"Lui. Lui, wake up! Get ready, Lui, you'll be late. You have to get up now," I heard a male voice say while tapping my cheek.
"Wait—why is there a guy here? Isn't it just me and Mitch in this place? Kim stays over sometimes, but he's never woken me up before. And why is he tapping my cheek? What does he think I am, a baby needing to be rocked to sleep? But why the cheek? Don't people usually tap a baby's thigh or butt to soothe them? This is such a weird dream! But why does it feel so real? Why is he shaking me? Is there an earthquake? What the hell is happening? Why do I keep hearing my name? Am I that famous now? This is embarrassing—excuse me, sir, whoever you are, I am not a celebrity! FYI, I'm just a simple college student who dreams of making it in the television or film industry—not as an actress, but as someone behind the scenes helping to bring a show or movie to life."
"Hey! Maria Luisa Demiranda! Seriously?! Are you going to class or not?!" Mitch yelled.
"What? Sh*t! Oh my god, sorry! Move, move!" I shouted, scrambling to grab clothes from my duffle bag.
"Why did you only wake me up now?" I asked with a frown, running to the bathroom with my towel and clothes.
"Oh, wow! Are you serious?! Georje has been trying to wake you up for a while now! I even caught him shaking you and calling your name, but you were still sleeping like a log! So, I had to yell!" she ranted, loud enough for me to hear from the bathroom. She was already dressed, sitting at the table eating bread and drinking coffee.
"Sorry, I'm only human! Just wait for me—I'll be quick!" I shouted from inside.
"Yeah, yeah! Just hurry up!" she shouted back.
I took the fastest shower of my life, threw on my clothes, and rushed out. I didn't even bother eating—I had already embarrassed myself enough for one morning. I figured I'd eat at school if I had time, and if not, then I'd just wait until lunch. We took a taxi to get there faster.
"Sorry, you tried waking me up, but I still didn't get up right away," I mumbled, feeling so embarrassed.
"I should be the one apologizing. If it weren't for us, you wouldn't have stayed up so late. You wouldn't have overslept," he replied.
"It's fine. It's done. No use dwelling on it," I said, and we both just smiled.
"We're heading in now," I told Georje before the taxi even came to a full stop in front of the school gate.
"Alright. Take care," he simply replied.
"Wow. That was awkward."
As soon as we got out of the taxi, Mitch and I rushed straight into the school, running as fast as we could to make it to class before our professor. Luckily, we made it first—but we were completely out of breath. So early in the day, and I was already feeling exhausted.
"What happened to you two? Did you join a marathon?" Blue teased.
"Blue! Are you just teasing, or are you really asking for a punch?" I threatened.
"Whoa! Someone's in a mood this early in the morning," he continued, smirking.
"That's why I'm wearing shades—because it's hot, duh," I shot back.
"Oh, I already know—you're a panda again, aren't you?" he said with a grin.
"So, what if I am? Mind your own business if I'm fully committing to my panda era!" I said, laughing.
"Oh, so that's how it is! You really had me fooled! I seriously thought you were in a bad mood," he remarked, then smiled and shook his head.
"Ah, I really will be in a bad mood if you don't stop teasing me," I replied. Mitch and Zette just laughed as they listened to our playful banter.
Our teasing was cut short when the professor walked in and started the lecture—complete with a surprise quiz. Thankfully, my brain wasn't fried today, so I was able to focus and understand the discussion, making me feel confident about my quiz answers.
By lunchtime, my stomach was growling at full force since I skipped breakfast. I walked quietly with Blue, Mitch, and Zette as we headed out of campus to eat at the same place again. The three of us—Mitch, Zette, and I—preferred pasta dishes, so we often ate there instead of the cafeteria. Plus, the place was air-conditioned and not as crowded as the school cafeteria.
The three of them chatted happily while I ate in silence, too hungry to join in. I just listened as they talked about the remaining projects we needed to finish. Time flew by so fast that I didn't even realize summer was almost over. Then they asked if I was going home for my birthday.
