first meet (rambotan tales) part 2

"Giaa!" I said for the nth time "Bakit ba ang malas malas ko!" I dramatically said, at may kasamang paghingos pa.

So I'm here pala sa bahay nila Gia and I finally gave her my pasalubong. As usual she's very grateful and me also kasi nakalimotan niya agad ang kasalanan ko. I'm currently ranting about kanina and if you're asking what really happened, let me summarize it for you. Diba nga umabot pa ako sa entrance ceremony after nung rambotan incident. Guess what, they made me do an impromptu speech kasi daw the rep is running late, good thing for me is hindi naman talaga ako mahina sa public speaking, I guess this is the perks of being a loka-loka. But the thing is, I was really one of the chosen speakers pero I respectfully decline kasi I was so active last year sa school namin, it was draining and I just wanna lay low this time. Hay, pero here I am again.

"May mas malas pa sa'yo no." she said casually while chewing her 14th rambotan

"who?"

"Nanay mo."

"bakit?"

"kasi anak ka niya"

binato ko sa kanya ang balat ng rambotan "hindi ka nakakatulong!" pero maybe she has a point

So let me introduce you to Gia, paano ba? parang robot naman kasi to, charot.

Gia Winslow Apiñosa, 20 years old, yes she's a year older than me. Part-time model, full-time nonchalant, stainless steel at durable, heavy-duty din to eh kasi natagalan ako.

Pero in serious sense, Gia is actually the only person who remained genuine whenever my antics are showing on it's own lol, I mean you know, I'm really goofy sometimes hindi ko na alam na I'm being too much na pala, but to Gia I'm never too much, I'm just me.

That kind of friend who listens at tipong makikipag-bardagulan kapag inaaway ako, even when she can't fight for herself.

We're the oa and unproblematic tandem.

Her physical appearance?

She has a shoulder length straight hair, she's lean and slender, she's 5'7 that's why suki ng modelling gig, she's the total package.

"Ba't ba kasi ang daming rambotan?"

"wala ka nang ubo diba?" sagot ko

tumango siya habang nagbabalat ulit ng, teka.."is that the last one?"

she paused at tiningnan ang basket, she nodded slowly, I heard her snort and that's when we laughed in sync.

The door opened and I saw Gia's Mom "Hi po titaaa" I greeted joyfully

"Hello Jo" she smiled eye to eye "dito ka na mag dinner ah, I cooked your favorite"

at bilang oa, my eyes grew wide "talaga po? thank you titaaa!"

regular ako dito eh kaya talagang kuhang kuha ako ni tita

My mom already knew na I'm here, since she usually gets home late kasi work. Nakagawian ko na rin tumambay kina Gia after class.

(Dinner)

At the dinner table, it's Gia's Mom sa dulo, and then both me and Gia are beside her then the Kuya's! Let me introduce them one by one.

Kuya Geoffrey the 25 year old aerospace engineer at ang panganay, next to him is Kuya Gideon 24 year old and is currently taking his Master of Arts in Nursing

Then on the other side of table are Kuya Wesley 22 year old Archi student and last but not the least is Wayne 21, psych.

Yes po, she has 4 kuya's(good luck nalang sa future manliligaw ni Gia). Lahat sila gentlemen, lahat gwapo. Kaya naman pwede nang sumali sa liga ang pamilyang 'to at mag uwi ng trophy plus tigli-limang asawa.

And Gia as the unica hija is their greatest blessing. According to tita they'd always pray for a baby girl kaya naman when Gia arrived it was such an amazing moment for all of them. Tito's eyes were literally glistening the very first time he laid his eyes on her nga daw. It's a story na inuulit ulit ni tita to Gia.

And other more stories to keep his late Father's memories, yes Gia's Mom is a single mother for how many years narin, Gia's dad died when she was just four kaya naman her brothers made sure to give her a fatherly love na hindi na naabotan ni gia, she's literally there princess and of course me, kasi epal nga ako eh and we literally grew up together kaya naman being here always felt like home.

After namin mag dinner I stayed for the next hour before saying good bye. Hinatid ako ni Wayne using his motorcycle, we're just blocks away pero they always make sure na I get home safe.

"hey Jo, pwede bang dumaan muna tayo sa 7/11?" tanong ni Wayne

"Sure waway"

"nice, may pinabibili si Gia eh."

When we arrived at 7/11, Wayne and I was so busy talking that when he opened the door for me, anak ng tokwa she was inside rin pala

"you again?" Taray niyang salubong sa akin.

Even if her attitude is very mapanghi hindi ko maiwasang mapansin ang suot niya, she's in her pink tank top and wide leg jeans(really at this hour?), ano ba 'to chinitang bratz pero godzilla-personality?

"classmate mo Jo?" tanong ni wayne

"ah schoolmate ko lang" bulong ko kay wayne

What a very bad coincidence. Ba't ba nandito siya? Don't tell me she lives near here? argh

"schoolmate niyang na late dahil sa NILALAKONG rambotan nito" sabat niya while pointing and looking at me in a very mataray way! Sarap dukutin ng chinitang mata eh, pigilan niyo koooo jusko po

"excuse me hindi ako naglalako, at tsaka mag move on ka na nga, it is what it is!" Sabi ko na may bahid ng inis

"huh! I KNEW IT, so you're admitting na ikaw talaga yun!" she said authoritatively, na para bang she caught me doing something heinous.

