A LITTLE MORE (Complete)

TEN

LOURIE

Abala ako sa pag-iimpake when Rick came in the apartment. Rick was my ex-boyfriend but a good friend of mine now. He is one of my top cheerleaders. We were together for 2 years, but we decided to mutually split months ago. He still regularly shows up in my video contents. I just did not confirm to anyone about us breaking up.

"Lourie!" He called out my name.

"Hey Rick! I'm here in my bedroom." I shouted.

Minutes later he was in front of my bedroom door holding two cups of Starbucks coffee and a paper bag from one of my favorite New York bakeshops.

"Good gracious. Seems like a hurricane went in here." He chuckled. "I got your favorites!"

"Thank you, Rick. You're a lifesaver." I stood up and gave him a quick peck on the cheeks.

I led him to my kitchen where we enjoyed the pastries and coffee he brought. Ilang sandali pa ay pumasok na rin si Jen sa apartment ko.

"Hey there, you two ex-love birds!" Bati ni Jen sa amin.

She was holding some of my dry-cleaned clothes. She took them to my room and went back to  sat down beside me. She munched on a pastry from the paperbag.

"Thank you for being such an angel for Lourie, Jen." Rick thanked Jen in my behalf.

"Chos. Lourie is nothing without me." She winked at me and we both giggled.

Jen moved here in the US, 2 years after I left the Philippines. She was couch surfing with me back then while she working on online jobs. We were just simple girls trying to make it in New York City back then. Kinuha ko siyang personal assistant after I resigned from my job in a marketing company. I started my personal brand as a lifestyle personality 4 years ago.

Life has been good to me. I didn't realize na sisikat ako ng sobra. Now, I'm a social media content creator that focused in living a healthy lifestyle.

"Aren't you coming home with her?" Rick asked Jen.

"Nah. I have things to do here but I might. Do you wanna visit the PH?" Jen asked Rick.

I sighed. Ang sarap nila tignan. They're low-key flirting in front of me and they don't even know it. Mas bagay silang dalawa. Rick and Jen have the chemistry.

"Oh natahimik ka na diyan? Mauubusan ako ng English kakadada with Rick." Jen elbowed me. 

Rick just laughed at us. He does that when Jen and I starts to converse in Filipino.

"Vega just sent me personal invite for the college batch reunion. He was hoping I can come because maybe my presence can generate a greater number of attendees." I pouted.

"Sus. Pauto ka naman kay Vega. Pati si Benjie sinusulsulan ako na pilitin kang pumunta sa reunion. Ungas talaga mga iyon." She rolled her eyes.

Napahilamos ako ng mukha. The audacity of the two. Ang dalawang ex-college best friends ko nga hindi ako kinakausap.

---

JONI

Trish was looking at me funnily. We were having late dinner at some restaurant kasi kakatapos lang ng board meeting sa office.

"Stop staring, Trish." Puna ko sa kanya.

She was taken a back and drop her eyes at her food. She continued eating silently.

"Sorry." She apologized.

Padabog kong binitawan ang mga kubyertos ko. 

"Anong problema? Tell me." I asked her again as I drank my wine.

"Ahm... are you going to the batch reunion?" She asked in a small voice.

She toyed with her food and didn't look up at me when she asked. The batch reunion is going to be held this Saturday.

"I don't know. Maybe. Why are you even asking?"

Pinagpatuloy ko ang pagkain but I can feel she didn't feel like eating anymore.

"Lourie might be there." She stated and finally looked me in the eyes.

I gulped down the food I was chewing. We never talked about Lourie after graduation. It was like we both tried to hide the fact that we had another existing best friend in our lives.

I already knew that Lourie was in the country since last week. Vega and Benjie didn't stop bombarding me with updates on her whereabouts. They send me videos of her tv guesting and mall promotional tours.

I laughed at them and told them they were weirdly fanboying on Lourie. Vega flipped on me and told me that I was in denial and a coward. Even Benjie said na magsama na lang kami ni Trish kasi wala raw akong kwenta.

"Hindi ko alam. Mag-oovertime ako sa Saturday." I said dismissively.

Gusto ko kaltukan ang sarili ko. I shouldn't have even asked her what's her problem. I saw how her mood lighten from my answer. I knew Trish like the back of my hand. She hates Lourie. She hated the fact that I can't commit to her because it was Lourie from the very start.

Saturday came. 

I was stuck in the office doing some reviewing on the many regional operational reports. Dumaan pa si Trish that afternoon sa office to make sure if I would go or not sa reunion. She was going to attend, and she wanted me to come with her. But then I dismissed her and told her I have loads to finish reviewing. Syempre, Trish didn't throw a tantrum, but she was already satisfied from the fact that I have no way of personally seeing Lourie.

Alas-diez na ng gabi when Vega won't stop bombarding my phone from calls. Ganoon rin si Benjie.

"Stop calling. You're going to drain my battery." I flipped at Vega.

"Asan ka na kasi? You know what's worst than Lourie being here and you're not?" Vega asked from the other line.

"I really can't right now." I groaned at napahilot ako ng sentido ko.

"It's Trish telling everybody about how great your relationship has been. Iniimply niya rin na malapit na kayo magpakasal. Bro, you got to come here now!" He hissed.

Tapos ako utusan at sigawan ni Vega ay pinatayan niya ako ng tawag. Trish is really getting on my nerves. I made sure that I reviewed a lot bago ako mabilis na umalis ng office. I drove like madman to the venue of the reunion.

After parking my car outside the venue, bigla ko nakaramdam ng paglalamig. It was like I was having cold feet. Even my guts just went cold. My heartbeat started racing. I might see Lourie after 8 years again. I was sweating cold bullets.

"Tangina. Nagpauto talaga ako kila Vega and Benjie." Mura ko sa sarili.

Bigla nagring ang phone ko at sila Vega ulit.

"Gago. Asan ka na?" He asked.

"Nasa labas na ng venue." I answered.

I mustered the courage to get out of my car pero sobrang bagal ng galaw ko. My heart is beating weirdly fast. Parang on slow motion rin ang paligid ko. Habang bagal na naglalakad ako papasok sa venue, may nakita akong familiar na anino. Nakatayo ito sa may veranda na medyo tago. Tahimik ito na umiinom ng alak.

"Ang bagal mo bro. Nawala na ata si Lourie." Balita ni Vega sa akin sa kabilang linya.

"Oh... I see." Sabi ko na lang at pinatay ang tawag.

My eyes can't believe it. I wasn't imaging things. There she was. Just a few feet away.