Anonymous Lines - Hambebe AU

Chapter 8

The next day, Gabrielle woke up feeling lighter than she had in the past few days. The pressure of exams had finally lifted, and today, she was looking forward to a day out with Sage and Ariana—something she desperately needed after the stressful week she had just survived.

She got dressed in her favorite casual outfit, something comfortable yet stylish. As she put on her sneakers, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of spending the day with her two best friends.

By late morning, Gabrielle was on her way to the café where they had planned to meet. It was a new place that quickly became popular among students and young professionals. The café was known for its cozy ambiance, Instagrammable décor, and, most importantly, great coffee.

When she arrived, she saw Sage and Ariana already seated at a table near by the window. Sage was lively talking while Ariana listened, occasionally nodding and laughing. Gabrielle's smile widened as she approached them.

"Gab!" Sage exclaimed and waved her hand as soon as she spotted her. She jumped up from her seat and hugged Gabrielle tightly. "Finally, you're here! Miss na miss na kita!"

"Miss rin kita, Gab!" echoed Ariana, joining the hug after Sage.

Gabrielle smiled and hug her them back "Ang aga niyo yata ngayon," biro niya habang naupo sa tabi nila.

"Sorry if I've been MIA lately. Exams and all."

"That's fine, naiintindihan naman namin," Ariana said as they all sat down. "Basta tapos na, 'yan ang importante."

"Kumusta ka na? Mukhang fresh na fresh ka na ulit." Sage jokingly said.

"Do I?" Gabrielle replied and let out a soft chuckle.

"Magkwento ka nga, tell us, how was the exam week from hell?"

Gabrielle sighed, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "It was... intense. I tried to finish everything early para wala na akong iisipin next week when I start handling my transfer to SAU and the move to the new condo."

"Alam namin na matalino ka, Gab, pero nakakapagod pa rin, for sure," Sage said, her tone sympathetic.

"Yun nga and the pressure isn't just from others—it's from myself, too," Gabrielle admitted, her voice softening. "I just want to make sure I'm always doing my best, kahit na minsan it feels like it's never enough."

Ariana reached over and squeezed Gabrielle's hand. "You've done more than enough. We're so proud of you, Gab. Tapos na exams, so ngayon, time to relax. You deserve it."

Gabrielle smiled, feeling a bit emotional from their support. "Thanks, guys. I really needed this."

"Sobrang timely nga na we're hanging out today," Sage said, her eyes sparkling. "No more exams, no more stress—just good food, good company, and maybe a little shopping after?"

"Oo nga! And speaking of food, gutom na ako," Ariana said, picking up the menu. "Ano bang masarap dito?"

Nagpatuloy ang kanilang usapan habang nag-order sila ng pagkain. The café's menu was filled with delicious options, from hearty brunch meals to lighter snacks and pastries. They settled on a mix of dishes to share—pancakes, avocado toast, pasta, and of course, coffee.

As they waited for their food, the conversation naturally flowed from one topic to another. Sage talked about a recent photo shoot she did, while Ariana shared some of the latest drama from the student council.

"Ang dami talagang responsibilidad sa SSG, pero fulfilling naman," Ariana said, sipping her coffee. "Pero minsan gusto ko na lang maging normal student, na walang kailangan isipin kundi assignments at projects."

"Sino ba nagsabi sayo na maging Vice President ka ng Uni natin ah?" Sage jokingly said wherein both Gab and Ariana laugh.

"Ako." Ariana proudly said and flashed a genuine smile at them.

Their food arrived, and for a while, they simply enjoyed the meal and each other's company. The stress of the past week seemed to melt away with every bite of food and every shared laugh."Ang sarap talaga ng ganito," Sage said, leaning back in her chair contentedly. "I wish we could do this more often."

"Kailangan lang nating maghanap ng oras," Gabrielle said. "We're all busy, but moments like these remind me how important it is to take a break and enjoy life."

Ariana nodded. "Tama. We should make it a point to do this regularly. It's good for the soul."

After finishing their meal, the three friends decided to walk around the nearby shops. They browsed through clothes, books, and trinkets, chatting about anything and everything that came to mind. Gabrielle felt herself relaxing more with each passing moment. The tension that had built up over the past weeks was finally starting to fade.

As they wandered through the bookstore, Gabrielle found herself drawn to a section of journals and notebooks. She picked up a sleek, leather-bound notebook, running her fingers over the cover.

"Planning to start writing again?" Sage asked, noticing Gabrielle's interest.

Gabrielle paused for a moment, looking at the notebook in her hands. The idea of writing had crossed her mind several times, especially recently, but the thought of actually sitting down and doing it felt overwhelming. She shook her head and put the notebook back on the shelf.

"No," she said simply, forcing a small smile. "I just thought it looked nice"

Sage nodded, sensing there was more to Gabrielle's reluctance but deciding not to push.

Ariana, who had been browsing nearby, walked over and smiled at them. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, all good," Gabrielle said, quickly shifting the conversation. "So, did you find anything interesting?"

They continued browsing the store, the conversation moving to lighter topics. Gabrielle couldn't shake the thought of the notebook, though. She knew she wasn't ready to dive back into writing yet, but the idea lingered in the back of her mind, a quiet reminder of something she had once loved but had set aside for too long.

By late afternoon, they found themselves back at the café, taking a break from their shopping spree with another round of coffee.

"So, anong plano mo sa paglipat mo?" tanong ni Ariana habang sumisimsim ng kanyang iced latte.

"Magsisimula na ako mag-ayos ng mga papeles next week," sagot ni Gabrielle. "And I'll move na in my new condo."

"Don't hesitate to ask for help Gab, andito kami to help you especially if we're free." Sage said.

"Nakakatuwa lang kasi, isang chapter na naman ng buhay mo ang magsisimula," dagdag ni Ariana. "Pero kami pa rin ang kasama mo, at nandito lang kami."

"Nakakasawa nga eh, kayo naman kasama ko" Gabrielle jokingly said.

"Graba ka naman uy" The three of them laugh and talk to each other, catching up more.

 Matapos ang ilang oras ng kwentuhan, nagdesisyon silang maglakad-lakad sa paligid. Dumaan sila sa ilang mga tindahan, tiningnan ang mga bagong display, at binili ang ilan sa mga naibigan nila. Nagpaikot-ikot lang sila sa campus, masayang nagkukwentuhan tungkol sa buhay, sa mga plano nila, at sa mga bagay na nagpapasaya sa kanila.