Papers and Golds (Lover #1)

3

Adi's POV

Will he really come?

"Hey! What are you thinking about again?" I looked at her. She clings her arms to mine, dragging me as we walk through the field so even though I'm spacing out I could avoid various accidents while walking in a wide area where flying balls reside.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?! but you're like that for a week. Naiintindihan ko nung kaaalis pa lang niya. You're so close to him kaya hindi mo matanggap na umalis siya nang walang paalam but it's been five years already. Five years!" masama ba na maghintay ng matagal? Baka kasi bukas umuwi na siya? O sa susunod na bukas at sa susunod na linggo, buwan, taon?

"Wake up, Adi. Hindi na siya babalik. He didn't even contact you all these years. Sana man lang nagsabi siya na 'Adi, buhay pa ko. Kamusta ka d'yan?' o kaya 'Adi my girlfriend na ko. Nagkatuluyan ba kayo ni Class Pres?' pero wala. Wala siyang sinabing kahit na ano." I frowned at the questions formed in her mind. Girlfriend agad, pero paano na kung may girlfriend na siya? Pa'no na ko? No, scratch that. Wala namang AKO at GIO in the first place, we're friends. I'm a friend longing for her lost best bud all these years.

"Argh, I should've told him that day instead of handing him a paper ring." I ruffled my hair in frustration at the thought of him having a girl in his arms.

"Wa-wait. WHAT? YOU GAVE HIM A RING!" I immediately smacked her shoulders because of what she said.

"Tone. it. down."

"No.no.no.no. 'Wag mo kong ma-tone it down, tone it down d'yan. You gave him a ring and you didn't tell me all these years." Here we go again with her 'hurt' expression.

"Correction. A paper ring, not a ring."

"Pareho lang 'yun. So, what happened that day?"

"What happened?" Paanong what happened?

"Huwag mo ibalik sakin yung tanong ko. I'm asking how you gave it to him."

"Binigay ko lang."

"I knew it. Bobo ka talaga, nagpapanggap ka lang. Look, we both know you're not sweet and romantic kahit na saksakan ka ng ganda. If you want something, you'll just do what you want regardless of the methods as long as you do what you want. So paano mo binigay? Sino nagsuot? Ano ginawa mo? Ano reaction niya?"

"Binigay ko nga sa kaniya. Sinuot ko sa ring finger niya. His reaction? I don't know. Hindi ko nakita but he asked where's mine so I told him na kung may gusto siya paghirapan niya 'wag niyang hingin sakin." She literally shrieked after my long explanation.

"Then, what happened after? Plain lang ba yung papel na gamit mo?" This is the reason I don't want to tell her. She's making it a big deal!

"No, I think may sinulat ako dun noon." Shocks, I shouldn't have told her that.

"Ano? Anong sinulat mo? Spill it. Bilis." Anticipation is evident on her face but it's too embarrassing to tell her that part. Ayoko na nga yung maalala.

"I forgot. It's been five years, nakalimutan ko na." Bite the bait. Bite the bait.

"No. Natatandaan mo, you're just embarrassed. Come on, tell me."

"Look! Nasa terminal na tayo. Bye, dad and mom are already waiting for me at home. Thanks for sending me off." I hurriedly mounted the jeepney na papunta sa'min. She won't stop prying if I won't run away.

***

"Manong, para po!"

The cool December breeze is kissing my fair skin. I started walking slowly as if taking the whole time in this world in order to think things through about my studies, the upcoming internship, future plans, settling down in a family and of course Gio. Is he fine? Is he eating well? Why didn't he contact me all these years? Nakalimutan niya na ba ako? If ever he's in the reunion, kilala niya pa kaya ako?

My train of thoughts was interrupted by a sudden DM notification.

@Tali.yah: Hindi pa tayo tapos.

Geez, I should've come straight home. Panira talaga siya ng moment.

After a few moments, I reached our home. My phone continuously beeps, as expected it should be Talliah. Let's just ignore her.

"Mom, I'm home." I shouted to inform my parents that I'm here.

"Umakyat ka na at magbihis. Kakain na tayo." My dad instructed me while watching a tennis game.

I took my phone with me and went upstairs to change into pajamas. Before coming down to eat, I glanced at my lock screen and saw several DMs and notifications from my Instagram account.

"Adi, come down now. Nagluto ako ng kaldereta." My mom called me kaya iniwan ko na lang yung phone ko sa bedside table. Mamaya ko na titingnan.

***

"Adi."

"Yes Dad?"

"Clear your schedule, two weeks from now."

"Oh, sure next week naman yung reunion namin pero ano pong meron, may importante ba tayong bisita?"

"Well, we could say something like that. Remember the internship?"

"Yes, Dad pero sa January pa yun, right? I'll bring some of my classmates and friends with me to our company."

"Sure, no problem as long as they don't slack off. Regarding that, a Filipino student who studied Information Technology in Germany wants to have his internship at our company."

"Oh, Bakit hindi na lang siya dun sa Germany?" I don't mean to be rude but I'm curious. Filipino foreign exchange students are pretty rare. They need exceptional talent, patience and determination to last for years.

"May namimiss daw siya sa Pilipinas." He smiled at me. Is it a girl? Well, gut feel lang naman. Ang swerte naman ng na-miss niya, binabalikan.

"You seemed pretty close to him, Dad." I looked at my father in a calculative way, I just realized why do I need to meet him too kung si Dad lang naman kailangan niya?

"Well, you could say that." Ah, he's really my Dad.

"Kumain na lang kayong mag-tatay, lalamig niluto ko." Saway ni Mommy sa'min. I stopped eating pala while talking to Dad.

***

I head straight to my room after washing the dishes and kitchen utensils. Now let's take a look at the flood notifications of Instagram.

Tali.yah liked your reel.

Kuro_chan shared 2 photos.

Van_adi started following you.

Ow, sino si Van_adi? Fan ko ba 'to? Nope, baka magka-pangalan lang kami.

You have 1 unread message.

I clicked the unread message and saw that it's a group chat for our reunion.

@Kuro_chan: Pres, kumpleto tayong lahat next week?

@Claz.Pres.45: Oo, nangako na yung iba na pupunta sila.

@Tali.yah: Naniwala ka naman. 'Di naman tumutupad mga 'yan sa pangako. Diba @Adi_study?

@Adi_study: Huwag mo kong dinadamay d'yan.

I looked through the members in this group and there I saw him again.

Van_adi, with a laptop in his display picture.