"Honestly, I don't know yet. I haven't thought about it. I wouldn't have even remembered if you hadn't mentioned it just now," I said.
"What the—Lui! You're seriously unbelievable! How could you forget your own birthday?!" Blue overreacted.
"Oh, stop being so dramatic! Acting like that doesn't make you any more handsome just because I forgot my birthday," I teased him. Mitch, Zette, and I burst out laughing while Blue was left speechless at my comment.
"Oh, what's wrong? Can't think of a comeback?" I teased him even more.
"You know, Lui, I don't even know which version of you I prefer—the one who's out of it, just listening to music in the corner, or the one who's teasing me like this," he said, shaking his head with a grin, clearly in disbelief.
"Well, Lui does have a point," Mitch added, making us laugh again.
"Go ahead, gang up on me! That's what you girls do anyway—leave us behind when you get bored of us," Blue dramatically complained as he stuffed the last bite of his meal into his mouth.
"Hey, Bluer than Blue! Have some shame with that overflowing self-confidence of yours!" Zette chimed in, unable to stay quiet any longer.
"Ugh, whatever. Fine, you win!" Blue finally gave up, raising both hands in surrender.
"Alright! Since you lost this round of teasing, that means you can't boss us around for the group project. It's the other way around now—hahaha!" I declared, laughing as Mitch and Zette joined in.
"Wow, so unfair! But you guys better still help," he complained, pouting.
"Oh, look at that. You just got a taste of your own medicine. Feels good, huh? You love messing with us, but now that it's coming back to you, you can't handle it. Thought you had it all figured out, huh?" Mitch scolded him.
After our fun banter, we went back to campus and focused on what we needed to do for our next group project. Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time to go home.
"Bye!" we all said as we parted ways.
"Lui! Wait a sec," Roy called out to me.
"Huh?" I turned to him, confused.
"Are you in a hurry?" he asked with a smile.
"Not really. Why?" I asked him back.
"I forgot to tell you earlier that I wanted to ask you to come with me to buy another Kenny G CD," he explained.
"Sure! Mitch and I were actually headed that way too. Let's go?" I invited him.
"Hey! Wait up! I'm coming with you!" Blue shouted, running after us as we were about to exit the gate.
In the end, we all ate together first before accompanying Roy to buy the CD he wanted. Afterward, they suggested having a few drinks to relax, and since Roy was treating, no one refused. We went to the bar that Georje and I had been to before since it was the closest one to the mall, making it more convenient.
We had a chill conversation about our dreams after graduation while sipping ice-cold beer. The bar's playlist happened to match our vibe, so we just enjoyed the music. We sat outside because it was more comfortable than the crowded indoor space, especially as the night wore on. We had no plans to dance—just wanted to relax and enjoy the moment. Since it was still early, the place wasn't too packed yet.
"Lui, you have a phone call!" Mitch said, knocking on the door. Since it was Saturday, sleeping in until noon was no problem.
"Okay, coming!" I replied while fixing my shirt and running my fingers through my hair as I stepped out of my room.
Me: Hello?
Georje: Morning. Sorry, did I wake you up?
Me: Morning too. It's okay. What's up?
Georje: Want to meet up later if you're free?
Me: After we do the laundry. Maybe around 3 p.m., or 4 at the latest.
Georje: Okay. Should I pick you up, or do you want to meet at the mall?
Me: Let's just meet at the mall so it's less hassle for you. Where exactly?
Georje: Near the mall entrance, the usual spot.
Me: Alright. We'll eat first, then do the laundry. Okay, bye.
Georje: Bye. See you.
After our call, I headed straight to the kitchen to cook so that Mitch and I could do the laundry right after eating.
"Morning. Smells good!" a familiar voice greeted. I turned around after setting the plates on the table.
"Oh, Kim! Morning. Come eat! Where's Mitch?" I invited, realizing I hadn't even noticed she was here.
