Class was slow. Time was going by really slowly. 

Our prof had left us with in-class work so long that I think it’s criminal we are doing this labour for free. 

Nanahimik akong nagsusulat sa notebook ko pero nafefeel ko agitation ni Lia in front of me. By the way her pen scraped so angrily against the paper, I could tell she was getting impatient sa ginagawa niya.

“ing finally,” she hissed under her breath. Minsan lang nagmumura si Lia and when she does, it’s quite intimidating. 

I guess tapos na siya. 

Padabog niyang binaba yung pen niya sa table and roughly turned around to face me and Giselle. 

“You guys, can we go out for lunch today?” Inip niyang tanong sa amin. “I’m honestly so tired of cafeteria food. One more of it and masusuka na ako.” 

Wala naman problema sa akin yan. I actually miss going out to eat. Masyado kami naging busy para lumabas tuwing lunch. We used to do it a lot. 

“Plus, we need a change of scenery. Kailangan ko ng fresh air. Don’t you?” 

Tumango si Giselle sa kanya. “Yeah, why not? I’m craving na rin for something like pasta or a burger.” 

Pumalakpak si Lia and smiled ng napakalawak, her eyes forming into crescents. Ang cute din ni Lia eh. She looks like a sloth when she smiles so widely.

“Yay! What do you say, KK?” 

“I’m good with anything,” I said, still writing in my notebook.

“How about RJ? Maybe she wants to sama with us?” 

“I think busy siya sa project niya with her group,” sagot ko. I flipped the page over and started writing again. “Baka hindi siya pwede.” 

Mukhang tapos na rin si Giselle because she closed her book and put away her notebook. “Is that why she hasn’t been coming to lunch with us?”

I nodded absentmindedly and continued with my work. 

“Then let’s invite her friends na rin!” Excited na pag suggest ni Lia.

Napatigil ako sa pagsusulat at napaisip. 

Wala naman yata masama dun? Pero…

I felt goosebumps travel up my arms when I thought about their lingering stares especially coming from big, round eyes.

“No, I’m sure busy sila.” I reasoned out. “Baka we might just disturb them.”

“It doesn’t hurt to ask naman?” Giselle argued. 

I started making more excuses. “They might feel awkward.” Tapos sinasagot nila ako ng very reasonable explanation as to why that wouldn’t be the case.  

“Baka mahiya si Yuyu kasama friends niya with us.” I lied. Actually, gusto ni Yuyu ipakilala friends niya sa amin. This was just my last resort – a very poor excuse kasi hindi naman sila maniniwala.

Lia scoffed. “Since when did RJ get embarrassed being seen with YOU!? With US?!” 

Right. Never. 

“Also, Yeji actually has time to have lunch with us kaya I wanna go out! RJ would love that.” She glared at me pointedly. “You know she’s been looking for her.”

I sighed, not wanting to argue anymore. Beside me, Giselle was typing furiously on her phone. Parang masisira niya yata phone niya. 

“You know what? Asked her on the GC already.” Giselle smirked. “Modern problems need modern solutions.” 

Sunod-sunod yung pag vibrate ng phones namin. Sana lang talaga hindi pwede si Yuyu. Bakit naman kasi…I’m so awkward around them. 

I know kahit nasa Catholic School ako, nakakalimutan ko mag pray pero sana naman marinig ako. 

I twisted the rosary ring on my pointer finger, anxious sa reply ni Yuyu sa message ni Giselle. 

Hindi na ako makapag-concentrate sa work ko. Malapit pa naman sana ako matapos. 

Napatigil ako sa pag-iisip when Lia suddenly squealed. Napatingin tuloy mga kaklase namin. 

“She said okay!” 

 ❤ Clingies ❤

Baby RJ: sabi ng friends ko okay lang daw :) 

Lovelia: YAAYYY!!!!!

Baby RJ: basta mga ates no embarrassing stories ha

Gigi: can’t promise you that :p

Gigi: plus don’t call us ate! 

