Seventeen

We got home around 4 o'clock in the morning. As expected, we woke up late the following morning. We did a general cleaning of the entire apartment so we could leave it spotless before taking a short vacation. After that, we'd be starting our advanced summer classes. Only three of us would be returning to live in the apartment since Yara and AC were graduating together.

Our Saturday was productive, and of course, after cleaning the whole apartment, we just lounged around—what we called a lazy Saturday.

"Lui! You have a phone call!" called Manang, Grandma's house helper, from outside.

"Yes! I'm coming, just a second!" I shouted back. Luckily, I had already showered and changed, so I wasn't embarrassed to step out of the apartment and go next door.

A few moments later:

Me: "Hello?"

Georje: "Hello, Lui?"

Me: "Oh! It's you! How are you?"

Georje: "I'm good. How about you?"

Me: "I'm good too. What's up?"

Georje: "Are you free to go out later?"

Me: "Yes. Why?"

Georje: "I wanted to invite you to join us—we have a show later. Sorry for the short notice, we've just been so busy with practice and other preparations."

Me: "A show?"

Well, it wasn't new for me to get invited to their shows. I had watched one of their dance concerts before. But for other performances where they were backup dancers for concerts, I hadn't been able to attend because my schedule was too packed.

Georje: "Yeah, but it's not in the city. I'm not sure if you can come, but I thought I'd invite you anyway, just in case."

Me: "I'm free until tomorrow since it's only Sunday. Next week, I have some things to take care of at school, but it's not that busy."

Georje: "Okay, good. So, I take that as a, yes?"

Me: "Yeah, sure. Where's the meeting place later, and what time should I be there so I can get ready?"

Georje: "Let's meet at the mall since that's also where our manager will be meeting us—at a boutique that's sponsoring the show."

He said they were meeting at a boutique from a well-known clothing brand since that was the sponsor for their show. Then, he quickly said goodbye because he still had things to do.

Since it was still early, I went back to my comfort zone—my bed—and watched TV again with VM.

Two hours before the call time, I started getting ready so I wouldn't get caught in traffic on my way to the mall. I always take my time because I hate rushing—it just stresses me out.

When I arrived at the mall, I headed straight to the boutique he mentioned. True to his word, there were a lot of people. Even from outside, I could already see some of their fellow dancers. Some of the others were probably the models he had mentioned who would also be part of the show.

I didn't go too close because I felt awkward mixing in with the crowd since I wasn't part of the event. I didn't want to embarrass myself or get scolded for being in the way. So, I decided to just wait until someone I knew spotted me—either a familiar face or Georje himself.

I positioned myself at a fast-food restaurant right across from the boutique. Since the restaurant had glass walls, I could still see everything happening inside the boutique. I chose to sit at an outdoor table on the side, where I could still keep an eye on the crowd.

It didn't take long before someone walked past and noticed me. Fortunately, they recognized me. They were with Georje, Ali, and Jed's group. I wasn't particularly close to them, but I knew who they were.

"Oh! You're here?" one of them asked.

I couldn't remember his name—I recognized his face, but we had never been formally introduced. I wasn't even sure if he knew my name or if he only recognized me the same way I recognized him—by face.

"Oh, yeah. Georje asked me to come—he called me earlier. That's why I'm waiting for him here," I quickly replied.

"They were inside earlier when we left because they were handling our costumes with our manager," explained one of their group members, a fair-skinned guy with chinky eyes. I estimated that he was about the same height as Georje, probably around 5'7" or 5'8". But unlike Georje, he wasn't tan. He had the same lean but toned build as the others—probably from all the dancing. He wasn't too skinny, but not bulky either, just fit enough with a bit of muscle. He had a friendly smile, unlike the guy next to him, who looked a bit intimidating—or maybe I was just imagining it. I wasn't sure. I didn't even know his name. I just recognized his face.

"Oh, okay. We'll let him know when we go back inside. I'd invite you in, but it's really hot in there. The AC isn't enough with all the people inside, and it's super cramped," he said, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets before heading back into the boutique.

