Serenity

10th

Ruffle

"I'm going out with Bryant this Sunday. Sofitel. 7 PM." bungad ni Maddie pagkalapag na pagkalapag ng gamit sa desk.

Napanganga si Naomi.

"No way.." she blinked a few times. "Are we talking about THE Bryant here?"

Maddison shrugged, confirming Naomi's assumption. Isa lang din naman ang Bryant na alam kong kilala rito sa campus. Batchmate namin. Tiga-kabilang building.

"Utang na loob naman, Maddie!" Joy exclaimed. "Walking red flag yun! Mas malala pa kay Davion!"

Napangiwi ako. Well, yeah.. Davion quite got the reputation too. It's just weird hearing them talk about him when he's actually a friend of mine as well.

"Exactly! He literally slept with half of the entire population of girls in here. Alam ng lahat! Wag ka nang dumagdag pa!"

Umikot ang mata ni Maddie. "As if I care about the fucking flags. Hindi naman ako naghahanap ng relasyon. Good fuck lang,"

"You're literally underage, Maddie." paalala ko sa kanya in case na nalimutan niya. I brought back the lollipop inside my mouth.

"Hindi naman ako papabuntis." aniya na parang yun lang ang mahalaga.

Joy and Naomi nagged her even more. Sa kabila ng mga katuwiran niya ay tutol pa rin ang dalawa.

It's not like this is the first she's going to do it with someone. Sadyang alanganin lang ang dalawa kay Bryant. Babaero kasi. But just like what Maddie said, it's not like she's up for a serious relationship anyway.

Bumaling sakin si Maddie. "What do you think?"

Saglit akong natahimik. I don't think she'll listen to us anyway. Sa huli ay gagawin niya pa rin naman ang gusto niya at hindi magpapapigil.

I pulled out the lollipop from my mouth. "Kung san ka masaya,"

Napahiyaw nang malakas na YES si Maddie kasabay ng pagtapon niya sa ere ng kamay at saka ako pinilupot ng yakap.

I was never the type to dictate my friends how they should live their lives. Mas gusto kong pinapagaan ang sitwasyon. I can be that friend that supports you in your shitty decisions if that's what it takes. It's not like I know better in life than they do, anyway. After all, I'm still a 17-year old girl trying to figure things out. Just like anyone else.

Panay ang iling samin ni Naomi na hindi pa rin maipinta ang mukha. Si Joy naman ay walang tigil ang litanya na wag daw siyang idamay sa oras na pagsisihan ni Maddie ang desisyon.

"What are we having?" hikab ni Cal habang papalabas kami ng campus para sa breaktime.

Kumpleto sila at sabit na naman ako kay Einj. Even Adea and Aysen are with us. Bihira silang makasama kaya't nakakapanibago lang. Hindi ako sanay sa presensya ni Adea. I never get intimidated to anyone but her. And I hate that she has that effortless power over me or anyone. Kairita ha, sino ba sya?

I turned to my phone when I felt a vibration.

C-19 Dxtn:

Sey, I'm outside your school. I was hoping I can talk to you over brunch. Kahit saglit lang.

Tumagal ang titig ko sa screen bago ginala ang tingin sa paligid nang saktong makalagpas kami sa gate. I felt someone looking at me from afar and so I gazed towards it.