“Beybz” sabi ni Joy habang prenteng prenteng nakahiga sa hita ko. Weekends that are not spent with the family are our beybz’s time, a rule made by Joy. And for someone who doesn’t have much plans on a weekend, my weekends are full of her. Full of Joy.

“May gusto akong panoorin. Nirecommend sakin nung kawork ko” naupo siya sa sofa at saka pinalo yung tabi niya para doon ako maupo. “Watch natin” yaya niya.

“Sige” pagpayag ko naman. 

Baka Bukas. Yun yung movie na sinuggest ng kawork ni Joy. At para sa di nakakaalam, it’s about a lesbian who’s in love with her best friend. Ganon din yung best friend niya.

Nakakatawa naman talaga oh. Talagang patungkol pa yata sa real life experience ko tong story.

“Ay!” sabi ni Joy, “may pag request.” Di ko alam kung kinikilig tong isang to o hilig lang talaga mag comment. “Hug mo nga din ako beybz” 

“I can’t” pag gaya ko kay Alex habang pinipigil kong matawa sa sarili kong joke.

“Tangina neto!” sabay pause niya saglit nung movie at hinarap ako, “hug mo ako!”

“Oo na!” pagpigil ko ng tawa, “ito na halika na dito.” sambit ko at binuksan ang aking mga braso. Nangiti siya at lumapit. Pinindot niya ung remote pagkatapos niya makapwesto ng ayos sa gitna ng yakap ko. Kalma Wendy, kalma.

Matapos ang pangyayaring yun, ay tahimik na kaming nanonood nung palabas. Di ko na namalayan kung paano naging ganito posisyon namin. Nakasandal siya sa dibdib ko habang ang kamay ko naman ay nakapwesto sa may bewang niya. Yung pwesto namin, it was comforting in a way. Usually kasi with this close proximity with Joy, nagwawala na talaga puso ko. But today, iba. I was at ease and felt warm inside, lalo na noong maramdaman ko yung haplos ng mga kamay niya habang nakapatong ito sa aking hita.  It was an action that contained a thousand comforting words.

"Bakit ka nangingiti diyan?" 

"Wala naman naaalala ko lang nung nag I love you ka sa akin kasi tanggap mo ko" napansin niya pala yun.

"I meant it naman when I said it. I do love you" sabi ni Joy habang pinapanood nya yung mga clips na iniimply na inlove na si Jess at Alex. 

While I, on the other hand, was smiling because I was secretly taking glances on between Joy and the movie. How I wish that that ‘I love you’ meant something more than the love she has for me, as her best friend. 

And that love is something that's just mine.