Fridays are a bit of a breather for me. Kahit may thesis class ako. 

 

Wala akong class until noon. Late start din sila Yuyu so it all works out pa rin yung pagpunta namin sa school ng sabay. Our classes end a little early today too. 

 

After I dropped her off sa room nila, naisipan ko munang bumili ng milk tea. It’s a little bit early pero I’m craving kasi and I want to have energy for my afternoon class. 

 

Late na rin ako makakain ng lunch. So this should hold me out until then. 

 

May car na naka park in front of the milk tea store when I went in. Nagtataka ako because as far as I know, hindi pwede mag park diyan. 

 

Before ako umorder, tinext ko muna si Lia if she wanted anything. I won’t ask Giselle knowing she doesn’t drink anything cold in the morning. 

 

[11:16am, Friday] Karina: you want milk tea? 

 

[11:17am, Friday] Honey: yes pls!

[11:18am, Friday] Honey: large passion fruit tea. less sugar. lots of ice. 

[11:18am, Friday] Honey: thanks. luv u <3

 

After I placed my order, I turned to look to see if the car was still parked outside. 

 

Nakabukas na yung pinto and some girl was frantically looking for something in her car. She violently took her seatbelt off at lumabas. And then she looked under her seat. 

 

Parang hindi niya nahanap kung ano man ang hinahanap niya because she frustratingly grabbed her hair at padabog niyang sinara yung door. 

 

Okay lang ba siya?

 

Umiikot siya na nakatingala, I guess reading the store signs. Mukhang she’s panicking na. She was biting her lip and her hand was fidgeting the cuff of her shirt. 

 

She looked ahead, eyes scanning the inside of the stores in front of her.

 

Is that Winter? 

 

I checked my phone for the time. 11:35 am.

 

She should be in class with Yuyu. She’s late. Papasok pa kaya siya?

 

Pag-angat ng ulo ko, nagtama mga mata namin at dali ko naman iniwas ang tingin ko and faced the front counter for my order. 

 

And parang the universe was on my side kasi agad naman inabot na ni Ate yung order ko at nag thank you ako. 

 

Hopefully, di na ako napansin ni Winter. 

 

But I spoke too soon. 

 

Kasi pag-ikot ko, nagulat ako Winter was already in front of me looking like a lost puppy. 

 

“Uhm hi, sorry Ate pero…” she paused. “I know di tayo close pero pwede pa help?” 

 

“Ha – ano – sorry – uhm what do you need?” I stammered. Medyo nagulat ako sa tanong niya.

 

“Eto kasi…” She brought her arm up and showed me her wrist. Her cuff was missing a cufflink. She smiled sheepishly. 

 

“Ah – oh – okay, uhm, wait.” 

 

Chineck ko bag ko for extra cufflinks pero wala akong mahanap. I remember meron akong extra sa car ko kasi Yuyu loses her cufflinks often. Ang likot kasi. 

 

Should I ask her to follow me to the car? It’s kind of a far walk.

 

But she has her car naman. She could just drive us there. 

 

Pero nakakahiya naman if I ask her to do that.

 

Not to mention very awkward. 

 

So, I just decided against it.   

 

Sasabihin ko na sana sa kanya na I can’t help her when I noticed the bobby pins on my tie. I sighed in relief. Isa to sa mga life hack dito sa school when we lose our cufflinks. 

 

I slipped one off and gave it to her. “Uhm, you can use this muna.” 

 

She took the pin pero tinitingnan lang niya ‘to, unsure what to do with it.  

 

“I’ll go ahead na.” 

 

She reached for me. “Wait, Ate. Sorry.” Napahinto ako. “Hindi ko alam paano ‘to gawin?” 

 

“Uhh.” 

 

I didn’t know what to do with my hands. Nagpanic akong inabot sa kanya yung dala kong milk tea and held my right hand, palm up. 

 

She just looked at me confused. 

 

“Y-your wrist…sorry, uhm wrist mo…for-for the pin.” 

 

Nagets naman niya agad and placed her hand on top of mine. I quickly slipped the bobby pin in and secured her cuffs. 

 

“There.” I tapped her hand, a satisfied smile playing on my lips. 

 

And then I froze, realizing what I was doing and quickly took my hand back. 

 

I stumbled, stammering, “Malelate na ako,” and immediately reached for the milk tea na hawak-hawak niya.

 

And then I made the mistake of looking at her face. Because she was beaming, her smile was so infectious that I had to gather my wits and forced my legs to move. 

 

Nagmadali na akong umalis. Hindi ko na siya pinansin. 

 

Narinig ko na lang yung pagsigaw niya ng thank you. 

 

***

 

“Miss Yu.” 

 

“Miss Yu.” 

 

“Karina Yu.”

 

I snapped out of my daydream ng kinalabit ako ng kaklase ko sa likod ko. 

 

“Tawag ka ni Sir.” Pabulong niya sa likod ko. 

 

“Huh?” Binaling ko ang tingin ko sa harap ng room and I blinked, still in a daze. 

 

“Miss Yu, if you’re done daydreaming, I’d like you to actually pay attention in class.” 

 

I straightened in my seat, realizing what was happening. 

 

Yung utak ko lumilipad. Di ko alam pinag-uusapan nila. And it hasn’t been long since class started. I think may isang oras pa kami. 

 

“Sorry, Sir.” 

 

“As I was saying, or asking rather, what are the four levels of audience involvement in advertising?” 

