Dear, Bright

ONE

"Di ka pa matutulog?" Ashley, my roommate and bestfriend, asked while doing her skincare routine.

"Hindi pa. Deadline na bukas ng plate ko sa Design. Una ka na, baka mamaya pa ako 5AM matatapos," still facing and finishing my plate.

Ba't diko kasi toh trinabaho agad. Ayan tuloy, cramming nanaman ako. May quiz pa bukas sa Professional Practice. Bukas na ako mag-aaral uunahin ko muna tong plate ko.

Patuloy parin ako sa pagtapos ng plate ko nang tumunog ang phone ko, "gusto makipag face time ni Cha", Ashley picked up my phone and clicked the green button.

"Hi dae," Ashley answered.

"Oh hi Ash! San ang gaga? Tapos na siya sa plate?" Ash turned the phone towards me.

"Di pako tapos, kayo ni Mau?"

"Hindi parin pero malapit na. Btw bukas, Kardinal daw tayo."

I stopped what I was doing and got the phone from Ash's hand.

"Anong meron?," I asked. I think I need this break.

"Well, aside sa birthday ni Nicole, broken-hearted tong si Maureen kaya kailangan ng alak sa katawan," sabay tawa at sinapak siya ni Mau ng T-square.

"Oh sige. Sama kami ni Ashley," I said while Ashley was eyeing me while I smiled devilishly.

"Okay. Sige bye. Balik na ko sa plate ko. Mwah"

-

"Thank God at tapos na tayo!," I said as I stretched my body after our Prof Prac class. We passed our design plates early, buti nalang at hindi nag pa defense si Architect Arellano.

"Oy don't forget later ha," pa remind ni Cha sa amin.

"Naku, Charisse! Pag ikaw ma MIA nanaman mamaya, tatawag talaga ako ng pulis" pagbabanta ni Mau.

"Mau, I love you. But, ill try."
"Aba at nag wink pa ang bruha" I laughed.

Charisse, Maureen, Nicole and I have been blockmates ever since freshmen palang kami. Originally, si Ashley lang talaga yung bff ko because we basically grew up together, family friends kasi families namin. But as college came, well, lumaki yung circle of bff ko.

"Oh Gwen kita nalang tayo sa Lifestyle later?," tanong ni Cha

"Sige."

Cha and Mau lived near our school, USTP, while Ashley and I lived near Xavier University. So I still have to commute to get to our boarding house. Di naman talaga malayo bahay namin except kay Mau, she literally lives at Bukidnon, but we always stay longer at school at minsan ina abutan kami ng 11PM kaya our parents decided to let us have a boarding house.

We arrived at Lifestyle at about 10PM at nandoon na sila Cha at Mau naghihintay.

"Antagal niyo dae. Kanina pa tayo hinahanap ni Nicole,"

"Sorry. Antagal kasi nitong si Ashley eh,"

"Sorry naman haha" sabay peace sign

Pagpasok namin sa Kardinal na abutan kagad namin si Nicole na sumasayaw kasama ang ibang blockmates namin. Umupo kami sa bakanteng table at umorder ng maiinom.

"Order lang kayo guys. Its on me!" sigaw ni Nicole

Marami ang ininvite ni Nicole kasi halos puno na ang table ng club. Nicole exclusively rented the club for her birthday. So basically, lahat ng tao dito ay kakilala niya.

"Oh Gwen! Himala at nakapunta ka," bungkad sakin ni Owen, my friend from the engineering department.

"Ulol. Cant say no to party noh" I said while getting a bottle of San Mig.

"Sige paka lasing ka lang jan!" sabay alis habang tumatawa

Gago talaga yun. Walang sense kausap minsan.

I was on my third bottle when Cha put a Jack Daniels on our table.

"O tama na yang beer. Mag hard na tayo, para maka sayaw na tayo!" she said. I laughed and just drank the shot she gave me.

"Oy punta muna ako doon ha? Nandun mga blockmates ko," Ashley asked. I just signaled a thumbs up because the music is very loud.

Ashley is a Business Administration student in Ateneo. Maybe Nicole invited her Ateneo friends as well and also her twin brother is an Atenean. Nicole is basically, a popular gal not just in our school but also in other universities. Maybe its because of her family background or maganda lang talaga ang gaga. Either way, shes kind naman and a little bit crazy.

"Excuse me," I turned nang may kumalabit sa akin.

"Ha?" I said raising one eyebrow

He leaned his head near my ear, "Can you please tell your friend to stay away from our table?"

What?

I turned to their table and saw Maureen making a move on one of his friends. I groaned. I placed my palm on my face and took a deep breath. I stood up and went to their table and grab Maureen.

"dae, ano ba yan," I said while walking out of Kardinal and went outside

"Gwen," she hugged me and cried. I sighed and just hugged her back.

"Ang sakit. Why would he do that to me? Why did he cheat? Am I not good enough?," still crying

"Who did what?", I asked with a wrinkled forehead

"My ex boyfriend,"

"Oh my God! That was your ex boyfriend?," I asked raising my voice

She looked at me and blinked twice "Ha?"

"The audacity of that man! At ikaw pa talaga ang pinapaalis niya? Aba!" I walked back in the club, anger written on my face.

I headed straight to their table and poured the glass of beer in front of the guy Mau was talking to a while ago.

"What the f-"

"Fuck you. How dare you hurt my friend," I said "At ikaw," turo ko sa lalaki na kumausap sa akin kanina "wala kang karapatan pa alisin ang kaibigan ko because your jerk of a friend is the one at fault here!" I said while eyeing him.

Maureen stopped me from saying anything further and dragged me out of Kardi. I was fuming mad and I don't understand why Maureen is panicking, eh siya ang biktima dito!

"Hey Cha, hintayin ka namin sa 7/11, sama mo na si Ashley. EMERGENCY," Maureen ended the call and dragged me inside 7/11.

After a few minutes, sumunod naman sila Cha and Ashley.

"Anong nagyari?" Ashley asked

"Ang gaga niyong kaibigan naghanap ng away sa table nina Walter Chase!"

"Wait. Walter who?" tanong naman ni Cha

"Walter Chase. Engineering Student. XU. Duhhh," Maureen while rolling her eyes.

"Ah I know them. Kaibigan yan ni Bright Craig," Ashley added.

I rolled my eyes "Why are you defending them Mau? Hes your ex and he cheated on you! They deserve that," sabi ko.

"Sino ba kasing may sabi sa iyo na si Walter Chase ang ex ko?"

I blinked twice and turned my head slowly at Maureen, realizing what she just said.

"WHAAAAAT?"