Famous Last Words

27TH AND 28TH NOVEMBER OF 1989: Paper Thin Hearts

27TH AND 28TH NOVEMBER OF 1989: PAPER THIN HEARTS

It's November 27 and it's been 27 days since my life began to switch into something filled with positivity. It's indeed like a rainbow you see over the serene sky after a storm.

My routine changed and so did my posture, my social life improved as well. An introvert type of girl turned into an extrovert. I felt like an ugly duckling that turned into a beautiful swan that my mommy used to tell me before when I was so young, so innocent, and naive.

Inside those 27 days that turned into memories was a blast, everything felt so surreal, but those gathered memories were pure and bona fide. Like how we went to the beaches, convening a sleepover in each one's house, watching movies in the movie theaters at Santa Monica, out of town trips, and many more.

Needless to say, I could even clearly remember after the moment that Arwen and I had a slow dance in one whole song that Wyatt sang dedicated to me with his band.

"Bought these for a hundred bucks. Here."

I snapped back to reality when I heard Arwen speaking beside me here at the seaside, comfortably sitting over the soft white sand, barefoot and soothing the evening breeze and the waves of the sea moving back and forth.

"What's that?" Tumikwas ang isang kilay ko nang lingunin si Arwen at makita ang isang itim na kahon sa kaniyang kamay.

Binuksan niya ang kahon, halos magkapalit na kami ng mukha sa sobrang dikit namin sa isa't-isa nang tignan ang loob. "It's a pair of best friend necklace, see? Beautiful right?"

Isang pares ng kuwintas ang nakita ko sa loob. Magkaparehas lang ng kulay, ngunit hindi naman magkatugma ang nakapalawit. Ang isa ay maliit na padlock, samantalang ang isa ay susi. Parehong kumikinang na parang mga bituin sa kalangitan ngayon.

Dinekwat ko ang kahon mula sa kaniya atsaka nagtatalak. "A hundred bucks for these? You could've just gone to Target, Amazon, or Walmart, it's much cheaper there you know?"

"Oh come on! I thought you'd be happy!" Nakangusong maktol niya.

"I am!" I uttered. "It's just that... I'm just concerned about the money you've kept on spending for us."

He frowned. He couldn't agree more, ever since he took me out of my house and showed me everything I've been missing in life every night up until now, I never did lay out any of my assets once. Arwen's the one who's carelessly spending all his fortune for us.

"You're the first-ever best friend I'd ever got and for the entire of my life, Janua." Arwen raked his naturally straight hair when a strong wind went through. "I never once got any real friends at school. It was just me, myself, and I. Not until now, because you came."

Napayuko ako sa kahong hawak-hawak ko pa din at tumitig doon, kalaunan ay napangiti ako. "Mine's the padlock one. You take the key." Sabi ko bago maingat na kinuha ang isang kuwintas na ninanais ko at ibinalik kay Arwen ang lalagyanan.

"That's the one I wanted." Pagmamaktol na naman ni Arwen bago sumimangot, imbes na maawa ako ay nacu-cute-an lang ako sa kaniya.

"It's my possession now, Arwen." I swing the necklace in front of his four eyes with the sweetest smile on my face. "Besides, you unlocked me to the best version of myself."

His frown finally transforms into a bright smile. "Let's wear it. Together." Anito bago binaklas ang natitirang kuwintas mula sa kahon saka kinalas ang clasp ng kadena.

"Okay." Kinalas ko na rin ang clasp ng kuwintas ko. At habang magkaharap sa isa't-isa ay sabay naming isinuot ang kuwintas sa sarili namin.

"Done!" Napapalakpak ako sa tuwa nang matapos.