A year after my last night with the Maraguinots, as promised, we flew back here at Manila, Philippines for good. We stayed at Makati. Sobrang laki ng adjustment ko, first sa weather (wow yabang), second sa damit, halos lahat kasi ng damit ko for cold weather. Next is time difference, good thing is lumipad kami ni Mom dito wala pang school so meron pa akong time para mag adjust.

Days, months, years have passed.

My classmates during high school said I have become a "Beautiful Handsome" or "Gandang Pogi" or even "Pappi", I dont even know what that means.

Its means, madaming magkakagusto sayo, mapababae o lalaki man. Ponggay said.

Ponggay or Pauline Gaston is my classmate and best friend here sa Philippines.

You must be asking where is Maddie, she, on the other hand ay nasa US pa. 'Di ko den sure kung uuwi na ba sila here sa Philippines kasi di naman daw sumagi sa utak ng parents nya, even though nasabihan naman na sila ng parents ko na try to reconsider kasi madami naman magagandang schools dito na pwedeng nyang pag pasukan.

Timang ka Ponggs. I said habang kinakamot ko yung batok ko.

Sa generation ngayon uso na yan. And feeling ko naman mas magiging malaking impact ka sa bisexuals lalo na sa Ateneo. Dito pa nga lang iba na ang "epektong De Leon eh". Ponggay added.

Others that are with us are: Jia, Mich, Ara, and Ria.

Yup, I chose Ateneo over UP and La Salle, who both offered me scholarship, Volleyball Scholarship.

Tapos lalo na nag va-volleyball ka, di mo ba naririnig yung mga tili ng mga babae sayo pag nag seserve at nakaka score ka? Jia added.

Umiling ako, focus lang ako sa game. I said.

Suuuuuuuuuuuusss!! Sabay sabay nila sigaw saakin at napatingin naman ang mga tao saamin. Nalingon lingon ako at tingnan ang mga babaeng nagbubulungan habang nabungisngis.

Hinaan nyo naman boses mga beshy, magkakatabi lang naman tayo. And, basta its not me, okay? And I continued my milk in a carton.

So, LaSalle huh? Ara? Mich changed the topic.

Yes. They answered in chorus. And you guys? Ara asked.

Jia, Me and Michelle, we are all going to Ateneo for college. Ara is going to lasalle, and Ria, she's going to UST.

Magkikita kita na lang tayo sa court. Haha. Jia said with matching deadly glare to them. Parang nag hahamon.

Graduation.

I will miss you guys!!! Sigaw ni Mich.

Group huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuug!!! I shouted, and we did.

We were saying our goodbyes with our other classmates, when I felt someone poking my shoulder.

Hi Ate Bea, pwede po bang mag papicture? This one girl said.

Uhm, Ehh. Sige? Patanong kong sagot. Buong ngiti naman nyang inabot ang cellphone nya sa kaklase nya na nakaabang na pala sa likod namin. After nya po ako naman okay lang po ba? The other girl said. Ako den po. Sabi nung isa. Then nung napalingon ako may nakapila na pala all of them full of smiles.

After nun, (nakakapagod infairness) bumalik na ako sa friends ko and all of them nakangiti and nailing.

Iba na talaga ang gandang pogi ni de Leon. And then inakbayan ako ni Ponggs.

Gandang Pogi ka jan. Tigil. I said tapos tinanggal ko yung braso nya sa balikat ko. Uwi na tayo after?

On the other side of the court. Meron den nag tutumpukan, at nakapilang mga babae. Since I'm quite tall we saw kung sinu yung pinagkakaguluhan dun.

Deanna Wong. Gandang pogi den. Wala na kayo na. Sige na magsama kayo. Mich said habang mejo tinutulak ako.

Ouch. Stop it. I said while looking at my phone, kasi baka hinahanap na ko nila mama.

Deanns, picture naman tayong lahat. Ponggay shouted. Deanna then came jogging to us.

Hi guys! I looked up, and napansin ko na walang nakasunod sakanya kundi ang mga mata ng mga babaeng kakatapos lang mag papicture, wala syang friend na kasama. Weird.

Aren't you with your friends? Or classmates? I said while looking behind her.

They went out drinking to celebrate. I don't drink, I'm allowed, haha I just chose not to do so. Maybe college. But not now. Ahaha. So picture?

I just nodded and sumama sakanila para sa picture taking.

We went out to eat sa nearest Samgyupsal. Romantic Baboy. Ponggay invited Deanna Wong to join us.

