How Did We Start Dating?

Prologue

I was wandering across the street of Tomas Morato Avenue by myself, wearing a slappy shirt and grey jogger pants. I'm holding an opened bottle of beer and a book of The Shining, I've already finished it but I loved walking every night holding it and finding a quiet place to read it over and over again. I stop by on Seven-Eleven to buy myself some snacks before I go to my perfect spot. While I'm choosing what is a better snack to buy someone pat me in the back and called me by my nickname in high school.

"JAMES!"

"OH, HEY YOU!"

It was Joey, my long lost best-friend when I was in high school. He never changed, he is still jolly and very approachable to someone he knows.

"How are you, James? Its been a long time since we see each other, right?"

"Yeah! Its been 5 years, men. I miss you, so how's it going? Where do you work now?"

And we walk the night and find someplace to chat. We stop by at the Pancake House near Dencio's Bar Restaurant and we start chatting about our lives. He is currently working as the art director of a film, it is been his dream to be a part of big production and he is very good at it. He lives in Pasig City right now with his wife and his two children, Monica and Billy. He and his wife together with his children are from out-of-town and stop by Tomas Morato because it is getting late and they're already tired from the road trip, so they planned to book a hotel. He left his family just to buy some drinks and unexpectedly he saw me.

It's been 9:12 pm, we're walking away to his hotel and he brings up a topic about our past life in senior high.

"So men, remember back in high school we used to be so awful. I mean we're dorks and we don't use to be so cool and do kinds of stuff as other men do, you know? And suddenly, everything is changed because of----"

"The bucket list... yeah, I know"

[giggled] [sighs silently]

"It was great to have you, Joey. I had to say, now I'm living my life to the full"

"No men, thank you. You have always been there for me and what can I say... Dapitan sessions?"

"Yeah, I missed that"

We stop for a while and looked at each other and then looked around. Passing cars, rave parties, and car horns, I never thought of doing this again and being in here again with my best friend. When suddenly, I remembered some people we used to hang out with.

"Hey, Joey, do you remember them? I mean, do you have any clue how they're doing now? I kinda missed they"

"Me neither, I haven't heard or called any of them since high school"

I nod my head and wonder the moment thinking about my past friends. When he pats me at the back with excitement and enjoyment.

"HEY! I have an idea! Why not we visit them?! or find where they're living now huh?!"

"I don't know Joey, maybe they'll not recognize us"

"Oh, come on men, its been five years and still, you recognized me"

"Because you are my friend---"

"So are they, James"

[sighs heavily]

"Fine, I'll go"

He starts jumping around like a kid and hopping like a bunny. I felt his joy in his face full of excitement and happiness that I've only seen when we were in high school.