Winter Heat

Epilogue

Epilogue

"Let's all wear these ah!"

I fought the urge to say "gross" when Precious showed us again one of the bear onesies she bought for all of us. We're all adults but she wanted us to wear those tonight, eh matutulog lang naman.

"Akala ko, naka-firefighter uniform ulit tayo bukas?" tanong ni Billy na hindi nakatingin sa screen dahil nagba-bike siya habang ongoing ang group video call namin. "Naka-three years na tayo, ngayon pa ba natin sisirain ang tradisyon?"

"Yes nga!" sagot ni Precious hawak pa rin ang onesie. "But these are for tonight!"

"Do we really have to go together?" I asked them for the nth time.

"There's no way you're not going, Winter," sabi kaagad ni Brian.

"I never said I'm not." Inirapan ko siya sa screen. "I'm just saying, I can go alone."

Sabrina chuckled. "Naggo-grocery na nga kayo ng dad mo para sa dinner natin eh! Let's not waste his efforts, shall we?" Siya ang pinakamatanda sa 'min, siya ang pinaka-excited sa sleepover.

"Oo nga, nakakahiya," pagsang-ayon pa ni Chan. "Pupunta ako nang maaga para makatulong mag-prepare."

"'Wag na."

Billy's laugh rang on all our phones. "Ayaw na ayaw kang makita Chan!"

"Brokenhearted nga ako, Winter," nakasimangot na sabi naman ni Chan. I wasn't surprised because before he joined the call, Billy already informed us that he just got dumped by his girlfriend. Dude's going through a break up right now.

"Pake ko?"

Pati sina Brian, Precious, at Sabrina, tumatawa na.

"Ouch," pagdadrama pa ni Chan. He's still as shy as before but I'm already noticing some traits of Billy in him. "Crush pa naman kita dati."

"I'm taken," pagpapaalala ko sa kaniya at bigla naman silang natahimik.

Tama naman, 'di ba? We never got to end it.

I'm still taken.

"Oh, wait, wrap up na. I'll see you guys later," biglang sabi ni Brian na siyang bumasag sa katahimikan ng call. Kita namin sa screen na naglalakad siya at medyo umingay din sa background niya. "Love?"

"Sure, love!" sagot kaagad ni Precious. "See you mamaya kina Winter!"

Brian dropped the call but the boxes on my screen remained five when someone suddenly joined.

"Himala?" Sabrina commented right away.

"What's this for?" Frost asked. He's not looking at the camera as well as he seemed to be driving.

"Para sa birthday ni Heat bukas," paalala sa kaniya ni Chan na mukha pang nag-aalangan noong binanggit ang pangalan ni Heat.

It's been four years already but they're still like that. And I really don't get it. Because why would we be wary about mentioning a person like Heat Mendez? I mean, if I only could, I'd tell the world about him.