"Are you really sure, Aki? Personally, I like your hair like that. Why would you want to cut it?" Mili asked while twirling my curly brown hair.
"Hindi ba mas maganda kung mas maikli? Let's say hanggang kili-kili?"
"It is. Pero bakit? Long hair really suits you. It is you." She emphasized the word "you" to emphasize her point.
"Ron says he'd like to see me with armpit-length hair." She immediately raised an eyebrow in response.
"What? So, it is really not you who wants it short? Sabagay, we've been telling you to cut your hair for years pero hindi mo ginawa." Nagtatampo niyang sagot.
"Hindi naman. Gusto ko lang din i-try. Hindi ba bagay? 'Wag na lang ba?" Malungkot kong tanong sa kaniya.
Hinawakan niya ang dalawa kong kamay bago niya ako sinagot. "Ang gusto kong itanong, iyan ba ang talaga ang gusto mo?" I nodded my head. She gave me a small smile before she taps my head. "Well, if that's what you really want and that will make you happy, who are we to tell you not to cut it? And it's really no big deal! We'll support you in everything."
"Thank you, Mili."
Shapi finally arrived after two hours of waiting. She came straight from her office. Yesterday, I asked Mili to accompany me to the salon today, but in the end, we all decided to call it a girls' day and just hang out all day. So, we're here at the mall near Bayan to buy gifts for Raven because it's his birthday tomorrow!
"Isn't that Shone?" Napalingon ako sa inginunguso ni Shapi. There, I saw Shone, Mili's ex, with.. "With your..... sister?" I asked Mili, who just took a glance at them, and seemed uninterested?
"Yeah." Mili loves her little sister, so why does she appear unconcerned? Her ex with her little sister is truly bothering.
"Since when did your sister come back? And what is she doing with Shone?"
"Stop being nosy, Clemer." Bulong ni Shapi.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to.. I just..."
Mili exclaimed, "At dahil diyan, ikaw ang magbabayad nitong lahat!"
After I nodded and agreed with them. Mili eagerly approached her sister to greet and kiss her.
I turned to face Shapi, who was now smirking at me.
"You're so gullible, Clemer!" When I realized what had happened, I sighed. There. They got me once more. They've been swarming on me these last few days!
Naghahanap kami ng pangregalo para kay Raven nang may bumangga kay Shapi. Because of the impact, Shapi dropped the shopping bags. Yumuko ako at agad na tinulungan siya sa pagpulot ng mga iyon.
"Oops! Sorry." Napa-angat ako ng tingin sa isang babae nang marinig sa kaniyang boses ang sarkasmo habang patuloy naman sa pagpupulot lang ng mga pinamili si Shapi.
"Just leave if you're going to apologize like that. We don't need your fauxpology, miss." Matalim na sambit ni Mili bago lumuhod at tumulong kay Shapi.
"Excuse me? Siya kaya ang paharang-harang sa daan." Maarte itong namaywang sa aming harapan.
"Whatever. Leave us alone. Ayokong masira mo ang araw namin." Walang ganang sagot ni Mili habang tumatayo.
"Mas okay na 'yon kaysa sa mga naninira ng relasyon diyan." Napalingon kaming tatlo dahil sa kaniyang sinabi. What does she mean?
"Could you please leave?" Finally, Shapi found the words. She's been unusually quiet for her the entire time.
