"So uhm- your're interested in Matt?"

"H-ha? hoy hindi! ito kasi para kay Keil" I stuttered explaining.

Ali smiled wider before looking at Keily.

"Okay lang sayo ldr Keily?" she asked.

"Luh- huy anuba" arte nito.

"Jusko ano namang hindi okay kay Keily kahit walking red flag hinahabol niyan" pag snob ni Ella.

"Oo nga teh gurl parang tanga, di naman yan stop light na konting antay magiging green" dagdag pa ni Bri.

"A-aba kung makapagsalita kayo! wala naman akong jowa! wala ngang jumojowa sakin e! oh Bri jowain mo nako-" pagtatampo ni Keil.

"I can do it"

Rinig naming biglang singit ni Matt sa likuran.

Lahat kami napalingon at nanlaki ang mata. Matt looked as surprised at us after looking at his phone.

"A-ano daw ulet?" utal na tanong ni Ella.

"Uh- sorry I was talking to Sam, I can do it yung sinasabi mo kanina" he mentioned again with his deep tone.

"Oh, well thanks" Ali answered before looking back kila Keily.

"Pfft-" she resisted a laugh. "Another episode of pangarap ka nalang ba" she joked laughing as Matt left.

"Hahahahaha Keily pasensya na ha godbless" tira pa ni Bri.

"Alam niyo kayong dalawa.. hahahaha" ipagtatanggol sana siya ni Ella but failed after laughing along.

"Hahahahaha sorry talaga Keil, mamaya sila sakin hahaha"

"Mga yawa, Justice san pwede uminom here?" pagtatampo nanaman niya.

"Ewan ko sayo, oh ito sayo na muna" I gave her my drink.

"Ayan Keil sex on the beach daw tawag jan, akalain mo makakatikim ka pala non?" hahahahaha this time natawa narin ako sa kalokohan nila Bri at Ali.

"Hahahahaha putang ina sakit ng tiyan ko sainyo" sabay hampas ni Ella.

"Aray yawa, gurl not my shoulder! paano ako magswiswimming mamaya!" reklamo ni Keily.

"Di ka na daw magsiswimming ikaw nalang magprepare ng mga kakainin namin" loko pa ni Ali.

"Ay why naman e diba si Ella nga natalo kanina??" we all looked at Ella who slowly lost her smile to frown.

"Ay pucha.."

"Yiii libre timeeee!" sabay apir ni Bri at Ali.

"Okay okay fine! matagal ko na rin kayong di nalibre but you!.." sabay turo saming dalawa ni Keily.

"Napurga na kayo sa pera ko mga patay gutom kayo"

"E bat parang kasalanan namin na waldasera ka?!" I objected.

"Oo nga kala mo naman di ka kumikita no para saan pa na pinili mong magdoctor nalang" dagdag ni Keily.

"Oh yeah- I never asked pero I thought you were sure about the flight attendant thing? bakit pagkita ulit natin doctor ka na?" Ali's question silenced the smile on Ella's, and even my face.

For a split second, Ella's eyes caught mine and I immediately saw panic in it. Her mouth was just open about to stutter before even speaking.

"Kasi mas malaki sweldo" I joked.

"Ahh- hahaha oo para may panglibre ako sainyo mga hampaslupa" Ella laughed it off before smiling at me. There are stories that even friendships doesn't cross, for several reasons but for this one-- it's not like anybody else needed to know.

"Uhuh.." I knew there was confusion in Ali's tone but her eyes were soft looking at Ella.

"Ah opo sige po pwede na po bang magswimming ano? sayang po sunscreen opo" pagbasag ni Bri sa saglit na katahimikan.

"Right, una na kayo sa may cabana I'll have to meet yung may ari nitong beach" pagpapaalam ni Ali.

"Sure sure pero san ba?" tanong ni Ella.

"I'll take you guys there" Justice answered.

"Hoy! magaalas dos na hindi pa ba luto yan?!" panggugulat ni Ella while I was busy grilling.

