When Everything Turns to Gray

Chapter 9: The Rainbow Package

Ako 'yong tipo ng tao na mapili sa taong kakaibiganin. I'd rather have a few but true friends than many fake ones.

Maliban kay Kael, I consider Ate Pinkle as my first friend. Hindi ako nagbibiro kung sasabihin kong nagkukuwento ako sa kanya dati tungkol sa akin no'ng nakatira pa siya sa amin. She would also do the same. Ganyan kami ka-close. Well, filtered sharing nga lang.

Filtered in a sense that it won't be TMI and intrusive. It seemed weird, right? Bakit kami mag-she-share if we aren't being completely honest with each other? But that's the way it is.

After Kael and Ate Pinkle, sino pa ba? Well, there's Diggy. We're buddies, although not that close kahit pa magkasama kami sa bahay. Hindi katulad ng closeness namin ni Ate ang mayroon kami ni Diggy.

Bukod sa kanila, sa tingin ko wala na. Hindi ko close ang mga pinsan namin sa mother's side kahit pa bumibisita naman sila dito paminsan-minsan.

When it comes to my father's side, only child lang si Dad. Mabibilang lang sa isa kong kamay kung ilang beses pumunta dito ang mga paternal relatives namin. I didn't even know anyone of my age.

Outside the family circle, like neighbor, peers or former classmates, wala akong matatawag na kaibigan. Acquaintance, maybe. Friendship is really a foreign thing to me.

Hindi ako introvert. I could manage to talk to people easily if I feel like doing so. Gusto ko lang mag-isa. Yeah, I'm such a loner. I love being my own company. I'm fine with being with me, myself and I... with my personal space... enjoying the peace of solitude.

Ngayon, nakakapanibago lang. I dunno but within a short span of time, I felt comfortable with Raine like how she'd like to ba called or was it me? Yeah, ako nga pala. The name seemed fitting. Ang daldal niya masyado, ang ingay. Para siyang malakas na buhos ng ulan. However, she's just a tiny droplet.

I never thought Sophia Lorraine Bo came as a package deal. And I have to accept the whole damn package. I really caught myself in one hell of a predicament.

Just like this one particular instance. It would be fine if Raine and I were the only people in this table. But seconds later after sitting, two women entered into the scene.

"Sophie!" came from a girly voice behind me. Nag-angat ng tingin si Raine sa tumawag sa kanya. Napansin kong nakalapit na pala ito sa table namin. She looked at me and her mouth formed an O.

"Hi." She waved. "Ako nga pala si Lila. Friend ni Sophie."

Lila, huh? A color-based name. O baka nickname lang. Medyo may kalakihan ang pangangatawan niya. May bilugan siyang mukha at mahaba ang kulot niyang buhok.

"Hi, I'm Ash." Tipid akong ngumiti.

"Pwede bang dito na lang kami pumwesto?" tanong naman ng kasama nitong tigasin ang pananalita at galawan. Compared to Lila, she's somewhat skinny. Maikli ang buhok nito, hanggang leeg lang.

"Ano ka ba naman, Maria Zula, gusto mo ba tayong maging 3rd at 4th wheel? Kita mong moment nila 'to," mahinang sabi ni Lila dito ngunit rinig pa rin naman namin.

"Delilah!" saway sa kanya ni Raine. "Ma-issue ka. We're just friends."

"Sa ngayon," maintrigang dagdag nito. "At parang awa mo na, 'wag mo akong tawaging Delilah."

May issue rin sa pangalan? Sabagay, medyo oldie nga ang Delilah. And shit... bakit ngayon ko lang na-realize? Siya 'yong babaeng gusto ni Kael.

Napansin ko ang pang-aasar nila sa 'min. That's another proof which supports Raine is the Rainbow. Since they're friends, alam siguro nila na secret admirer ko si Raine. Or were they just teasing me?