Chapter 2: The Letter

"Ohmaygas ang lakas talaga ng tama mo girl!" Sab exclaimed while stabbing the unoffending fishball from the boiling oil. Naikwento ko sa kanila ni Kiko ang nangyari sa library at nagyaya silang kumain muna ng fishball sa Vinzon's bago ko sila ihatid pauwi.

"Badtrip kasi eh, hihiram ng book tapos ide-deface lang. Sarap upakan." I murmured as I poured the sweet-chili sauce on my paper plate.

"Ang weird mo talaga Aya. Asa ka pa na mabasa niya yun no," Kiko said as he stole a fishball from my plate. I threw him a deathglare and he grinned sheepishly before offering me a bite from his pancit canton.

"Kiko kung gusto mo ng fishball dapat yun ang inorder mo." I pouted at him.

He threw his arm around my shoulders, " 'Kaw talaga Aya, ang damot mo. Para fishball lang eh. Eto na nga share ko na sa'yo 'tong pancit canton," he chided me with a laugh. Alam niyang naiinis ako kapag may dumudukot sa pagkain ko kaya lalo niya itong ginagawa.

"Paano kaya kung mag-reply siya sa'yo no? Tapos mag-correspondence kayo through the book. Wow, nakaka-inlove naman! Ayiiie!" Sab repeatedly slapped my shoulder so hard that I choked on my fishball and Kiko gave me his bottle of C2.

"Ano ba Sab, papatayin mo ko? Sabihin mo lang ha, tutusukin na lang kita ng stick nitong fishball para makaganti ako kahit konti!" I glared. "Saka anong kala mo sa 'min, 'Griffin and Sabine'?"

"Bakit hindi? We are young, wild and free!" She laughed heartily and some of the other customers grinned at us. I felt a momentary pang of shame sa ingay ni Sab. I love her to bits pero minsan hindi mapigilan ang kaingayan niya whereas ako naman ay hindi sanay sa maingay.  

"Ayaw mo ba ng summer fling Aya?" she questioned with a mischievous smile.

"Baliw! Baliw ka talaga Sabrina!" I gently shook my head, "Saka love letter yun no so kahit na magreply pa siya sa akin meron na siya agad ibang gusto. Baka ako pa nga dahilan para sagutin siya 'non."

"Dapat pala you would really demand payment," Kiko said "Akalain mo libreng editing tapos sinagot pa siya because of your letter."

"Hay naku guys, umuwi na nga lang tayo at ang wild na talaga ng imagination ninyo." I turned to the ate. "Ate, eto na po yung bayad ko, isang fishball saka isang squidball".

"Eto po yung sa akin." Kiko passed his money to me. "Isang pancit canton, C2 at hotdog."

"Ugh, wala pala akong barya," Sab uttered as she brought out a one thousand peso bill from her wallet.

"Naku Sab dapat pala nilibre mo na lang kami," Kiko joked.

"Sira, baon ko 'to for one week!"

"Ako na nga." I offered and paid the ate. "May utang kang fishball sa akin Sab." I grinned at her. 

Sab winked at me. "Oo na. May bukas pa naman eh."

Naglakad kami papuntang AS parking lot kung saan naka-park ang kotse ko.

"Wag mo na kaya akong ihatid, out of the way. Mapapalayo pa kayo ni Kiko," Sab uttered as I got into the driver's seat of my white 2013 Toyota Celica. I rolled my eyes at her. She lives in Don Antonio while Kiko lives in Dona Faustina. Ako naman ay sa UP Professor's Village in Tandang Sora.

"Loka-loka, ngayon mo pa naisip yan. It's no big deal Sab. Para ka namang others," I replied with a smile. "Sige na, get in kasi sayang yung aircon". Kiko opened the passenger side and squeezed to the backseat. Ito lang ang mahirap sa two-door, yung backseat maliit at effort ang pagpasok at labas sa kotse. 

We got out of the parking lot and drove through the Acad Oval before going out through University Avenue.

"Kelan ba tayo mag-jo-joyride Aya?" Kiko asked.

"O nga, ang tagal na nung pangako mo, since graduation pa tapos hanggang ngayon di pa rin tayo nakaalis." Sab pouted.