"Alright, thanks," I replied, but they had already walked away before I could say more.

I waited for quite a while before they finally came out together. By then, I had already finished the soda, personal-sized pizza, and pasta I had ordered. I had to buy something since loitering without ordering wasn't allowed—after all, it was a fast-food place. But it was just as well; at least I got to eat before we left since I wasn't included in their food budget. I wasn't part of the performers, just an invited guest to watch.

The show was set to take place at a resort, but since this clothing brand was the main sponsor, all the performers were required to check in here first before being transported to the venue via a shuttle bus.

"Sorry for the long wait. We had to sort out our talent fees and costumes. There were some last-minute changes, so we had to do fittings. Plus, there was a long line at the fitting room because a lot of our teammates were trying on clothes," he explained at length.

"It's okay," I said, even though, in reality, I had been bored out of my mind, sitting alone and obviously waiting for someone. Honestly, I had even considered just going home. But for some reason, I didn't.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have asked you to come so early. I just wanted to make sure you'd be able to join us on the shuttle to the venue. It would've been a waste if you had to take a cab," he added.

"It's really fine," I replied. Then, I noticed some of his teammates approaching, along with what I assumed were their girlfriends, including Jed and Ali.

"Hi, Lui!" Ali greeted me enthusiastically—just like him, always Mr. Congeniality.

"Hi!" I greeted back with a smile.

"Glad you could join us this time," Jed said from beside me before casually throwing an arm over my shoulder and kissing my cheek in greeting.

"I had nothing going on today. Finals are over, and it's the weekend anyway," I answered.

"See? That's why I told Georje to invite you so you could come with us," Ali chimed in.

"Huh? So, does that mean he didn't actually invite me on his own? If Ali hadn't told him to, he wouldn't have asked me to come? Or am I just overthinking this? Maybe he was just shy about inviting me, or maybe he assumed I was still busy with school."

"Thanks for inviting me," I simply said.

"Of course! Come on, you know you're special to me!" Ali said proudly. Just then, someone else walked up to us.

"Jed, introduce me to your friend," a girl said while holding hands with one of their teammates. Judging by how comfortable she seemed, I figured she was already close with them.

"Ah, I shouldn't be the one doing that. It should be Georje, right, Georje?" Ali said, raising his eyebrows teasingly at Georje, flashing a knowing smirk.

"Uh, right. This is Lui, my cousin—she used to be Ali and Jed's classmate in elementary," he said, looking a little uneasy.

Shock was an understatement for what I felt at that moment. "Cousin? I thought I was his girlfriend. Or did I misunderstand something? But why "cousin"? Why not just say "friend"?

Even though I was caught off guard, I managed to smile, though I wasn't sure if it looked genuine. I felt Ali stiffen beside me, his arm still around my shoulders, and even Jed, who was sitting close by, seemed momentarily frozen.

"Hi! I'm Jessica. You look really familiar," the girl introduced herself.

"Lui. Uh, I'm not sure if we've met before?" We shook hands. She then introduced me to the others who had just joined us.

"I really feel like I've seen you before, but I can't remember where," she said, furrowing her brows as if trying to recall. I just gave her a small smile. Ali still hadn't removed his arm from around me.

"Ali! I thought you were just a troublemaker, but turns out you're secretive too? Why'd you only invite Lui to your show now?" Jessica asked, crossing her arms with a teasing smirk.

"Hey! I always invite her! She's just the one who keeps turning us down because she's too focused on her studies. That's why she's always busy whenever Jed and I ask her out. So, we rarely get to drag her along," he said, playfully tweaking my nose.

Georje just sat there quietly across from us, watching. I had no idea what he was thinking at that moment. And honestly, his words from earlier still hadn't fully sunk in.

Even though I was irritated, I forced myself to focus on Ali and Jed's jokes and stories, trying to distract myself from the situation. I had no interest in talking to Georje, let alone approaching him, so I busied myself chatting with my two friends.

