1.

“What the hell, Alexis!”

I woke up to Kelly’s voice on the phone and realized that I have such an aching head. It even intensified because of her whining. I canceled the call and tossed my phone across the bed. But I knew better that I wouldn’t be able to get rid of my best friend that easily. Another ring and I picked it up again.

“What?” I asked loudly before she could throw another thick curse over the phone.

“You f*****g left me, Lexis! I followed you but you never looked back.”

“Yes, I did that and I’m sorry. I got emotional, okay? Things were… unexpected back there.”

She heaved a sigh and said in a calmer voice, “I’m sorry too, besty… somehow I should have stopped them. The whole squad was sorry as well, especially Abi. She said she sent you a message.”

“Yeah, whatever,” I responded while rolling my eyes. “So, what did I miss?”

I listened as Kelly told me everything that happened at the party after I walked out. She said they continued the fun but canceled the stupid game. If you will summarize everything that she told me, the party got better when I left. But of course, Kelly was not going to admit that to me.

“…and I want to remind you about Drake Terante’s house party tonight. He’s expecting us. This time, he meant you and me. You know, he passed the bar exam.”

I groaned. Seriously? Another party? All I wanted was to fill my system with caffeine and work on my online selling. Too many orders were pending and I had to start placing them in the evening when the internet connection was better. “Bes, I can’t. I’m happy for Drake but I have work to do!”

“Work? For God’s sake, it’s vacation, Lexis! You wouldn’t be able to party when the school year starts again in June!”

I seriously had to close my eyes as I listened to her screaming. “Besty, will you stop shouting? And you know I have to sell some products online�"”

“No! no one is selling tonight. You are coming with me whether you like it or not. I’ll be there at your house at 6 pm. Bye, and I love you.”

“But�"” the line was already dead. S**t! No one could ever argue with her.

I stared at the ceiling as I contemplated things, until my thoughts wandered to the night I got my first kiss from a girl. And that was last night, specifically.

My heart pounded as I remembered MJ’s lips pressed against mine as Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” filled the air. It wasn’t a bad kiss after all. It was sensual and passionate; so different from the kisses I shared with guys I dated before. Even different from Gab’s�"oh, crap! I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about that stupid kiss. Worse, I should not be comparing it with Gab.

As if on cue, a knock on the door disturbed me and eventually shaken the tension that I felt on my body. It was my mother who walked in, smiling and wearing her white cardigan and a pair of blue boots. She was also holding a small ornamental plant and her perspiration was evident on her forehead.

“Morning ma, let me guess, you were at your garden.”

She chuckled. “Of course, you already know my morning routine. I just checked in to see if you’re up.”

My mother’s name is Elise, a beautiful lady in her early 40’s. she stared at me as I fixed my bed. “I also want to ask something from you, anak.”

Anak or nak, a Filipino term for daughter or son. She called me that as an endearment. “Sure thing, ma. What is it?”

“You need to go to the next town and shop for groceries. We’re running out of supplies.  Your papa is going to have some visitors later at dinner. And…”

I suddenly felt the hesitation as she trailed off. So, I pressed on. “Seriously, ma, what else?”

Mama walked slowly and sat beside me on the bed. “Gab called me last night.”

I blinked. “He did?”

“Yes, and I could tell that he was mad when he knew that you went to a party with Kelly.”

I sighed. “I did tell him. But he didn’t want me to go there, but I wanted to. There’s no way for him to act like he could control my life.”

My mother gave me a wry smile. “I know, nak. But I could also tell that he was just looking out for you. You were so wasted when you got home.”

“Ma, I’m already 22! I know what to do with myself. Gab was just being so paranoid and controlling. Besides, he wants me to stop being friends with Kelly because he told me that she was a bad influence. Can you believe that, ma? I’ve only known him for four years while Kelly and I had been best friends since we’re still in our diapers… honestly, ma… sometimes, I don’t know how to deal with him anymore.”

Mama patted the back of my hand and squeezed it lovingly. “I think you should talk to him. He’s a good guy and I know he’d understand how you feel, okay?”

 

 

Gab decided to help me with the groceries. He skipped his summer classes because he told me that he would want to see me. He came 5 minutes late.

“I’m sorry, love. I still had to make some arrangements with my absences.”

I gave him a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “You know I didn’t force you to come.”

“No, love… it was my idea. But of course, I had to�"”

“Fine, let’s just go,” I said, cutting him off.

 

We went inside the grocery store hand in hand. Gab was telling me about a certain activity in their class and I was trying to interact with him. He was a fourth-year college student, taking up education. I was a senior when we met and fell in love.

Gab was a handsome guy. Masculine and way taller than any guy in my class back then. He was also a famous athlete in the university we both attended, even until now, he was still famous. Dating him was both wonderful and exhausting. Girls his age kept on hitting on him, but then he saw me�"only me. Despite the age gap, no one can tell that I was older than him because he looked bigger and more mature. Anyone who didn’t know me would usually think of me as a sixteen-year-old teen who was trying to look and act mature so that she would get to buy herself a liquor.

“Buying groceries with you is one of the best things that I like about our relationship.”

I giggled. “I already know that.”

“Oh, you do?” he said as he hugged me from behind.

“Yes, you already told me!”

“How many times?” he asked, kissing me on the neck.

“Many times! Can you please get that oyster sauce over there?” I told him. The item was on top of the shelf. Gab was chuckling when he reached for it with ease. “Short people should seriously know when to grow up,” he whispered.

“What did you say?” I replied, chasing him as I tried to bite his arm.

We were busy being idiots when I accidentally bumped into someone. I looked up and realized that I’ve knocked some canned goods when I bumped to her.

“Oh, I’m sorry, miss… I�""

My eyes popped when I saw who it was. And the next thing that came out of her mouth made my boyfriend super jealous.

“Hey, babe. It’s you.”