Nang matapos nilang tugtugin ang Lagi mo na lang akong dinededma ng Rocksteddy, they went to the backstage. All of us clapped our hands madly.

"Ang galing ni Ian, no?" Eros said dreamily. I couldn't agree more. Magaling talaga siya. I never knew he was that good. It was like, music and him were meant to be.

"True." I saw Edward walk towards our direction. When he reached our spot, he shook his head. He looked disappointed at something.

"Problema mo, boy?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.

"Akala ko lalanggamin na tayo ngayon eh. Hindi pa pala."

"Ano ba kasing ibig mong sabihin? Hindi kita ma-gets eh. Anong lalanggamin?"

"I was expecting some sweet confession kanina. Kaso mukhang wala eh. Nothing happened."

"Confession?"

"It's not a big deal, really. Just torpe problems. Huwag mo na lang yun pansinin, Lee. Haha." Ginulo niya ang buhok ko. He patted my head like I'm a kid. I shooed his hand away.

"Who's gonna confess?" Tanong ni Eros.

"Wala. Joke lang." Edward was trying to let go off the topic.

"Sino? Curious na 'ko, boy!" Pangungulit ko.

"Wala nga, hahahahaha."

Kukulitin pa sana namin siyang sabihin kung sino ang magtatapat ngayon para kanino nang may lumapit sa mesa namin.

"Hi, Lee." It was Thally.

"O, hi Thally." I smiled at her.

"Nandito ka rin pala. Did Kenneth invite you?" Edward took that petty time to escape from our inquest.

"Oo. Inimbita niya kami ni Eros. Kanina ka pa ba?"

"Hindi. Kadarating ko lang."

"Sayang. You missed their performance. Samahan mo na kami dito." I noticed when she looked at Eros. I detect something from that glance. Isa na namang biktima ng mapanlinlang na anyo ni Eros.

"Naku, huwag na. I'm with Christian and Mimi. Aalis na rin kami maya-maya. Lumapit lang ako para kamustahin ka."

"Gano'n ba?" She blushed! I knew it. Eros, geez! Stop giving false hopes. I mentally said to him.

"Sige Lee. Una na 'ko. Daan ka sa coffee shop minsan. Chitchats are free."

"Akala ko latte na ang free." We both laughed. She then graced her way back to their seats and waved me goodbye.

"Isang chicks na naman ang nagayuma mo, bakla."

"Hindi 'yon gayuma bakla. Isa 'yong sumpa. Nakakadiri kaya." He was really good at pretending that he's straight. If he wasn't, the women population won't drool too much.

Maya-maya pa, the band stood before us. Eros gawk at them like they're precious diamonds.

"Ang galing niyo, bro!" He gave each one of them a fist bump.

"Yeah. Inspired kasi eh." Edward jokingly said to no one in particular.

"Lee." Narinig kong tawag ng pamilyar na boses sa napakaganda kong pangalan.

"Kuya." He's here. Uh-oh. Uwian na.

"Tara na, hinahanap ka na ni Tito." Mabuti na lang at pinayagan ako ni Papa na pumunta rito. If he didn't allow me, hindi ko malalamang may itinatago palang talent ang mga estudyante ng Special Science Class.

"8pm pa lang, Kuya." Umaasa akong hahayaan ako ni Kuya na mag-stay pa kahit saglit but he insisted na kailangan na naming umuwi.

"Hindi por que malapit lang ang bahay natin, kahit anong oras mo na lang gustong umuwi ay pwede. Tara na." He's using that authoritative tone I can't refuse to obey.

Parang batang nagmamaktol na tumayo ako mula sa kinauupuan ko. Agad akong nagpaalam kay Eros na only God knows kung anong oras uuwi. Nagpaalam na rin ako kina JB, Kenneth, Edward, at Ian.

Nag-about face na si Kuya pero bago ako tuluyang sumunod sa kaniya, I congratulated the band for their awesome prod.

***

It was midnight. Hindi pa rin ako dinadalaw ng antok. I decided to check on my Facebook account. I scrolled down the news feed but there's no interesting post that caught my attention. I keep myself busy stalking my bestfriend's timelines until the sound of the notification alert interrupted me.

