AGS 3: The Stag Party (PUBLISHED)

3. Bunny Girl

Hi, Leo.

Is this you?

Hello?

I'm okay na.

Can I call?

Leo?

Good morning, Leo! Have a nice day!

Nag-lunch ka na? You want to eat with us?

Dinner na, have you eaten na ba??

Leo?

Good morning, Leo!

Good aftie!

Good night!

Leo?

Morning.

Night.

Hey.

Hi.

I guess one summer was too much. One whole summer was too long to change everything.

"Lumipat na pala ng school si Leo," Lesley said. "PLM na siya, alam mo na?"

I already knew about that.

I was waiting until Lesley said so, but some mouths never wanted to close theirs. And I happened to enroll in the same school where I studied my first year. Too late to take another course sa ibang university na. And I doubt na papayag ang parents ko para mag-transfer pa ako.

Lagi kong tinatawagan ang number na nag-text sa akin. Walang mintis ang SMS. I still pursued texting that number na never naman akong ni-reply-an.

Did I get mad about Leo not replying to me? No.

Did I get mad at Leo for transferring to another school? No.

What made me mad was the news about him.

He was involved in illegal activities na nangyayari near NAIA. It was news not everyone knew about, but those who knew what was happening didn't want to publicize it. Sabi lang nila, alam nila. And that was all. Walang pumipigil, walang nagko-call out, walang nagsusumbong.

I was mad and disappointed.

Siguro, madali lang tanggapin if lumipat siya ng school for his own good, pero hindi. He was gambling every night . . . with his friends . . . with a lot of girls surrounding him . . . with those people who do drugs and other bad things.

It broke my heart for him. It saddened me on a different level than I ever imagined.

They named him Zeus.

He's the leader of the Gods. Another disappointing news was Ronie and his code Hades as his partner.

Tanggap ko namang hindi talaga "nice guy" si Leo. Not that I was expecting him to do drugs or whatever, but I didn't want him to get involved in such activities. And Ronie? He's smart and understanding. He's intimidating to me, yes, but I would never accept what happened to them.

"B, nabalitaan mo na 'yong bagong grupo sa Space?" tanong ni Lesley habang hinahanda ko na ang book and notebook ko para sa next subject namin.

"Alin?" I asked as innocently as I could.

"Yung Gods. Grabe, ang ingay ng Space, one week na."

We were one of the thousand members of Dark Space. It was a student website in dark mode. Parang underground online site na sobrang limited lang ng users since hindi iyon open sa public. Exclusive sa mga "VIP student" ang access, and I happened to be one of the members because of Lesley.