"Ano ba kasalanan niyo rin naman angbagal niyo gumalaw tinanghali na tayo"

"Alam mo pwede na yan, maluluto na rin yan ng init ng tiyan ko" singit ni Bri habang nagpupunas ng mukha as she just got out of the water.

"More like init ng ulo mo" Ali walked to us habang may bitbit na surfboard in her black and gray wetsuit.

"Oh? magsusurf ka na? hindi ka ba kakain muna?" I asked at naramdaman kong tumingin agad sakin si Bri.

"Luh pake mo ba teh gurl jowa ka?" panloloko nito.

Lumaki ang mata ko at napuno ng hiya, pucha bawal ba magtanong.

"Tangina mo Brielle" I muttered. I looked at Ali who was looking down giggling.

"Hinde, nagtatanong lang para alam ko kung iluluto ko na lahat tong karne" I reasoned.

"Ooh kasi! ano ba nagtatanong lang namaaaan" I glared at Ella with her tone na halatang sarcastic.

"Hmm- well I can eat first nagbibihis palang naman din si Ave" sagot ni Ali smiling.

"Tutal hindi ako nabusog sa almusal na luto ni Ella kanina puro asin lang" dagdag asar niya.

"Aba sige umpisahan mo ulit ako Buenavista hindi lang asin makukuha mo ngayon"

"Ay joke lang den baka wala akong libre" Ali raised her eyebrows.

"Libreng sakal game?" pagbabanta ni Ella.

"Yii choke me daddy"

"Ay walangya-" hahampasin na sana siya ni Ella when she hid behind the board.

"Oh ganyan na ba talaga mga doctor ngayon, nananakit? pero aggressive, hmm I like it." she stuck her head out and smirked to tease Ella again.

"Dugyot arghhh halika dito ikaw iiihaw ko" panggagalaiti ni Ella bago kinurot kurot si Ali.

Napalingon ako at nakitang paparating na rin si Justice in a white wetsuit na may dala ring board and a key.

"Hi" she greeted before handing me the key.

"Here Sophia, susi nung cabana and yung store room sa tabi niya, it's where the boards are kept"

"Huh? ako? uh I don't surf" ngiti ko.

"What? sabi ni Sam-"

"Wait- what do you mean you don't surf Anna?" there she goes again with my name, ahh puta. I looked at Ali.

"Uhh I mean matagal na yon, nakalimutan ko na kung paano"

"Edi muling ibalik" singit ni Bri kaya napalingon ako sakanya, we all know si Ali ang nagturo sakin magsurf. Tiningnan ko siya ng masama.

"Oo nga" Ali butted in.

"H-ha?" putang ina that effect on me.

"I mean you can go with Ave, tuturuan ka niya" she offered.

"Huy hindi na nakakahiya-"

"Why don't be!" ngiti ni Justice.

"Sige na ako na magluluto" sabay kuha sakin ni Ali ng tongs at abot ng board.

"Oo nga go na teh para naman di ka nalolosyang dito" panloloko ni Bri.

"C'mon hindi mauubos yung pagkain jan" abot sakin ni Justice ng board ni Ali.

"Di mo sure, anjan si Bri" I joked.

"Teh umalis na kayo bago ko ihampas sayo yang surfboard mo"

"Anginit talaga ng ulo basta gutom e" Ella remarked.

I rolled my eyes giving up, what could go wrong right?

"Well.. tara?" aya ko kay Justice.

"Go on, habang hindi pa low tide" pagtaboy samin ni Ali.

"So where do you want to start?" Ave asked walking us to the beach.

She giggled when I didn't answer.

"Sophia, I thought we got over the awkwardness already?"

"Huh- hinde kinakabahan lang ako" I reasoned.

In fact, I know how to surf, how could I forget the things Ali thought me when until now those things remain my lifeline.

"Look Sophia, I'm leaving tomorrow and I don't want to leave a false impression on you. I personally think you'd be a great friend" she smiled at me.