I was about to say something nang biglang may inabot si Wayne sa aming dalawa

"oh heto ice cream to chill the both of you." he then faced the other girl at nginitian ng kaniyang killer smile

"hi I'm Wayne Gregory Apiñosa. In behalf of Jo, I apologize for whatever that happened between the both of you that has caused you inconvenience, earlier. Can you let it slide for Jo this one time? My sister's gonna kill me if she find out na umuwing may gasgas yung best friend niya eh"

he let out an airy laugh na girls would die for to hear, but not me, e pati utot narinig ko na kay wayne, yun yung mas deadly

he made big puppy dog eyes before saying "please?" ganap na ganap sha oh

"f-fine, but just this once!" hinila ng suplada ang ice cream na inabot ni wayne(gikilig uroy) at sabay na nag walk out, yan diyan yan siya magaling beh

"Talaga ba waway?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay "In front of my innocent eyes?"

he laughed "It worked kaya Jo, magpasalamat ka nalang" he said laughingly at palarong hinampas sa akin ang wrapped ice cream

our age gap is not that far kaya hindi ako nag ku-kuya kay Wayne, I used to have a little crush on him pero nah, we're really just like siblings.

After nun hinatid niya na ako sa bahay and on the way home I was storytelling ano ba talaga ang nangyari, and knowing me, hindi na siya nagulat pero ako? gulat na gulat kasi he was laughing the whole time at ayaw kong mamatay sa daan na ang huling maririnig ay ang halakhak ni wayne.

Nang dumating na kami, I gave waway the helmet when he suddenly said "ang intense naman ng atmosphere niyo, siguro gay tension 'yun" ngumiti siya ng nakakaloko.

Hinampas ko siya ng paulit ulit "tigilan mo nga ako! Kadiri ka!"

He keeps teasing me padin hanggang sa I threatened him na tatawag ako ng guard "sige ka! I'll call the guard talaga!"

He's still laughing "Jooo" hahahaha "biro lang.." he stopped laughing and there was a shift of emotions. He looked at me softly and with a bit of, I don't know, concern? "don't be too stressed this school year Jo at I hope na you'll give others the time to know you even better. Stop saying yes all the time and stop doing all the giving. The right people will not be offended of your No's, and to meet this people you gotta start saying no to the people who can't take it."

I nodded slowly "hmm" I don't want it to show but I know my lips are slightly trembling.

He slowly pat my head "I have a feeling this will be a good year for you" he plastered a genuine smile

I just wanna melt down and cry my ass out lol.

I let out a short mirthless laugh "but feelings does not prove a fact nor can confirm anything that occurs in the future, it's just a hunch. It's like science without evidences, futile" I tried to wipe my eyes not letting a single tear fall

Wayne just smiled "Yes, In this world everything comes with a level of uncertainty, indeed nothing is ever scientifically true beyond a shadow of a doubt, so there goes our faith Jo, I have faith for you." He looked me straight in the eyes before continuing "Indeed it's just a hunch, and hunch are just you know, guesses. But even people in the past who devoted their lives in science sticked with guesses. Ang point ko lang naman Jo is that it's not actually what you guess, it's about people who are unafraid to prove themselves wrong kahit pa walang kasiguraduhan. Patuloy kang magkamali, gumawa ng mga bagay na minsan wala nang katuturan, you don't have to make sense all the time to keep living Jo"

I sighed

"what's with this sudden shift of atmosphere ba, a minute ago we were just laughing ngayon pinapaiyak mo na ako"

He chuckled "thanks for keeping my sister company all this time Jo, but don't forget na we're always here for you too."

After saying that he started the ignition and waved good bye. That's a psych student for you.

Nang hindi ko na siya naaninag, I breathe in and out, I looked up while saying my mantra "I'm good, I can handle everything." Honestly, it's been tough for me last year, maybe my struggle wasn't too subtle for Wayne not to notice. Napabuntong hininga ako habang pumapasok.

After kung isara 'yung gate biglang tumunog ang phone ko. I saw a message pop. Oh it's waway.

- Bruise Wayne (PanikiMan) -

[Pero ang intense talaga ng atmosphere niyo Jo! Sobrang bading ୧⍤⃝💐 ]

Loko talaga! Binabawi ko nang magaling siyang psych student!

I suddenly make face "argh argh yuck yuck ew! As if naman no?! Never in my life!" At natawa akong bigla

Nasa balcony pala ang mom ko sa taas at maybe naloka siya when she saw me making faces, but instead of reacting she just dismissed it, she went inside shaking her head.

Yes, she's so done with me.

Nakapakamot ako sa ulo ko.

And as soon as I entered the house I saw mom waiting expectantly

"let me guess, rambotan?"

I bet she's been waiting all day just to say that, I rolled my eyes before coming for a hug

"And an asian bratz" I whispered