Future
"What if maging stripper nalang talaga ako 'no?" Diana whined in front of me while she put the thick reviewer on the table.
"Magaling naman akong gumiling. 'Tsaka kaya naman ako nag-aaral kasi gusto kong yumaman. Doon pa rin naman ang bagsak ko kung stripper ako. I'll still earn money..."
Natawa ako dahil hindi ko alam kung seryoso ba siya o nagbibiro dahil sa tono ng pananalita niya.
"Eh bakit ba Accountancy 'yung kinuha mong kurso?" taka kong tanong.
"Kasi akala ko matalino ako?! Excuse me, Valedictorian! Pero sinampal ako ng Accountancy na bobo pala ako?!" she whined more.
Ngumuso ako. Her face zoomed in when she leered at me as she leaned closer.
"Ngiting ngiti? Kumusta nga ulit ang minor subject? Bakit nga ulit kamuntik bumagsak?" she reminded.
Napawi ang ngiti ko. "Babawi ako next sem."
She groaned again as I was eating my favorite snack, which was the toknengneng we bought outside.
Seryoso nang nagbasa basa si Diana sa harap ko. She's a full scholar. Bukod doon, siya din ang kasama ko sa condo unit ko. Mommy seems so fond of her that she lets me stick to her. Maybe because she wanted me to be influenced by her. A smart student who excels in class.
Mom and I rarely talk. But I sense in her that she's not pressuring me anymore. She would ask things like, how's my day... or if I'm doing great in school. Hindi ko alam kung... dahil ba iyon sa nasabi ko tungkol sa ina ni Trison.
"Oo nga pala. Nagyaya si Martin ng house party. Pupunta ba tayo?" tanong ko nang maalala iyon.
"Martin? Castellano? As in your supposed fiance?"
I leered at her. "Hindi na nga."
"And a party? When? Let's come! Maganda din 'yung may stress reliever tayo kahit papaano! Kasi parang kailangan ko ng lalake sa sobrang stress ko!"
I hushed her, but we were already laughing.
Noong lumipat ako sa Manila, nagpatuloy sa pagiging grade twelve at nakapagtapos na kasali sa honor students, doon ko nalaman na lumuwas din si Diana.
I was so excited to meet her, but at the same time, I was worried because my mother might interfere again just because she's from Caraga. Or she came from a not-so-well-known family.
But I was wrong. She welcomed her. She likes Diana and she didn't judge her.
Tanaw ang labas ng bintana sa sumunod kong subject, hindi ko maiwasang isipin ang naging buhay sa Caraga na ibang iba ngayon sa Maynila.
Diana:
Let's meet! Asap!
I gathered my books after reading her text. Magkaiba kami ng kinuhang kurso. Ngunit dahil sa condo ko naman siya tumitira, ay halos sabay na kami araw-araw.
"Look!" nagmamadali niyang ibinalandra sa akin ang screen ng kanyang phone nang magkita kami.
Hindi pa nga ako nakakaupo, halos atat na siyang isampal sa akin iyon.
"May bago kana namang target?" kuryoso kong tanong habang kinukuha iyon.
"Tingnan mo dali!" she panicked while putting her things on the table.
I only chuckled as I took my seat and surveyed the familiar picture. Kumunot ang aking noo nang makitang pamilyar iyon na grupo ng mga boys, which were part of the frats in school, but also rumored that they're... into drugs.
