---
Marami-rami na rin ang nangyari bago at matapos lumipas ang Pasko. Marami akong naaalalang nakatutuwang mga bagay, and almost every event after the first lunch Chris and I shared was happy. Marami rin akong natanggap na regalo at pera, kahit na magse-seventeen years old na ako. Marami—'yan ang tamang salita para i-describe ang naging Christmas season ko. Maraming nangyari, maraming natanggap, maraming saya—if ever that is grammatically correct.
Marami rin akong araw na na-absent sa Town in a Building. As if it needs attendance, I thought, rolling my eyes. Naalala ko tuloy ang mga sinabi sa akin ni Chris bago ako umalis the last time I was there.
--
"My lady," Chris started and looked from the sky—that always had been familiar for us—to me, "don't flirt with other guys when I'm not around, okay?"
"You know I won't," I giggled.
"Good," he chuckled, pulling me in a hug. "I will be missing you."
"Don't forget your meals," he added, letting go of me and looking at me seriously. "Don't dare to skip any of it."
"Yes, yes, sir."
"Don't go outside bringing only yourself," Chris said, his do not's still going on. "And later, when we part, don't say good-bye like you usually do. . . because good-bye's are only for people who won't come back."
"And always leave a reply for me through the Secret Mail whenever you receive my messages, okay? Kahit 'di tayo mag-abot," he added, again, looking into my eyes.
"Sure, sure," I smiled, a reassuring one. Wala na akong masabi pa.
"One more. . . ."
"Hmm?" I uttered, holding the laughter back because of his whole army of do not's.
"When you go home from school, always go straight home."
"Masusunod po," I smiled, and then, he hugged me.
--
Napangiti ako nang matapos na ang scene na pine-play ko sa utak ko. Aaminin ko, I had butterflies when he gave me reminders before I left Town in a Building. Damn, Chris really knows his way around this little game. I just wish he doesn't hurt me so bad in the end if ever he will.
"Stephanie," Mom called, "matutulog na kami ng Dad mo, ha? Lock mo na 'yong pinto."
I turned around to look at Mom.
"Happy New Year, Mom," ang sabi ko, "Dad."
"Happy New Year," she smiled shortly as she went up the stairs with Dad.
Naiwan na akong mag-isa sa sala nang mapagdesisyunan kong 'wag munang matulog. Kani-kanina lang ay nandoon kami sa bahay nina Lolo at Lola, kasama sina Lannie at ang iba ko pang mga pinsan, at buhay na buhay pa rin ang dugo ko. 'Yong parang kanina lang nagsiputukan ang mga fireworks at iba pang paputok. Parang kanina lang, kinakabahan pa ako sa pagsindi nina Dad at Tito ng paputok dahil first time naming bumili ng paputok na kami rin ang magsisindi.
2018 will be a good year, I thought, manifesting it as I closed my eyes.
"Dear!" I heard Lannie exclaiming in a whispery tone, as if she was scared to wake anyone up. I was and would be, too.
BINABASA MO ANG
Sincere Lies
Teen Fiction𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨 ╰ " T o w n i n a B u i l d i n g " S e r i e s # 1 ╰ T h e W a t t y s 2 0 1 8 S h o r t l i s t ╰ c o m p l e t e d Stephanie Santiago was not happy. At all. Her life was stuck in a vicious cycle of her overthink...
