periphery though, she saw how Jade just shrugged nonchalantly.
"Eh. Sanay na sila."
"Sanay?! What the he-"
Before the short-haired girl could finish her scolding, the redhead rolled her eyes before pulling Batchi inside the property and closing the gate with a loud clang.
"Pasok na," Jade just said with a wave of her hand before strutting towards her porch. Feeling the telltale signs of migraine coming back, again, Batchi just followed the other girl.
"So you sit right... here." The redhead pointed at the plush-looking sofa on the living room. "Watch TV. I'll just finish getting ready." Jade smiled sweetly before going upstairs and Batchi just sighed before reaching for the remote control on the coffee table, all the while thinking of ways to de-stress herself after this whole ordeal is done.
"Kung hindi pa maging sila neto, maiinis talaga ako," she muttered to herself as she switched to HBO. In the span of her friendship with Althea, this is the very first time that she got too invested in a maybe-it-could-happen-heck-we'll-never-know-but-it's-worth-a-try date.
This better be worth it, she thought to herself as she immersed herself in a funny movie involving an emotionally abusive vampire paired with a passive, poker-faced girl.
Forty-five minutes into the movie—she fought the urge to hurl the remote on the flatscreen TV a couple of times and she's proud of it—when Jade decided to come down. The redhead is wearing a tight-fitting, white cocktail dress that suits her perfectly with accessories and shoes on point. She was a vision of perfection as she walks down—no, floats down in a graceful manner—with her heels making an audible clicking sound with every step.
"How do I look?" the redhead asked, almost timidly, and Batchi just gave a thumbs up in reply. She didn't dare say any more because she might blurt out the one thing that's currently on her mind:
The two women were yin-yangs: complete opposites that will (later) join together to form whole circle.
Well, that was a weird thought, she mused when she realized how that can be taken in a weird, slightly dirty way.
"Tara?" she just added after shaking the weird thought in her head. "Malayo pa byahe natin."
Batchi saw how Jade imperceptibly sighed before nodding, nervousness reeking from her elegantly-whipped self. "Just a sec," she said with a raised index finger before strutting towards what the short-haired girl assumed to be the kitchen.
"Ano yan?" Batchi asked, askance as Jade rummaged through her kitchen drawers before reaching inside for something.
"Pre-gaming," the other girl answered as she shook the large bottle of Absolut in her hand, her accessories jiggling slightly with the movement.
"Pre-what?!" Batchi asked, baffled, as her wide eyes witnessed how the other girl drank straight from the bottle.
"It's only a few shots to calm me down," Jade reasoned as she finished her long gulp. Seemingly unsatisfied, she put the bottle down on the counter before turning around and rummaging inside the fridge.
"Few? So bakit mo binubuhos yung buong vodka sa blender?" Batchi asked, a bit frustrated, as she watched the whole thing like a train wreck.
"I want some screwdriver," the redhead explained nonchalantly as she poured vodka, water, and orange juice into the blender. "Gusto mo?"
Batchi rolled her eyes at that. "Driver mo ako. Ano ba," she said in an admonishing tone as the other girl fished out a large tumbler from one of her cabinets. "Don't tell me magbabaon ka pa?"
"For the road," Jade just replied with a smirk as she downed some large gulps before transferring the rest to her Starbucks tumbler. "Tara," she said, now seemingly hyper, as she almost skipped towards the door, leaving a bemused Batchi to gawk at the whole scenario playing in front of her.
Patay tayo neto, she thought miserably as she prepare herself to an hour and a half long drive with a potential drunk.
----------
"Batchiii..."
"Ano?"
"Favorite color?"
Batchi sighed. Again. "Red."
The girl on the backseat giggled loudly at that. "So that means favorite niya din ako?"
The short-haired girl just sighed for the umpteenth time. "Siguro. Ba't 'di mo siya tanungin mamaya?"
"Nahihiya ako eh." Batchi could almost see the girl's pout in her mind's eye before she heard another set of giggling fit. "Ikaw na lang magtanong lateeerrr..."
The short-haired girl just chuckled at that. For the past hour or so, that's all she's been doing: sighing and/or chuckling at the words coning out of the obviously sloshed girl in her backseat.
It was an inevitability and she knew it: a nervous girl with an alcohol at hand will result into a nervous, drunk girl who can't stop asking Batchi all about Althea.
What is Althea's favorite food? What is Althea's favorite genre? What is Althea's dream job? What are the qualities that Althea looks for in a partner? Will Althea agree to be my girlfriend?
The last part, asked thirty minutes later after they started their journey, almost made Batchi skid to a stop.
"Seryoso ka ba?" she asked a few seconds later as she finished collecting herself from the shock.
The redhead girl—still miraculously well-put together despite the slurring words—nodded in confirmation. "Hindi ako mag-aaksaya ng panahon at effort kung hindi ako serious."
"But," Batchi started, a bit overwhelmed at the confession. "Kailan mo lang siya nakilala. Sure ka ba?"
At that, Jade suddenly laughed out loud which puzzled an already confused Batchi. "I've known her for a long time now. And I've been in love with her for that long."
Before the short-haired girl could ask to elaborate, the drunk girl just continued quizzing her about all things Althea and Batchi eventually gave up and just focused on driving while answering all the questions.
It was mentally draining her if she's being honest to herself.
Para kay Althea, she just thought with a another sigh as they neared the apartment. She parked the car and killed the engine before turning around to inform the other girl that they're here–
–but she was greeted with a sight of a sleeping (and snoring) girl cradling an empty Starbucks tumbler like a child.
Fuck, she thought to herself. Wala na, hindi na tuloy, she mused as she thought of ways on how to break the disappointing news to Althea.
Patulong na lang akong i-akyat 'to, she thought with as much conviction as she could muster at the currently emotionally and mentally stressful ordeal as she locked her car doors. "Maiwan muna kita saglit," she whispered hurriedly as she shuffled her way to their apartment, thanking the heavens that her car is heavily tinted.
A few minutes later, she is now at their door as Batchi knocked and knocked. Mentally cussing Althea for taking too long to answer, she absentmindedly fingered the set of keys in her hand. As she was about to use it to open their door, it was suddenly opened from the inside.
And she was greeted by a tousled-haired Althea, a grin plastered on her pretty face.
And she smells like brewery.
"Umiinom ka?!"
"Slight," Althea replied with a hiccup before passing out. Batchi managed to catch her in time before she falls and crack her skull open, all the while cursing in her head:
Anak ng pating naman kayo, oh!
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Hey, guys! Sorry for the late update! Too busy with school. :( Hope y'all like it. :)