2 years later...
"Bakit hindi mo sinabing uuwi ka? Sana naghanda kami!" Sabi ni Amari habang hinahabol niya ako na kapapasok lang sa loob ng bahay namin at hila ang maleta.
I didn't expect her to be here. She's with Niana. Nagulat na lang ako noong pagpasok ko sa gate ay nakita ko silang dalawa na nagdidilig ng hardin as if it's just a casual day for them to do that here-in our house. Why here instead of theirs? Mas madaming hardin at halaman sa mga bahay nila. Entrance pa lang, nakakapagod nang lakarin sa sobrang haba ng mga halaman na nakahilera sa pathway.
Dalawang taon lang akong nawala, no contact and all, and this is what welcomes me?
"OMG-Luch?! W-what-why are you home?!" And that's tita Diana who almost fell on her stance when she saw me walking towards the kitchen. "Hindi ka nagsabi. Wala tayong pagkain, dear."
Pagkain-hindi naman ako patay-gutom. Bakit pagkain ang issue nilang dalawa ni Amari?
"I ordered food!" Niana yelled from the door. Hindi ko sana siya papansinin ngunit bigla na lang sumulpot sa likod niya si Payton. "And messaged everyone, hehe."
Puta-ang bilis!
"LUCCCHHHHH!"
Mabilis kong inihagis ang hilang maleta patungo kay Payton para lang pigilan siyang makalapit sa akin pero nagulat ako nang bigla na lang sumulpot si Gustavo mula sa kung saan at siya ang sumalo ng mabigat kong maleta.
"Fuck!" Gustavo exclaimed and the same time my suitcase fell on him, Payton also fell on me. That made both Gustavo and I fall on the floor-feeling the heavy fuckers above us. His is my suitcase and mine is his babe.
Damn, kailan ba ako titigilan ni Payton sa pagtalon-talon niya? Sa kaniya yata ako magkaka-scoliosis at hindi sa gym.
"I miss you so much, Luch!" Payton exclaimed then pushed himself away from me. "Mabuti na lang ay nandyan lang kami sa malapit kaya nakapunta kaagad kami dito noong nagtext si Niana."
"And oh, Percy, Loreen, and Gab are on the way..." Singit ni Niana sa usapan.
I couldn't help but to just roll my eyes and defeatedly let my head fall on the floor.
What did I even expect? Of course, my secret comeback will blew up in no time. I just didn't think that it'd be this fast. I thought it will take at least an hour or two. Ano ba kasing ginagawa ng dalawang chismosa na 'yan dito?
"Ano bang laman ng maletang 'yan at hanep sa bigat?" Reklamo ni Gustavo.
I smirked at him who's still on the floor, but unlike me, he's now sitting and shoving my suitcase away from him while staring mad at me. Hindi pa rin talaga nagbabago. Sa akin nagagalit at hindi kay Payton. Under na under siguro ang gagong 'yon.
Kung barumbado pa rin ako, baka nadukot ko na mata niya.
"Calm your cub, Payton..." Iiling-iling na sabi ko kay Payton saka nagdesisyong tumayo at humarap kay tita Diana na nakangiti lang na naghihintay sa akin.
She really likes watching me having fun with my friends. I remember back then, she told me that she only saw me smiling genuinely when I'm with them. Ever since, I tried to gain courage to invite them over...just to...make her happy. Sinabi niya kasing masaya siya kapag masaya ako. And at least, I want to give back that happiness by inviting these assholes behind me.
Sigurado din ako na mas iingay kapag dumating na si Percy dahil mag-aaway na naman sila ni Niana.
Pero mukhang mali ako...
"You're engaged?!"
I spout my drink real hard when I heard that. Sa reaksyon naming dalawa ni Gab, mukhang kami lang ang walang ideya na engage na sina Niana at Percy. We're at the garden now and eating the food Niana ordered earlier.