I knew—we all knew—they were deliberately trying to cheer me up. They understood how I felt after what had just happened. Even on the shuttle bus, I sat with Ali because he insisted on sitting beside me. I let him. It was easier to be with him or Jed.

Jed sat next to Georje in front of us, but neither of them brought up what had happened. Instead, they just buried the tension under lighthearted stories and playful banter. And in the end, I just laughed along.

Until their performance ended, Ali never left my side—it was as if he were my boyfriend instead. He even took care of my food, despite me telling him I had already eaten. He looked after me the entire time we were together. I was grateful that he and Jed didn't leave me alone. Neither of them mentioned what had happened, but I could tell they were on my side. I knew they were just as shocked as I was by what Georje had said.

I felt hurt and humiliated, even though only the four of us truly knew what was going on between me and Georje. Thankfully, Jed and especially Ali were quick to step in.

The three of them took me home to my apartment at around four in the morning since there had been a party after their show. Georje and I didn't speak a word to each other until they left. I knew Ali and Jed were also affected by what had happened, but they still tried their best to lighten the heavy atmosphere between me and Georje.

"Morning," I greeted as soon as Nika saw me in the kitchen, drinking coffee and eating pandesal. (in Filipino cuisine, pandesal a type of bread roll typically eaten for breakfast.) Before heading inside the apartment after the guys left, I had stopped by a nearby bakery to buy some.

"Morning. Did you just get home?" Nika asked as soon as she saw me.

"Not really. Just a little while ago. I just haven't changed yet because I wanted to boil water first for coffee and eat warm pandesal. We rarely get to buy them anymore since we're always rushing to school in the mornings," I replied.

"Oh yeah, that's true!" she said, grabbing her mug and sitting beside me to make her own coffee and eat with me.

"Time flies so fast, doesn't it? It feels like just yesterday when we first moved in here. We used to spend so much time together, but now we barely see each other during school days," I recalled, thinking back on the past few months.

"Yeah. And soon, there will only be three of us left since Yara and AC are graduating. It's even sadder to think about how things are going to change," she added.

"We've been through so much together, but we're still here, pushing forward and fighting for our future," I said.

"We're strong! Fighters!" she boasted before taking a bite of her buttered pandesal. Meanwhile, I was finishing my coffee, having already eaten.

"Hey, what can we cook from what's left in the fridge?" I changed the topic, suddenly thinking it would be nice to cook something together—it had been a while since we last did.

"I think we still have some meat in there. Why? What do you have in mind?" she asked.

"Since it's Sunday and we're all home, let's cook whatever we have left so we can clear out the fridge before we all start leaving. Makes sense, right?" I said with a smile. It was better to distract myself with cooking rather than dwell on what had happened—it would only make me feel worse.

"Sounds good! Let me just finish my coffee and breakfast, then I'll help you," she agreed.

"Take your time. It's still early. I'll go change first," I said before heading to my room, where VM was still sound asleep.

I quickly returned to the kitchen after changing, careful not to disturb VM. I figured I'd just let her sleep since Nika and I had the cooking covered. Besides, VM didn't really know how to cook, so she wouldn't be much help anyway. It was better this way—if too many people were in the kitchen, it would just turn into chaos since the others had no clue what they were doing. Only Nika and I ever took turns cooking, while the other three were used to having house help back home, so they never really learned how to do household chores.

By the time we finished cooking, everyone was awake. Nika and I set the table, and soon, we were all eating together, chatting and laughing. We decided to go to church after we ate and showered. While some of us bathed, the rest cleaned up—the three who didn't cook took charge of washing the dishes and tidying up. Nika and I showered first.

After church, we went to the mall instead of heading straight home and agreed to have a meal there as well. We weren't going grocery shopping anymore since finals were over, and we'd be leaving the apartment soon before enrollment for our summer classes. I wasn't going home just yet, though—after graduation, we were heading to Yara's province for a party her parents were throwing for her.

After that, we would go to VM's place, but Yara wouldn't be joining us. It would just be me, AC, Nika, and VM traveling there. I'd be staying with VM for a few days before we returned together for enrollment. We both had a few minor subjects to take so we could focus on our major subjects and internships later. Meanwhile, Nika would go home to her province for a short visit before coming back, meaning VM and I would return a day or two ahead of her.