"I didn't notice you arrived last night," I said while making coffee in my mug.
"I got home past midnight. I actually tried to catch up with you guys at the bar, but I missed you. I couldn't escape from my mom right away—she took us to a family friend's party, and it was hard to sneak out," she explained as she walked toward the table.
"Love! Come on!" she called out to Mitch, who was still in the room.
"Coming!" Mitch shouted back.
"Wait, I'll get you a mug. You can just make the coffee for yourself and Mitch—I don't know how you like it," I said as I stood up to grab two mugs. I also added an extra plate for Mitch.
"Thank you," Kim said as I placed the mugs down.
"You're welcome," I replied simply, then started getting food and putting it on my plate. Just as I was about to take my first bite, Mitch arrived and joined us at the table.
"Mitch, I'm heading out later after we finish the laundry," I informed her.
"Sure! We're going out too. This one insisted we go to the mall since it's been a while since we last went out. She even sulked, saying we've been too busy," she said with a small laugh while sweetly nudging Kim beside her.
"These two are so sweet to each other. I can't help but be a little jealous."
By around one in the afternoon, we had finally finished all the laundry. Luckily, Kim took care of washing the dishes and cleaning the house since Mitch and I were the ones who did the laundry. We all left together around three in the afternoon. Since we were headed in the same direction, I hitched a ride in Kim's car. I saved money on taxi fare—thankfully, Kim offered to take me along.
When we arrived at the mall, I naturally parted ways with them since I had my own plans—I was meeting up with Georje. I walked towards the entrance from the parking lot.
"Hi!" I greeted him with a big smile, excited since it had been a while since we had gone out—just the two of us.
"Hi," he replied lifelessly.
"I can't tell if he's happy to see me or not, but whatever. I'll just let it be. Time will come when he'll learn to be more expressive."
"Wow, it's a miracle—you're not late today," I immediately pointed out as I got closer.
"Hehehe… I made sure to be early. I knew you'd get mad again if I was late, especially since I was the one who asked you to go out," he said, clearly a little embarrassed.
"Let's hope this becomes a habit… Anyway, where are we going?" I asked before we even left the spot where he was waiting.
"We're going somewhere," he said, walking out of the mall.
Oh, I thought he was about to hold my hand—but I guess not. Never mind. He even walked ahead, so I shouldn't expect him to reach for my hand.
We crossed the street and got on a jeepney. We both stayed silent as we rode along, and I noticed that we were getting quite far—it felt like we were already leaving the city proper.
"Where are we really going?" I finally broke the silence.
"To visit my mom. That's why I brought you with me," he answered.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? We could've bought flowers and candles," I asked.
"No worries, I already have them. Actually, I was there earlier—I just left to meet you at the mall," he explained.
"You could've just told me to meet you there instead of at the mall," I said.
"It's fine. I thought you wouldn't want to come with me," he replied.
"Driver, we're getting off here!" he called out.
As soon as the jeepney stopped, we quickly got off.
"Come on, we need to walk a little further. My mom is in the middle section," he said, sounding like an excited child eager to see his mother.
I noticed that his mood had suddenly changed the moment we got off the jeep.
As we walked, I was surprised when he suddenly reached for my hand.
"You must really miss your mom a lot. I noticed earlier when we got off the jeep that your mood suddenly changed," I commented.
"Yup. A lot," he replied, his eyes filled with sadness.
"You know, I may not know how to ease the pain of missing your mom, but I hope you remember that everything happens for a reason. And God never gives us anything we can't handle," I tried to comfort him. I wasn't really sure if what I said helped even a little.
"For so many years, I couldn't accept the fact that I can no longer be with her, that I can't hug or kiss her anymore, that I'll never hear her voice calling my name again, or do all the things we used to do when she was still alive. But when I moved to Manila and lived alone for my studies, that's when I realized that I have to face life by myself. My mom is no longer here to see me and guide me. I have to be strong no matter what—because she's gone. She left me with my father, but I can't expect too much from him since he has his own family now. I can feel that I'm not really welcome in their home, but they just have to let me stay because my father said so," he shared sorrowfully.
