Trouble Flotation

1

7 years earlier

"Are you sure that I can live here, Lauren?"

My two suitcases felt like dead weights on my arms, sobrang bigat — pero okay lang! I just finished high school in NYC and decided to pursue college here in Manila.

Why? So I can study engineering here nang hindi na ako pinoproblema ni Mom. And besides, gusto ko rin namang maging independent, di ba? I'm a kolehiyala now, dapat marunong na kong tumayo sa sarili kong paa.

"Oo naman! I'm your friend 'no, you can stay here whenever you want!" Lauren smiled warmly and gestured for me to follow her upstairs.

We stepped into the room, and it was way bigger than I expected. The walls were a calming shade of light blue, and there was a soft rug on the floor — sobrang comfy, parang hotel.

Right now, hindi pa ako ready to move into my own condo. My mom would just keep showing up to check on me and ask about swimming and all that. Nakakapressure kaya! So buti na lang talaga Lauren let me stay.

Napangiti na lang ako habang nililibot yung mata ko sa laki ng condo niya. Tumingin ako sa picture frame sa may table but Lauren quickly covered it and placed it in a box.

"By the way, Gab, there's one issue lang with this place. Every night, my neighbors are super loud, as in — sobra." She rolled her eyes then slipped the frame into the box.

"It's a married couple thing," she added with a giggle.

She pointed to a door. "Bathroom's right through there, and feel free to raid the fridge. Lahat diyan libre, 'no pressure."

"Alright, I'll head out muna. May errands pa ako later. Just call me if you need anything, okay?" She hugged the box close and walked off. Ang laki nung box, pero she didn't even ask for help.

Lauren is the daughter of the mayor of Manila. She's an only child, raised in privilege but never made you feel like it. She's warm, approachable, and she knows how to carry herself. No wonder lahat ng tao gusto siya.

I looked around the room again, then slowly started unpacking my things. I hung up my clothes — all of them bagong bili ni Mom from France — tapos inayos ko yung desk. Everything had to be neat.

After a few hours, I stepped out para maglibot. Lauren's condo was huge, and I wanted to be familiar with the layout.

Paglabas ko ng room, literal na kaguluhan ang bumungad sa 'kin.

"Damn. Does she even have time to clean?"

There were clothes everywhere. As in, kalat to the max.

Lauren and I hadn't seen each other for years. I left the Philippines when I was eight, she's 2 years older than me.

I decided to help clean the place, and before I knew it, I passed out from exhaustion. It was already night when I woke up. Pagkadilat ko, bumukas yung pinto — si Lauren, nakadress, mukhang paalis.

"Would you want to join us tonight?" she asked, half-in, half-out of the door.

"Okay! Saan?" I jumped up agad to look for something to wear.

"I'm going to the club with my friends." She smiled and left of sa pinto.

I picked a black long-sleeved cropped top with a v-neck that made my collarbones pop, paired with light blue jeans — edgy pero chill. Bagay.

When we arrived at the club, may kumaway samin from one of the nearby tables. It was a girl with two others beside her — two girls and a guy. I assumed they were Lauren's friends.