So Deanna, college? Any schools?

Ateneo. She just said not taking her eyes off her food. Same with you guys.

Ohhhh. Teammate!! We said in chorus. Nagtinginan saamin yung mga tao

Ayaaaaan ayaaaan. Sabi ni Jia habang gesturing a "Shush".

When I got home. I went straight to bed, opened my bedside table, revealing the keychain that had the name of a Girl na until now hind ko pa den nakakalimutan. Eh ako kaya? Naalala nya pa kaya? Nasaan na kaya sya? Saan kaya sya mag aaral? I smiled, not just because of the thought of her, but because its vacation na tomorrow. No more waking up at 6am.

Days have passed.

I woke up na may tumatapik sa pisngi at the balikat ko.

Nak, Bea, gising na, nakalimutan mo atang may lakad tayo now.

Hmmmm, Maya na ma. Nagtalukbong ako ng unan.

Napuyat ka nanaman kakalaro mo eh. Sinabihan kita kagabi hindi mo ba naalala. Tara na at mahuhuli tayo. Mas maganda maaga tayo dun para makauwi tayo agad.

Opooooo. Ngumiti naman sya at lumabas na ng kwarto.

Habang ako naman ay naka pikit na nag lakad papuntang cr sa kwarto. Ayan puyat pa Bea, puyat paaa.

After kong maligo, I put on a black polo shirt, denim pants and chuck and taylor shoes. Very 20's kid.

Then I went downstairs finding Mom and Dad on the dining area.

Good morning princess. My dad greeted me and took a sip of coffee after.

So, enrollment ha? Anong course?

Hmmm. Took a bite of my bacon. I was thinking Engineering. Maybe Chemical Engr. Since I have scholarship naman.

Volleyball and Engineering course. Are you trying to commit a suicide anak?

Nope Mom, Its just... Its what I like. I think kaya ko naman.

Yan ang gusto ko sayo, may paninindigan ka. Ngayon pa lang. Dad said while pointing his fork to my direction.

I just smiled at his direction.

Oh sya, tapos ka na ba anak? Tara na at baka matraffic pa tayo.

I stood up and brushed my teeth. Mom can we use my new car?

Sure, dear.

I have 2 cars, Toyota hilux and mazda rx7, the latter is a gift from my dad nung nag graduate ako nung highschool.

We drove to Ateneo and used my mazda rx7, a.k.a "The Chix magnet" sabi ni Ponggay.

45mins. Hayz, Manila traffic.

Pag baba namin ni mama sa Car pinagtinginan kami ng mga tao, yung mga lalaki nakatingin sa kotse yung mga babae naman saakin. Ahh, eto ba yung chix magnet na sinasabi nila.

There are a lot of upcoming students, a lot of them are looking at my direction, I just put my sun glasses on and then followed my mom to the queue.

Habang nakapila napapalingon lingon ako, and then there is someone who caught my eye from the distant. I feel like I know that girl. I was about to approach her when a group of students pass by me. I think mga basketball players yun kasi mas matangkad pa kesa saakin, and then nung nakalampas na sila, wala na si ate. Baka namamalik mata lang ako. Kaya bumalik na lang ako sa likod ni mama.

Eto po ang date ng exam, kelangan po naka white shirt and then pants and shoes, please bring a pen and pencil. Snacks if you need them. Please be on time or as earliest as you can possible.

I just nodded. Anymore questions? I just gestured no. Okay see you and good luck! Next please?

After a long day at Ateneo campus, we went straight home.

Beep. I opened our Viber group. "Ateneo buddies"

Hindi ko kayo nakita dun sa campus. Nakita ko yung chix magnet ni Bea but not her. Or baka ayaw nyo lang magpakita, pasuspense lang kayo eh. – Ponggay

Baket miss nyo na ako agad? Nung nakaraang araw nag sleep over lang tayo sa bahay ah?

Kapal mo naman Bea. Hahaha si Ponggay lang nakakamiss sayo diba Ponggs? 😉 Gandang pogi ba Ponggs? – Jia

*Seen – Ponggay

Deanns, nakapag inquire ka na ba?. – Mich

Di pa, pagbalik ko na lang. – Deanna. Nasa Japan sya now to unwind with her family.

Tok tok tok. Si mama, she swung the door just the right amount para makita ko yung head nya.

Bea, nak, I have a surprise for you. and then she swung the door fully open and my eyes were wide open.

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At dahil may nag vote, maagang update for all.

Kung may nagbabasa man. Haha.

All love!