One Chance

1

Felicity:
France, anong oras kang uuwi? Papasundo ka raw ba sabi ni Kuya?

Francesca:

After the party, Ate, uuwi na ko, pero commute na lang ako, I'll text you kapag pauwi na ko.

I kept my phone inside my pocket and joined our class party that I have organized.

"Oh, exchange gift na!", Roxanne, my vice president, announced. She eyed me and I know what is the meaning of that, I smiled faintly to assure her it's gonna be okay.

"Sure? You can?", Lovely nudged me. I nodded at her and she busied herself sa pagshuffle ng playlist. "We need a happy song para mamaya", she jokingly said kaya natawa naman ako.

I waited for my number to be called para maibigay dun sa nabunot ko yung gift that I have prepared for him.

I was playfully rotating the ring on my finger when, "12!", said Roxanne. I immediately got up from my seat and get the gift wrapped medium sized box that I have prepared. "So, Pres, sino nabunot mo?"

"Si... William", the whole classroom "woah-ed" and pinalampas ko lang. Hinanap ng mata ko si William na nakayuko at abala sa phone niya. He slowly lifted his face up and nonchalantly got up from his seat.

The whole room went quiet and the only noise I am hearing was the sound of a jolly Christmas song.

...but the very next day, you gave it away
this year, to save me from tears,
I gave it to someone special

"Hoy, hoy sino nakabunot sa'kin?", singhal ni William sa microphone kaya nagulat naman kaming lahat. We just finished our food kaya busy kami mag-ayos because we all know, the last part of our program is giving gifts.

"Teka lang, in chronological order naman kasi 'to, 'diba? Tatawagin pa natin yung number na nabunot nila!", saway sakaniya ni Roxanne, sa microphone din.

William chuckled, "ay oo pala, sorry, excited na kasi ako sa nabunot ko eh."

"Naku, wala dito si Chelsea, bes!", sigaw ko habang sinisinop yung mga kalat sa garbage plastic.

William is my bestfriend for almost 3 years now. We know each other like we are siblings. Kilalang kilala na namin ang isa't isa and I'm thankful na nasa buhay ko siya. He's the guy that I will never trade for anything for I know I can never find a friend like him on anyone.

"Last year pa 'yun, bes! Wala na 'yun", sagot niya pabalik sakin. Nagkantyawan na kaming buong section bago nagstart yung exchange gift proper. What I love about this section is we are always one. We may have different perspective on some things but we choose to be one.

We are on our grade 11 and I can't be more grateful na I am experiencing senior high school with these great people.

"Number 6!", Roxanne said over the microphone.

"Ay ako yun!", gulat kong sabi at pumunta na sa harap at kinuha yung foot-long and book-width sized gift ko.

"So, madam Pres, anong pangalan ng nabunot mo?"

"Crush niya", sagot ni William para sakin kaya nagtawanan yung room, sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Joke." Bawi niya at nag-peace sign.

"Si Josh!", sagot ko at binigay ko na yung sketchpads na nakaindicate sa wishlist niya and some pencils na I personally picked because I know this will help him sa architecture course na gusto niya in the future.

"Thank you! Merry Christmas!", bati sakin ni Josh and he side-hugged me and I smiled.

"Oh, tama na yan, tama na yan, di ka crush niyan, Josh", sita ni William. They jokingly glared at each other.