Arvic:
Nico is asking kung pupunta ka sa reunion?
I replied:
No
Nung gabing hinatid niya ako pauwi dahil lumalandi pa si Pepper ay sinabihan niya akong magreply bago siya umalis.
I agreed but I didn't agree to long messages.
"May reunion tayo! Punta tayo ha." Sabi ni Pepper at pinakita sa akin ang Facebook group namin.
Kumunot ang noo ko. I'm not one for reunion parties. Umuling ako, "Wag na."
"Ayan ka nanaman! Ang KJ mo talaga. Sige na, minsan lang naman. 'To naman parang walang pinagsamahan."
"Pwede ka naman pumunta ng wala ako. Close mo naman mga classmates natin."
"So this is about being close with them? Nandito naman ako. So what kung hindi mo sila kaclose? Mands, bakit ka mahihiya? They won't even have anything to judge you with. May career ka, maganda ka, matalino pa." Pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata at tinaasan ng kilay.
"Ano naman kasi ang gagawin ko dun? Ayaw kong tumunganga while watching everyone have fun."
"Then join the fun! You know how to have fun, ayaw mo lang. Remember when we went out together for some beers nung block outing?" Pepper grinned.
I groaned. "Don't. It was the worst."
She won't even have to say it. I remember it clearly as if it was just yesterday.
We were supposed to just drink a few bottles and sleep pero nauwi kami sa sayawan at inuman. At one point we even bumped into Arvic and his friends hanggang sa hindi na namin maalala kung anong nangyari.
I don't have the guts of asking Arvic or any of his friends so never mind. Some things are better left unspoken.
"So sasama ka na? Confirm ko na tayong dalawa."
"If I know cinonfirm mo na attendance natin before even asking me."
"Kilalang kilala mo talaga ako. Tsaka buy one take one kaya tayo! Hindi pwedeng wala ka." He puckered his lips and kissed the air.
So we are going. I know I told Arvic I'm not going pero hindi ko pa rin siya iuupdate na nagbago na ang isip ko.
Pepper went to my house to help me with my make up and he even chose my clothes for me because apparently, ang "manang" ko daw manamit.
Initially, loose shirt and wide pants ang plano kong isuot. He changed the loose shirt to a crop top.
"Better. Anong sense ng pagiging stylist ko if hindi kita tutulungan."
Before I can admire myself he asked me to sit in my vanity table and asked me to close my eyes.
Pepper has this talent na kaya niyang itransform ang sleepy-pagod look to artistahin look which is what he did for me.
We had the garage looking mexican restaurant by ourselves. Isa isang dumating mga classmates ko. I was just seating there talking with a few classmates when a loud group of boys entered.
Siniko ako ni Pepper at ngumisi siya. Una kong nakita si Vince followed by a laughing Andrew and Patrick then Nico and Arvic.
Inirapan ko si Pepper. "Pepper, no."
Nginitian niya ako and before I could stopped him, he waved his hand. Napatingin sila sa amin at imbis na palapit sila sa grupo ng lalaki sa may mini bar, palapit na sila ngayon sa table namin.
"Gaga ka talaga!" I said through clenched teeth.
Sila lang nag-usap ni Pepper and I'm trying to hide behind him when Nico went to where I'm seating. "Hi Miss Secretary, akala ko hindi ka pupunta?" Then he glared at Arvic.
