Something Phenomenal

Phenomenal: Twenty Six

Location: Bulacan

Sitting on the passenger seat of Shane's car, I connected my phone to the aux and browse through songs. I could already feel Shane's frown because he knows so well my type of songs.

"Tonight, we are young!" kanta ko. "So let's set the world on fayaaah, we can burn brighter than the sunnnn!"

Napailing si Shane habang nakangiti at nagd-drive paalis sa city. "That song gives me horrible flashback of high school Gabriel kicking other people's ass and making boys cry."

"'Di ba?" I giggled. "I wish I could go back to those moments," I whispered. "It's like I was pulled out of all of it without saying goodbye. I wish I knew when a moment is the last."

"Do you wanna go on a detour?"

Humarap ako sa kanya, nagtataka. "Detour?"

"Did you check the high school group chat?" tanong niya nang nakangisi.

Umiling ako. Matagal na akong hindi nagc-check ng group chats. "Ano'ng meron?"

"May umuwi sa'tin from Canada and they set up a get together with our batch."

And that's what made our first stop. We're gonna gate-crash a lunch get together. Well, not basically gate-crash because we're supposed to be part of it anyway, but since none of us confirmed to attend, we're gonna go in there and crash the heck out of everyone.

The lunch date was held in a garden pavilion in Bulacan, which is one of our batch mates' hometown. We pulled up in a driveway full of greens. Everything is covered in plants. The walls with vines and the gorgeous bougainvillea archway.

"This is so pretty," I told Shane while walking. Ngumiti lang siya. Mukha nanaman siguro akong sira na naa-amaze sa maliliit na bagay. But it's the simple joys that matter, right?

Pumasok kami sa pavilion na may glass roof and panel at dumeretso sa hall kung nasaan sila. Akala ko hindi ko sila makikilala since it's been years mula noong huli ko silang nakita. I wasn't even part of the senior year graduation. But when we arrived, we immediately recognized one another.

"Gabriela!"

And then I stood there, transported to the days of my high school with all the familiar faces and all the familiar voices. Madami ang nagbago, pero madami ding tulad ng dati. Ang maingay nilang boses, ang yakap nila, ang tawanan.

"Bakit siya lang ang binabati niyo? Hindi ba ako kasama dito?" reklamo ni Shane.

Nagtawanan sila then someone nudged him. "Right on time," ngiti nila as though they're expecting the two of us.

Hinila na ako ng mga kasama ko paupo sa table. We're ironically the typical high school class or gang that you'd see. There's the studios people who always ace their grades, the loud and jolly girls who's voices were the constant noise in class, the boys and their love for sports, especially basketball, there's also those who just go with the flow and pretty chill people, then there's the class favorite which is Shane, and bad bitch Gabriel.

They're all matured now from who they were years ago. Some of them were even professionals now, while some were still at school, and some was serious in their relationships. But somehow, there's always this little kid inside of us which shows whenever we are presented of memories from years ago.

The plan to gatecrash, for a reason, wasn't successful, in a good sense. Because it feels like it's just sitting with friends and talking about silly teenage escapades while eating salads, fresh juices, and grilled meat. We're all like "Remember this one time," and then our laugh would fill the air.

"Crush ka pa naman noon ni Jake, Gab."

Napa-paused ako sa pag-inom ng juice. "Really?" nangingiting sabi ko, nakikipagbiruan.

"Kaso patay ako kay Shane nun e," sabi ni Jake sabay tawa.

Napalingon ako kay Shane na nasa kabilang dulo ng mesa, kasama ang mga lalakeng barkada niya dati. Sila 'yong tinutukoy ni Shane na pinaiyak ko, which was an exaggeration of him. Meron lang akong nasuntok sa kanila dahil noong niyaya ko si Shane, ayaw nilang ibigay kasi may basketball game daw sila. Ah, the memories.

"Hoy ano 'yan?" tawag ni Shane na tumatawa din.

"Ilang years na ba kayo?" tanong ng isa sa mga batchmates namin.

Bigla akong natawa. "Matagal na," sabi ko. "Nabighani e."

Na-gets naman agad ni Shane. "Mahal na mahal ko nga 'yan."

And then we laughed and went on with our stories as if it's the most natural thing for Shane and I to be together. Because it's true, we do love each other.

"Nabighani pala ah," ngiti ni Shane habang naglalakad kami palabas ng pavilion bandang hapon.

I stared back at him with a sinister smile on my lips. Nasa tabi kami ng pool and he knows so well kung ano ang tumatakbo sa isip ko, kaya bago ko pa man magawa, lumayo agad siya sa'kin nang naka-taas ang kamay.

"Balak mo akong itulak?"

"Wala akong ginagawa," I told him, pursing my lips to prevent a smile.

Most of my batch mates had no idea that I had relapsed months ago. Mostly think that the bad times were done in high school and I'm in college, still taking films. And somehow, I want it to stay that way. I wanted for my legacy to live on... if there's such thing.

We're already in the car, heading to another destination. Shane's beside me on the driver's seat... he's always beside me, and I don't want to think how much it will hurt him if there comes a time I could no longer walk or sit beside him.

***