"Let's start?" Marie asked in excitement.
Nasa bar silang dalawa and ordered some barbeque and alcoholic drink - tequila on the rocks.
Marie started recording for her channel.
"Hi guys, for today's vlog, I will be talking to a tourist here at cruise ship and find out their first impressions...but this time, there is a twist. We will be having a drinking game with my new friend Ysah." Marie took out her smartphone she invested and started filming herself with the tourist.
Napailing si Ysah nang marinig ang new friend. Marie was being silly for assuming they're already friends.
"It's going to be just basic questions lang naman about your personal life and travel experience."
'Personal life?' Ysah reacted in the video.
"Alright, let's start. Cheers guys!" Marie interacted with her Youtube followers on the camera.
"Miss Ysah, what's your age?" Marie started asking to Ysah.
"Do you think I'm in my thirties?" Ysah asked.
"True. No doubt about that." Marie answered without a doubt.
Ysah rolled her eyes and smirked. She handed Marie the first shot of tequila dahil mali ang sagot nito.
"Grabe, pwede bang trial muna?" Marie was fairly panicked sa rules that Ysah set for both of them. It made her appeal.
"Well, try me." Ysah said with confidence.
Ininom ni Marie ang drink. Though she finds Ysah to have such strong attitude, she should just be thankful na merong nag-entertain sa kanya this time. Sa dami ba naman niyang pinagtanongan in this luxury cruise ship, tanging si Ysah lang talaga ang kumausap sa kaniya, sa totoo lang.
Marie always thought rich people are very private and intimidating people.
"Do you want this interview or not?" Ysah a little bit offended.
"For your information, I'm only twenty two years old." Ysah told Marie.
"Alright, naniniwala na ako" Wala ding nagawa si Marie. Siguro dahil yung mga "mixed Asian-Western" look mature at mas malalaki ang physique compare to Asians kaya nasabi niya yun. Matangkad si Ysah, nasa 5'7 feet din ang height nito while Marie is just 5'5 feet.
She felt relieved nang malaman na magkasing-edad lang pala sila. Maybe they have something common to talk about.
"So are you traveling alone or with someone?"
"I am traveling alone."
"How do you find traveling alone?"
"I find it empowering and I enjoy solitude most of the time.." Ysah smiled slightly. Hindi naman kasi siya palangiti na tao.
Namamangha si Marie on the way Ysah carries herself at ang pagsagot niya na may conviction. She seems smart and independent woman.
"...until this vlogger ruined my peace..."
Biglang additional comment si Ysah habang napatingin siya kay Marie.
"Uyyy, I will cut that out. Grabe siya.."
Marie protested and just turned off the camera. Mukhang iedit nalang niya ang vlog episode na iyon.
"Okay, that ends our video for today. Please like, comment and subscribe to my channel. And don't forget to turn on your notifications."
Marie ended her vlog and turned to Ysah.
She saw Ysah was shaking her head and looked at Marie with disgust.
"How can you open up yourself like that to any person? Does it feel good being famous?"
Ysah leaned closer to Marie and smirked with one eyebrow raised. She probably drank her 4th tequila shot.
"Let's say I want to be helpful and relatable?"
Marie answered her.
"I don't see influencers that way."
"Well, if this vlog with you will reach 500,000 views, I could earn decently from it."
"See. You're just after the money.
Dapat siguro may professional fee ako. Kaso baka hindi mo afford."
Tumawa nalang si Marie in a sarcastic way. This woman was speaking aggressively. Pero nahihiwagaan siya sa identity ni Ysah. Kung makukuha lang sana niya ang buong pangalan ay pwede niya ng i-Google search sa browser instantly.
They talked for some time and it's almost eleven in the evening. They're still in the bar. People come and go but they stayed. Ysah and Marie shared their travel experiences and how they find this cruise ship that brought them together. Ysah has already traveled to thirty countries mostly for exhibition while si Marie mahilig mag-travel within the Philippines at meron siyang blog pati Youtube channel about different places and people na nami-meet niya.
"If I am talking to you, I want to know your real name for security reasons." Ysah grabbed Marie's chin and stared at her lips intensely.
