Chapter 19

For a month, we went back to being busy for our gigs while studying harder. We didn't want to flunk our grades while enjoying our passion. We did our best to balance everything. Isang linggo lang yata kaming nagka-dayoff sa gigs dahil exam week. Kailangan naming mag-review mabuti dahil third term na namin. A few more months and we're already grade 10!

Busy ang lahat sa pagre-review. Samantalang kami ni Note, sabay lagi sa pagre-review dahil parehas lang naman kami ng iti-take, magka-ibang schedules nga lang dahil sa kabilang section siya. But always after class, umuuwi muna siya saglit sa kanila para magbihis tsaka pupunta sa bahay namin para sabay kaming mag-review sa sala.

"Nagpahanda na 'ko ng merienda kay Manang," I told him.

He smiled at me. "Thanks. Pinabili ko rin ng donut si Kuya Rick. He'll arrive later."

I nodded and stifled a smile.

We were both sitting on the carpet while our books and reviewers are on the coffee table. Magkatabi kaming nagrereview dahil baka 'di kami makapag-focus masyado pag magkatapat kami. Napapansin ko kasi habang tumatagal, tuwing nagkakatinginan kami, automatic na agad na mangingiti kaming dalawa. 

It's super distracting.

A week after that, the exam happened. I was very satisfied of the result. Hindi na ako nahirapan pa dahil halos lahat naman ng content sa exam ay na-review namin. All the six of us were both smiling after the exam week has done. Halatang nag-paid off lahat ng ni-review namin.

"Kain tayo," Lucky pouted. "My brain feels drained."

"Ako rin, pota," Guilbert added, scratching his forehead. "Ang haba ng mga tanong 'dun sa iba, nakakahilo iyong mga words na ginamit. Buti na lang na-review ko 'yun."

"At least it's done now," Jessi remarked.

Napa-tango kami ni Maya. 

"Basta mahalaga, pasado," Note laughed. "Tara na. Sa'n n'yo gusto?"

"Picnic tayo!" Lucky suggested. 

Guilbert laughed. "Baduy."

"Doon tayo sa park! Kita iyong sunset do'n, e," Maya requested. 

Jessi nodded.

"Sige! I love that!" I squealed.

"Alright, picnic it is," Note approved, smiling. "Let's buy food first then head straight in the park after. Para maabutan natin 'yung sunset."

Sabay-sabay kaming pumunta sa mall para mamili ng mga pagkain. Iyong boys 'yung nanguna sa supermarket kasi kami ni Maya, naakit agad ng bookstore. The boys said they will fetch us here after buying groceries. 

"Let's do time capsule, Cady," Maya suggested. 

She's holding some sheets of vintage papers. I quickly smiled. Of course, I would love to!

We bought some of it and waited for the boys to come back. 

Nag-basa na lang muna si Maya sa mga librong naka-display sa shelves. I just scan them. Mas mahilig kasi ako sa movies kaysa sa libro, though I still read, but not as much as how Maya's attention was indulged into it. Pagtingin ko sa tabi ko, wala na siya! Lagi siyang ganito tuwing napapaligiran ng libro. Nung nakita ko siya ulit, may yakap na siyang tatlong libro habang naka-pila sa counter. I giggled.

The boys went back for us and asked about the papers. Maya discussed it with them while we're on our way to the park. They all agreed but not with the same enthusiasm that we have. Pinipigilan ko lang iyong tawa ko. They probably think that it's a girly thing to do but they still agreed.

Pagbaba namin ng sasakyan, tanaw na agad namin 'yung malaking acacia tree. I bit my lips as I remember how Note confessed his feelings for me. I scrunched my nose to stifle my smile.

Nangunguna na iyong boys sa paglalakad papunta sa space na malapit doon. Small green grasses are on the ground, buti na lang, may biniling mat 'yung mga boys. 

"Do you also thought about something?" Note asked.

My face heated up. "Shut up."

He chuckled. "I thought so. Ako rin kasi, may naalala—"

"Stop it!" I said as I covered his mouth with my hand. Hindi pa rin siya tumigil. His shoulders are already shaking from laughing. I glared at him. "Ang epal mo!"

Sobrang init na ng mukha ko, e! Baka mahalata pa ng mga kasama namin. It's okay for Maya, of course she knew. Pero 'yung boys? Hindi ko pa sila nasasabihan!

