Pelikula

3

Sofija said she likes it better when people call her Sofi and so Dahlia calls her that. Although, she finds it weird because Alec gets to call her Pia.

Too much was happening for Dahlia to take. First, the pretty girl she mistook as her best friend's girlfriend confessed that she used to like Dahlia in their high school years. Secondly, Dahlia is now in Sofija's room because she offered to let Dahlia stay until her a/c is fixed.

"Do you need help to finish unpacking your things? I don't really have much to do."

How is Sofija so calm? Dahlia wonders.

Before she came here, Alec dropped her off to get some of her stuff from her apartment. Sofija must have seen the miserable state she's in.

Sofi's apartment is spacious and very teenage girly. She have a kpop boy group poster on her wall. Next to it are more tiny posters. On the other side was an Attack On Titan art framed and is the centerpiece of that side of the wall. Everything she owns is pink- not completely everything but if Dahlia squints her eyes, all she'd see is a blurry vision of pink.

"Kumakain ka ng gulay? I don't have much left here." Sofi from the other side of the room, scanning her fridge.

Dahlia hates being a burden to others so she immediately said, "I eat anything, really." A big fat lie.

Dahlia is super picky. She hates the vegetables in soups and she only eats aubergine if it is fried. She likes exotic vegetables. Takway ng gabi, Seagrass Salad, Jackfruit, and Ampalaya.

"I have bean sprouts tsaka..." Sofi paused, searching for more in the fridge. "Tsaka tokwa. Kumakain ka ng tokwa?" Sofi looked her way.

She's incredibly accommodating. And very considerate, too. If it was Dahlia receiving a guest, she would just dump Piattos and Coke mismo to her guest's plate and call it a day. Sofi is right there preparing dinner and is even nice enough to ask if Dahlia likes the food available.

Anyway, Dahlia doesn't eat tofu. She despises soy bean and when her peers are out to chase the Kuya that sells Taho, she buys one in the smallest size and eats only the sago and then secretly throws it away. Filipinos apparently likes Taho and she doesn't want to be out casted so she endures every white thing that touches her tongue.

If this was other people, she would have suggested to have just bean sprouts or anything de lata hut it's Sofija. She have to please her, that's what her guts says.

"Of course! Kailangan mo ng tulong? Marunong naman ako sa gawaing kusina." When really, all Dalle knows is cook pancit canton.

The two girls shared food for the night and for the first time, Dahlia suspects whether the accusations of her not being straight is true. She's had boyfriends before but it was never this intense. The usual sequence was: 1) they like her, 2) they publicize their feelings, 3) everyone cheers for the new love team, 4) she gets pressured and she'll say yes, 5) they breakup within 3 months.

Dahlia has had 4 boyfriends all throughout highschool and none of them interested her like how she was invested in what would Sofi like for dinner? Amd if Sofi wants to take afternoon strolls.

"Anong course mo?" Dahlia when she had the courage to ask.

She looked at her left where Sofi is seated. Sofi moved her head and then her eyes next to meet the other girl's.

"Program, you mean? I'm taking BS Environmental Science. I like plants." The pretty girl smiled.

EnviSay. CNSM. Dahlia thought.

Dahlia took another Pritong Bangus cracker and nods.

"I'm taking PolSay. Cute 'di ba? Pareho tayong Say. Palaging may Say." And there Dahlia laughed at her own joke. But what surprised her was hearing Sofi laugh heartily and slaps the air.

Tangina wala bang nagjojoke sa kaniya ba't ang lakas ng tawa.

"Easy 'tol, inom ka tubig." Dahlia when Sofi still haven't calmed down.

"I like that. I like jayus jokes. Madali lang ako pasayahin, really." Sofi admits. "Pero don't be like this too often, ha? I still like you a bit baka bumalik crush ko sa 'yo sige ka."

Dahlia stiffened. She has her eyes fixed on the smiling person in front of her. She doesn't think she's breathing herself what is she thinking oh her god.

"Joke yun! This is your cue to laugh!" Sofi leered.

Why did that make Dahlia's heart crack a little?

"Pero was that really true? You liked me in highschool?"

Sofija nods and went back to her laptop to continue watching what was playing.

"I did. I transferred in senior highschool because you have a boyfriend that time eh. Can't bear seeing my crush in a relationship." And Sofi laughs awkwardly.

"So... Are you?"

Sofi once again looks at her, " Am I what? Lesbian?"

"Arw you comfortable disclosing your sexuality with me? It's okay if you're not comfy. Let's talk about this some other time."

"No it's okay." Said sofi, "I don't know. The only real person I've liked is you and my other friend. The other friend I'm pretty sure was platonic. I sometimes think it was platonic with you, too. Pero what's so platonic about our relationship, di ba? You were never my friend and we never really talked. And I also think you're so pretty. I mean I do find my other friend pretty but it's different with you. Gets?"

It took another minute before Dahlia talked. She was letting all that sink in.

Ano daw pota humaygahd lord.

"Why don't you like me now then?"

"Do want me to still like you? Parang ang sadista naman non! Let me move on, ano ka ba. I also want to experience lovey-dovey things, no."

"You're very talkative."

"I am! We just... You know, never friends. So you never knew."

"Does Alec knows you're like this?"

"Di kami friends ni kuya Alec. He's like a distant cousin to me. We're not cousins pero parang ganon yung feel."

"Are we friends now? Magkaibigan na ba tayo?"

"Yes? You're here in my apartment and eating my food? Watching cringe Filipino movies from my laptop? I think it's my call whether we're friends or not and I have decided that we are friends so that's what we are calling each other." Sofi said with finality.

"Hmm. Okay, friend."

"Yes, friend." Sofi joined Dahlia with her antics.

"We share the same building pala, friend."

"CNSM and CHaSS? Yeah I know that. Thank you for letting me know, friend."

After a while of silence. Dahlia suddenly bursted out laughing and Sofi joined her. They find it hilarious and stupid the way they address each other.

"Okay okay stop na, friend." Dahlia not wanting to surrender.

"Sige then stop na natin..." Sofi waited before finishing her sentence with, "friend."

And again, the room was filled with their pure laughs as they forget what was happening in the movie Starting Over Again.