"Malay ko ba, baka scammer ka..." Ysah continued as she moved away.
Marie felt shy when Ysah touched her chin.
*Gay Panic
"Haha. Heto ang ID ko. And this is my Youtube channel." She said as she gulped slightly.
"Ikaw, what's your real identity?"
"No can do."
"Andaya naman nito..." napakamot nalang ng ulo si Marie.
Para maniwala ay ipinakita ni Marie ang valid National ID niya na antagal bago niya ito nakuha. Ipinakita din niya kay Ysah ang kaniyang Blogging website pati Youtube channel with her phone. Meron na siyang 100,000 mahigit na Subscribers sa Youtube at 30,000 followers sa Instagram.
Marami-rami na ding nainom sila that night. Medyo tipsy at gusto na din nilang magpahinga. Kahit hindi sanay si Ysah na may mga kaibigan pero kahit papano ay bigla silang nag-click na para bang matagal na silang magkakilala. Na para bang ang gaan na ng pakiramdam ni Marie kay Ysah.
"Nag-enjoy ka naman diba?" Tinanong ni Marie si Ysah ng malapitan sa mukha.
"Is this still part of our game?" Ysah asked her na medyo namumula na din ang pisngi dahil sa intoxication. She's already mildly drunk.
"Malalaman mo ang sagot kapag sinamahan mo ako sa kwarto." Ysah paused and looked at Marie's face for a moment.
Nagulat si Marie nang nag-aaya si Ysah papunta sa kaniyang kwarto. Ayaw nito ibigay ang buong pangalan pero she's inviting a stranger like her to her room. It doesn't make sense.
She's starting to panic. *Gay panic
'Wait, hindi kaya serial killer ang babaeng ito? Is she flirting with me then? Hmmm'
Marie had a sudden urge and stepped backward. She was overanalyzing things this time.
"Don't get paranoid. Us girls need to stick together for our safety. There are crazy men out there since you're quite attractive."
Bigla siyang inakbayan ni Ysah at inilapit ang mukha nito kay Marie. Maaaring tipsy na din silang dalawa... pero kinakabahan si Marie sa possibleng mangyayari. Ysah's face turned to red.
'Nag-ooverthink ka na naman, Marie'
Sabi ni Marie sa sarili.
Hindi makapaniwala si Marie na sinabihan syang maganda ni Ysah na di hamak na ang lakas ng appeal kesa sa kaniya. Napakaganda ni Ysah at kahit sino ppwedeng magkagusto dito. Para siyang model ng mamahaling luxury brand, Ysah looks so expensive. Suntok sa buwan siguro kung meron mang magtatangkang ligawan ito. Nakaka-indimate kasi ang ganda lalo na ang mga mata nito na color brown. At ang mahaba at kulot na mga buhok nito na kulay light copper.
Nasa kaniya na siguro lahat, para makapag-stay ka sa ganitong klaseng cruise that costs more than one million pesos per person ang package. Definitely, you are an elite. And Ysah obviously belongs to that class.
Napalunok at nanlamig nalang si Marie nang hinawakan ni Ysah ang kaniyang braso. Kahinaan niya yung nahihimas ang braso niya.
Habang si Ysah naman ay may traumatic experience about traveling alone in a foreign country. Naharrassed siya dati sa Malaysia ng isang lalaki habang naglalakad siyang mag-isa sa isang street na madilim pabalik sa hotel. Dahil nga sa appearance niya na para bang celebrity, pang Anne Hathaway beauty ang level. Sinundan siya at nilapitan ng lalaking Indiano, kinakausap siya sa ibang language at pilit nakikipag-selfie sa kanya. Napatakbo lamang siya ng mabilis papalayo.
Kahit 5-star cruse ship ito ay meron pading mga lalaking manyakis na walang magawa sa pera nila. Lalo na at ilang beses na din silang tangkaing kausapin ng mga matatandang lalaki kanina.
May karapatan din naman ang mga babae uminom at mag-enjoy with precaution. But sad to say, madami talagang mapagsamantalang tao sa mundo.
