Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

L

"Ready ka na?" tanong ni Z sa akin habang nag-aayos ako ng bag.

Tumango ako.

I wore square khaki pants today and a white crop top for today's lunch. Nag-white na rubber shoes rin ako. We're all having lunch outside since pauwi na rin sina Z sa Manila bukas.

Ang bilis ng araw. Pakiramdam ko ay nung isang araw palang siya nakauwi. I guess time really does fly when you're with the people you love.

"Tara na, love," aniya. "Baka ma-late tayo."

I nodded again and grabbed my bag. "Eto na, ready na."

Inakbayan niya ako pagkalabas namin ng bahay. We went for his car, and he immediately started driving towards town.

We ate lunch by Hill Station, where Mage got a reservation. Lahat nanaman kami kumpleto, and even Louise got a chance to come home with her boyfriend! Bakasyon lang pala nilang lovebirds ang makakapagpa-kumpleto sa aming lahat.

We got there just in time, and all of us greeted each other with big smiles and warm hugs. Louise, Mage, Miggy, and Ethan were all there.

"Huy! Long time no see!" I pouted at Louise as we hugged. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you, Ellie-pot! Kahit na nag-kita lang tayo sa Manila." She chuckled.

Umiling ako at mas niyakap siya. "Wala. 'Di ka na pwedeng bumalik doon. Dito ka na."

Tumawa si Louise at bintukan ako. "Baliw!"

"Imagine what happens whenever I leave." Z chuckled and gave Louise a hug as well.

"Nasaan na si boyfriend?" I asked as we all sat down.

"Ayon, he's hiding sa bahay. Sinubukan kasi naming lumabas kahapon, na-ambush agad siya ng ibang fans. Ang daming nagpa-picture."

I shook my head and smiled. "Iba na talaga si Louise ngayon, oh."

"Diba?" ani Miggy. "Dati ang rupok rupok lang sa mga maasim na high school boys, ngayon basketbolista na sa UAAP ang boyfriend."

Umalingawngaw ang tawanan naming mga magkakaibigan dahil kay Miggy. We all started catching up, especially with Louise since siya ang nabukod talaga sa aming mga magkakaibigan.

"Kayo? Perfect couple pa rin!" Ngumisi si Louise. "Gosh, alam mo ba, iba pala talaga yung pakiramdam na napupunta ka sa tamang tao."

Mage gave us a small smile. Si Miggy naman ay uminom ng tubig at si Ethan ay tuma-tango tango.

"Pag nasa tamang tao ka na, mare-realize mong mali pala ang trato sa'yo noon, ano?" Louise smiled to herself. "In the moment.. you don't see it. When you're in the relationship, you don't see how bad it really is. You don't see it because you keep hoping for them to be the better person you know they can be. When you love someone talaga, you don't see how bad it is because you've seen them do better, you've seen them at their best so that weighs out their worst."

Mage cleared her throat as we listened to Louise. I've been friends with Magui for way too many years, kaya naman alam ko na ang mukha niyang 'yon. Alam kong ang mukha niyang nag-pipigil ng iyak.

That's because Mage tends to choose to see the good in the people she loves. Oftentimes, she doesn't even mind their worst. She gives her all without expecting anything in return, and it sucks because people tend to take advantage of that when we all know she deserves so much more. When she loves, she loves fully. She doesn't hold back, and she barely leaves anything for herself.