Stand-By

three

three.

JAEDEN POV

Dammit. Stupid girls, they're taking so long. Where the hell do they even wanna go? I sighed as I looked over Anthony's "not girlfriend", what was her name again? Ah, MJ. Like Spiderman. She suddenly shouted, "10 minutes nalang guys! Pag ako di nakakain dito, kayo kakainin ko" Crazy. Crazy woman. But it's been five minutes? Ang bagal naman. What did I want for lunch again? Ah, I remember, kare-kare at shanghai, it's all gonna run out before they even finish that conversation. AH I'M HUNGRY ANO NA BA! YOU KNOW WHAT?! I GIVE UP! I'm not staying here any longer!

"I'm leaving," I shook my head and walked towards our canteen, "Where you going?" Asked my brother. "To eat? What do you think?" I sigh and walked away. Nearing the canteen, I hear light footsteps behind me. I turn around and saw that girl, "Why are you following me, you creep?" I hissed and she put her hands on her hips, "Hoy, wag kang assuming, pupunta lang naman ako ng canteen, tsk" She defended and walk past me, she talked back? To me?! I was annoyed but I let it go. "Where's your boyfriend huh?" I sneered, remember that a-hole. "Who?" "Oh you know who." "Seryoso ako, boy, sino?" "You mean to say you have many boyfriends?" I chuckled, she's something else. "Bobo, tinanong ko kung sino kasi wala naman ako" "Tch, liar." I roll my eyes.

"Believe what you believe," she retorted as we entered the canteen. "Pot- Wala nang Shanghai. Bagal niyo kasi, inangyan. Magtuturon nalang ako." She grumbled as she saw the empty glass where the food should've been and turned the other way. I shrugged and followed, turon nalang din naman natitira...

"Oh, ikaw naman ngayon yung sunod ng sunod?" "Shut the hell up, woman." "Binalik ko lang yung sinabi mo"

"Ate, dalawang turon nga," She spoke as the lunch lady gave her two, I only bought one since I'd be fine. We saw the others follow us into the canteen, "Wala nang shanghai" Is what MJ only said before leaving. "Hoy teh, ba't dalawa binili mo? Kaya mo ba yan ubusin? Di ba may math ka?" Tanong ni Janine. "Hah! Jokes on you teh! Mahal kami ni Ma'am, pwede kaming kumain habang may lesson!" She shouted as the smaller girl whose-name-i-don't-remember finished buying her food and followed her out. "Lucky bastards," Kaylee pouted at my brother who smiled at her, "It's alright, Kay". Eugh.

"Guys, na-cancel yung last 3 periods after lunch," Kaylee smiled as she looked at her phone, Janine clapped happily, "Tara! Sunduin na natin sila!" "We promised, MJ, remember? Na-bad mood satin yun last time na in-invite natin siya."

"Wag na guys, cancelled yung klase," Suddenly the small girl and MJ popped out of nowhere. "Do you guys have plans or something? Going to meet Anthony?" Kian smirked and the girls, except MJ, gasped, she only looked at him deadpan. "Over my dead body, di ko yun papatulan." She argued, rolling her eyes. "No way she's dating Anthony!" stomped Janine, "You can't!" "Di nga eh, ano ba!" "Ay di ba?"

"Ay nako bobong babae to..." I heard the three of them mutter as Janine just pouted at them and immediately clung to MJ, she muttered, "So mean..."

"Hoy mga bata! Lumabas na kayo dito! Wala na ngang klase eh!" Shouted the lunch lady as she shooed us out of the canteen, "So? Sasama ka ba samin, MJ?" tanong ng maliit na babae, "No. Of course not. Ayokong lumabas teh," She answered as she went ahead of us. "You know? She acts like she's afraid of being kidnapped." Kian spoke up. "Oo nga guys! It's not like she'd been kidnapped before right? I mean she's always with us!" Janine agreed as she looked around, we all saw the same expressions painted on the girls' faces, disappointment. "What? It's true!"

"Alam mo Janine," the little one spoke up and shook her head. "Sa lahat ng bobo, ikaw ang tanga" Kaylee finished and shook her head as well, the little one went ahead and shouted, "Sasabayan ko na siya pauwi! Baka mag tampo sa akin pag di ko sinabayan"

Kaylee held up a thumbs up as she turned to Janine and us. She seemed to be thinking for a while before sighing and smiled. Why the hell is she smiling? "You know what? We'll hang out next time, babe, love you!" She shouted as she grabbed Janine's wrist and walked away. Kian waved her goodbye and sighed with a smile. "Oh ano? Tara na, lover-boy, bumalik na tayo sa hideout." Kuya Sam tapped his shoulder, he's right, we should be heading back. "Right, let's go," my brother only nodded and walked out in the other exit with us following. Damn, he is so in love with that girl...

***********



Later that night, I went to clean my room... Stupid Hale and his dramatic ass, I was about to panic because he looked like he was having f*cking seizure...  Why do I have to clean my room? It's not like it's that bad. I went to open it and stepped inside, immediately I slipped on a shirt. "Ah sh*t... it's that bad." I mutter as I slowly get up and look around... Piles of unused clothing on one side, cluttered desk, an unmade bed... F*ck my life... I sighed and started to fix my bed first... then onto the stupid clothes... the clutter on the floor...

After what I think was hours... The last thing I had to fix was my drawer. I opened it, it was full of envelopes adorned with winter-like stickers. Ah this... the letters from my penpal. I don't even remember what I sent to them nor what their actual name was. Next to it was a picture of me and a... kid... i couldn't tell whether they were a girl or a boy. Kasakit sa ulo. All I remember was that I met them during elementary school then they were moving to Canada and called themselves "maple". So original, so fucking original.

from. maple, 2014

yo hi hey heyo hello. hindi ko alam if this will reach you, but im trying to so but hi. owemji it's so awkward ngl. you know that i has broken english hahaha. so uh, wag mo nalang pansinin. so uh. how's your day?

for me, di ko alam kung papansinin mo talaga to but na-experience ko yung sinabi ni mama na jetlag. for the first time. antok na antok ako kaso gagi umaga na don pagdating ko. akalain mo yun. magkabilang mundo nga talaga iykyk. 

but forget abt that. natatandaan mo pa ba nung nagpunta tayo sa favorite park mo and then sabi mo sakin na---

"OI! JAEDEN MATTHEW KIM! Tapusin mo na yang linisin kuwarto mo, bibisita pala nanay niyo," Rinig ko yung napalakas na sigaw ni Hale, kala mo babae eh. I put the letter down at the drawer and closed it. Takteng CR nalang.