"Ysabelle Johannson..."
Pagpasok nila sa kwarto, Marie suddenly paused in front of a painting na naka-display sa executive suite ni Ysah na dadalhin sana niya sa Singapore for exhibition.
'Her name seems familiar to me...' Marie is trying to collect her thoughts kung bakit familiar sa kaniya ang pangalan ni Ysah na para bang nagkasama na sila dati prior this encounter.
Tinawag ni Marie si Ysah who was removing her sandals and some jewelry while sitting.
"Ysah, I just want to confirm something...." Nilapitan ni Marie na nakaramdam na din ng pang-iinit at pagkahilo dahil sa nainom nitong tequila. Marie pressed Ysah's shoulders to lean backwards.
"Is there any chance that we already met before?" Mas inilapit pa ni Marie ang kaniyang mukha kay Ysah habang tinititigan ito.
"What do you mean?" Biglang tumayo si Ysah.
"Nakapag-aral ka ba sa atin sa Pinas at some point?"
Ysah just nodded.
"Saan?" Marie continued asking.
"Somewhere in Alabang..."
"Ahh...." Marie exclaimed.
"I already gave you my ID kanina but you still did not recall me. Ouch." Marie said to Ysah.
"We went to the same school, Ysah. Si Marie ito."
Tiningnan siya ulit ni Ysah pero hindi talaga niya maalala kung sino ba ang babaeng itong nasa harapan niya.
"Are you kidding me??! Yes, I know some nerd Marie." Ysah stopped for a moment to think.
"So, are you saying that you're that Marie?" Ysah could not believe it kaya mas lumapit siya kay Marie.
Marie just nodded and smiled.
"I don't even recognize you. Buhaghag buhok mo non, ngayon straight na, and you were fat, ngayon sexy and makinis? You were wearing thick-grade glasses, and your eyebrows were so thick. Are you sure ikaw si Marie?"
'Ang sakit naman mag-describe nito...' Marie whispered to herself.
"Alam mo pwede kang makulong for identity theft." Hinawakan ni Ysah ang chin ni Marie habang tinititigan ang facial features nito. Kung kanina ay nanlamig si Marie, ngayon ay tila nang-iinit ang mga tenga niya sa paghawak ni Ysah sa mukha niya.
Pinisil-pisil ni Ysah ang mukha ni Marie at tiningnan ng maigi. Inusisa nya ang bawat feature nito - isang malaking transformation. It's been many years and it's refreshing to meet someone from her past.
From a nerd ugly duckling, naging gorgeous swan si Marie. She became really attractive. Mukha na siyang Korean idol ngayon.
"Okay, I will take that as a compliment. Ako nga ito. Gusto mo ba talaga akong makulong?" Nagblushed si Marie while Ysah was still squeezing her face and holding her. Ysah would like to confirm if nagparetoke ba si Marie pero mukhang hindi.
"Hahaha. Depende sa kasalanan mo." Ysah said to her..
Tinititigan pa din siya ni Ysah. Pero baka dahil din sa alcohol kaya parang hindi niya din maipaliwanag ang nararamdaman niya towards Marie and knowing her. What a small world, after all.
Ysah did not have to go through puberty horrors dahil simula pagkabata ay head turner na talaga siya being a half-Caucasian. In fact, sumali siya sa Little Miss Philippines when she was really young. Her Pinay grandma insisted it. During her high-school, she was awarded as the Prom Queen by her class.
Pero she had a stage fright, she would have anxiety facing the public. Kaya she would always decline whenever she got invitation to join a beauty pageant.
"Haha. I would also like to confirm something... you did not go through plastic surgery, did you?" Ysah just bursted into laughing.
"Lahat ng nakikita mo ay natural." Marie smiled towards her. Hinawakan ni Marie ang mga kamay ni Ysah para maalis sa kaniyang mukha. Dahil nahihilo na din talaga siya at baka may magawa pa siya kay Ysah sa gabing yun.
Hindi na nagpakita si Ysah sa araw ng graduation nila nong high-school. Marie and Ysah used to be close friends.
