Life Series #1: Onto Better Things

Chapter 1

"Congratulations, Graduates of 2020!"

I'm finally hearing the words I longed for four years. Finally free from the four walls of the classroom. Finally heading to the real world.

I'm so ready for this! I thought to myself as I made my way out of the colliseum where our graduation was held.

As soon as I stepped out, I immediately saw my Tita Elise. Yes, I have no parents anymore. They died when I was young, too young to even remember them. Tita Elise was my father's younger sister and she took care of me since namatay parents ko. She never married though she still could but she opted not to. I don't know why pero 'yan ang gusto niya and who am I to question that.

"Fina-fucking-lly, Christine Farrah Ramos!" She said as she hugged me.

I laughed for her choice of words to congratulate me. Yep, that's my Tita Elise. More than a parent, she was a friend. We would hang out as if tropa lang kami. And since siya na ang nagpalaki sa akin, we we're so much alike. Opinionated, wise and independent.

"Owe it all to you, Tita," I said when we finished our hug.

"Nah, that's all you, Tin. Bachelor of Arts in Commerce Major in Marketing, Summa Cum Laude," she looked at me with proud eyes. That made all the effort I did so worth it. "Though I would love it more kung nag-pre law ka sana."

I laughed again because she just won't let it die. She wanted me to become a lawyer like her so I could work with her law firm but that's just not me.

"You know I'm too emotional to be a lawyer, Tita. Sasakit lang ulo mo sakin."

She laughed too. Alam niyang tama ako. I would probably fight everyone who goes up against the law kahit client ko pa 'yon.

"Hoy, Ramos!"

I looked around to find who shouted my last name then I saw them. My main girls walking in their graduation robes towards me and Tita Elise.

Anna, Alex, Carol and France. Bestfriends since we were kids. We grew up together, literally. Sa isang subdivision lang kami nakatira. We went to the same kindergarden, grade school, high school and even college, though we took different degrees. La Salle all the way.

"Congrats to us!" They shouted when we did our version of group hug. May kasamang paghila ng buhok at ako yata ang napuruhan. Ang sakit ng anit ko pagkatapos naming magkulitan.

"Maiwan ko na muna kayong mga bata kayo. Ang gaganda niyong dalaga pero parang mga lalaki kung umasta," Tita Elise said habang umiiling but she had a smile in her face. Sanay naman na siya sa amin and she was fond of my friends. "See you mamaya for our dinner, Tin. Ako muna bago ang party niyo."

I smiled widely and hugged her again before she went away.

"Oh pano ba yan, girls? We're officially unemployed now," Anna said who graduated from Accountancy na Cum Laude. She's gonna review and take up her boards soon.

"No, not me," sabat naman ni France who graduated from Hospitality Management, also Cum Laude. "I'll be spending a month with you girls tapos internship ko na sa US."

"Edi sana all," Carol said while rolling her eyes. She's our math wiz so she now has a degree in Chemical Engineering but she has to take up her boards soon too.

"Bahala kayo basta kami ni Tin ay may mga offers na," Alex said while sticking her tongue out. Masipag to mag-aral so she was a double major graduate. Economics and Marketing.

"Wow ha. Napaka-mature na mga professionals."

We all looked at who spoke and saw our other best friend, Nicolai, the only guy in the barkada. He went to school in Ateneo and held their graduation a week ago. This guy right here, eto yung mag-aabogado. He's about to proceed to Law.

"Oh, congrats," he said while handing Carol a boquet.

"Hoy daya! Bakit si Carol lang?!" We immediately protested.

Nico just held up his hand and took a bunch of flowers from the boquet and handed it to us. "'Wag nga kayong maarte. Ang mahal kaya niyang flowers. Malalanta lang naman."

"Napaka-kuripot naman, Nicolai!"

"Sa Areneyow nag-aaral pero hindi makabili ng ilang boquet? Tama ba 'yon?"

"Payag ka nun, nagdadrive ng Range Rover tapos walang pera?"

"Tangina niyo! Akin na nga yang bulaklak! Ibalik niyo, ungrateful ugly people!"

At nagsimula silang mag-agawan sa nag-iisang boquet. A lot of people are now looking us because we were so noisy. But I don't care. These immature, loud and magulo people in front of me are my everything. We may act like this but I know that they will do anything for me and I, them. We've been through so much. We saw each other at our happiest and saddest. We we're there for each other since we were young. We were together crying for our first failed quiz, went together to our first bar, was there when we started going out on dates, got drunk together for the first time, went to our first international trip together, was there during our first heart breaks. Name it, we did it all together. They were my ride or die.