"So you're telling me, you're family is full of religious people and you're just there, not really caring about whats happening when they do those religious and holy sessions whatsoever?" James asked.
"Yeah. I guess so?" I said.
"Hah. She's been doing that for years and no one even noticed but Tracy and I." Tami added.
"Quite a secret huh. Any more secrets I should know?" James asked.
"Well I-My siblings and I are 3/4 Filipino and 1/4 Spanish." I admitted.
"Ate bat mo sinabi? Diba sasabihin lang sa mga taong malapit satin?" Tami whispered.
^(Translation)
"Why did you tell him? We were only supposed to tell the people close to us, right?"
"Bakit ba? Malapit naman siya satin ah, tignan mo nga oh tagal na nating kasama." I whispered back.
^(Translation)
"Why? He's close to us, look, weve been with him for a while now." I whispered back.
"Listen guys, hate to break it to ya both, but, naiintindihan ko kayo." He laughed.
^(Translation)
"I can understand you guys." He laughed.
"Oh my god! Youre also a filipino?" Tami exclaimed.
"Yeah, but i'm still learning how to speak Tagalog." James said.
"W-wait. Where's Joaquin? Wasnt he here just a minute ago?" I asked.
We began looking back at the restaurant we ate in and kept calling Joaquin on the phone. Finally after 20 minutes of walking around and walking back to our neighborhood, he was at the park sitting on the bench with a guy probably my age.
"Bro what the hell? You left us and didn't even tell us where you were at and who's this guy?" James said.
While they were talking I was fixing Tami's dress and fixing her shoes, tying them again.
"Sorry bro, just needed to meet up with a friend so I had to hurry up and meet him here. This is Chase by the way." He said, pointing to Chase.
His last sentence made me stand up and made me freeze. I also felt James' body tense and stiffen beside me. Tami, on the other hand, screeched and put out her two small arms and hugged Chase and said "Ohmygod Chase! I miss you so much! How are you?! How come you left us without saying goodbye?! Is Mel still your girlfriend?! Chase its been a year and a half how come we never heard from you?! We were just walking aro-"
I cut her off, grabbed her arm, turned to James and said, "Hey James, uh, we'll go ahead, Catch up with you later or see ya tomorrow in school."
Then I furiously walked away from them, not only because of Tami's little speech, but also because I figured James knew Chase all this time. I cant believe I trusted him. Why did I ever believe tha-
"Why are we walking so fast and why did you sound so mad back there?" Tami interrupted my thoughts.
"You're so full of questions. Look, were almost home and I don't want you telling anyone, I repeat, anyone, in our house about what happened except we had lunch with James and Joaquin, Understand?" I said.
"Okay, sorry if i'm annoying you." She said, with a tear coming out of her left eye.
"No don't cry, none of this is your fault. If you keep quiet, I promise i'll treat you ice cream or even buy you candies and then I'll explain, okay?"
"Yay, okay, Ice cream for me!"
"Okay were home and i'll just be upstairs in my room okay? Knock on my door if you need something."
She nodded as I was walking up the stairs to my room.
-
The sound of pebbles being thrown on my window woke me up and made me groan. Loud. Then I heard a familiar voice shouting "Tessa!" then followed by "Hey! Tessa! Open your front door! or I can crawl through your window, wake up, Tessa!" I glanced at my phone and it was 12:57am. I cant even remember how I slept? And now Im experiencing a massive headache because of the sound of people shouting and the sound of pebbles being thrown and someone knocking on my door agh I cant take this!
"What?!" I shouted as I opened the door and as I meet Tami's eyes.
"I-I was just g-gonna, never m-mind i'll just sleep." She said, crying on her way back to her room.
Great. Problem # 1.
I marched to my room and opened the window. I was surprised as I saw James picking up pebbles from the ground. As he looked up he looked much more surprised than I was. I laughed at his expression.
"Ive been trying to call you since this afternoon and now youre laughing at me?" James said.
"Youve been what?!" I exclaimed.
"Check your phone."
Ohmggod 27 missed calls from James. 7 missed calls from Joaquin. 1 missed call from an unknown number and 2 missed calls from Mom. Okay....?
Problem # 2
"Oops."
"Yeah-huh, so are you just gonna let me stand here while we talk or you gonna let me in?" James said.
I ran downstairs and opened the front door.
"It's about time." James impatiently said while taking a seat to my couch.
"Sorry. What did you want to talk so bad about that youve been trying to call me since noon? I mean, 27 missed calls, are you crazy?"
"I wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier."
"And it couldn't wait 'til tomorrow? I'm still mad at you and you owe me an explanation."
"Woah, when did this turn about me? I never even knew the guy. Okay, give me time and i'll explain. No side comments whatsoever?"
"Fine. But you better make this quick, We have school in about 6-7 hours and I cant afford to waste a single second." I demanded.
