Chasing Happiness (Chase Series #1)

Happiness 7

#chasinghappiness7

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa nangyari. I mean, I can't believe that my parents agreed! Hindi naman kasi sila ganito noon...ngayon lang.

Nasa proseso pa rin ako ng pag-iisip kung bakit ganon na lang kadali pumayag sina mama at papa kay Kristine when I received a text message.

Unknown Number:
Hi Kei! Si Kristine to. Sa school gate nalang tayo magkita mamaya ha? See ya!

And where did she get my phone number?

Kaya naman dali-dali akong naligo at nagbihis noong dumating na ang hapon. Wearing a simple black shirt, black jeans and black shoes, umalis na ako sa bahay at nagpaalam na kay Manang.

Kitang-kita ko kaagad si Rylle sa gate hawak ang kanyang kulay pink na backpack. Sya palang ang nandito kaya agad syang kumaway sakin ng makita niya ako.

"Hi Keila! Buti naman at pinayagan ka. Oh diba sayo namin sayo?" sabi niya sabay talon na parang bata.

Seeing her like this makes me smile too. So I just smiled at her at naghintay nalang din sa iba.

Sunod na dumating ang kambal. Pormadong-pormado at parehas pa ng suot. Somehow, they look cute.

"Oh, same outfit na naman kayo ni Erwin." sabi niya sabay high five sa kambal na may nunal malapit sa baba. So his name is Erwin huh. Tahimik lang ang isang kambal kahit kitang-kita naman na naiinip na sya.

Maya-maya lang din ay dumating na si Kristine at Keith. At sa wakas naman ay kompleto na kami.

"Hey Kei!" bati ni Keith sakin kaya tumango nalang ako at nginitian sya. Bakit sabay sila? May something ba sa kanila?

Kristine suddenly hug me and shriek out kaya nagulat ako sa reaskyon niya. Maybe, she just can't control her emotions. Sino bang mag-aakala na makakapunta ako ngayon?

"I'm so happy that you're here Kei!" agad naman kaming bumitaw sa pagkakayakap.

"Me too. Though you're the one who asked-"

"Oo nga no? Buti at pinayagan ka nila Tito." sabat niya sabay tingin sakin na parang may ipinapahiwatig. I gave her my 'why' look and she just shrugged at me.

Hindi kaya...hindi nila alam na sya mismo ang humingi ng permiso kina Mommy? I mean, why does she have to hide it anyway?

"Since complete na tayo, let's go gala na!" sigaw bigla ni Rylle kaya tumawa nalang kami.

---

"Hoy! Akin 'yan sabi eh!"

"Ako ang unang nakakita Tin! Atsaka, tayong lahat naman ang kakain nito."

"Panigurado naman kasi na ikaw makakaubos niyan kaya akin nalang 'yan!"

Ang ingay nila. But I find them funny. Nag-aagawan kasi sila sa cheese cake dahil isa na lang ang natira. At paniguradong hindi ito kasya sa aming lahat.

Gusto ko pa naman sana ng cheese cake.

"Punta tayo sa kabilang store?" tanong sakin ni Keith sabay turo sa hindi kalayuang store. Tiningnan ko muna sila at nakitang huminto na sila sa pag-aagawan ng cheese cake, at sa huli, si Erwin ang may hawak nito. Somehow, alam ko na kung paano i-differentiate yung kambal. Si Erwin na may nunal sa baba, at yung kambal niya na walang nunal sa baba. Though hindi ko pa alam ang pangalan niya...

"Ervin!"

Lumingon agad yung isa sa kambal sa amin ng tawagin sya ni Keith. So his name is Ervin...

"Samahan mo muna kami sa kabilang store. May bibilhin tayo dun."

Nagpaalam muna kami sa kanila bago umalis. Nasa gitna ako ng dalawang lalaki, naglalakad, at bago ito sa akin. But somehow, I don't feel like an outsider to them anymore. In just a short moment, I feel so close to them. And it feels great.

Nang makarating na kami sa store, bumili si Keith ng maraming junk foods habang kami ni Ervin ay nasa likod lang niya.

Sya lang ba ang gagasto? I was about to get my wallet when Ervin shook his head at me.

"It's our treat. We were the one who invited you, anyway."

"Pero-"

"Next time, kung gusto mo, pwede ka nang gumastos." he said and laughed.

"Okay..."

Hindi pa rin tapos si Keith sa binili niya. Ang awkward naman nito. Kausapin ko kaya sya? It feels weird lang kasi magkatabi kami tapos ang tahimik namin.

I looked at him and saw how tall he is. Mas mataas pa sya kay Keith. Kung tutuusin, gwapo pala ang isang to.

"Keila, how does it feel to be with us?"

How does it feel?

Well...

I looked at Keith na kumukuha na ng pera sa wallet niya. I smiled and looked at Ervin.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" he asked.

"This may be something new to me, but I can say that it really does feel great to spend my time with all of you." I answered with a slight smile.

Ervin smiled at me. He was about to say something when Keith suddenly interrupted us.

"Oh? Anong pinag-uusapan nyo?"

"Wala." I answered and chuckled a bit. He was stunned when I did that. Ano bang meron don?

"Keith, nahuhulog ka na talaga."

"Huh? Anong nahuhulog?" I asked them but Ervin just shrugged and Keith just glared at him.

Weird.

Nang makabalik na kami kina Rylle ay napagdesisyonan namin na pumunta sa isang park malapit sa school. Mas maganda daw kasi doon, fresh air daw. Kaya naman pumunta kami roon.

Nang makarating kami sa park, agad kaming umupo sa bench at nagsimulang kumain. The twins were so loud. Nag-aagawan ba naman ng pagkain. Habang ako dito, tahimik lang na kumakain ng cheese cake.

Ang ganda pala dito sa park. Though tahimik sya, pero kapag may kasama ka, it feels lively.

Tin and Erwin were arguing about something and stopped. They were both staring at me and looked at the cheese cake that I was eating.

Oh my gosh. Nanlaki ang mata ko at agad hihinto ang pag kain sa cake. I totally forgot that they both like it! You're so rude Keila!

"Sorry!" I said to them and gave them the cake. Though alam kong nakain ko na yung kalahati, atleast may makakain pa rin sila.

The noise was filled with laughter. Sino ba itong tinatawanan nila? Ako o sila ni Tin at Erwin?

"Okay lang Kei! Ano ka ba. Hindi namin alam na gusto mo rin pala tong cake."

"Oo nga. Pero akin na lang natira ha?" kinuha agad ni Erwin ang ang natirang cake at sinimulang kainin ito.

"Hoy! Sinong nagsabing ikaw lang? Hati tayo!"

While I was busy staring at them, hindi ko namalayan na tumabi na pala sakin si Rylle. She smiled at me and I did the same.

"What's up, Keila?"

I look at Keith who was now eating junk foods. Si Ervin naman ay umiinom ng yakult. Habang ang dalawa naman ay hinahati ang cheese cake.

"I'm fine."

Nang tingnan ko si Rylle, she was half smiling. "No, I meant about now. What do you feel right now? That you're here with us?"

"Ervin asked me the same question kanina sa store."

"He did?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Well, I want to know your answer."

I look at the sky. The sky were so blue. I can hear the birds chipping, the wind breeze is cold that made our hair swing.

I look at Rylle once again, and said, "I'm grateful that I met all of you."