Tinanggal niya iyong kamay ko sa bibig niya tsaka ibinaba bago pinagsalikop 'yung kamay naming dalawa. Nanlaki 'yung mga mata ko.

"Hoy, de Cordova, tumulong ka muna rito bago lumandi diyan!" Guilbert shouted from afar. 

"Hala! He saw us!" Hinatak ko agad 'yung kamay ko mula sa pagkakahawak niya. 

"Kaya n'yo na 'yan! Istorbo!" Note shouted back.

Hinampas ko siya. Nanlalaki pa rin 'yung mga mata ko sa kanya. Did he just admit?!

"What?" he asked, laughing. "Don't worry, princess, they knew about us."

"They knew?!"

He nodded.

"They already know that I like you from the start. Ikaw lang naman 'tong manhid," he smirked.

"Excuse me?" 

Sweet kaya siya lagi sa 'kin. How could I differentiate his normal behavior from his behavior when he already liked me?!

Tumawa siya. "Important thing is we already know about our feelings, okay? And you already know how much I like you. 'Yun lang iyon."

Uminit ulit 'yung mukha ko kaya iniwanan ko na lang siya doon. Kinuha ko 'yung Tupperware na binili namin ni Maya. Sinundan naman ako ni Note habang natatawa pa rin tsaka ako inakbayan.

We helped in preparing the food. Picnic nga ito pero puro naman galing sa fastfood iyong pagkain. They bought fruits, yogurt and drinks, though, with pizzas, burgers and pasta. Sumalampak kaming lahat 'dun sa may mat tsaka sabay-sabay kaming kumain. 

Nilabas ni Maya iyong digicam niya. 

"Let's take a picture!" 

Nagpaunahan naman sa pag-pose si Guilbert at Lucky. Punong-puno pa ng pagkain 'yung bibig ni Lucky pero nakuha pang bumungisngis. I laughed at them. While eating, Maya kept on clicking in her camera. Nag-selfie rin kami roon. She took a picture of us, kami ni Note, sila ni Jessi, kaming Skynote, at marami pa. Mas marami pa siyang na-shot kaysa sa nakain niya. 

"Kumain ka muna, Maya." Tumawa ako sa kanya.

"I'm eating!" she wailed. "Gusto ko lang punuin 'to ng pictures. I'm going to include this in our time capsule later." She smiled.

"Talaga?" I asked, surprised. It's her favorite camera.

"Yes! Kaya picture lang tayo!"

She keeps on using her camera. Iyong mga boys ay nag-photoshoot na sa gitna ng damuhan! Tawa lang ako nang tawa sa kanila. Parang mga tanga. Nag-walling pa itong si Guilbert sa puno ng acacia. Ang ingay ng tawa naming lahat. While everyone's busy with the photoshoot, Note here sitting beside me was busy doing his own thing. Nangunguha na naman ng stolen shots 'to! Pwede na siyang gumawa ng isang album sa dami ng pictures ko sa gallery niya, e. 

"Sumali ka na lang doon," I urged him.

"Later..." He smiled. 

He held my hand and intertwined it with his. He sighed. He's gently rubbing his thumb on mine. Lumakas na naman lalo iyong tibok ng puso ko. Hindi na yata 'to kumakalma pag magkasama kami, e.

"I like this," he said. Dinala niya sa labi niya iyong kamay kong hawak niya tsaka pinatakan ng magaang halik roon. My chest beats wildly. "Hindi na ako sigurado sa nararamdaman ko, Skylah."

I looked at him, shocked. What does he mean? Hindi na niya ako gusto?

"D-does it change?" I asked confusedly.

He nodded. Kinabahan ako. Humigpit iyong hawak niya sa kamay ko.

"I don't know if I still like you," he chuckled softly. Lalo lang akong kinabahan. "Everytime that I am with you, napapatanong ako. Hindi ko alam kung gusto lang ba kita?" He looked at me. His eyes are pure serious. He lifted my hand and leaned it on his chest. I felt how fast and how loud his heartbeats are. It's the same as mine. "Pakiramdam ko kasi, mahal na kita."

Good thing we are just sitting. Kapag nakatayo siguro kami, kanina pa 'ko bumagsak. Nanlalambot iyong tuhod ko.

"W-what..." I pursed my lips. Wala na naman akong masabi!