Prince

You're still up? You should take a nap, my princess.

I was struggling to choose between ignoring him and replying him. I chose the latter.

Lee

Hindi ako makatulog.

Prince

I see. Bakit naman?

Lee

Ewan ko.

Prince

So, do you like my gift?

Lee

Paano mo nabuksan yung locker ko?!!!

Prince

Secret :-P

Lee

wth

Prince

Sana nagustuhan mo :)

Pareho kasi tayong mahilig sa marshmallows...

at kay Pikachu :)

Lee

tantanan mo na 'ko Prince

o Gab

o kung sino ka man talaga.

please lang.

Prince

wala ba kahit thank you man lang?

youre welcome, Lee :(

Lee

Ayoko lang kasi na may nagbubukas ng locker ko lalo na't di ko naman kilala.

that's invasion of privacy

Prince

I'm sorry.

I was just thinking about surprising you.

Lee

yeah right.

Prince

sorry. I won't do that again :(

Lee

dapat lang

Prince

are u mad?

I really hope youre not. I really just wanted to please you.

Lee

hindi naman kailangan. You don't have to please me.

Prince

I have to

Lee

at bakit naman, aber?

Prince

Because you mean so much to me

Lee

Lakompake

Prince

yeah. Wala nga talaga :(

you made me feel different feelings I never knew I could feel

at ikaw lang ang hinahayaan kong magparamdam sakin ng mga 'yon..

Seryoso kasi ako sayo

Lee

itulog mo na yan. Antok lang yan

Prince

alam ko sa sarili kong hindi antok ang nararamdaman ko.

Lee

?

gutom lang yan

Prince

hanggang kailan ko ba kailangang ipa-realize sayong seryoso ako sa'yo?

Lee

wtf

Prince

I'm not sleepy

nor hungry

I'm cheerless right now :(

I'm hoping...

...hoping that you'll treat me not just as an utter stranger

Lee

drama

Prince

So, do you like my gift? :D

Just don't mind me barging in the locker room invading your locker. :-P

Lee

sabog ka!

Biglang shift ng mood ah.

I like your giftS, anyway

Prince

really?!!!! O_o

Lee

I love them, actually.

Prince

Sabi ko na nga ba!!!!!@1!!!!!

:DDDD

★_★

Lee

Ang saya saya mo masyado ah

Prince

Because you love my gifts

Para akong nanalo sa lotto :DDDDD

Hahaha

Lee

Ang babaw naman ng kaligayahan mo

Prince

ganun talaga

Kasi ang lalim ng pagmamahal ko sa 'yo ;)

Lee

Bakit ang landi mo.

Prince

tanong ba yan? HAHAHA

Hindi ako malandi, Lee

Lee

E ano sa tingin mo 'yang ginagawa mo?

You're flirting.

Prince

No

I'm just being straightforward. ;)

By the way, you look cute tonight

Lee

?

Prince

I saw you :)

Lee

Anong ibig mong sabihin?

Prince

;)

Lee

Pakshet. anong sinasabi mong nakita mo 'ko?

Prince

Hala nagmumura. Wag ka magmumura~

I saw you.

I really did :)

Lee

Ano?! Kelan? paano?

Prince

Kelan? Kanina

Paano? With my eyes?

Lee

Nasa bistro ka?

Prince

Maybe.

Lee

Maybe? Stalker talaga kita ano?!

He didn't reply afterwards. He got me pre-occupied until I fell into a deep slumber.

***

By the end of the class the next day, I was dragging myself out of school. I wasn't sick. I'm just too weak to move. Dahil na rin siguro iyon sa puyat.

Yawning, I started to cross the open grounds to get to the parking lot. Susunduin daw kasi ako ni Papa. He's up to something. Hindi ko alam kung ano iyon. Nang makita ko ang nakaparada naming sasakyan, I hopped in. We drove all the way to only God knows where.

