"Sigurado ka bang wala ka nang nakakalimutan?" I heard Ingrid ask.
I turned to smile at her. "Oo. Sinunod ko naman 'yung nasa listahan ng girlfriend ko," I replied. "Bakit ka nand'yan, ayaw mo bang pumasok? Let's just leave the door open."
She shook her head. "Hindi na, baka pakialaman ko pa kung anu-ano ang mga gamit na dadalhin mo. Alam mo naman ako, may pagka-stage girlfriend."
I laughed. "Halika na. If you want to pack my bags for me, do it. I love it when you take care of me. I don't mind having you pack for me."
She smiled pushing away from the doorframe but the smile disappeared from her face immediately when she saw what I had laid down on my bed.
"That's the bag you'll be using?" she asked.
I nodded. "Oo. Kasya naman na siguro sa backpack ko 'yung mga gamit na dadalhin ko dahil dalawang araw lang naman 'yun."
"Where will you put your polos?"
"Dito rin."
"But they'll get wrinkled."
"Papagpagin ko na lang pagdating doon sa hotel. Dati nga nilalagay lang ni Yaya 'yung uniform ko sa pagitan ng kama at 'yung foam kapag napuputulan kami ng kuryente at hindi s'ya makapagplantsa."
"Don't tell me, ilalagay mo sa ilalim ng foam 'yung mga damit mo pagdating mo doon sa hotel? Your roommate will probably think you're weird."
I laughed. "H'wag ka nang mag-alala, ako na kasi ang bahala."
"Teka lang, may trolley bag ako na maliit sa itaas. Don't worry, it's white and not pink," she added before she ran out of my bedroom.
I followed her until she ran up the stairs. "Ingrid, dahan-dahan sa pag-akyat," I called out.
I heard someone laugh and I turned to find Tita Isabel smiling at me. "You sound just like my husband," she remarked. "Bakit tumakbo sa itaas ang girlfriend mo?"
"May ipapahiram daw po s'yang trolley bag sa akin, Tita."
"Ay, oo nga pala, bukas na alis mo para sa ISYC, 'di ba?"
"Opo."
"Teka lang, I have something for you. D'yan ka lang, Aleph, ha, may kukunin lang ako."
"Okay po."
A minute later my girlfriend's mother was back with different sizes of shopping bags in tow.
"Here..." She handed them to me. "When we were out shopping ay ipinamili kita. Don't worry, I am sure you'll like them, your Kuya Fire and Ate Ice helped me choose these clothes. I learned from Ingrid na nag-birthday ka na pala. Sayang kasi hindi ka man lang namin naipaghanda n'un. We would love any excuse to celebrate."
"Naipaghanda naman po ako nina Yaya at Kuya Delfin noon, Tita..." I said.
"Oo sayang, kung sana nandito ka na n'un, we could have celebrated your birthday with your Yaya and Kuya. I'll help you carry these to your room."
"Thank you po, Tita. Parang ang dami naman po yata..."
"Ikaw naman, just indulge me. I have always wanted a son kaya lang puro babae naman ang anak ko. I had fun buying these for you."
"What are those?" Ingrid was back with the trolley.
"I bought Aleph belated birthday gifts."
"Wow, really?"
"Yes."
"Aw, Mommy, thank you po..." my girlfriend said hugging her mother around the waist. "Ang bait-bait talaga ng Mommy ko."
