Kate
"One more shot, Luke."
I filled my shot glass then his, then clinking our glasses together, we gulped it down in one go.
Luke and I were at my flat, again commiserating the demise of another relationship - my third, his second.
"Bakit ganun, Dude?" I asked my best friend. "Parati nalang tayo yung iniiwan?"
"Hindi ko alam," Luke said, shaking his head.
Luke and I had been best friends since high school, when his family moved in the house next to ours. I noticed him immediately because he was very attractive and looked like those jock types but was actually a nerd.
We weren't close until we entered University and my dad carpooled us daily.
One day, while at waiting area, he found me sulking. "What's wrong?"
"May girlfriend na si Dino. Akala ko pa naman ako yung gusto niya."
He chuckled. "Ayan. Assuming kasi."
I laughed with him and since that day, we became best friends.
We both got learner's permits to drive, and while I got the hang of it pretty quickly, Luke stalled every freaking time he was at a stoplight.
Our driving instructor used to coach, "Don't panic. O, start the engine again..."
On his fifth try, with cars getting pissed at us, I said from the backseat. "Luke, anak ng pating, ayusin mo na!"
"Hindi ka nakakatulong!"
When we finally got our licenses, we always drove around together those first few weeks because we were so afraid. Luke was better at parking, while I had to scream each time we entered a slot.
"HINDI BA AKO SASABIT?!?!??"
"No, maluwag pa nga. Sige lang. Reverse tapos pasok na yan."
"ANG LAPIIIIIIIITTTTTT BAKA TUMAMAAAAAAA."
"Kingina masisira na yung tenga ko kung hindi ka pa magpark."
But, on the road, we were good drivers and we did not violate any rules. I swear.
Actually, we never violate anything.
At work, we arrive one hour before our scheduled time, clocked out a few minutes after the end of shift, followed required dress codes to a T, breaks, desk rules... everything.
"Do you remember what your ex said?" I asked Luke.
"Masyado akong mabait."
"My first boyfriend said the same thing remember?"
He nodded.
"Maybe that's our problem, Luke? Maybe we need to start breaking rules."
"What?!" He gulped, visibly scared and unsettled.
"Try lang natin. How about for one month we break the rules? Hindi naman yung ikakakulong natin ha? But let's see how far we can go?"
It was probably the alcohol, but after a few seconds, Luke reached out his hand. "Deal!"
"Deal!"
We took another shot of tequila then he said,
"Dude, kung balak mong pumatay ng tao ayawan na ha?"
