Last Letter of Summer

XI

"Bakit may pa-meeting?"

That's what I asked before I sat next to Calliope. As usual, I was the last one to arrive at our meeting place because they just told everyone that we had a meeting using the group chat. Late ako dahil late ko na ring nabasa ang mga chats doon, alam naman din nilang hindi ako madalas magbukas ng phone lalo na kung nag-aaral ako.

As they stared at me, their eyebrows raised in skepticism, I furrowed my own brows in confusion, unsure of why they were looking at me that way.

"Hindi mo ba talaga alam Kaiya?" Tanong ni Xioen.

"Iba talaga kapag tumatanda nagiging makakalimutin. Kahit hindi tanungin edad mo, halatang ninety-one ka na!"  I glared at Light when he laughed for teasing me. "Ang ganda mo talaga kapag nagagalit Kaiya, gan'yan ka na lang a'."

I shook my head to calm myself after I sighed. Wala talaga siyang pagkikitang pinalalampas, sa tuwing nagsasalubong ang tingin namin ay palagi na lang siyang may baong mga salita upang inisin ako.

"Light, 'wag mo na nga 'yang inisin."  Saway ni Calliope. "Pagbigyan mo na siya kahit ngayon lang. Siya ang main character natin ngayon!"

I became even more perplexed after hearing her words. I decided to check our group chat on my phone and read through the conversation history. I was worried that I might have missed some important details which could have explained why we were meeting up today.

Sa paghahanap ko ay wala akong nakita. Lahat ng nandoon ay nabasa ko na rin kanina.

"Pinapahirapan niyo naman ako e', ano ba kasing mayro'n? Please tell me na," I clasp my hands together as I begged.

Tumingin sila sa isa't isa at matapos noon ay ngumiti. My eyes widened and my lips parted when they started to sing. I was in total shock because they accompanied their singing with clapping. Almost everyone inside the café looked at us.

"Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, happy birthday... Happy birthday to you!"

Following the song, a café staff member approached us carrying a Joffre Cake topped with grated chocolate and chocolate chips. It was then that I realized I had lost track of the days and had not recognized that today was my birthday. Nawala na sa isip ko dahil abala ako sa pag-aaral.

"Blow the cake in 3... 2... 1" Pagbibilang ni Xioen.

I closed my eyes to make a wish. I only wish for the same thing every year; I was hoping for something impossible. I don't have any wishes, so after a few seconds, I softly blow out the light of the candle.

"Happy birthday Sexbomb Kaiya! Get, get aw!" Sigaw ni Light kaya halos lahat ay tumawa. Alam kong utos ito nila Xioen pero halatang damang dama niya ang pagiging isang sexbomb dancer.

I both feel joy and a little bit of awkwardness. Masaya ako na nagbigay sila ng effort at oras sa akin pero hindi ako sanay na nagiging espesyal ako para sa ibang tao at mas inuuna pa nila ako kaysa sa mga importanteng bagay na kailangan nilang gawin.

Isa pa, ngayon lang nangyari na mayroong kaganapan sa araw ng birthday ko. Dati ay bumabati lang sila at wala naman silang pakulo o sorpresa.

"Hello po Miss Kaiya," a woman from the other table approached me.

Binigyan ko siya ng masayang tingin habang may ngiti sa aking labi. She also smiled at me and she gave me a sticky note before she went back to her seat. She left me dazed and confused. Look of puzzlement crossed my face.