Writing their Love Story

Chapter 3 ~ The Mission

CORA

I AM not doing this operation only for myself. I'm also going to do this for Penny. I'm going to make sure that the boy she loves will love her back. I'll do it for her because we're friends.

Magkaibigan na kami ni Penny simula pa lamang noong first year namin ng junior high sa Stanford High. I was just an ordinary girl back then. I didn't have that many friends, but I didn't really care. As long as I have a paper and a pen, I'm good with my life alone. Dati pa ako mahilig sa pagsusulat ng mga story but I was too shy to show others my works.

But everything changed when Penny came into my life — a Princess Penelope Fletcher changed my life.

Nagsusulat ako mag-isa noon sa library when she suddenly came to me. She was smiling when she asked me if she could sit with me. I said yes, not knowing that that was the moment when my life would take a turn for the better.

Nakita niya ang sinusulat ko noon and she asked me if she could read it. Nahiya pa ako noong una ngunit nagpumilit siya. And after reading my work, she praised me.

She praised me, and God that felt good... really good.

She asked me kung bakit hindi ko pinapakita sa iba ang mga sulat ko. Sabi ko, wala namang may pake sa mga gawa ko. Takot din kasi akong ma-bash o ma-judge ako kaya I kept my writing secret.

But she said one thing to me that I could never forget.

"Don't hide your talent in this world that needs people with it."

That's when I realized, she's right. I should stop being a coward and let my talent shine.

Ever since that day, Penny and I became best friends. She supported me in my writing and even convinced me to post my stories online. And just like that, we ended up always hanging out with each other. Sharing secrets, laughing at each others' stupidity, dumping boys who wanted to court us — being there for each other.

Then we reached our fourth year in junior high, 'yon ang panahon kung kailan dumami kaming magkakaibigan. Remi, Jago, and Clifford became part of our friendship. And that was how KaTuTa was born.

Penny made us who we are today. That is why we love her so much.

And that's why I'm making sure that her love for Mason will be returned by that walking ice.

"Holdap 'to! 'Wag kang gagalaw!" Nagulat ako nang may biglang may kamay na nagtakip sa bibig ko. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko kasabay ng panlalaki ng mga mata ko.

Takte, Cora! Bakit mo ba kasi naisipang maglakad pauwi ng pagabi na?! Ayan tuloy! Mamamatay ka nang hindi mo man lang napapaibig 'yong yelong si Mason kay Penny!

I tried talking but I could only mumble. Ang higpit kasi ng pagkakatakip sa bibig ko. Napatingin ako sa paligid ngunit walang ibang tao dito sa eskinita na dinaanan ko. Usually, at this time, maraming mga chismosang nagkukwentuhan at mga lasinggero na naglalasingan, pero ngayon ay wala ni isa!