After This, Will Be Us

PROLOGUE

"Sama ka na, Sham." Naiiritang sabi sa akin ni Shaina.

I already told her a lot of times today that I won't come with them. Besides, I don't drink and I'm not even close with her friends.

"Hindi nga ako sasama. Hindi naman ako mahilig sa mga ganyan." I patiently said.

"Wala talaga akong mapapala sayo kahit kailan. Mamamatay akong bored pag kasama kita lagi eh!" Pagdadabog niya.

I laughed at her. Shaina loves going out, getting drunk and go home late with her other friends, which I'm not close to. Obviously, we're different in a lot of ways but despite the differences, we became close friends. I don't know why but that's how it was. We just clicked.

"Kulang sa kulay at thrill ang life mo sham." Alam kong kinukumbinsi parin niya akong sumama. "Just this once Sham. I promise. It's my birthday." She pleaded with her hopeful eyes.

Ngumisi ako at tumango. "Okay."

"Talaga!?" She asked excitedly.

"Ayaw mo ba?"

Malambing niya akong niyakap. "Sabi mo 'yan ah."

Tumawa lang ako sa kaniya. Even though she knows I will always say no, I don't know why she's always dragging me to go drinking in bars.

"Don't worry I'll get you home." Sabi niya kahit wala naman akong sinasabing magpapahatid ako.

I continued eating my pasta while she started texting on her phone. She wasn't even half done with her food.

"Is Ford coming?" I asked. Ford is her boyfriend and they've been together for quite sometime now. Maybe over a year already.

She shrugged. "Yeah, dapat lang."

After eating our lunch, we left the cafeteria and attended our remaining classes.

Nakinig lang ako sa lectures ng professor namin at nagkaroon ng quizzes until nag dismiss na.

I texted Dad that I will be going out with Shaina and asked him to tell kuya Ruel not to pick me up anymore. Naglakad ako palabas ng school para hintayin si Shaina. Dapat sa loob na ako maghihintay pero sabi niya na sa labas nalang daw para diretso na.

"Sham! Tara na?"

Shaina was literally the party girl just by looking of how she looked today. She's wearing a black tank top and a black fitted leather skirt that's really short, literally. To think na nasa labas pa kami ng school.

I know Ford was cool with Shaina wearing clothes like this, but I just can't understand how can he put up with guys who were looking at her girl like she's some kind of entertainment.

Pinagtitinginan siya ng ibang tao, but Shaina, as always, ignored them.

"You changed? Okay lang ba ganito suot ko?" I said while checking out myself.

I worry for a while. I was wearing a simple black pants and white shirt.

"Kahit mag filipiñana ka dun, okay lang. Hintayin lang natin si Ford, kinukuha pa 'yung kotse niya." She said while looking at her reflection on her phone.

A white Audi SUV parked in front of us. The windows rolled down and showed Ford's smiling face.

"Oh, hi Shamara. You're coming?" He asked in a surprised tone.

"Yeah. Pinilit kasi ako." Sabi ko at lumingon kay Shaina.

Ford looked at Shaina, his face looked disappointed. "Really Faye?"

Shaina looked at him defiantly. "So what? She'll party!" She said in her high pitched voice.

"Not everyone likes what you like. Stop forcing people." Ford said when we got inside the car. Shaina was sitting on the shotgun seat and I'm on the backseat.