Baby RJ: 😫

Lovelia: Yeji is coming BTW 😉

Baby RJ: yeddeong is coming?!?!?!?!!??! 

Yej: see you later 😘

HJ: madaya kayo! di ako pwede! 

Wala na akong pag-asa. Good luck to me. 

Nauna na kaming pumunta sa Jack’s Loft kasi we ended early. Yuyu and her friends will follow na lang after their class. Pati na rin si Yeji kasi may tatapusin daw siya so she’ll be a little late.

This place was our go-to place before. Suki na nga kami before kasi palagi kami naparito when we were freshmen. Especially when we had free period which we had a lot of in the past. Masarap din and it was near lang. 

Nakahanap na kami ng long table enough for eight people. Usually naman people clean as they go here so it’s kind of annoying when people don’t do it. 

So, inayos muna namin and tinapon yung kalat na iniwan ng past customers. 

Naupo na kami and waited for the rest before we could order. Giselle and I sat on the same side. Nag save na rin ako ng seat for Yuyu between me and Giselle. Lia sat across, leaving one seat empty to her right for Yeji. 

As we settled down, sakto naman yung pagdating nila. I noticed Yuyu and waved her over. Nakita niya ako and she waved excitedly before calling for her friends to follow her. 

Napansin ko kaagad yung pagtingin nila and I put my hand down. Bigla kong nafeel yung hiya. 

Yuyu hugged Lia and then Giselle kaagad and asked where Yeji was. Sabi naman ni Lia na susunod na lang daw.

Bumeso yung dalawa sa kanya before she hugged me and settled in the seat I saved for her.  

Sila Chaeryeong, Ning, and Winter sat right across from us, the same side Lia was sitting. 

Then Yuyu started with the introductions. 

“Guys, mga ate ko.” Kinurot siya ni Giselle sa tagiliran.

“RJ, you’re making us sound like gurangs!” She complained. “Introduce us again.” 

“Oo na.” Napakamot siya sa ulo and sighed as if napakahirap yung gagawin niya. Inaasar naman niya sila pero wala na akong magagawa pag aasarin siya ng Conyo Twins. You literally can’t win against them. 

I nudged her to go on para matapos na. 

She gestured at Giselle first. “This is Giselle at yung katabi ni Winter is Lia.” And then she placed her hand on my shoulder. “And you know Yuyu na.” 

Ning didn’t waste time introducing herself to them. Agad niyang inabot ang kanyang kamay towards Giselle to shake. “Hello po, I’m Ning.” Giselle shook her hand, smiling. “Si Winter,” tumingin siya kay Winter, “bestfriend ko. And si Chaeryeong. Dating redhead pero sinita po siya ni Sister. Di naniwala na natural redhead daw siya.” Tumawa si Chaeryeong sa tabi niya.

Tuwang-tuwa naman si Giselle kay Ning. She was amused at how Ning had a little preamble while introducing Winter and Chaeryeong. 

“Hi RJ’s friends!” Giselle was too excited to greet them. Her voice was just a volume higher than usual. 

Meanwhile, Lia turned towards Winter and looked at her up and down. “You look like a puppy, Winter! You’re so cute!” Nagulat pa si Winter sa biglang pagkurot ni Lia sa pisngi niya. “Right, Gi?”

Mukhang natatakot na si Winter sa kanila because she started moving farther away from Lia. 

This is what I was talking about. Sa tono ng boses ni Lia, mukhang nagwawarm na sila for whatever they were planning on doing.

Tiningnan ako ni Giselle and I stared right back at her before she leaned on the table and gushed about how cute Winter is. “Super! Winter, you are so pretty! I could put you in my pocket!” 

“Tinatakot niyo naman si Winter, eh!” Hinila ni Yuyu pabalik si Giselle sa seat niya. “Sorry, Winter ha. Excited sila kasi wala akong friends na ka-age ko. Kayo lang.” 

“Oh, stop it, RJ! We’re just being nice! Right, KK?” 