"Sus, na-busy nga lang ako kasi adjustment period pa sa Manila," I reasoned out pero ang totoo sobrang takot ako na madikitan ng bus at trucks kaya naman as much as possible ay ayoko mag-drive.

Ilang beses na ngang nagtampo sila Kuya kasi parang di ko daw na-appreciate ang graduation gift nila. Na-gui-guilty tuloy ako kasi ako na nga ang binigyan ng sportscar ay nagmamaganda pa ako at ako pa ang ayaw gamitin ito samantalang ang daming nilalang sa mundo na nangangarap na mag-ka-kotse.

"Seriously Aya, summer naman eh. Wala ka ba balak mag-outing man lang kahit overnight sa weekend?"

"Penge nang pang-gas at toll fee," I muttered and they burst out laughing.

"Sure, yun lang pala!" Sab and Kiko grinned at me.

"Grabe, sobrang na-miss ko kayong dalawa." I felt utterly lost sa UP Manila because most of my batchmates got in sa Diliman. Meron man akong kasama sa unit ko ay hindi ko naman mga ka-close. Being an introvert, matagal bago ako nagkaroon ng routine with my new blockmates and I have made a few friends pero iba pa rin talaga sila Sab and Kiko.

"Pero seriously, wala pa bang nangliligaw sa'yo sa Manila Aya?" Sab questioned me. Ever since the start of the school year ay nangungulit na sa akin si Sab. She's always had a line of suitors kaya nagtataka siya na sa akin ay wala. Sab is a real head-turner. She's only 4'11, petite and has a gorgeous face. Ako naman ay maliit rin, 5'1 lang pero sadyang hindi talaga ako palaayos at palalayas kaya naman wala akong masyadong social life.

"Sab, ilang beses ko bang sasabihin na wala. Kita mo nga nauubos ang buhay ko sa kaka-drive papunta at pauwi sa Manila, paano pa ako magkaka-oras sa ganyan." It's true, minsan nakakauwi na ako by 9PM kahit na 5PM ang last class ko sa sobrang traffic sa Espana.

"Mag-dorm ka na lang kaya?" Kiko said, "Para naman magka-time ka at saka maka-meet ka nang ibang tao."

I shook my head vehemently, "I don't really like the idea of living in a dorm. Saka maprapraning na naman ang mga overprotective kong mga kuya."

"Well, that's true. Mygash, na-imagine ko lang baka mamaya sagasaan pa ni Kuya Alfredo yung mangliligaw sa'yo," she snickered loudly while referring to my older brother who happens to be a race car enthusiast. 

We are six children in the family and I'm the youngest and the only girl. Ako na lang ang nag-aaral aside from dun sa dalawang anak sa labas ni daddy na pareho ring boys and they are also older than me. Yes, my dad has two children out of wedlock at ito ang dahilan ng hiwalayan nila ni mommy. I don't really mind the issue that much anymore since I already forgave Dad and the man already passed away when I was in fourth grade. My brothers and I are cool with our step siblings and they even come over sa house minsan to play basketball or kapag merong may birthday sa amin.    

"Saka Sab, sino naman ang magkakagusto sa akin no? I'm so plain."

"Loka-loka! Tumingin ka nga sa salamin Ayanna! Diosa pa naman ang second name mo, ang ganda-ganda mo kaya. Tanggalin mo lang yang salamin mo at payagan mo akong i-make-over ka para naman magkagulo ang kalalakihan sa CAS."

"Ayan ka na naman eh. Sabi nang wag akong tawaging Diyosa. Nakakapanindig balahibo. Ewww..."

Kiko burst out laughing, "Kasi naman Aya, you're freaking beautiful. Ikaw lang hindi nakakakita."

"Hello? A year ago obese ako di ba? Saka alam mong buong buhay ko eh halos mag-mongha ako sa bahay."

I really hate my name. Hindi ko alam what came over my parents para pangalanan nila akong Ayanna Diosa. C'mon, my whole childhood inaasar ako ng mga classmates ko pagpasok pa lang ng classroom ng 'Ayan na ang diyosa!' o kaya 'aming kamahalan' or sometimes the girls would mutter, 'feeling diyosa talaga'.

When I was ten, I was diagnosed with severe chronic allergies that took seven years of rigid therapy to cure. The combination of elimination diet and drugs made my metabolism suffer at naging obese type 1 ako, not to mention I had to be careful with what I eat and get exposed to. It took a full year para ma-stabilize ulit ang metabolism ko with proper diet and exercise.

