Himala hindi niya kasama ang freshie today.

 

Baka magkaaway sila.

 

Baka nawala na yung effect ng gayuma niya. 

 

Mabuti naman di natin makikita yung nakakasawa nilang kasweetan tuwing lunch.

 

Pero ngayon ko lang napansin na sweet din si Karina sa iba niyang friends.

 

 

 

I just rolled my eyes at them as I walked past them and to the cafeteria. Of course they didn’t notice how sweet I actually am. They all judged me too quickly without getting to know me.

 

Also, may pangalan siya. Hindi freshie. It’s Ryujin. 

 

Hindi kami magkasama today kasi kasama niya friends niya. Busy sila sa upcoming project nila.

 

They’re gossiping as if they didn’t see us come to school together this morning? I distinctly remember how they were raving about how cute Yuyu was with her new hair. Nagpabangs kasi.  

 

Mas gumanda si freshie.

 

Bagay sa kanya yung bangs.

 

Ang cute mukha talaga siyang pusa.

 

Actually, parang bagay nga sila ni Karina no? 

 

Ang cute din ng height difference nila no? 

 

Jusko. Kahit ano na pinagsasabi nila.

 

Si Yuyu naman, lumaki ang ulo when she heard their praises. She even smiled at them! 

 

So much for ignoring the Mariteses. 

 

Ang sabi ni Yuyu sa akin, they’ll be at Founder’s Hall to discuss their project. 

 

I’m not sure if they’ll have time to eat their lunch so bibilhan ko na lang siya ng lunch niya and something to munch on para sa mga friends niya. 

 

Okay na siguro yung fries. Lima lang naman daw sila. 

 

As for Yuyu, I’ll get her the same fried rice and tapa. Hindi daw siya nakapag breakfast this morning. 

 

I excused myself from Giselle and Lia para ihatid yung food kina Yuyu. 

[1:15pm, Monday] Karina: i have food with me

[1:15pm, Monday] Karina: papunta na ako dyan 

 

[1:17pm, Monday] Yuyu: :O 

[1:18pm, Monday] Yuyu: gutom na rin ako hehe

[1:18pm, Monday] Yuyu: tenkyuuu labyuuu *_*

Malapit na ako sa Founder’s Hall when I saw a familiar figure na lumabas sa hall. 

 

Napahinto ako sa paglakad, my eyes following her every move. Especially her long, wavy brown hair that seems awfully familiar.

 

Napakunot ako ng noo and sumimangot. That can’t be her. No way. Marami naman magkabuhok?

 

I shook the thoughts away and naglakad na ulit. I wasn’t about to let some look-alike bother me. 

 

Pumasok na ako and immediately spotted them sa isang corner. They’re all huddled together, kind of loud. Ang nipis pa ng boses ng isa sa kanila. 

 

Napasmile ako when I saw Yuyu throw her head back from laughing. 

 

“Hey,” I greeted her, tapping her shoulder. Natahimik naman silang lahat when they noticed my presence at tiningnan ako ng gulat.

 

I noticed Ning and Chaeryeong elbowing Winter na parang may binubulong. 

 

I don’t think marunong bumulong tong mga kaibigan ni Yuyu kasi I can hear them whisper ‘inspirasyon.’ Whatever that means.

 

Napansin ni Yuyu yung bulungan nila and looked at them questioningly before turning to me.

 

“Hi!” Yuyu took the plastic bag from me. “Anong binili mo for me?” 

 

“Yuyu, uhm — fried rice and tapa.” I squeaked. “S-sabi ni Mama, di ka daw kumain ng breakfast.” 

 

I cringed inwardly sa pag stutter ko. Gutom na yata ako. 

 

“Oh yeah. Na late kasi akong nagising.” 

 

“I’ll wake you up next time na lang.” She just nodded her head and proceeded to look through the plastic bag.

 

It’s hard to ignore when people are obviously looking at you ng harap-harapan. Feel ko naman there’s another head growing on top of my head. 

 

Especially si Winter and her big, round eyes. Grabe kasi makatitig. It’s making me feel, uh, weird.

 

Tapos nagbubulungan pa sila.

 

Don’t think I don’t hear them when none of them don’t know how to talk softly. I heard them when they said, “bakit mama tawag niya?” 

 

Kung tanungin na lang kaya kami ng maayos? Sasagot naman ako.

 

I guess they can’t help it, kasi kung ano-ano naririnig nila about me from other people. And then nakikita nila ako with Yuyu. And maybe Yuyu has said something about me na rin.

