The Reunion

Chapter II

June 14, 1999 12:06 PM

The warm air from the breath of the person behind me tickled my neck, and being the sensitive person that I am, it shook me a bit and I almost lost grip on my lunch tray. Thankfully, only the spoon fell to the ground. I can't afford to lose my lunch today; fried chicken and gravy with rice, my favorite.

I turned to see who's behind me, but saw no one. I looked back at Jamila, Lauryn and Jenjen, who all seemed to give me a startled stare - or rather, at the person crouching below me.

"Sino 'yan," I heard Jamila ask silently. I turned around and looked down.

"Hoy Orlando! Matatapon pa pagkain ko sa'yo!"

He gave me an awkwardly apologetic smile as he stood up. "Hehe, kuha na lang kita ng bagong kutsara. Ako na ba magdala niyan?" he asked, but he already took my lunch tray from me.

"Sunod ako sa mesa niyo."

My friends and I walked to the nearest unoccupied table. Seated, I suddenly felt that I was about to be interrogated.

"Sino 'yon, Joey? In fairness ha, ang guwapo," Lauryn said in a flirty manner. "Pati bakit parang ngayon ko lang siya nakita? Kabilang section ba siya? Or lower year?"

I looked behind me to check on everyone's mystery guy. Seeing him en route to where we are, I told my friends to ask him their curious questions instead.

He placed my lunch tray in front of me and took the seat between me and Jenjen. Seeing Jamila and Lauryn looking at him like they could peel him alive, I took the initiative of introducing him to my friends.

"Uy," I started, "siya nga pala si Orla--"

"ROLAND," he said as he looked me in the eye and offered his right hand to my friends. "Call me Roland. And you are?"

Ayy, inglesero! I heard Lauryn mumble. "I'm Lauryn. Nice meeting you, Roland." She looked at him intensely and seemed to pucker her red lips a bit more.

But of course, Jamila won't play dead branch in front of a nice guy. She offered her hand as well to divert his attention.

"Hello, Roland. I'm Jamila. You can call me Jam, for short." After they shook hands, Jamila forwarded her torso to the table, crossed her arms and seemed to frame her Cup D boobs in it.

Jenjen and I gave each other a look that said, Oh my God, our friends are such sluts. We shared a soundless laugh.

Orlando, or 'Roland' as he preferred, turned to Jenjen to introduce himself.

"Hello. Roland," he said, extending his right hand to Jenjen.

"Hi, I'm Jeanette. And you already know our friend Joey. Fourth Year students kami," she told him. "Ikaw, you look like you're the same age as us. Transferree ka? Or bumibisita lang?"

"Transferree, though nasa bakasyon pa kasi kami last week. Actually, ngayong araw lang ako nakapag-enroll. Kakalabas lang namin ng wife ng Papa ko galing sa School Administrator's Office. Eh nakita ko 'to si Joey, sabi ko I might stay a bit at marunong naman ako umuwi. Bukas pa ko officially papasok.

"Fourth year din ako. Section I."

"Oh, interesting," Jenjen replied. "Same section tayo. I was voted Class President last week, so if ever you have some inquiries regarding school stuff, you can ask me."

Jenjen saw Lauryn and Jamila gesturing with their faces to bring his attention to them.

"OR, you can ask my two friends over here, they look SO willing to give you a school tour."