"I just want to be honest," he added. "No pressure, of course. I'd still wait for you till you turn 18. Gusto ko lang ipa-alam sa 'yo. You're making me so into you this much," he laughed softly while shaking his head. "It's crazy."

I was lost of words. 

Ngumiti na lang ako tsaka niyakap siya. What I feel for him is so excessive. The feelings I have for him is a bit too much, either.

I think we're into the same page.

* * *

"Kailangan mahaba 'yan, ha?" I demanded.

Hawak na namin ngayon iyong mga letters na ginawa namin kanina nang magkakalayo. The sun's almost setting. Nakapag-bungkal na rin ang boys ng lupa ( 3 feet from the ground )  sa tabi ng puno ng acacia. Mabuti na lang may trowel sa sasakyan nila Note at dinala dito ni Kuya Rick. 

"Oo, princess, baka maiyak ka pa kapag nabasa mo 'to," Guilbert smirked.

I chuckled. Bawat isa sa amin ay may hawak na anim na letters. One letter for each of us and one letter for ourselves. We placed all of them inside the zip-lock and put it in the Tupperware. Naglagay din kami ng isang bagay na meron sa amin ngayon for remembrance. 

I placed my anklet with a music note pendant just above the letters. Si Lucky naman, naglagay ng tatlong chocolate coins. Everyone laughed.

"Panis na 'yan after 10 years, bro," Jessi commented.

"Wala na 'kong malagay, e, 'yan lang nasa bulsa ko," Lucky laughed.

Jessi placed a folded newspaper in a zip-lock. 

"That's our school paper, 'di ba?" I asked. 

He smiled and nodded. 

"That's where we got featured in the front page. I just think it's good to reminisce about the band after years," he replied. 

Napa-tango kami agad. He has a point. 

"We'll continue performing until we get old," I told them with a proud smile. "We were just starting." Sobrang proud ako sa amin. We love what we do. Paniguradong magtatagal kami sa banda.

"After years, ako na talaga magiging manager n'yo," Maya said and so the boys cheered for her. Nagtawanan kami.

"Ikaw na, Guilbert," I nudged at him.

He scrunched up his nose and get something from his wallet. Bumulanghit kaming lahat sa tawa pagtapos niyang ibaba iyon.

"Puchang gala ka talaga, bro," Lucky said while shaking his head, looking disgusted. "Wala na bang iba?"

"Expired na 'yan after 10 years. Makaka-buntis ka na pag ginamit mo pa 'yan," Note chuckled. 

Nailing din si Jessi habang natatawa.

"Mga gago, apat 'yan para tig-iisa tayo," Guilbert laughed out loud. 

Pinagmumura siya nung tatlo. Tawa lang kami nang tawa sa apat na foil ng condom na inilagay doon. Siraulo talaga 'to.

Inilagay na ni Note iyong panyo niyang naka-lagay din sa zip-lock. 

"After 10 years, sa 'yo na 'yan, princess," he told me reason why everyone teased us so loudly! Kinurot ko siya. He laughed. "Preserved 'yung pabango ko diyan."

And lastly, Maya. Niyakap muna niya iyong camera niyang nasa zip-lock na rin bago ipinasok sa time capsule. 

"For our memories," she said, smiling.

Lucky closed the container tightly. We got a larger zip-lock at ipinasok 'yung container doon. Tapos binalot nila ng clear na packing tape. Secured talaga iyong pagkakasara namin para 'di ma-spoil iyong mga laman sa loob kahit na umulan pa. Then we promised together that we'll still be like this even after years pass by. After nun, pinanood na namin ang pagtatabon ng lupa doon. 

"All done," the boys announced with a smile.

"This time around after 10 years, magkikita-kita tayo rito para kunin ulit 'to," I told them. "Bawal ang absent, ha!"

"Yes, Ma'am," Note replied. 

"Opo! Always present!" Lucky grinned widely.

"Makakaasa ka, princess," Jessi answered.

"Sure! Cancelled lahat ng dates ko sa araw na 'yun," Guilbert smirked.

"Kahit busy, syempre, pupunta ako." Maya side-hugged me. 

We all smiled at each other. Pinanood namin 'yung pagiging kulay pula ng langit. All of us were smiling. All of us were happy. As the sun sets rightfully to its own place, I know in myself how grateful I am for having these friends who always lift me up. I'm grateful how our friendship grown beautifully. They are my treasure.