"What outfit is that?"
Pinagtaasan ko ng kilay si Amari nang pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang damit ko.
"Bakit? Anong mali?"
"Luch! Para ka lang pupunta sa kanto niyan. And wear sneakers, please! Bakit nakatsinelas ka lang?!"
"This outfit is comfortable. What's wrong with it?"
"You're so boring. Ang gaganda ng mga damit mo sa cabinet pero hindi mo pinapakinabangan. Why did you even buy those kung bubulukin mo lang naman?"
"Those are only for occasions. Afterparty ang pupuntahan natin. Of course, I'll wear something comfortable. Saka wala namang theme kaya bakit ayos na ayos ka diyan? Makikipag-date ka ba?"
"Pay Pay, si Luch, o. Damitan mo nga!" Nagpapadyak si Amari saka sinundo si Payton na nagpapalit ng damit sa kwarto niya.
We're at his condo unit. Malapit lang ito sa venue ng afterparty kaya dito na kami dumiretso para mag-ayos. Gab is also with us who's wearing a style fitted for Amari's like — an unbuttoned gray mandarin shirt, sleeves are folded in half and paired with fitted black pants and black formal boots.
Dumako naman kaagad ang tingin ko kay Payton na ngayon ay hinihila ni Amari papunta sa akin. Payton's style is very different from Gab. His style is fitted with his personality — a white collar shirt under a blue long sleeve, paired with navy blue pants and white sneakers. He is fucking all blue!
"Anong pakulo mo, Luch?" Payton asked the moment his eyes fell on me. He has this judgmental look as if I've just sabotage myself. "Talaga? Hoodie, sweat pants, at tsinelas? Bibili ka ba ng yelo sa kanto?"
Hindi ako sumagot at nagkibit-balikat na lang. It's the Satavara we are talking about here. They are known for blast parties so, I won't bother wearing something that'll limit myself to move as freely as I like. Sila pa naman ang tipo ng organizer na hindi ka bibiguin.
Of course, they won't do that. The founder and the owner is a party-goer in her teens.
Umalis kami sa condo ni Payton saktong 6:30 ng gabi. When we got there, we almost got stock outside due to the pool of crowd. Napailing pa ako sa sarili nang mapansing ako nga lang ang mukhang nakapambahay. Everyone's outfit can be labeled as those of fashion shows, most are even branded clothes.
"Buti na lang nagpalit ka ng sneakers. Kung hindi ay mapagkakamalan kang naliligaw na bata sa loob dahil sa birkenstock na tsinelas mo," Bulong ni Payton sa akin kaya naman inis ko siyang siniko.
"Shut up."
Nang makarating sa loob, iginala ko ang tingin. The venue is three times bigger than the university's main gymnasium and the whole set-up became a club-like place. I wonder if old professors will attend. The ambiance of the place is not fit to their taste. Surely, some oldies here will leave before midnight.
Hindi ako nag-abalang magpaalam kina Payton. Pumunta kaagad ako sa harapan para hanapin si ate Ely, ang ate ni Yu at ang founder ng Satavara.
See? Told ya'll. Makikita ko siya ngayon dito.
"Luch?" Tumigil ako sa paglalakad para hanapin ang tumawag sa akin. "Luch! OMG, Luch, darling!" And it was ate Ely.
Unlike how she usually dresses, parehong-pareho kami ng outfit ngayon. Tuloy ay tatawa-tawa niyang itinuro ang hintuturo sa damit ko.
"What the hell?! We're twinning!"
"Hi to you, too, ate," Iiling-iling na sabi ko saka siya niyakap. "It's been so long. How are you?"
She flipped her hair while looking at me in the midst of our hugging session.
"Still beautiful, single, and ready to mingle."
