One of the Boys 1 & 2 (Published by Pop Fiction)

Chapter Two

Past

7 years ago...

"Bach, lumabas ka na diyan. All your friends are here." Luke kept on knocking her door. Kakaalis lang ni Lexter ng Pilipinas kahapon. After ng breakup nila, hindi pa sila nagkikita. Para na siyang zombie. Hindi rin siya lumalabas ng bahay pwera na lang kung related sa school.

Noong nasa province nga sila para mag Christmas vacation, literal na nasa loob lang siya ng kwarto. Lalabas lang siya pag kakain na. She was either playing drums or eating mangoes. She could hardly sleep at night, 'cause she couldn't stop thinking about him and how painful it was.

Hindi rin niya kinakausap mga kaibigan ni Apa pati mga kaibigan niya. Wala siyang social life. Hindi rin naman siya nagkikwento sa family niya. Nag-aalala na nga sila sa kanya dahil first time nilang makita si Ags na ganun.

Lagi siyang binibisita ng mga college friends, high school friends, at band mates niya, pero ayaw niya talagang makipag-usap o kahit makipagkita man lang. She was too tired of everything.  

"Ags, lumabas ka na oh," Mangiyak-ngiyak na sabi ni Bianca.

"Recto, may sulat si Apa sa'yo!" 

Dahil sa sinabi ni Briones, lumabas na si Ags sa kwarto niya.

"Nasaan?" Mugto mga mata niya at pulang pula mukha niya. 

Ibibigay na sana ni Bri yung sulat, pero sabay siyang pinigilan nila Luis at Ygona. "Wait lang." Kinuha ni Luis yung sulat at nagtanguan sila ni Ygona.

"Promise us you'll live normally after we give you the letter," Ygona told her and she slowly nodded.

"Promise?" Asked Luis.

"Just give me the letter." Nanghihina na siya.

This time, si Karen naman ang nag tanong, "Promise?"

"Promise! Just give me that damn letter!"

Life's too short to be anything, but happy. Remember to always smile, Ags.

Sincerely yours,

LYA

Maybe the letter had some kind of magic 'cause after reading it, she really smiled.

After that day, laging nagpupunta mga kaibigan niya sa bahay niya o kaya naman aayain siyang lumabas kahit ayaw niya. They wanted to make her happy. They missed the crazy and weird Agatha.

Hindi nagtagal, she went back to her normal self. However, she wasn't as happy as before. Noong summer vacation, nagpunta silang lahat sa province nila Ags except Tigs na may kailangan daw gawin sa Manila. Arvin looked for his kuya Apa kaya natigil na naman sila, habang naglalaro ng beach volleyball. Their mom even covered his mouth.

Ags pretended she was okay and said, "Oh? Ba't kayo tumigil? Ayos lang, ano ba." Afterwards, she stopped playing. Umupo na lang siya sa sand, habang pinapanood yung sunset.

"Do you miss him?" Paz asked. Sa kanilang lahat, si Paz ang pinamadalang niyang makausap. "You're really spacing out lately."

"I do. I mean, I miss him and I'm spacing out."

Paz tapped my back. "Wag kang mag-alala, miss ka rin nun."

Although he wasn't my closest, he was the one who made her feel better. Kahit ang dami niyang problema, she was thankful for her friends. Kung wala sila, hindi na niya alam gagawin niya. Hindi naman niya makausap parents niya, her cousins had their own problems, and her uncle's gone.

Karen, Luis, Quintin, AJ, and BJ redeemed themselves. Close na ulit sila hindi lang kay Ags, pero pati sa mga bagong friends niya. Inamin nila sa kanyang naging immature sila and they apologized once again. It was more sincere that was why Ags accepted them wholeheartedly.