Yellow Lights

i - Helix Saves the Day

Cafeteria,
Graduate School Building,
Luthor University

"Bakit ka ba baliw na baliw sa babaeng yun eh hindi ka naman pinapansin? Nagmumukha ka tuloy cheap."

Isang buong bavarian waffle ang lumipad at naglanding sa pagmumukha ni Lisa pagkatapos nyang magsalita. "Ay putek!"

"Tama lang yan sayo! Bunganga mo kasi. Pwede ba? Don't ever call my cousin cheap. Kelan pa ba naging cheap ang magmahal?" Jennie was fuming when she called out her best friend, Lisa. Bully kasi talaga to kay Irene.

"Sorry naman, bes. Di ko lang kasi masikmura na ginaganun ganun sya nun."

"Seulgi isn't harassing Irene naman so there's no problem."

"Lagi nyong pinagtatanggol yung hamog na yun," Lisa couldn't help but raise her voice again. Gigil talaga sya kay Luthor. "Tingnan nyo nga itong comment nya sa isang student nya sa grad school." Irene and Jennie checked on what Lisa is talking about. "Napakalantod. Parang hindi professor. Bawal yan dito eh."

Bumalik si Irene sa upuan nya. "Bawal nga... but if you're the daughter of the owner of this school, wala parin yang rules na yan." She then picked up her books, "Mauna nako sa class natin."

Jennie warned Lisa and the latter gave up.

"Irene?!" Jennie called out. "Teka naman, di mo pa nga nauubos ang food mo eh and oorder pa ako ulit ng waffles ko."

But Irene has decided. She's going to leave. "See you there, cous."

"Cous? Naman eh," Jen whined.

Hindi naman galit si Irene. Gusto nya nalang talaga mapag-isa. She kissed the head of Jennie nalang. "Bye."

When she left, Jennie faced her bestfriend. "This is your fault!"

"Na naman?!"

"Psh." Jennie just rolled her eyes.

"Gusto ko lang naman maturn off si Irene kay Seulgi. Jen, pinsan mo yun eh. Don't you think she deserves someone better?"

"Hindi mo naman kasi ganun kakilala si Seulgi. Irene does."

"Kilala? Saan banda? Eh halos sagasaan nya nga. Basta ako, parang kapatid ko na yan si Irene, ayokong ginaganun sya ng kung sinong bakulaw dyan."

"Psh. Lisa, hindi nga kung sino  lang yun si Seulgi."

Lisa gave up and didn't argue with her bestfriend anymore coz by the look of it, mukhang sila pa ang mag-aaway sa issue na labas naman sa friendship nilang dalawa.

_______

Irene's POV

My name's Irene Kenzie Bae Dubois (pronounced as Dubwa.) 27 years old. Taking up my MBA in Luthor University. I'm an Interior Designer in Belgium. Umuwi lang ako last year dito sa Philippines to take over our family's little business. A book printing service.

With the little time left sa buhay ng tatay ko on this earth, pressure din for me to learn lahat ng pasikot-sikot sa negosyo namin.

But I have to be strong for him. Pops (that's how I call him) has leukemia and has stopped taking all medication. For him, papunta rin naman daw sya "doon" so why delay everything?

Sunud sunod na busina ng sasakyan ang nakapagpapitlag sa akin. "Bloody idiot!" My default cuss. Halos atakihin ako sa puso.

"Kung gusto mong magpakamatay, huwag dito sa university namin. Dun ka sa EDSA."