Pakiramdam ko tuloy angsama sama kong tao, mabait si Justice and I can't find a reason not be befriend her, but with Ali and all, natatakot kasi akong makagulo, makapal ba mukha ko kung iisipin ko makakahadlang ako?

"Uhh malamig pala no?" I commented as we paddled through the waters. There I go again, tinatakasan lahat ng confrontation.

I heard her sigh but smiled again. I didn't notice na nakarating na kaming open water waiting for a good wave.

"This will be a good one" turo ni justice sa parating na alon.

"I'll take it" sagot ko bago sugurin yon, I turned away from the way slowly bending and standing up trying to keep my balance.

"Woooh" I unknowingly screamed nung maayos kong nasakyan yung wave, I looked back and saw Justice with hands up cheering.

Back at the shore I met Ali's gaze accompanied with a smile, almost like muscle memory, I smile back.

"Girl! you said hindi mo na alam magsurf!" bungad ni Justice nang makalapit na ako ulit sa kanya after paddling back to the open.

"Hahaha biglang naalala ng katawan ko, I guess"

"Great! if you want you can have the next wave again" she smiled brightly.

"You know what? sabay kaya tayo" I grinned.

"Hahaha it would be rude to cut you" she replied.

"No no, I believe you won't. Ali taught you, you must be really good"

"Halata naman ata na I'm not big on sports, but you know Ali, she's persistent, patient in one thing only; surfing" she explained.

"Yeah tama ka! halos isang buong linggo kaming nastuck sa Batangas noon just so she could teach me well"

As always, loading nalang palagi ako sa kahihiyan, I covered my mouth.

"Oversharing na no?" I shyly asked as Justice was just smiling.

"No, no it's fine. I get it, it's funny somehow hearing stories about her from her friends"

Friends.

"She wasn't a people person specially when she moved to New York, all she knew was me, her professors, the driver of the bus she rides to the park, and a cat she met there" sa mga salita palang ni Justice, I felt how Ali's life changed when she moved away.

"Nagbubus si Ali?" napatanong ako bigla, she never rode a bus before and always wanted to.

"Her dad bought her a new car when she went to New York, which she only uses pag papasok sa univ other than that yes she rides the bus to other places"

"Ahh"

"Bakit mo natanong?"

"Hmm? wala lang" I smiled, I guess that's one off her bucket list kahit wala naman siyang ganon.

"Soph! let's ride this one together" sigaw niya as she points to the incoming wave na hindi ko napansin. Mabilis siyang nakalayo tinatawanan ako kaya humabol nalang ako.

She comfortably said my name, pakiramdam ko I can rely on her.

After almost an hour more of surfing Justice calls me from the shore after she rode a wave and I stayed behind.

"Soph! we should eat!" I raised my hand in a thumbs up and smiled, agad na niyang binuhat yung board niya and turned around to walk to the beach.

I on the other hand decided to catch the incoming wave pabalik sa pampang. It's been ages since last surfed, estudyante palang ako noon so this felt more nostalgic than extreme though I got to admit the waves here are so much harsher than back in the Philippines.

I was carrying Ali's board walking to the spot where we're going to have our lunch nang nakita ko si Ali na nakatalikod preparing the food.

Her wetsuit is only half worn zipped down to her waist revealing her upper body in nothing but a black sports bra.

Dahan dahan siyang humarap and her stuffed face made me laugh.

"Hinay hinay sa ulam baka wala na kaming kainin" I joked kaya natawa nalang rin siya. Inabot ko sakanya yung board niya but she looked at her oily hands from grilled pork.

"Ako na nga" I took back the board para ilagay na sa storage.

"You better change as well" pahabol niya as she licks her fingers.

"Diba? masamang matuyuan? magkakasakit" she teasingly added with a as-a-matter-of-fact voice.

"Hmm tama" I smiled before walking away para magpalit sa cabana at ibalik yung board.

"Oh by the way!" Ali called kaya lumingon ulit ako.

"I never believed na nakalimutan mo na magsurf" she smirked.

~~~~~~~

uwu :P