Ning jumped in the conversation before ako maka-react. “Kami Ate Giselle? Hindi ba kami cute ni Chaeryeong?” At nilagay nila mga kamay nila sa mga mukha nila, cupping their cheeks and fluttering their eyes. 

Giselle looked at Ning, entertained. She was loving Ning’s confidence and energy, I could tell. Pati na rin kay Chaeryeong. 

Giselle is a little picky, and to be honest, judgy, about other people. Especially people who hang around us – or try to.  

“I like them, RJ.” She said while hooking her arm with Yuyu’s. “Ang cute niyo! Pero, don't call me Ate.” Umiiling siya, scrunching her nose in disgust. “I’m not that old.” 

“Ano po gusto niyo itawag namin sa inyo?” Tanong ni Chaeryeong. 

“Just Giselle or Gi. Whatever floats your boat.” 

“Don’t call me Ate, too! RJ doesn’t even call us that.” Lia piped in. “Lia is fine.” 

Tumango silang tatlo and tiningnan ako. I think nagtataka sila if I would say anything about them calling me Ate. I have been wanting to tell them not to call me Ate but di ko maisingit. 

Kasi naman…everytime we see each other, I’m always left like a stammering idiot and it’s hard to segway into it when Ning talks a lot. 

So hinayaan ko na lang. I’m not as outspoken as Giselle or Lia.

“Bakit po pala RJ and KK tawag niyo kay Ryujin and Ate Karina?” Biglang nagsalita si Winter.

Tinaasan ako ng kilay ni Lia at the mention of “Ate.” I just shrugged at her. 

“Ah, pa cool kasi to silang dalawa. Laking ibang bansa kasi and ewan ko ba kung bakit trip nila yung mga letra lang sa pangalan. Napaka conyo.” Pag explain ni Yuyu. “Nadala na lang yung nickname since high school.”

“No, you’re the baby kasi, RJ!” Pang-asar ni Lia.

Nag protest naman si Yuyu and whined, “Si Yuna kasi yun!” 

Patuloy lang ang pang-asar ni Lia, enjoy na enjoy yung reaction na nakukuha niya from Yuyu. “Do you see Yuna here baby RJ?”

She just slumped in her chair and nagpabebe sa akin, “Yuyu…” Nakakaawa siyang tingnan pero nakakatawa rin that I couldn’t help but laugh at her. 

How could I not when her bangs were so magulo na tapos pinagpawisan yung ilong niya, a very clear indication that she was getting frustrated. And then she was looking at me like someone just took her favourite toy. 

She was so adorable, I couldn’t help but pat her head. “Aww.” 

She whined even more! “Yuyu! Akala ko ba kakampi kita?!” 

Pinipigilan ko yung tawa ko while she glared at me. Napansin ko naman yung bulungan ng tatlo and decided that we should stop. I think they were feeling a little left out na.

I cleared my throat and suggested that we order. Naawa na rin ako kay Yuyu. Mukhang iiyak na sa pang-asar ng dalawa. 

Lia and Giselle went up to order first. Tinanong ko muna si Yuyu kung anong gusto niya. “What do you want, Yuyu?”

“Kung ano na lang yung sayo.” I nodded. I was about to ask her friends pero naunahan ako sa hiya. Nakaabang lang kasi silang tatlo sa akin with wide eyes. Napaubo na lang ako and turned to her. 

“Yuyu, just text me what Chaeryeong and them want.” I got up to follow Lia and Giselle. 

I stood in line behind Lia and she turned to me. 

“You’re letting them call you Ate?” She asked curiously. 

“I couldn’t do anything about it.” 

“You don’t even let RJ call you that!” She exclaimed. 

I know. 

I just shook my head, defeated. “It’s whatever.” I sighed. “Let’s order.” 

I had asked Yuyu to help me bring the food to the table. I bought us burgers while the other three asked for pasta. According to Yuyu, nagtalo pa silang tatlo na sila na daw bibili sa food nila but I had insisted, through text, that I