"Lui, someone called for you this afternoon—said his name was Georje. I just told him no one was home since you had all gone out," Manang greeted us when we arrived, watering Lola's flowers outside the gate.

"Thanks, Manang," I simply replied. I wasn't ready to see him after what he did. I needed time to cool off because his actions really hurt me. I didn't want to stress over him; I just wanted to enjoy the time we had left together in this apartment. Soon, only three of us would be left here.

So, I went straight inside to relax with VM, Nika, Yara, and AC, who were all being as loud as ever, teasing each other non-stop since we got back from the mall. We had played at the arcade earlier and beat AC at basketball. He still couldn't accept it, saying it wasn't fair because it was four against one and that we "took advantage" of his manhood.

"Come on, Kuya! Why can't you just accept that you won't always win? Of course, we teamed up against you—we're girls! We don't play basketball as much as you do," VM scolded him.

The teasing continued as Nika and Yara ganged up on AC, while VM and I just laughed from the sidelines. I figured if I joined in, it might push AC over the edge.

A little while later, while we were watching TV…

"Let's eat! I'm hungry again," VM complained. As usual, she was always the one to initiate these late-night food runs whenever we stayed up late watching TV or studying for exams.

"Me too, watching them eat on TV made me hungry," her brother agreed. But no one else responded. Probably, like me, they were feeling a little hungry but too lazy to go out.

"What? You're not hungry?" VM asked, looking at each of us one by one.

"You guys go ahead, I'm going to sleep," Nika said. I had a feeling she was just avoiding going with us because earlier, I overheard her whispering to Yara that she was running low on money. Her sister wasn't going to send her any more since she'd be going home to their province soon. She said she'd get more money before coming back for summer class enrollment.

"Lui? Come with us, I don't want to go with just my brother," she pleaded, knowing full well that I could never say no to her.

"Fine, I'll come—but only if everyone comes. No one gets left behind. Niks, don't worry, I got you. You and Yara are coming too. I know you're both hungry, so we should all eat and fill our stomachs together. This is one of the last times we'll all be complete since AC and Yara are graduating soon, so no excuses—we're all going out,"I said firmly, standing up to grab my wallet.

We all ordered the same thing—hot mami (Mami is a Filipino noodle soup made with noodles, broth, and meat. Mami literally means "Ma's noodles," named by its original creator Ma Mon Luk in 1920s, Manila. It is the type of noodle that can be found almost everywhere from street carts to fancy restaurants. But nothing beats homemade ma.) and a siopao (Siopao is a Hokkien term that literally means "steamed buns". It's a popular Filipino snack that's a variation of the Chinese baozi) each. We were really indulging, weren't we? But we skipped soda and just had water since we had already consumed too much soda earlier at the mall after church.

"AC, lower your voice! There are people studying here—it's embarrassing," Nika scolded him. His voice was so loud, you'd think he was arguing with someone, when in reality, he was just telling us a story.

"Oh, sorry, I'm only human," he said, glancing around. We noticed a few medical students studying, identifiable by their uniforms.

"Yara, I just saw your crush—he just walked in and went to the counter. He's still with the same group, though there's someone new with them," Nika whispered just loud enough for the five of us to hear.

"They really are regulars here, huh? Poor guy, he's buried in his studies again," Yara said, resting her chin on her hand and pausing her eating just to stare at him.

"Their degree program isn't a joke, so they really have to study hard. We're already struggling with ours—imagine how much harder it is for them," Nika replied.

"Yeah, and our sleepless nights are nothing compared to theirs. Their program is definitely tougher than ours," I added.

Our conversation continued as we ate, but at least AC had toned down his voice by then.

By the time we decided to head back to our unit, it was already past two in the morning. We purposely stayed out a little longer so we wouldn't go to bed on a full stomach, letting our food digest first. When we got home, we all went straight to our rooms, quietly settling in to rest. Everyone was already feeling sleepy.