 

They must have some questions. 

 

Pero I don’t think Yuyu will befriend them kung hindi naman sila mababait. 

 

“Hala, may fries! Ang dami naman yata neto, Yuyu.” 

 

“Uhm — I bought food…” I paused at tiningnan yung tatlo. “...for-for you guys…to share.” 

 

I cleared my throat, feeling a little parched. Ang init naman kasi dito sa Founder’s Hall. I rolled my sleeves absentmindedly to get some sort of relief.  

 

Nakita ni Yuyu yung pag struggle ko with my sleeves and rolled it back down for me. Right. Bawal mag roll ng sleeves dahil sa cufflinks. 

 

“Ang bait-bait nyo naman pala…po!” Sabi ni Ning? “Di naman pala totoo—” Di na niya natuloy sinasabi niya because Winter covered . 

 

“Sorry sa kaibigan kong palengkera.” Winter smiled at me. “Thank you po sa fries.” 

 

“Opo, ang sweet nyo talaga,” dugtong naman ni Chaeryeong? It looks like she changed her hair. “Tama si Ryujin na ang bait nyo po. Thank you sa libre, Ate! Ganda na nga mabait pa!” 

 

I could feel my ears heating up sa sudden compliment ni Chaeryeong. And mas lalo akong nainitan when I saw na tumatango-tango si Ning and Winter in agreement. 

 

Buti na lang nakalugay buhok ko today. Otherwise…my ears. 

 

Napasmile ako when Yuyu looked up at me and smiled proudly. Kitang-kita yung mala-pusa niyang features sa pisngi niya, I couldn’t help but smile back.

 

Her left arm reached for me to come closer and I shuffled my feet at muntik na akong matumba when she encircled her arm around my waist to hug me. “Sabi ko naman sa inyo. Thanks, Yuyu.”  

 

“No problem, beb.” I s my arm on her shoulder and squeezed her, my head on top of hers.

 

I did not miss the way three pairs of eyes gawked at us. 

 

I gave her one last squeeze and kumawala na ako sa hawak niya and stepped aside.

 

I cleared my throat. Nauuhaw na ako. “I’ll see you later na lang, Yu-Yuyu.”

 

I think I’ve stuttered more times today than when I go up for presentations. And Yuyu is looking at me funny because of it. 

 

“Ay Ate, ayaw mong sumabay sa amin?” Malakas na tanong ni Ning. 

 

Umiling ako. “Uhm, hindi na.” 

 

Nag pout naman siya sa akin. Ang laki din pala ng mga mata ni Ning. Mukha siyang pusa sa Puss in Boots. 

 

“Sayang naman.” Nakita ko yung pag deflate ng shoulders ni Winter?

 

“Next time na lang.” Yuyu looked at me hopefully. I just smiled. “Kumain ka na ba?” 

 

I shook my head and next thing I know, sinubuan niya ako ng fry. Nagulat ako at napaatras, not expecting her to do that. Sinubo ko na lang din yung fry and covered my mouth, chewing.

 

“Kumain ka na. Wag kang magpalipas ng gutom.” 

 

“I know. I won’t,” I said, assuring her. “I-I’ll go ahead na.” 

 

“Okay, kumain ka!” Pahabol niya.

 

Paalis na ako when Winter spoke. 

 

“Bye, Ate Karina.” 

 

Bumaling ang tingin ko sa kanya and found her smiling brightly at me. 

 

Napakurap ako. I just slowly nodded my head and walked away. 

 

Before pa ako makalyo ay narinig ko ulit ang malakas na boses nila. 

 

I think si Ning yun? She really doesn’t know how to use her inside voice kasi rinig na rinig ko siya sumisigaw, “hindi ako naniniwala!”

 

Pero napaisip ako. Parang kulang sila ng isa? Sabi ni Yuyu lima sila. Binalewala ko na lang. I’ll ask Yuyu some other time. 

 

Nakablik ako sa cafeteria na uhaw na uhaw at hingal na hingal. 

 

“Why do you look like you ran a marathon?” Lia opened the bottle of water for me. I took it right away and downed it. “Slow down, KK.” 

 

“Ang init lang today.” I said wiping my mouth using my sleeve. 

 

Nag click ng tongue si Lia at nag rant na naman about sa uniforms.

 

“I’m telling you these uniforms are so unnecessarily long and hot!” 

 

***

 

 

Parang the universe is testing me. 

 

Kasi naman, everywhere I went, Winter was there. 

 

Wala naman talaga akong problems sa friends ni Yuyu. They’re all very