Ysah already moved back to Europe by that time to enroll for college and then have her degree there that she was able to finish within two years. She was only fifteen years old when she left the Philippines.
"Let's catch up tomorrow?" Marie said to Ysah.
"Goodnight Marie."
At pumasok sila sa kaniya-kaniya nilang executive suite that will be their home for three months cruising around Southeast Asia.
In her bed, Ysah could not sleep that night. Since she's able to re-connect with Marie, she's also reminded of someone from her past. She can't even say the name because it only refreshes the wounds of yesterday.
'I'm wondering how are you doing right now, J'
But the highlight of her day at the bar yung transformation ni Marie. She looked so stunning. She suddenly missed Jelyn.
'Wow, Marie looks so gorgeous. Can't believe it..'
Meanwhile, before Marie decided to sleep, she finally searched Ysah in the internet since alam niya na ang full name nito. She was shocked to find articles about her success as an international artist. She couldn't help but compare herself. Isa na sana siyang professional tennis player ngayon na lumalaban sa ibang bansa. But it was only just a dream.
The next day they went to the cafe together to have brunch.
"I know you're dying to ask questions from me.." Ysah told Marie.
"I don't know where to begin. It's been so long..."
"I wanted to know bakit nawala ka bigla nong graduation natin? We planned to go to the same university together with Jelyn."
There was some bitterness in Marie's voice but she's already forgiven Ysah for it. Maybe it's too late but a valid explanation is still valid.
Ysah took her first sip of the coffee. She hated confrontations like this one. Kaya most of the time she chooses to just run away. Mukhang hindi niya na maiiwasan ang kapalaran.
"Nagkasakit ang dad ko in Sweden and my family had to leave everything. I didn't have the chance to say goodbye to everyone."
"Bumalik ako after ten months non..." Ysah continued.
Nong mga panahon na yun, wala pang social media katulad sa ngayon. Naaalala ni Ysah ang hirap malayo sa mga kaibigan niya. At ang bata pa niya non, syempre, nakaasa pa siya sa decisions ng family niya for her. Hindi tulad ngayon, she's willing to risk anything for something she wanted for so long.
Bumalik siya ng Pinas ten months after the graduation pero wala na pala siyang mababalikan dahil umalis na pala ang best friend niya na si Jelyn sa bahay nila. Hindi niya alam kung saan lumipat. Walang nakakaalam sa mga kaibigan nila kung ano ang naging buhay ni Jelyn pagkatapos ng high-school graduation nila.
Ysah returned to Sweden to continue her studies in college there before settling in the Philippines just recently when she was able to open her own gallery sa isang luxury mall sa may Makati. Since then, namamalagi na siya sa Pinas. Baka sakali magkita pa ulit sila ni Jelyn..
It's been more than seven years. Malamang nakalimutan na siya nito.
"Sabay ba kayo nag-college ni Jelyn?" Then she asked Marie.
"Hindi rin. Nawala din bigla si Jelyn. Wala na din sila sa address nila. Sabi ng kapit-bahay, naibenta na daw yung bahay nila."
"When I come to think of it, parehas kayo na biglang naglaho na walang pasabi. Nag-away ba kayong dalawa?"
"Does it still matter now?" Tiningnan ni Ysah sa mga mata si Marie.
"Of course, it matters papano kung bigla natin makasalubong si Jelyn sa cruise ship na ito. What if diba? And besides, nasaktan din ako sa mga nangyari sa grupo natin."
'Heto na naman ang What ifs...'
Hindi makasagot si Ysah kay Marie. Hindi din niya alam ang magiging reaction niya. Kung nasaktan si Marie, mas nasaktan niya si Jelyn. Grabe, umalis din si Jelyn nang walang paalam sa lahat.
It's been seven years and sigurado madami nang nangyari sa mga buhay nila. Nakatagpo na din siya ng mga bagong kaibigan sa creative community and during her travels. She's also a changed person now. Pilit pinipigilan ni Ysah ang sarili na maiyak sa harap ni Marie.
"Meron ka pa bang ibang tanong sakin?" Ysah looked at Marie as they were almost finished eating their meal.