TWO

Past eight in the morning when I woke up.

I had to get up and eat because I still had to finish my research paper for Biology. That way, once I was done, I could move on to my other requirements. I also needed to make a reviewer for the upcoming finals.

And so, my weekend turned out to be very productive because, thank God, I managed to finish everything I needed to. All that's left is the submission, then once I clear my clearance, I can get my examination permit.

I couldn't get the guy I met on the bus out of my mind—I don't know why. I was really attracted to him, and my curiosity only grew because of his mysterious vibe. I found him smart, but he was just so distant.

Monday came.

I was still busy with schoolwork, so I started reviewing for finals. I couldn't afford to slack off—I needed to meet the required grades this semester if I wanted to get approval from the admin to advance a few subjects in the summer.

Last day of exams.

"Thank you, Lord! At last, it's all over. I can finally relax, even just a little."

I had just finished my last exam. I rushed out of the classroom because I was starving—I hadn't eaten lunch yet. I needed to hurry to the cafeteria before I ended up passing out, which was the last thing I wanted. That would be so embarrassing.

When I got to the cafeteria, I saw some of my friends and a few familiar faces. I deliberately ignored them for now because I was absolutely famished. My knees were already shaking, and my stomach was aching from hunger. Luckily, there were a few vacant tables in the corner, so I chose to sit there. I wanted to eat my lunch in peace.

In the middle of enjoying my meal, someone tapped my shoulder and spoke.

"So, this is how it is now, Lui? Just because exams are over, you're ignoring us?"

It was VM—short for Veronica Marie—one of my close friends.

"Sorry, it's not my intention. It's just that I'm starving, and I haven't eaten lunch yet. And as you can see, it's already late in the afternoon!" I told her.

"Wow! Are you trying to kill yourself? Just because of exams, you skipped a meal?" she scolded as she sat in front of me.

VM was paranoid and feisty, but I loved her and she loved me too. She was caring despite her sharp tongue. She was also the youngest in her family—and rich. If people thought I was short, she was even shorter, barely five feet tall. But she was more feminine than me when it came to dressing and carrying herself. Like me, though, she didn't bother with makeup at school—unlike other students who looked like they were attending a party every day.

"No! Of course not! I just ran out of time earlier because my exam for one of my major subjects took forever to finish. Then, I had to rush to my next subject, which was Bio. It was a practical exam, so I couldn't afford to be late. I even had to stop by my locker to get my lab gown," I explained.

"Okay. But you know skipping meals isn't healthy, sis!" she nagged. "Anyway, Mitch was looking for you earlier. You guys have a dance troupe meeting."

"Oh, crap! That's today? I thought I was finally free," I groaned, even knocking myself on the head.

Yes, you read that right—I'm part of the dance troupe.

"Thanks! I have to go, sis. I'll see you later," I said as I stood up.

"Of course, we'll see each other later—we're waiting for you so we can go together. We have somewhere to be. Let's just meet at the student lounge. Bye!"

I quickly left right after finishing my meal.

After the meeting, sure enough, VM waited for me along with our other friends. I had no idea where we were headed, but it was hard to say no to them—especially after finals. They knew we were all free.

We went to our usual barbecue house to have dinner together, then we all went home at the same time. VM and I traveled together since our hometowns were two towns apart—hers was farther. That meant we could take the same bus, though I would have to get off first.

But we'd be seeing each other again next week because we had a long-planned trip with our friend group—an overnight stay at the beach, just us girls. None of us had boyfriends yet, so it would really just be the group.

Thursday, 6 A.M.

I was already awake, preparing for our trip. We had to make the most of summer before enrollment for advance classes and remedial courses started.

VM was picking me up today—her dad was driving her since they had a car, so they were swinging by to pick me up as well. That way, we could get dropped off together at the port, which was our meeting place before we crossed to the island.

By 6:30 A.M., I was already waiting by the highway. I didn't want to have them pick me up from home—it was too deep inside our neighborhood, and I didn't want to be a hassle for VM and her dad. Even though I was already close to their family, I still preferred to wait along the highway. Honestly, I was practically like another daughter to them. I even called her parents Papa Jo and Mama Shi, and they called my parents the same.

Soon enough, I spotted their car—it was easy to recognize since I had been to their house and ridden in it many times. But the moment I got in, I was shocked to see VM's older brother, AC (short for Adrian Christopher). I assumed he had somewhere to go with Papa Jo.

"Hi, Lui! Surprise!" AC shouted.

"Surprise my ass," I shot back.

He just laughed hysterically—like an idiot.

AC was always teasing us, especially VM and her close friends. He was the type who could get on your nerves with his constant antics.

I sat beside VM, who was scowling. "Oh no, here we go again." These two were clearly fighting again.

"Hi, Papa Jo! Good morning!" I greeted her dad, reaching for his hand to mano.

"Good morning, Lui! Ready?" he asked, glancing at me.

"Yes, all set," I replied with a smile.

I nudged VM and gave her a questioning look, wondering why she looked so annoyed. She just shook her head and patted my lap—her way of saying, "We'll talk about it later." That was how close we were—we could understand each other's gestures without needing words. We were like sisters.

VM only had one sibling—AC. And the two of them fought like cats and dogs. Meanwhile, I had an older sister, but we weren't close. We had completely different interests.

VM's family was well-off. They owned vast lands in their town, rented out buildings to various businesses, and even ran a hostel.

At the Port

After a 45-minute ride, we finally arrived. Papa Jo gave us a list of reminders on what to do and what not to do.

