4EVER

Chapter 07: Dreamlike

SEIRI GRAGNE
    "Now spill it, Seiri. Tell me about your dreamlike vacation!"

Aster seems to be exaggerating but that 1 week was definitely dreamlike. That 1 week with Calix Cortez.

"I already told you for a hundred times, Aster. Atsaka, he said goodbye like we'll never see each other again," sabi ko.

"Sa tingin mo ba ay umalis na s'ya ng bansa?" Hindi ko sinagot ang tanong n'ya.

I hope not.

"You have fallen for him haven't you?" Tanong ni Aster. I stared at her for a while.

"Well, he makes me feel free, contented and I can't contain the joy I'm feeling every time I'm with him," sagot ko na walang bahid ng kasinungalingan.

"Oh, no. You really have fallen for him," sabi ni Aster. "Pero paano 'yan? We're not sure kung magkikita kayo ulit."

"The one that got away?" I joked.

"Pero you both know your Instagram accounts, you can contact each other," sabi n'ya.

We could pero nahihiya ako. I was literally clingy when we bid goodbye to each other.

"Kita mo 'to?" Pinakita ni Aster sa'kin ang feed ng Instagram ni Calix. "Hanggang ngayon ay ikaw pa rin ang halos laman ng feed n'ya!"

It was just a week ago, maybe wala pa s'yang ipo-post na bago. I won't get my hopes up and assume.

Marupok? Oo, marupok talaga ako tangina.

"OH MY GOSH! HE JUST CHANGED HIS BIO! LOOK!" Sigaw ni Aster at dinikit sa mukha ko ang phone n'ya, bwiset 'to.

calix_cortez
SRGRGN

"It's your name! Seiri Gragne!" Tili ni Aster.

"Di tayo sure? Maybe it means something else," sabi ko.

"Yeah, yeah. Mag kunwari ka lang, Seiri. Pretend that hindi ko alam na kinikilig ka din ngayon," sagot n'ya.

Oo na, oo na. 'Di naman masama na maging assuming diba?

Napatingin ako sa wall clock. Its already 8:30AM. Maagang pumunta si Aster dito sa apartment ko para kulitin ulit ako tungkol kay Calix.

"Kailangan ko nang umalis. I have a meeting," sabi ko at inayos ang bag ng camera.

"Ohh, with the CEO of West Edmonton Mall?" Tanong n'ya.

"Yup," sagot ko naman.

"You're getting bigger! Imagine, lahat ng kuha mo ay makikita sa lahat ng sulok ng mall!" She exclaimed.

"Not really. Kasama ko si Maverick," sabi ko.

West Edmonton Mall decided to have a new face kaya kami ang hinire nila para maging photographer. Kasama ko si Maverick, my classmate during College, for the photoshoot.

Lahat ng kuha namin ay idi-display sa lahat ng sulok ng mall kaya ganoon na lang kasaya si Aster nang tanggapin ko iyon. She wanted to brag that her best friend was the photographer. Krazy Aster.

"Makiki-sakay ako sa kotse mo. Nakakatamad mag-drive," sabi ni Aster habang pababa kami sa hagdan ng apartment. Madadaanan naman ang restaurant n'ya kaya okay lang.

Aster settled on her seat beside me while I'm starting the car.

"I heard, may bagong nag-rent daw sa apartment sa likod ng building natin. Sana fafi no?" Sabi n'ya habang tinatanaw sa bintana ang building.

Ang apartment na tinitirhan namin ay mayroong apat na building, it is shaped like a square. Sa gitna naman nito ay ang parking lot at maliit na park kung saan madalas naglalaro ang mga batang nakatira dito.