Sad to Belong

Chapter 7

"Oh I've missed you! and you didn't tell me your Kuyas are home!" Saige hugged Zayelee once again after they entered their lounge room.

"I've missed you too. I forgot to charge my phone remember? So, what's with your outburst earlier huh?" tanong ni Zayelee.

"Ugh, Dad wants me to move to Manila! Again! Like, what the hell? I have a job here!" reklamo ni Saige. Noon pa man ay nagkaka-problema na si Saige sa kanyang ama sa kagustuhan nitong lumipat si Saige sa Maynila. Ngunit hindi pa handang umalis si Saige sa kinalakhan niyang lugar at saka, maayos naman ang kanyang trabaho rito. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang gustong ipagawa nito doon sa kanya.

"Isn't this like an old topic Saige? Akala ko ba ay pinayagan ka na niyang mag-stay dito for another year?"

"Yeah well, akala ko din yun. Pero he said he changed his mind. Tinanong ko kung bakit gustong-gusto niya kong mag-move doon but he didn't answer me. He just shrugged it off as usual." Nakakunot noo niyang tugon. Akala niya noon ay tapos na ang kanilang usapan tungkol rito ngunit hindi pa rin pala. Pinatapos lang nito ang kanilang engrandeng bakasyon saka nito isiningit ulit.

"Baka naman nami-miss ka lang niya. I mean, busy parati si Tita Louisa sa business n'yo rito at minsan naman, dumadalaw siya sa Dad mo sa Manila while you're here. All I'm saying is he misses you. You're his only child." Pilit na paliwanag ni Zayelee sa kaibigan. Naiintindihan niya rin naman ang sentimento ni Saige ngunit tumatanda na rin ang kanyang mga magulang. She knows her Dad. He struggles with telling people how he really feels and maybe ito ang hindi maintindihan ni Saige.

"I don't even wanna think about it now. I need a drink." Saige replied saka tumungo sa kusina nila Zayelee para kumuha ng inumin. "Aha! Vodka! Just what I need." Nakangiti nitong tugon habang isinasalin ito sa dalawang shot glasses.

"Don't you think it's too early for that Saige?" nakangiwing tanong ni Zayelee. Saige likes alcohol specially when she is bothered.

"I don't care Lé." Tugon nito saka nilagok ang inumin. "Ahhh, so bitter yet so good. Want a shot?"

"Uhm, why not?" "Cheers!" tugon niya saka tinanggap ang isang shot glass. This is what they do to each other kapag may problema ang isa sa kanila. Dadamayan nila ang isa't isa, kahit ano pang trip ang maisip nilang gawin. And now, they're both struggling over family matters so why not forget about it for a day right?

"We need to stop before my Kuyas gets home."

"Oh Lé, hayaan mo sila. Nasa tamang edad na tayo!" pangungumbinsi niya sa kaibigan.

"It's not that. We're going away tomorrow. Wanna come?" inumpisahan na niyang ligpitin ang kanilang pinag-inuman saka hinarap si Saige.

"Oooh where to? I'm in!" masiglang tugon ni Saige.

"That, I don't know. They said it's a surprise." Simple niyang sagot rito. "I should start packing. Are you sure Tita and Tito would be ok with you going with us tomorrow? Bukas ka nalang bumalik sa bahay niyo para mag pack up. We'll be away for two weeks."

"Two weeks?! It sounds like we're going to have a lot of fun! Yohoo! And I'm sure my parents would be ok with it Lé. I'm old enough. Oh, I forgot! I've got clothes in my car so hindi ko na kelangan umuwi pa sa bahay. If kulang pa 'yun then bili nalang ako."

"Bakit may clothes ka sa car mo?!"

"Uhm, duh. I was planning to stay here for a week! Nakaka-stress masyado sa bahay. I wanna be here with you. We can do a lot of stuff! Fun stuff!" tugon niya habang naghahalungkay ng damit sa closet ni Zayelee.

"What about your work?"

"I took a leave Lé. Good thing my boss was okay with it!" tugon niya habang nagbibihis sa harap ng kanyang kaibigan.

"You deserve it Saige."

"I think we should eat outside. You think? Or magluto nalang tayo dito?"

"I think that we should cook! Let's try your skills."

"Omg, you gotta try my carbonara! I've just recently learned how to cook it with my own twist!" she proudly said saka inunahan na ang kaibigan patungo sa kanilang kusina.

"Hayyy, thanks for cooking. It actually saved us a lot kesa sa lumabas pa tayo." Sabi ni Zayelee sa kaibigan habang naghihilamos. Napag-desisyunan nalang nila na igugol ang kanilang oras na magkasama ngayong araw. They watched chick-flicks, they had wines, talked about almost everything. Matagal-tagal na rin silang hindi nakapag-bonding dahil isang buwan ring nawala si Saige para magbakasyon kasama ang kanyang pamilya at para bisitahin na rin ang kanilang relatives na naninirahan ngayon sa Italy.

"Thanks for putting up with me today Lé! That's why you're my one and only best friend! Please don't ever change. I don't know what I'd do with my life without you in it." Saige hugged Zayelee for a while. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nag-click silang dalawa. Outgoing si Saige, she loves fun and adventures, she's carefree, she's not afraid of speaking her mind and people loves to be with her samantalang si Zayelee ay maituturing mong isang 'ambivert' ngunit medyo mahiyain and she sometimes struggles with telling people how she really feels. They're a perfect proof to the saying, 'opposites attract'.