"I have a question," was all I could say. Honestly, I didn't know how to respond after hearing all those painful words.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"It's a situation. I want to know which you would prefer. Situation A: Your mother is alive, but it feels like she doesn't exist in your life. She doesn't really care about you—only noticing you when she wants to rub your mistakes in your face. Or Situation B: Your mother is gone, but even though she's no longer with you physically, you can still feel her love."
We stopped walking as he looked up at the sky. I wasn't sure what he was staring at, so I just glanced around to see if there were other people nearby while waiting for his answer.
"That's a tough question, Lui. Because in both situations, the pain is the same—you suffer either way. Why did you think of that?" he asked.
"Because I'm in Situation A… and you're in Situation B," I replied, staring off into the distance. I couldn't look at him—I might end up crying. And I didn't want to ruin the beautiful day we started.
"Lui, why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked, puzzled.
"Well, now you know," was all I said before pulling him along toward his mother's grave.
He let me pull him at first, but eventually, he took the lead since I had no idea where we were going.
"We're here," he said as we stopped in front of a mausoleum. It was quite large, lined up with even bigger ones. He reached into his pocket and took out a key, unlocking the door.
"Come in," he said briefly.
"Meet my mom. Ma, this is Lui—I brought her here to meet you. Lui, meet my mom, Tessa," he introduced her with a sad smile.
"Come, sit here. I just need to get something," he told me as he removed the plastic covering from the sofa before stepping away to retrieve something from a large plastic container.
"Here, eat. You might be hungry. I also have something to drink—wait," he said, placing a family-sized pizza on my lap. I quickly held onto it so it wouldn't fall while he grabbed a bottle of soda from a cooler.
"Wow, you really planned all this out, huh?" I teased.
He just smiled as he walked back toward me. He placed the two soda bottles on the ground since there was nowhere else to put them.
"I'd rather stay here so we can talk in peace. Most of the time, we hangout in crowded places, and we don't really get to talk properly. Besides, this is all I can afford," he said, looking straight at me.
"It's okay. At least here, I can feel that your aura is lighter. For the first time, I see a different side of you—one that I know only comes out when you're here," I told him as I looked into his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to—" I didn't let him finish. I placed my index finger over his lips to stop him from speaking.
"Enough with the apologies. You've already told me this before, over and over again. I get it now, okay?" I said, cupping his face with one hand while still holding the pizza box in the other.
"You know what? Let's just eat. The pizza you bought is getting even colder," I changed the subject, glancing at him before flashing a smile. I opened the box and held it closer so he could take a slice.
"Are you really okay being here?" he asked.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I answered after swallowing my bite.
"I just thought maybe you'd feel uncomfortable—us being here, in a memorial park, and specifically at my mom's grave," he said.
"Why? There's nothing wrong with it. People come to cemeteries to visit their loved ones, and what we're doing isn't any different. Happy now?" I asked, smiling at him.
Honestly, I was really fine with it. I don't need extravagant things to be happy.
"Thank you," he said, nodding and finally smiling.
We continued chatting about random things. I could say that this date was way better than any mall date. At least here, we could talk more, share our thoughts freely, and—most importantly for me—spend quality time together.
The day ended on such a pleasant note, and I was grateful that we got to know each other even more.
"Shall we go? It's already 7 p.m. We didn't even realize how late it got," he said as he started cleaning up our trash. I stood up and helped him tidy up.
"There's nothing to be sorry for. Our time here was well spent, and I'm happy. So thank you for bringing me," I said with a smile.
He carried all the trash to the bin not far from his mother's mausoleum. I stood by the door, watching him as he walked back toward me.
"Let's go?" he asked.
I simply nodded and smiled.
He adjusted the sofa cover, checked if the windows were properly locked, and after making sure everything was in place, we stepped outside together. Once we were out, he locked the door securely behind us.