“…Chai Latte for Kyle?”

 

“… week ba need ipasa yung final draft?”

 

“Narinig mo na ba what they’re saying about Angelo…”

 

“Thank you, Kuya…”

 

“…pag-igihan mo pa pero ang importante, alam mo na proud kami ni Mama sayo.”

 

We're at SB and as soon as we got our order, there's only silence around our table.

 

It’s awkward.

 

Why is it awkward? 

 

Again. Why isn’t any of us speaking?

 

I sighed.

 

“Do you want to say something?”

 

“…”

 

I guess walang magsasalita then?

 

What can I answer to her “…” kaya?

 

“…”

 

 “…” na lang din.

 

I moved para kunin yung phone ko when suddenly biglang nagsalita si Ning.

 

“I’m not going to lie ha, so gusto ko lang sabihin na hindi ko talaga inakala na aalis ka na.”

 

Okay, the admission made me smile a little but sinenyasan ko na lang din siya to continue. 

 

“I think you’re in need of a ‘Congrats on the big move!’ greeting na. After 2 years, you finally pushed through with your plans.”

 

This is the the part ata wherein I explain myself. She’s not actually wrong in that this whole moving thing is long overdue. I’m in my 2nd year of college already and this year pa lang ako aalis from my home. Wait, no, actually it’s not that weird naman kasi there’s a lot of people na hindi nga umaalis sa bahay nila until the’ve graduated. But it's not wrong for me to try to become more independent na rin. Although, I have a feeling that it’s going to be a large change to what I’m used to pero I guess I’ll leave at some point naman so why not now, right? More time to get used to everything na rin.

 

I was supposed to reply something but ang dry na pala ng throat ko. Baka I’ll choke pa nga if I won’t take even a sip of my drink.

 

What time is it na ba? Let's see. Okay, it’s actually 4:11pm na.

 

Anyway, I can see na rin a ring made of water sa table where my drink was placed so I guess it’s been long na din since we received our orders.

 

I was messing with one of the waffles we bought when Ning started talking again.

 

“Sure ka na that you don’t want a welcome party sa apartment mo? What if we go na lang to Pop Up kaya after?”

 

What do they say again? #Pray4MyAtay ba?

 

“I don’t know if you know this, but we have this thing called backlogs kasi. Didn’t you cry pa nga sa call about sa many plates na need mo na i-submit before the break?”

 

“You-“

 

Uh-oh. I think I’ve said the wrong thing, maybe?

 

Nag-fake gasp si Ning and she’s gripping the armrest, shaking her head, making sabunot sa hair niya, and biting her lower lip as if she’s going to cry na. She’s parang natataranta na talaga.

 

I can’t look at her na so, I tried to move my sight sa ibang place na lang and unfortunately nasa loob nga pala kami ng café so there’s a lot of people din. They’re looking at Ning and me but all I can do talaga is to smile na lang hoping na tumigil na yung kaibigan ko.

 

Ah, hindi talaga nagkamali si Ms. Therese when she gave her the Best in Acting sa play namin dati.  

 

“I’m feeling so frustrated right now, you know I work better under pressure.”

 

That's true. Nakakainggit nga actually.

 

I have a feeling I haven’t introduced her properly yet so gawin ko na para at least kilala na yung aagaw ulit ng scene. So, the one in front of me currently enjoying her beloved Pink Drink is Ningning or Ning for short, a 2nd year college student. She’s taking up BS Architecture, major in broken UniPin. 

 

We're here ngayon because we’re waiting for her mom since unfortunately, nasa car ng mom niya yung other half ng things ko for moving. The other half is of course nasa car na ni Ning. Need namin hintayin si Tita kasi she doesn't know exactly where I'll be staying kasi we'll have it as a surprise daw according kay Ning. It doesn't even make sense? Bakit kailangan na it's a surprise kay Tita? 

 

“Not all of us, Ning. I have to do my backlogs pa talaga. Pasasabugin na ng groupmate ko yung chat if wala pang magrereply sa kaniya about her message today. And where’s your mom na ba? Akala ko she’ll just pick up and drop off Tita Nelly, then after susundan niya na tayo?”

 

She just waved me off after what I’ve said about my acads and started looking up something sa phone niya. Whether it’s about her mom or baka may ka-chat na naman siya, I have no idea pero I'm getting concerned na since I have a lot to set up pa in the apartment and it's already getting late in the afternoon.

 

“Tita said na nakarating na siya a while ago na so I think malapit na si Mom.”

 

She said that without looking up from her phone and when she's about to set it down, suddenly may flash ng notification. It didn't really escape my eye that she tried to hurriedly remove the notification. 

 

Ay, I saw that. Huli ka.

 

“Good to know naman. Who messaged you after the thing about Tita by the way?”

 

“It’s an Angkas guy. Dumating na yung care package ko for sis. You know na ba na she’s sick right now? She tested negative naman for Covid but just in case na lang.”

 

Sure.

 

“Delivery drivers…didn’t know that was your type na pala.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Sabi mo isa sa love language mo is gift giving so kinikilig ka kapag may nagdedeliver ng order mo?”

 

Ning rolled her eyes at that and leaned back at the sofa.

 

“Oh, shut up.”

 

“So success ba si Bumble date number—wait, pang ilan na ba?”

 

“You’re the one to talk pa nga.”

 

“Accepted ko na. Tapos na ako sa stages of grief ko with that app. I’ve already deleted it na nga. Can’t say the same for you nga lang.”

 

“You know what? I did it.”

 

“Did what?”

 

“I deleted it. I’m done”

“What?”

“-awat. Or flag in English. Actually, if you’ll have it in white na rin, you can wave it na since yung last person that I've chatted there, we’ve actually exchanged socials and go on dates na plus I have a gut feeling na we’ll last until Feb so paano ba ‘yan? I have a date na for Feb. And I can’t say the same for you.”

 

I scoffed at her words.

 

“.”

 

“Love you too, love.”

 

And she really had the audacity to blow a kiss.

 

I shook my head. This is not over. Hindi pwedeng ako lang yung may failing na lovelife in this friendship.

 

“E—”