 

Alam ko ‘to. I read this kagabi. 

 

I cleared my throat. “The four levels of involvement are preattention, focal attention, comprehension, and elaboration…sir.” 

 

“Good. Alam kong matalino ka, Miss Yu, but I still expect you to focus in my class. Understood?” 

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Grabe na yung hiya ko. I wanted to disappear. Feel ko ang liit liit ko sa upuan ko. For sure, this is going to be the latest talk among the Mariteses. 

 

I could already hear them whispering.

 

Karina pinahiya ni sir.

 

Buti nga sa kanya ang sungit kasi.

 

Karina mukhang tanga kanina sa class.

 

 

I shook my head.

 

Nagdiscuss na ulit si Sir. 

 

I exhaled, relieved na nawala na ulit ang attention sa akin.

 

Hindi ko alam kung bakit wala ako sa isip today. It’s like my brain turned into mush. I’m not usually like this. Kahit na gaano ako kapagod, I still pay attention. 

 

I saw Giselle flash me a look of concern beside me and I just nodded. 

 

I’m fine. I mouthed. 

 

I am fine. I think. 

 

I think I’m just hungry. Malapit na din mag 2pm. 

 

I only had an hour or so left to go through na hindi nakatulala.

 

Pero parang mas napagod ako trying to not let my mind wander sa kung ano-ano that whole hour. I’ve never been so distracted. 

 

Pagkatapos ng class, dumiretso na ako sa cafeteria para kumain. Sumunod lang si Giselle and Lia sa akin.

 

“KK, you okay? You seem out of it kanina pa.” Pinaharap ako ni Lia sa kanya and touched my forehead. “You’re not mainit. You okay, honey?” 

 

Inalis ko yung kamay ni Lia sa noo ko and squeezed her hand. I smiled at her. “I’m fine. Just hungry I think.” 

 

“You sure, KK? Baka you’ve been watching too much k-drama na naman.” Sabi ni Giselle. “Nag daydream ka ulit about Nam Joo Hyuk?!” 

 

There was this one time I was obsessed with Nam Joo Hyuk because of Weightlifting Fairy tapos sa Start Up. Can’t help it if his gummy smile is so cute. And his dimples. 

 

But I just rolled my eyes at her at bumili na ng pagkain.

 

“No, Gi, remember, the last time she was THIS tulala was like that one time when she was still crushing on her now ex and he would smile at her. Remember? Ugh kadiri.” Nag make face naman si Lia like she looked disgusted. 

 

Yeah, I make mistakes too, okay? I’m only human. I think anyone would react the same if their crush smiled at them too. 

 

“Oh yeah, no, he was hot but he was a no no. Tsk. Good riddance.” Giselle pretended to vomit. 

 

Natawa kaming tatlo because Giselle’s right. Good riddance to him. He was no good. 

 

“Okay, we shouldn’t even be talking about him.” Napalingon naman ako from the left and right, afraid I’ll be caught gossiping. “Don’t even mention him in front of Bal, and especially not to Yuyu. Magagalit yun.”

 

“Fine. But he’s still an !” 

 

“Thank you.”

 

Umupo na kami sa table and I began eating. They were just keeping me company until I had to pick up Yuyu. 

 

“Pero like, why were you tulala?” Di pa pala tapos si Lia.

 

Honestly, hindi ko alam? 

 

I thought about what happened today and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. 

 

Milk tea, Winter, bobby pins. 

 

“I don’t know.” Sabi ko na lang. “Probably just tired.” 

 

They finally dropped the subject and asked me about my plans this weekend.

 

Tutulungan ko si Yuyu for her audition. So I’ll just be at her house. Yun lang. 

 

Manonood lang yata kami ng dance covers pero I already have something in mind na I think she would totally nail. 

 

Since Yuyu’s specialty is popping, I was thinking of Kyle Hanagami’s choreography for Beyonce’s Yonce. It’s strong, it’s y and it would totally show off her skills. 

 

Yuyu dances effortlessly and her moves are sharp and clean. May certain swag din siya which makes her look even cooler. Grabe ang charisma. So bagay na bagay sa kanya ang choreography. 

 

I’m getting excited just thinking about it. 

 

Other than that, there’s really nothing much I can do to help her except sa pagpili ng song and choreo. Yuyu is already a really good dancer.

 

Natapos na rin akong kumain and Giselle and Lia left. They have dates daw. I know Lia does but Giselle? She owes me kwento. 

 

It’s almost 3:30pm na rin so I made my way to Yuyu’s building. 

 

I think timing yung pagpunta ko sa building ni Yuyu kasi I saw the guy who we’ve been looking for since school started.

 

I smiled before he even noticed me walking towards him. Palapit na ako sa kanya when he finally saw me. 

 

Ang lawak ng ngiti. Nawawala yung mga mata niya.

 

“Baaaaaal!” Agaw-pansin niyang tawag sa akin.

 

He jogged towards me and hugged me right away. I hugged him back, tip toeing a bit kasi binuhat niya ako ng konti. 

 

Kumawala kami and inakbayan niya ako while I wrapped my arm around his waist. 

 

“Hi, sweetie. Long time no see.” I said habang nakangiti. 

 

Omg si Karina ba yan at si Hyunjin?

 

Magkakilala sila?

 

Grabe naman yung ngitian nila? 

 

Nakita mo yung yakapan nila? Pang teleserye lang teh? 

 

Akala ko may jowang freshie si Kari