"Well tapos na po ang 'yong 7-year sabbatical at panahon na para lumabas ang iyong 'Inner Goddess'", Sab grinned at me and hi-fived with Kiko.

"Patawa ka talaga Sab, anong Inner Goddess ka diyan?"

"Aya, to quote Anna, "It's the first time in forever!" Pwede ka na tumambling sa damuhan, maglakad under the Acacia trees at kumain ng chocolate cake!" hay, naku ipaalala pa ba daw yung panahong parati akong nakapayong kapag naglalakad sa Acad Oval at inggit na inggit sa mga kumakain sa Chocolate Kiss?

"Oo nga Aya, pwede ka na naming imbitahin kapag party without worrying na baka bigla kang magka-anaphylactic shock sa lechon" Kiko laughed.

"Shocks pinaka-epic pa rin yung ginisa. Parang ang saklap ng buhay kapag walang ginisa." Tawa pa rin ng tawa si Sab. Kahit minsan hindi kasi ako sumama sa mga party dahil sa allergies ko in more than forty kinds of food.

"Sadly, hindi na ako exempted sa PE sa field," I sighed.

"Well Aya at least wala na yung food at environmental allergens mo. Di ba kaya nga tiniis mo yung therapy? Ngayon you're free to do what you want. Let's go baby girl!" Sab winked at me.

Argh. It's no use fighting against Sab when she gets her mind on something.

"Whatever, Sab." I muttered defeatedly. We got to her house and lumipat na si Kiko sa front seat para naman hindi ako magmukhang driver.

"Remember summer loving!" she waved at us like a fool before entering the gate of their house. I just rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Seriously Aya, ang ganda mo kaya. You should stop the pity party" Kiko muttered and I groaned.

"Ano ba Kiko, pati ba naman ikaw? I thought you were on my side?"

"Oo naman pero kasi nga hindi naman masama. Enjoy lang din ang life. You're so serious."

"At sino ang nagtatago sa akin against dun sa senior na stalker ko for two years?" I reminded Kiko.

"Iba yun Aya. That guy is freaking creepy. Pababayaan ba naman kita?" He said with a frown.

"Ay naku Kiko, kaya love kita eh." I batted my lashes at him and laughed as we made a turn sa Tandang Sora.

"Aya, don't use your charms on me. Sa iba mo gamitin yang beautiful eyes mo."

"Opo manong"

"Try mo kaya... wala lang. Hiramin mo ulit yung book bukas tapos tignan mo kung sasagot si Mr. Vandal" Kiko said with a mischievous grin.

I rolled my eyes, "Ano ba Kiks, bakit bumalik tayo diyan? Nakakaloka!"

"Wala lang. It won't hurt right?"

His words wound round and round my head all night and the next morning I decided to go and give it a try. I went back to the Main Lib and borrowed the same book from the same cute assistant with the cute dimples.

I really wasn't expecting anything when I turned the pages of the leather bound volume until I got to the correct page and my eyes widened at what I saw.

The love letter was gone and in its place was another letter, this time it was typed and addressed to Library Girl.

Dear. Library Girl,

Imagine my surprise when I read your letter. I deeply apologize for what happened and it wasn't my intention to cause trouble. I am really grateful for what you did and I deserve the harsh words that you left me. Let me make it up to you, okay? Let's meet at the library steps at around 5:30PM today. I will bring a different book on the same subject to compensate for your lost research.

-Prince David Constantino

P.S. Hindi ko ugali ang mag-vandal. That was a first for me. Sorry for all the trouble ulit. 

Oh man, hindi ko in-expect in my wildest dreams ito. I felt a blush creep up to my cheeks. I couldn't help the butterflies that suddenly erupted in my stomach. Syete, nakakaloka pero I couldn't help the smile that burst out of my lips.

A/N:

Griffin and Sabine -  is an epistolary novel by Nick Bantock, published in 1991 by Chronicle Books in the United States and Raincoast Books in Canada. It is the first novel in The Griffin and Sabine Trilogy and was a bestseller in 1991. The story is told through a series of removable letters and postcards between the two main characters and is intended for an adult audience, as some sources describe the artwork as disturbing. (Source: Wikipedia)