"Pa, sa'n ba talaga tayo pupunta?" Kaninang umaga ko pa siya tinatanong kung saan talaga kami pupunta. He never said a word about that. At dahil ipinanganak akong curious, kinulit-kulit ko siya.

"Malalaman mo rin, 'nak."

The path we're taking seem to be familiar. It was the way to the airport.

"Anong gagawin natin sa NAIA, Pa?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.

He smiled at me. He just concentrated on driving.

Nang marating namin ang airport, questions started to fill my mind.

"Anong gagawin natin dito, Pa? Ba't tayo nandito?"

"May susunduin kasi tayo 'nak."

"Sino naman?"

"Basta." We sat on the benches.

We waited for about an hour. Nagugutom na 'ko. I haven't taken my lunch yet. Halos napipikit na rin ang mga mata ko dahil sa antok.

"Matagal pa ba, Pa?" I was about to close my eyes and take a nap nang tumayo si Papa.

"Kumpadre!" Sigaw ni Papa. Tinignan ko agad kung sino ang tinawag niya.

"Kamusta, kumpadre? Long time no see!" Sabi ng tinawag ni Papa.

My jaw almost dropped in disbelief nang makita ko pa ang kasama naman nito.

"Lee." the girl in a navy blue dress wave her hand gracefully at me. That familiar smile greeted me.

"Ella?"

"Kapatid!" She ran towards me and hugged me tight. Nawala ang lahat ng dinaramdam ko kanina. Nagising ang diwa ko at natanggal ang gutom ko. It was my bestfriend.

"Ella!"

"Lee."

Hindi ko na alam kung ilang beses pa naming inulit ang pangalan ng isa't isa. I was in shock.

"Tara na, 'nak. Sa sasakyan na kayo magkamustahan." Pagsingit ni Papa sa trance na nabuo sa pagitan naming dalawa. It was like make-believe to see her right at the moment.

Ella and I cling to each other like we never want anyone to let go.

"I miss you, Lee."

"I miss you too, kapatid!"

"I'm sorry, I deactivated my account pala ha? I focused kasi sa pag-uwi namin dito sa Pinas eh."

"Kaya pala. Teka, akala ko ba, mid-May pa ang uwi niyo?"

"It's my surprise for you!"

We hugged each other, yet again. Sa sasakyan, we talked about random things. Parang hindi siya nauubusan ng kwento. Yun nga lang, parang kanina ko pa gustong maghanap ng tissue. Pakiramdam ko anytime, magno-nosebleed ako. Panay English ang ginagamit niya sa pagsasalita. Sa kaniya ako natuto maging conyo e. But it doesn't matter anymore. Ang mahalaga, magkasama na naman kami.

Bago namin sila ihatid sa tutuluyan nila, Ella and I went to a convenience store near our house. Nagugutom na rin kasi kami. Habang nasa pila kami sa counter, isang pamilyar na bulto ang tumambad sa akin.

"Lee. Nandito ka pala. Bigla kang nawala sa school kanina. Wala ka man lang pasabi." Isang nang-aakusang Eros ang walang habas na sinigawan ako. Mabuti na lang ay walang masyadong tao dito. He's making a scene, for God's sake!

"Sorry na, nakalimutan kong magpaalam." His gaze fell on the woman grasping my arm like there's no tomorrow. How sweet. She's such a clingy best friend. Then I noticed the questioning look Eros threw at me.

"Oy, Eros. Si Ella nga pala." Recognition filled his face. "Ella, siya naman si Eros."

Ella knew about Eros. Alam rin niya ang sikreto nito. We managed to entrust that secret to her dahil sigurado naman akong maaasahan namin siya.

Ella nodded. "Hi." She greeted him. She eyed him like most girls eye him. Oh my goodness. Iba talaga ang karisma ni Eris!

"Hi." Eros probably ran out of words. He didn't say anything afterwards.

Napansin kong hinagod ng tingin ni Eros si Ella. Ella did the same. Yun nga lang, Eros had the scrutinizing look. Ella used the 'oh-my-god-he's-super-duper-hot' look.

I therefore conclude that Eros eyed my gorgeous best friend enviously while Ella surely eyed him with admiration. Screwed!