"Ara", I never heard that voice before. But somehow, it sounded very familiar. I turned around and....
"Kiwi, you're back! Kelan ka pa dumating?" I could not believe what I saw. Is she Rangomaipapa Amy M. Ahomiro? My Amy Ahomiro? I call her Kiwi because she was born in New Zealand. Her family transferred in Pampanga when she was 3 years old because her father got assigned in the Philippines to oversee an NZ owned resort in Clark Airbase after the US government turned it over to the Philippines and was subsequently converted into an economic free zone in the 90's. They rented the house next to ours. She was my classmate from pre-school up to 3rd grade (this explains why she is very fluent in Filipino). That was when her dad decided to move back to Aukland to concentrate on their family business.
I so remember the day that they left. We hugged each other tightly not wanting to let go. Few hours before their scheduled flight, we even staged a runaway. She hid in my closet hoping she'd miss her flight back to NZ.
I cried for days and refused to talk to my parents for I felt they did nothing to stop Kiwi and her family from leaving.
How time flies...
Gosh! She looked sooo beautiful... almost 6 feet tall, I presumed. At 5 foot 8 inches, I won't be called short... but it seems she towers over me. What a difference years can make. Gee! How I miss those beautiful eyes.
"You did not receive my card and the roses?", she asked.
"Yes, I got them. Salamat pala. Pero Kelan ka pala dumating?"
"Actually, a week ago pa. But I wanted to surprise you exactly on Valentine's Day." She smiled and looked at me expectantly as if waiting for a reply.
Am I dreaming? I can't seem to believe it. Kiwi is really here. It was almost 8 years since we last saw each other.
"Hey, Ara, I missed you. " she said as she hugged me. She hadn't changed. She is still the same--- so thoughtful, so sensitive. Somehow, we really couldn't talk. I was sort of shy , maybe because after all these years she came back looking so beautiful, so dignified in her above-knee floral dress and cardigan--- and look at me, clad in my well-worn pants, shirt, and vans... messy and carefree.
"If it I'm not yet late, Ara, can you be my date for tonight?Uhmmmm... That was why I sent you the roses... sort of a bribe... hehe". I laughed with her and for a bit, the tension was eased.
"Di ka pa rin nagbago kahit dalagang dalaga ka na. May pagka luka-luka ka pa rin. Siguro, nakalimutan mo na namang inumin yung gamut mo kaya nahulugan ka na naman ng turnilyo sa ulo", I joked.
"Haha. Nahawa lang ako sa yo, ano ba?", she replied and laughed... God !!! I soo missed those laughter.
"So, ano na? Can you be my date for tonight?", she asked again
"Takot ko lang humindi. Baka di mo ibigay pasalubong ko. Dami mo kayang utang na birthday at Christmas gifts. Haha", I replied.
"May ganun talaga? Haha... Would six be alright?"
" Yes. 6pm would be fine."
"Pick you up at six, then, my beautiful lady", her remark made me blushed.
"Ei, you're blushing. Get used to being called beautiful. You've always been beautiful in my eyes... kahit pa sa tingin ng iba gwapo ka... haha." Awwww! This gave me goosies. Sobrang kilig!!!..
"Oo na po. See yah at 6pm." I'm so not used to this type of set up where in ako ang sinusundo. In most of my dates, I do the inviting. O well.. she is no ordinary girl. She is Kiwi... Amy Ahomiro. If yun trip nya, I am very much willing to oblige.
BINABASA MO ANG
Perhaps Tomorrow(miKA reyes and aRA galang Fanfic)
FanfictionI never realized just how damaged I had become... never realized just how much of myself I had lost. And I realize all of this now... now that I've understood how much better life should be. I am off the roller coaster ride... and is now ready for...
