Fuck, Marry, or Kill?

eight: family

"You came!" Bianca excitedly wrapped her arms around me as I approached their table.

"Happy birthday, Biancs! Long time no see." I smiled at her as I brushed my hands on her back while she hugged me.

"How have you been! I've missed you!" She is not even trying to hide the excitement. I smirked and shook my head.

Kapalit naman ng ngiti ko ay ang hampas niya sa ulo ko. "Ano na naman yan. What are you thinking, ha!" Bianca rolled her eyes at me.

"What do you think?" I narrowed my eyes at her teasingly.

"Bastos ka pa ring hinayupak ka." She laughed, and it made me laugh, too. I've missed her.

"Pero maginoo." I winked. Once again, she rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, come. Party na. Puntahan mo si Luke nakarami na 'yan." Turo ni Bianca kay Luke na nakikipaglandian sa dancefloor.

Instead of going to Luke, I sat down on the table where Bianca and some of her friends were sitting.

I took out my phone and typed a short message to my president.

Cat, thank you! I owe you one. Good night ;)

I removed the emoji and sent it. Itinago ko na ang phone ko at saktong upo naman ni Bianca sa tabi ko.

"Updated your girlfriend, handsome?" Pang aasar niya. "Sabi ni Luke hinatid mo raw kaya ka late. Grabe. Hindi na ako ang priority mo." She faked wipe non existing tears from her eyes.

"I don't do girlfriends. You know that." Imik ko, sabay shot mula sa basong inabot niya.

"Oo nga pala. I, out of all people, should know!" She laughed.

Ka-school service ko si Bianca noong elementary because we lived in the same subdivision. Although magkaibang section kami, hindi maitatanggi na naging super close kami. We were inseparable. We were like the closest of friends. Nagpapataasan kami palagi ng grades, manlilibre ang talo. But we both always win. Top 1 kami palagi sa kani-kaniyang sections namin.

Noong nag high school, syempre hindi na uso ang service. Pero sa same school pa rin kami pumasok. Like I said, we were inseparable. Ganun ulit. Hindi ulit parehas ang section namin. Pero nung first year highschool, naging kaklase ko si Luke. At siya ang naging kaibigan ko.

Kami ni Bianca, ewan kung swerte lang pero lagi talagang magkaibang section kami napupunta kahit sabay naman kaming nag eenroll all the time. I guess it was always better that way.

Until nag third year kami, naging magkaklase kami. Pati si Luke kaklase namin. Mas tumindi ang competition kasi parehas kaming magaling. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang. But it was true. All our teachers could attest to that.

Bianca couldn't take losing from the unofficial academic contest na sinet namin sa sarili namin. So nagparaya na ako sakaniya. Besides, I don't need recognition. She does. Sobra ang pangpe-pressure ng parents niya sakaniya. Yung sakin chill lang. Sadyang matalino lang talaga ako kaya kahit hindi ko itry, I still do good.

I just want to see my best friend happy. Kaya hindi ko na siya nilabanan. Kaya she stayed on top of the game while I became second.

Sabay pa rin kaming umuuwi ni Bianca, sumasabay ako sa sundo niya. One time, hindi siya masusundo ng driver niya. Emergency or some shit. Nag commute nalang kami. On the way home, inabutan kami ng ulan.

Dahil mauuna madaanan ang bahay nila Biancs kaysa sa bahay ko, ihinatid ko na siya. Nang dumating kami sakanila, we were soaking wet. Pauwi na sana ako but manang invited me inside for dinner. Si Hun lang ang nasa bahay namin that time cos my parents are abroad for a conference. Hindi na ako umarte, gutom na rin ako e.