The Breakup

Chapter 1

Aubrey's POV:

"Welcome to the Philippines!"

Sydney, my best friend, greeted me. Para namang di kami magkasama the whole time pabalik ng Pinas.

Here's a little something about Sydney: her mom is Filipina and her dad is Australian. When she was 2, they moved to Canada where we met during grade school.

Seven years later, here we are, still the best of friends. She's one of the reasons why I'm here in the Philippines today. Five years ago, her parents divorced and her mom moved back here.

After my break up with Nathaniel, niyaya ako ni Sydney na umuwi muna dito sa Pilipinas since it's the school break and I wanna take this time para mag emote at lumayo muna kay Nate.

"Shut up, Syd. I want to sleep. Where's your mom?"

She roamed her eyes over the place. Nope. No sign of tita Anna.

I let out a sigh. "Hay nako, twenty minutes na tayo dito. Gutom na din ako. Di ako kumain kasi sabi mo dun na tayo mag lunch."

"Hang on, it's mom." She picked up her phone and next thing I heard, she was giving her mom instructions on how to get to where we are.

"Yeah. I'm wearing a black dress and A is wearing a white tank top and short denim cut offs." Sabi pa ni Sydney.

I saw a car approaching and finally! Nung tumapat samin at bumaba yung window sa driver side, I saw tita Anna, prettier than ever.

"Hi mom!" Sydney went to her mom and hugged her.

"Hi tita. Missed you." I pecked her cheek and turned to my luggages.

Pagkaayos namin nung mga gamit sa likod ng kotse, sumakay na kagad kami.

"Tita, pwede ba tayong mag drive thru muna? Sobrang gutom na ko."

"Sure, but that's a few kilometers pa from here. Your anacondas would have to wait." She laughed.

I put on my aviators and napped a little on the way.

One drive thru and a couple more hours on the road, nakarating na din kami sa bahay ni tita.

"Wow. Sa Moscow ka pala nakatira, tita!" I joked as I saw the street signage.

"Of course! Kaya lang Moscow St., Marikina nga lang pero at least Moscow pa rin!"

Sobrang tahimik sa village. Parang sa Edmonton lang rin. Kaso puro gates dito eh, kasi uso yun sa Canada. Everyone just seemed to admire the lush of their lawns so I guess they just liked to show off.

"We're here. Wow mom, you're house got bigger than the last time I was here ha." Sydney got off the car. And stood in front of the house looking up to it like a little kid.

"Syempre. I know you guys would be coming over soon kaya pinaghandaan ko talaga."

"Tita talaga, puro biro." Napailing na lang ako habang nagbababa ng gamit.

"Let's go in!" Tita shrieked. And yes, after weeks since my break up, I felt excited again.

Grabe. I can't imagine na nakaka 2 weeks na pala kami dito. We spent the first 2 days sleeping and just pigging out. Kwentuhan lang. Nag catch up yung mag nanay and ako naman inintriga tungkol sa boyfriend ko. I mean, ex.

Speaking of the devil, he would occasionally message me. Pinapahirapan nya ba ko?! Syempre namimiss ko din naman siya. Pero wala na eh. This is me moving on. I'll show him.

Sobrang bilis lang nung mga sumunod na araw. We were always out. Nakarating kami ng Baguio, Tagaytay, at Subic! Needless to say marami na din kaming nabili.

It's been 8 years since last time akong nakapunta ng Pinas. Actually, yung pag uwi ko nga ngayon, muntik ng di matuloy. Ayaw kasi ni Dad eh. Of course naiintindihan ako ng mom na kailangan ko muna ng break. But my dad's not comfortable with the thought na kami lang ni Sydney on our own. Kung hindi pa tumawag dun si tita Anna, di pa talaga nya ko papayagan.

So ngayon, medyo frantic si tita. Tumawag kasi yung kapatid nya. Nagkasakit daw yung lola ni Syd who's based in Cebu. Other than her tita who also lives there, wala na silang ibang kamag anak. Kaya kailangan tumulong ni tita dun.

"Mom we'll be fine. Relax." Naiiiling pang sabi ni Sydney sa mommy nya.

"Anong you'll be fine? Pano kapag aalis kayo? Di naman kayo pwedeng mag drive kasi wala kayong licence dito. Mahirap na ding mag cab ngayon, baka kung saan pa kayo dalin nun. Tsaka pano kung magutom kayo? May marunong bang magluto sa inyong mag dalawa ha? And what if-"

I cut her off, "I will take charge tita. Have a little faith." I kid to loosen her up a bit.

"You can't blame me kung mag panic man ako Aubrey. Mga pasaway pa man din kayong mag best friend!"

As if on cue nag ring yung phone.

"Hello? Yes, this is she. Sino? Oh, hi! Nakauwi ka na pala? Kamusta naman ang Macau?" She laughed. "I know, I know. Dinner? Okay, sounds good. Do you mind if I bring my daughter and her best friend later? Thank you, sige we'll see you at 7. Bye."

"Sino yun?" Tanong ni Sydney.

"Si Lia, friend ko dito sa village. Actually, kapitbahay nga lang." Tita laughed. And continued, "blessing in disguise! She invited us to dinner kasi kakauwi nya lang daw from her vacation. Mamaya, ittry ko na din kung baka pwedeng tignan tignan nya kayo dito while I'm not here."

"Mom!"

"Tita!"

"Ay? Kailangan sabay?"

"This isn't a joke mom! Nakakahiya naman dun. Kakauwi nga lang tapos aabalahin mo na kagad. And malaki na kami ni A. We can take care of ourselves." Syd pouted.

"Mabuti ng may adult supervision. Basta, be ready by 6:30 nakakahiya namang late tayo."

"Hi. Welcome back!" Tita Anna greeted as she hugged who I'd presume is her friend, Lia.

"Thank you." She smiled then turned to us, "pasok kayo. Naghanda ako ng konti for us."

Tita Lia is pretty din. She's plain Jane pero I think that's what made her even more beautiful.

Pag pasok namin sa loob inintroduce kami ni tita Anna kay tita Lia. Tapos nalaman namin na kasama pala nya dito yung unico hijo nya, si André.

Dinner was okay. Tita Lia and tita Anna talked about a great deal of things and minsan nasasama din kami sa usapan. No awkwardness, kaya lang tong si André di mapakali.

"Uhm.. excuse me." He turned to his mom, "ma kailangan ko na talaga umalis. Nandun na sila kela Inno eh."

"Do you really have to go there? Linggo linggo naman kayo magkita ng barkada mo. Baka naman pwedeng mag pass ka muna? Besides, we have visitors. Don't be rude André." Saway ni tita Lia.

"Oh no, it's okay. If he really has to go then hayaan mo na. Baka importante." Tita Anna said with an understanding smile.

"See mama? Thank you po, tita."
André nodded towards us and waited for his mom's last say.

Tita Lia let out a heavy breath, "sige na nga. Basta next time ha? Sabihin mo dyan kela Inno nagtatampo ako."

"Yes! Thanks ma!" He kissed her cheek and left.

After dinner, nag coffee kaming apat sa may garden and then dun na rin kami ipinaalam ni tita Anna. Sobra yung hiya namin ni Sydney. Imagine, 19 year olds ibibilin pa sa kapitbahay? Si tita talaga.

To our surprise, she didn't seem to mind. Sya na daw bahala samin. In fact, she said, she's excited kasi she never had the chance to take care of any girls in their house. She'll call na lang daw from time to time sa bahay and check on us. Pwede na rin.