Paolo
"Hi guys. This is my good friend, Arra." I made the introductions to my team of 20 people and their partners. As we walked away, I asked, "Do you remember anyone?"
"Nope," she answers unapologetically. "Now, where is that Starbucks cart."
I intended to go with her but a colleague of mine pulled me over for a chat. I found her again a few minutes later as we were called to dinner. "Got what you wanted?"
I eyed her frappuccino and flavored fries. She gave me a childish grin and said, "YEP! Don't mind me. Ignore me the whole night. I'll be good. You think I can still get another round of fries and a refill for my coffee?"
"Your fake coffee."
She stuck her tongue out. "Meh."
I chuckled. "Get food na." While she was gone, I headed to the carts and asked, "Kuya, ipagtabi mo ng isa pa yung kasama ko. Ano bang order niya kanina?"
The barista asked who I was with so I pointed to Arra. He promptly told me what it was and promised to do so. The person manning the fries agreed the same.
Then, I headed to get myself food.
Hours later, as I was driving home, Arra was obviously feeling that sugar rush. Ang daldal eh!
"Oh my! Sobrang funny nung isa mong teammate! Narinig mo ba yung joke niya?" She rattled on all the way to her place. "Ay nandito na pala. Okay! Thank you!"
"Makakatulog ka ba?" I asked.
"Malamang hinde. Magtatatakbo muna ako para mapagod."
"Huy, late na. Hindi na safe."
She thought about it. "True. Sige jogging in place na lang."
"Amp."
She laughed at that. "Uuuuyyyy! Proud siya na nagamit niya ng tama yun!"
"Heh. Bumaba ka na. Call me when you're in your unit, tsaka ako aalis."
"Wow! Sweet nun ha?"
I rolled my eyes. "Wag ka ngang feeling." When she got down, I could no longer see her at the lobby so I called, "I can't see you so keep me on the phone until you get in."
"Eh may elevator."
"Basta."
Thankful that it was short ride up, the call wasn't cut and when she was safely inside. She bid me goodnight.
"Oh wait!"
"What?"
"I forgot to give you the ten gold coins I owe you!"
She chuckled. "Next time na. Good night, Pong!"
Gold coins.
That has always been her standard in measuring how much I owe her.
It started because of our first big fight.
I was in high school - freshman year, I think, and she was in fourth grade. I knew she had a crush on me and she would often try to be cute and all that. But we were young so it was all innocent.
Thing is, I had this huge crush on a classmate of mine. One time at the canteen, I finally got to spend an afternoon snack with my crush!
She was gorgeous. Long black hair with braces and dimples and just as I was about to ask if I could call her, Arra comes running to me. "Kuya Pong!!!!"
She loses her balance and dumps her juice bottle on me. I looked like I peed. I stared at her angrily, "Arra, next time don't talk to me in school."
My crush rightly dumped me and Arra didn't speak to me for weeks.
In the off chance that I caught the walkie talkie on, I begged, "I'm sorry, R! I was just surprised. I was wrong. Bati na tayo please?"
"I'm sorry. Arra doesn't want to talk to you Paolo."
Halloween was just around the corner and she normally joined our family in going around the neighbourhood. And yes, even if I was in high school, I still had to go trick or treating to watch Arra and Pauline.
"Can we be friends now?"
She still ignored me for a few blocks until... we got to one house and she noticed that the candies given to me had more of those gold chocolate coins.
"I want those."
"These? Sige yours na. Pero bati na tayo?"
She pouted. I knew she was torn but she had always been smart. "You hurt me. Those gold coins won't make up for it."
"I know. I promise I'll be a good Kuya na. Sorry na? Part of my peace offering is this gold coin."
After thinking it over, she said, "Never yell at me again."
"Yes. I promise."
"You'll be good?"
"Yes."
"Okay. But I want ten gold coins."
I didn't get a lot of candies that night because all I asked from our neighbors were those gold chocolate coins, which I all handed over to Arra.
She allowed me to share all those coins (30 I think) and ordered me to open them for her.
I chuckled at the memory as I stored the bag I bought in the fridge. Okay, we'll save it for next time then.
