27 Dresses

02.

Manila, Philippines (2020)

Collin has taken a day off from work to rest after having back to back work days at the company. He hasn't been focusing on getting consistent sleep until now. To his surprise his mood was once again ruined by the text that came through from their barkada group chat. Alex and Amelia will not be coming home again. For the fourth year in a row.

But, at this time it didn't surprise him anymore. As the years go by, he feels as if his friendship with Amelia has faded into the countless years spent apart. Taking the time to not think about work he started to close his eyes but before he could fully go back to sleep his phone kept going off.

Except he chose to ignore them.

Manila, Philippines (2016)

"Tulog na si Amie no?" Alex asked Collin from the back seat.

Collin quickly took his eyes off the road to see the woman sleeping in the passenger seat.

"Oo, madali yan matulog. Noon pa sa college days natin." Collin laughed.

As Collin was driving a silence went over the car Alex deep thinking about both of the friends in the front of the car. Every single one of their friends wondering about them. But the more they would ask there would be questions instead of answers.

"Collin." Alex said.

"Hmm?"

"Ano ba kayo?"

"Sino?"

"Kayo ni Amie." Alex paused before continuing. "Alam ko na best friends kayo. Pero may something eh."

"Ikaw na naman..."

"Sige wag mo sabihin sa akin pero sana kung may something sabihin mo kay Amelia." Alex spoke and then tried to close his eyes to get some rest finally getting his thoughts out of his chest.

Collin just kept driving looking every now and then at the woman sleeping next to him. He doesn't want to ruin anything that they have between them, whatever it is. Unknowingly Collin put his hand on Amelia's left knee for comfort noticing how she was moving around in her sleep.

"Wala ba talaga Collin?" Alex surprised Collin as he raised his eyebrow.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (2020)

How many times can you think of someone in your subconscious that it becomes weird? Collin can admit that he has stopped admittedly talking about Amelia (and Alex) but his thoughts say otherwise. The only reason Collin Alvarez woke up was due to the heavy knocking on his apartment door by none other than his friend, Kyle Listal.

"Kyle bakit ka nandito?" Collin asked opening the door but Kyle just walked in.

"Ikaw, ang tanga tanga mo ha." Kyle's voice started rising.

"Ako?"

"Best friend mo ko hindi ba?"

"Oo."

"Sabihin mo ang totoo sa akin... Bakit ka ganyan kay Am?" Collin didn't know what Kyle was talking about so his friend kept speaking. "Si Amelia Ramos, yung ideal girl mo noon. You used to drop everything for her back then. Bakit ang tigas ang ulo mo ngayon."

"If this is about why I won't reply in the group chat I don't have anything else to say."

"Talaga? Really?"

"They won't be coming back, so what? They never come back it's been years. We have moved on or at least I have moved on."

Kyle just shook his head and walked around the apartment while Collin just sat down back on his couch with his phone in hand. Looking at all the text messages he has received from group chats including the one with just the three of the boys. After scrolling to see what people were talking about Collin looked up to see Kyle holding a picture frame that was on top of a side table.

"When she left you weren't there. But then when she came back repeatedly you were on the one who would always get her from the airport. Sinabi nya sa akin noon na ikaw ang personal driver nya dito sa Pinas." Kyle laughed. "What changed pare?"

"Wala ang nag bago sa amin ni Amie."

"Totoo ba yan? Sa mga mata ni Amie wala ang nag bago sa inyo. Best friend ang tawag nya sayo. Kumusta ba si Alvarez? Ganon ang mga tanong nya. Pero ikaw? Just because she left doesn't mean she is gone forever."

"She will always be my friend."

Kyle put down the picture frame. "Friend lang? Akala naming lahat na kayong dalawa.. May something. Pero akala naming lang hindi totoo." He laughed and put down the picture.

Manila, Philippines (2016)

It was tradition for every summer to go to the Rosinto's resort in Batanes to unwind. It has been a tradition since they went into college and needed time to just breathe and take time away from reality. Now they make it so right when Amelia and Alex get back from the states that they can come, so they can be complete. As if no one ever left.

"Ito ang car assignments ninyo." Valencia gathered everyone who was all talking.

"Si ate na naman.. Over bearing as always." Lilith commented and everyone laughed.

"Hoy bunso'y tumahimik ka dyan.."

"Opo sige po." Lilith faked her zipping her lips and Valencia continued.

"Si Gab kasama nya si Angela and bunso. Kyle kasama mo ako and Alex."

"Paano kami ni Amie?" Collin asked.

"Kayong dalawa? Bahala na kayo, alam na naming na you two need time to catch up do whatever it is you talk about. Pero kayo ang bahala sa mga bags namin." Valencia smiled pointing at all the bags that need to be loaded into Collin's car.

"Ano lahat na yon?" Amelia said.

"Have fun Lia." Gabriel laughed with the others as everyone got into their assigned cars.

Amelia looked at Collin who just shrugged and started loading the bags into his car. She sighed heavily and started doing the same. There are things that never change whenever Amelia and Alex get back from the states. This is one of them, the two of them never changes.

"Lagi na tayo na iiwan no?" Amelia asked Collin.

"You say that as it's a bad thing. I think of it as a good thing." Collin put his hand on Amelia's shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "Tara na?" Amelia just nodded and both got into the car to make their way to their friend getaway.