IN THE SHADOW OF OBLIVION

Chapter 2: It was only seven words

Anntonia got choked on her coke zero and Michelle frowned at her.

"What?!"

"I'm sorry. I thought you asked me how I felt about Iloilo. As in the city in an ass-load of islands away. As in no chance, no way in hell with your Iloilo."

"Why are you so negative? I didn't even say anything about going there. I just asked what you thought of it."

"Yeah, right. I think that you'd realize that since we've been friends for what? Oww.., our entire lives, I could read you like a book. And I know exactly what's going on. This mystery woman, who by the way is no longer a mystery, has some dire circumstances carrying her off to Iloilo and you want to follow after her like a lost puppy because she smiled her perfect little smile at you and looked pretty stuffing her sandwich into her perfect little mouth. Whatever Daniela, I don't have time for this. I have to work tonight," Anntonia said, walking toward the kitchen to throw her empty can away. "And besides, have you forgotten you're deathly afraid of heights and airplanes, genius? Are you willing to risk your life for this girl?" Anntonia stated and suddenly Michelle pondered at the sentence, and when her face painted with realization, the woman rolled her eyes on her.

"Well, that's why I was about to say we could take a road trip! You know, me and you, out on the open road. Like old times. And they're not dire circumstances. Just... regular circumstances."

"We've never been on a road trip together, Dan," she said, tapping Michelle's forehead to wake up her frozen brain. "And just why does Perfect, Beautiful Samantha Panlilio have to go to Iloilo?"

"She lives there." Michelle answered with a grin and Anntonia let out a sound with her lips formed an 'O'.

"She's only here for few days because of some important matters. Like a flower arrangement contest or something alike. She's so talented Toowns!"

"Yeah, what's she been in that I've seen?" Anntonia paused and waited for a response. "Oh, nothing? Right. Real talented. Why don't you find someone talented that lives here in Makati? Then I could stay out of it."

"But you know you like to stay in it. You know that women here are all the same—boring. Come on, Toowns. It could be fun!"

"You know what I thought? It sounds about as fun as a hole in my head," she snapped.

"You know, everybody always gives me shit because they say you're too carefree and fun-loving to be friends with me, but I'm beginning to think you're about as much fun as an old bag lady since that Max Collins dumped you," Michelle said, poking her in the arm. "I want to do this crazy thing, for once in my life, and you're too much of a party pooper to go with me. I think it's kind of pathetic. But if this was six months ago, you'd be right there packing my bags for me."

Anntonia opened her mouth to say something but stopped. Instead, she turned on her heels, and walked toward her bedroom. She stopped in the doorframe and looked at Michelle.

"This has nothing to do with fun, Daniela. You think that if you chase this girl all the way to Iloilo, you're going to be happy? You think in six weeks, she's still going to be everything you'd ever dreamed of? Because, looking at your track record... I don't think so." Then she slammed the door harder than she should've have behind her and flopped onto her bed

How dare Michelle mention Max?

It had only been 5 months since they'd broken up, and she still couldn't stand to hear the sound of the person's name. Max had always been jealous of Michelle for being so close with her, and it finally ended their relationship. Max asked her to choose between living with her best friend or living with her. But since they'd only been together 2 1/2 years and she'd known Michelle her whole life, she stuck with her gut and her loyalty to her best friend. Though Michelle didn't know the details of their breakup and she'd told herself that someone that really mattered would never ask her to choose and tried to leave it at that, but she still got sick to her stomach when she thought of her ex.