And then—to my shock—he left AC with us.

As soon as Papa Jo walked away, I pulled VM aside and whispered,

"Why is your brother staying? Don't tell me he's coming with us?! I thought this was an all-girls trip?" I raised an eyebrow.

"That's exactly why I was in such a bad mood when I woke up!" VM huffed. "My parents wouldn't let me go unless Kuya (Tagalog word for big brother) came along. So annoying!"

"What?! Why?"

"Because we're all girls, and it's an overnight trip. No matter how much I explained that the place was safe, they wouldn't listen. So here we are!"

I immediately glanced over at AC—he was talking to some guy. VM followed my gaze.

"WHAT?! Why is he here?!" she shrieked.

"Who?" I asked.

"That's James—Kuya's friend. Ugh, I knew it! He actually had the audacity to invite backup! The nerve of that guy! Grrrr!"

Luckily, before the two siblings could start bickering, our friends arrived—Karen, Anne, and Shadz.

We were just waiting for Gerlyn, who lived near the resort. She would be meeting us there since she volunteered to handle our food and drinks. We had all pitched in for expenses before finals, so everything was well-prepared.

We had also planned a bonfire for the night, which made things even more exciting!

We didn't bother paying attention to the two guys with us—they seemed to be in their own world anyway. Whatever. They weren't even invited in the first place.

As soon as we got to the dock, we boarded the boat that would take us to the island. Gerlyn had arranged for it to pick us up. On the way there, of course, we had our usual fun—teasing each other, taking pictures. This was exactly why we came here: to enjoy ourselves before the stress of the next semester hit us. It was our chance to spend quality time together while we still could.

After nearly an hour of sailing, we finally arrived in what felt like paradise. Or rather, a paradise-like place. The view was stunning. The soft, white sand was thrilling to step on, and the crystal-clear water was so inviting that even non-swimmers would be tempted to take a dip.

The best part? The place wasn't crowded yet. It was peaceful—just the way we liked it. It made the experience even more enjoyable.

And surprisingly, the two guys behaved themselves. A miracle! AC didn't even get into his usual teasing mode. Overall, the trip was a blast, all the way until we headed back home. It was so worth it.

We wanted to make the most of our time together before summer classes started. We knew that once the next semester rolled in, we'd all be super busy—especially since we'd be third-years. Our major subjects would get even tougher, and we didn't even have the same courses.

We became close because we had shared a few minor subjects in freshman year. We clicked instantly, especially after working on group projects together. And from then on, we had been inseparable.

***

Papa Jo picked us up, and Anne, Karen, and Shadz went home together since they all lived in the city. AC's friend, on the other hand, went home alone.

Back to Reality

And just like that, the fun was over. Welcome to the moment of boredom.

I was stuck at home, waiting for the enrollment schedule for my advance classes. For some reason, none of my high school classmates had reached out, even though I was actually free. Were they mad at me?

I had already finished the novel I was reading—I loved reading, but now I had nothing left. I needed to find something to do to keep myself entertained.

I was alone.

Mom had gone to the farm to oversee the harvest—she had inherited the land from her parents. She said she'd be staying there for a few days, and she took my youngest sibling with her since he was such a mama's boy.

Dad, on the other hand, was assigned somewhere far, so he only came home once a month. My other siblings were all working overseas.

So here I was, home alone.

I didn't go with them because I was waiting for Anne's call to see if we could finally get our grades. And honestly, watching TV was getting old.

That was pretty much my only option.

I mean, this was the mid-'90s, people! No internet, no cellphones, no Wi-Fi. Imagine that!

So, what did I do? Music trip again.

I was enjoying my music while sipping orange juice when my eyes landed on the PLDT phone directory.

That's how bored I was—I actually started flipping through it like it was a Vogue magazine.

Read, read, read.

For no reason at all, I just scanned names. Why not?

Then—I saw a familiar name.

"Why does this sound familiar?"

I tried to recall where I had heard it before.

Think, think, think…

"Luh?! Wait—this is the name of that mysterious, grumpy, arrogant, English-speaking guy!"

My crush… hehe.

"Could this really be him? Or just someone with the same name?"

"Shocks! What if this is his dad? That would make him a junior, right?"

I got curious. Really curious.

"What if… I call the number?"

Before I could overthink, my boredom took over. I dialed the number.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Then someone picked up.

A man's voice: "Hello? Who's this?"

His voice was deep—baritone. He sounded like an older man.

"Don't let him know you're nervous, Lui," I told myself.

Me: "Hello, sir. This is Lui."

Man's voice: "Lui who? What do you want?"

"Condescending. I'm doomed."

My heart pounded. "What am I even doing?!"

Me: "Uh… I just wanted to ask if Georje Peralta lives here?"

My hands turned cold. Sweat formed on my forehead.

"What the heck am I doing?"

Man's voice: "Which Georje? The father or the son?"

"Confirmed. He's a junior. And he takes after his dad—equally grumpy. Tsk"

Me: "Uh… the son. The one studying Bio at Bright Beginners University."

Man's voice: "He's not here. He's at his grandma's place in the city. He rarely comes home. What are you to him?"

"Crap. Lord, help me! What do I say?! Friends? We're not friends. Classmates? Definitely not! Ah, whatever."

Me: "Uh… classmate."

A complete lie.

Man's voice: "Then call his grandma's house. That's where he is. Anyway, I have things to do"

I was about to say thank you, but—he hung up on me.

"Wow. Rude"!