PROLOGUE:
"Mom! Dad!" Masaya nitong saad nang makita ang kanyang magulang matapos ang mahabang taon. She can't stop her tears from flowing. God knows how much she misses this two persons who are now hugging her tight.
"My Architect." Hinaplos ng Mom nito ang kanyang pisngi tsaka siya muling niyakap.
Matapos siyang sunduin sa airport, dumiretso ang mga ito sa isang restaurant. She was so happy. Beyond happy. Parang kailan lang nung umalis siya to pursue her dreams, now she came back with that title added to her name.
Architect Dixie Atarah Mendez. Kaysarap nga namang pakinggan iyon sa tainga. It's a dream come true for her.
Pagkauwi sa kanilang bahay ay agad itong nagpahinga. Sa haba ba naman ng binyahe niya, kailangan niya talagang magpahinga.
The next morning, her mom wake her up with a smile on her face. Nagtataka man pero hindi ito nagtanong. Then her mom handed her a small lilac envelope. It looks like more of an invitation card. Wasn't it? She opened it and she was surprised on what's written on it.
Monterey University Alumni Homecoming.
"Wow. Nice timing." Hindi niya ito inaasahan. Nagkataon pa talagang may alumni homecoming ang Alma Mater niya sa kanyang pag-uwi. This was really a good news for her.
"Atarah!" Natutuwang sinalubong siya ng kanyang mga kaibigan.
Nagtayuan pa ang mga ito para lang mapuntahan siya. Halos matrap pa tuloy ang ibang customers sa entrance nitong restaurant dahil sa kagagawan nila. Napailing na lang ito.
"Hey." She greeted her friends. Big smile was plastered on her face.
"Hanep ang Archi natin!" Thea said in her high tone. Muli itong napailing. Iginiya siya ng mga ito sa isang table tsaka sila nagkwentuhan ng kung anu-ano.
She can't help but to feel happy for what they have become now. She's now an architect by profession. Dianne is now a nurse. Gia and Thea are expected to take over their company with degree of course. Sobrang saya niya lang sa katotohanang iyon.
"Atarah, may jowa ka na?" Nanlaki ang mga mata nito sa naging tanong ni Thea. Halos mabilaukan pa ito dahil kasalukuyan silang kumakain.
"What the hell?" Kulang na lang ay itapon nito ang hawak niyang kutsara sa kaibigan. Hindi naman iyon big deal sa kanya pero paninigurado itong tutuksuhin na naman siya sa huli.
"I'm just asking. Pero wala ka ngang jowa?"
"Oh. Shut up, please." Pagpipigil nito sa kanyang kaibigan. Knowing Thea, this woman won't stop blabbing.
"Wala nga? Aba, girl galaw galaw." Dagdag pa ng kaibigan habang umiiling-iling pa ito dahilan para mapuno ng tawanan sa kanilang table.
Thea didn't change after all. Siya pa rin iyong pinakamadaldal sa kanilang apat. Lahat naman sila but compare to all of them, Thea will always be the winner. Absolutely.
"Hey, I got an invitation from Monterey University." Dianne opened a new topic.
Yun din ang kanina pa sana niyang gustong i-open up. But you know, catching things up among her friends, halos nakalimutan niya na iyon. Good thing, Dianne opened that topic.
"Me too. All of us should come!" Thea decided. Pagkatapos ay napatingin silang tatlo sa direksyon ni Atarah.
"You are attending, right?" Natigilan ito.
Ramdam niya ang paniningkit ng kanyang mga kaibigan sa kanya. Alam naman kasi ng mga itong sa ibang bansa siya nagtatarabaho. Of course, her firm was there.
"Well actually..." She sipped her drinks first habang inaabangan ng mga kaibigan nito ang kanyang isasagot. "I'll be having my three-week vacation here!" Dugtong niya matapos ng kanyang pambibitin. Then Thea hit her head.
"Bwisit ka!" Nagtawanan sila pagkatapos no'n.
She was just given three-week break in their firm. Maybe this homecoming will be her first in her to-do-list bago ito bumalik sa ibang bansa para sa kanyang trabaho. It was actually nice to attend such even like this after so many years.
Vacation, please be good to me.
~
A/N: Panibagong story para sa buwan ng February. Hey, support support. HAHAHAHA. I love you guys and imeesyouu everyone! Sending loveeeeees. :)
-imeesyouuu❤️