Querencia (Midnight #1)

Chapter 23

Twenty-three
ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈✧༺♥༻∞

"Hoy, may practice tayo bukas ng moving up. Uwi na tayo, anong oras na rin, 'te!" Ela said while stretching her arms.

"Anong bukas? Mamaya na nga 'yon eh. FYI, it's almost 4 in the morning already," si Vida ay sumipsip sa kanyang kape.

"Uwi na tayo?" Tanong ko.

Pareho namang umiling ang dalawa sa tanong ko. Ang gulo rin nila, actually. Halata namang inaantok na sila pero gusto pa rin nilang mag-stay rito.

As if 'di kami magkikita bukas?

Inaya ko na sila umuwi na kami dahil nakararamdam na rin ako ng antok—gano'n din naman sila pero mas pinipili nilang huwag na muna umalis. Ewan ko ba sa mga 'to. Ano na lang mangyayari sa amin sa practice bukas kung 'di pa kami uuwi.

Kinabukasan ay inaantok-antok pa ako dahil nga alas-tres na kaming nakauwi at ilang minuto na lang din ay alas-kwatro na. It was indeed not a good idea to go with them last time, I should've said no—para rin naman sa amin—since we'll be seeing each-other today. Minsan tuloy nagsasawa na ako sa mukha nilang dalawa.

I wore my new flat ironed uniform. We'll just practice today but our school prepared that we must wear a uniform whenever there will be an activity inside our school premises, unless it wasn't a formal activity or not under their supervision. But as much as we can—we must wear our uniforms.

Hindi yata sapat sa kanila ang IDs namin. Also, inaakala ba nilang sobrang presko ng mga uniform namin?

Buti na lang there's a parent who complains about it so they decided to do our practices in the Social Hall—at least doon may air conditioner.

"Ano oras tapos ng practice n'yo?" Kuya Hunter asked.

Halos tawanan ko ang mukha niya dahil sa reaksyon na mayroon doon. Siya lang kasi ang hindi graduating sa aming apat. Kuya Harlow's graduating from college, planning to take over our family business. Ate Hera's having her moving up the same with me. Hindi ko alam ang course na kukunin niya but she took STEM just like Kuya Hunter.

Si Kuya Harlow lang yata ang nagbalak na mag-ABM sa amin. I'm contemplating if should I go for HUMSS or STEM, nakaka-pressure naman kung ako lang 'yung kukuha sa amin ng HUMSS, ang lagi kasing expected ni Mommy—ABM or STEM, sa ABM kasi of course it's about business, whilst on STEM there are a lot of opportunities offered.

"8 A.M. start namin, Kuya eh. Baka po mga 10? I'm not sure po," sagot ko.

"9 A.M. start ng amin though. Pero not sure as well kung anong oras tapos." Si Ate Hera.

Kuya Harlow's not around. We don't know where he is but he'll be here later on since he also has a practice.

Kahit naman kasi 2nd year college pa lang siya ay tinetake over niya na ang business. Inaral niya na agad iyon. Good thing is Kuya Harlow's interest is all about business as well. That's why Mom and Dad didn't force him to take a business course.

"Ang daya, bakit 'di n'yo 'ko kasabay mag-moving up o kaya graduation. Ayaw na yata sa akin ni Lord," bumuntong hininga pa ito. "Magmumukha akong na-left out no'n sa mga pictures niyong tatlo kasi kayo naka-toga ta's ako petiks lang. Umay," reklamo niya at kumamot pa sa ulo.

He's being dramatic.

Ate Hera hit her arms. "Napaka arte mong bwisit ka. Halika na, anong oras na oh." She said as she looked at her watch.

"Aray! Amazona talaga. Tang ina," reklamo ni Kuya at saka umalis upang pumunta na sa backyard.

When we arrived at school, we were greeted with students scattered around the campus, they were all graduating students because it's vacation already—so I was sure that all of them are up on their graduation or moving up.