#Yatiz is a story focusing on the lives of young people in a small seaside municipality called Carmen in the southern part of the Philippines. The name is based on a cuss word here, "Yati/Yatis" that has no English equivalent but is closest to WTF.
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JANUARY 20, 2023・FRIDAY・14:53
Maya checks her phone for the time and looks at Mariz apologetically. "Sorry kaayo dzai¹. Ana man to siya nga diri lang daw ta mag tapok."
"I'M SO SORRY, DZAI. I CHECKED AND THIS IS WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET UP."
"Okay lang. Wala man pud ko'y laing ginabuhat."
"IT'S OKAY. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ANYWAY."
"Hi!" Pamela says, removing her mask as she approaches them. "Sorry kaayo, friend, nadugayan ko...erm...naa lang ko'y gikuha sa balay." She notices Mariz. "Hi."
"I'M SO SORRY FOR BEING LATE, FRIEND....ERM...SOMETHING CAME UP AT HOME."
"Hi," she says. "Mariz diay."
"I'M MARIZ."
She inspects her from head to foot and beams. "Pamela." Her stare lingers at her for a bit. But then she remembers Gab and immediately checks her phone. "Naa na si Gab?"
"IS GAB HERE?"
"Wala pa," Maya says. "Diri ta magmeeting?"
"NOT YET."
"SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE DOING THE MEETING?"
Pamela scratches the top of her head. She pouts. "Oo, friend. Sorry kaayo. Nakabuhat naman gyud ko ug request letter para maka gamit ta sa room pero wala lang nako nahatag kay nabusy gyud ko sa...sa...balay." She pushes out the biggest smile. "Pero okay lang man diri sa field, friend. Daghan man pud naga tapok dinhe. Mangita lang ta ug landong."
"YES, FRIEND. SO SORRY. I ACTUALLY ALREADY MADE A REQUEST LETTER TO USE A CLASSROOM, BUT I FORGOT TO HAVE IT SIGNED BECAUSE I WAS SO BUSY WITH...SOMETHING AT HOME."
"BUT I THINK IT'S OKAY TO DO IT AT THE FIELD. LOTS OF ORGS DO IT ALL THE TIME. WE JUST HAVE TO FIND A SPOT WITH A SHADE."
"Okay," she says.
"Naa didto oh," Mariz says pointing at an area just by the football goal near a tree.
"HOW ABOUT THERE?"
They walk towards it.
"Asa naman to si Gab uy." Pamela looks around to see if she's close. "Naa pa mo'y laing giinvite?"
"WHERE ARE YOU, GAB?"
"DID YOU INVITE ANYONE ELSE?"
"Hala wala baya. Sorry."
"OH NO. I DIDN'T. SORRY."
Pamela gives Maya a disappointed stare. "Okay lang."
"IT'S OKAY."
They sit down underneath the shade on the grass.
Pamela checks her phone and shakes her head. "Okay, sige." She puts her phone inside her pocket and inhales. And, as if suddenly having recharged herself, enthusiastically says, "Start nalang ta ninyo! First natong idiscuss kay—"
