Wicker's standing at his room's window, looking outside. Salubong ang kilay niya at naiinis. He's talking to his mom over the phone.

"No, Wicker!"

"But mom! Ang sabi mo noon, kapag nakatagal ako rito you'll give me my car! I stayed here for almost a couple of weeks," he whined and reminded his mom over what they'd talked about.

"I didn't say anything like that. I said if you can give me results that you're changing even if it's a little . . . that's the time I'll give you your car as your reward. Understood?"

His tongue clicked, throw his head back and sighed. "I'm getting a triple punishment than what I have expected," he murmured.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, mom. What results do you wanna see so I could give it to you immediately?" He wanted to rush it, means that his car is everything to him.

"A good grade, no trouble and spend time with your dad," his mom listed. She doesn't want to be unfair, may karapatan pa rin ang ama ni Wicker sa kanya kahit pa gusto nitong ipagdamot siya mula rito.

"What? I can't do the third one! Mom, pinahihirapan mo naman ako," reklamo niya.

"Then no car. Madali lang akong kausap, big guy!" He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "At isa pa, kailan ka pa naging mareklamo ng ganyan, ha?"

May isang salita ang ina niya, kapag may sinabi itong mga bagay para sa kanya ay iyon ang masusunod. Para na rin naman sa kapakanan niya ang ginagawa niyang paghihigpit dito.

"How about Selyo? I need him here!"

Matagal nang naninilbihan si Selyo sa kanila. Mas tinuturing pa niya itong malapit na kapamilya kumpara sa kanyang ama. Kahit pa minsan ay tinatakasan at pinaghihintay niya ito sa wala.

"No Selyo," sagot nito. "Naalala mo kung ano ang ginawa mo sa tao noong nakaraan? He'd waited for you the whole day at the downtown! Malaking probinsya ang Fawnbrook alam mo ba 'yon? Nakakahiya na kay Selyo ang mga pinaggagagawa mo," dagdag na sermon nito.

"Okay, okay. I'll do everything but I can't promise the third one." He snorted. He raked his fingers through his hair and massage his temples. Bakit ba siya pinarurusahan ng ganito?

Her mom ended the call. She had given him enough allowance than she used to gave him before. Kaya hindi alam ni Wicker kung saan siya kukuha ng panggastos sa mga gusto niyang bilhin. His dad also giving him extra allowance and he just declining it. If it is anything coming from his dad . . . he will never take it.

He lit up his cigarette. He open the wide window in front of him and exhaled deeply.

Hindi pa rin sumusuko ang ama niya na kausapin siya at pagsilbihan sa t'wing nasa bahay ito. Ang gusto lang naman nito ay bumawi sa kanya. Siya lang naman itong walang kapaki-pakialam mula rito. He doesn't care about his dad even if he had a hard time winning his heart.

"Wicker, are you busy?"

Napalingon siya mula sa saradong pintuan. He heard his dad outside his room.

He sipped his cigarette. "I'm tired dad. I don't wanna talk!"

"Olly is here! He's waiting for you down the living room."

Kumunot ang noo nito at nagtaka. "Ano'ng ginagawa ng kupal na 'yon dito?" bulong niya sa sarili at dinikdik ang sigarilyo mula sa ashtray nito.

He opened the door and go downstairs. Nakita niya roon si Olly na nakaupo sa couch at naghihintay na may dalang maliit na box, nakasupot pa ito. Balot na balot ito ng mahabang coat, makapal na pantalon at boots.

"Olly, do you want anything?" tanong ng ama ni Wicker kay Olly.

"I'm okay, tito Patrick," tugon nito.

Lumapit si Wicker kay Olly. "What are you doing here? How do you know that I am here?" agad na tanong niya, medyo naiinis.

"You're not my dude if I don't know where to find you. I have connections." He spread his arms on the backrest habang naka-de quatro pa. "Ganyan mo ba itrato ang mga taong bumibisita sa 'yo?" Tumaas ang gilid ng labi nito.

"Sabagay, aso ka nga pala, naaamoy mo kung nasaan ako. By the way, ano'ng sadya mo?"

Olly held his hand and pull him to sit beside him. "Kailan mo pa naisipang tumira kasama ang dad mo?" he whispered to his ear.

Wicker released a habituated sigh. "As if I am liking living with him. Mom sent me here when the time we got caught driving underage in the middle of the night, remember? Kaya ngayon, nagdudusa ako rito," inis nitong k'wento.

"I know. Well, wala na naman tayong magagawa, naririto ka na. Tiisin mo na lang muna for now, soon makakabalik ka rin sa club at maibabalik mo na rin ang dati mong buhay. Did Catherine know where you are? Alam mo, napakakulit niyang girlfriend mo, panay ang tanong sa akin pati na kay Migo! She keeps on bugging me as if we have no life to deal with too."

"Did you say that I am here?"

Umiling ito sa kanya. "Not yet, gusto mo bang sabihin ko?"

Wicker frowned and quickly shook his head. "No. Of course not. Ayokong puntahan niya ako rito, kilala mo naman 'yon, baka mamaya magpabalik-balik pa iyon dito."

"So, kumusta ka naman dito?"

"I'm okay with everything not until I got home and see my dad," he said, irritated. Pinanatili nilang mahina ang usapan nila.

"Pagtiyagaan mo na lang muna," Olly said while putting his freezing hands in his pocket. "Totoo palang malamig dito, ano?"

Pinagmasdan ni Wicker si Olly na suot ang makapal na coat. "Hindi bagay 'yang suot mo sa 'yo. Mukha kang nag-aalok ng insurance. Hindi fit sa personality mong tarantado," he joked.

Na-butt hurt siya sa sinabi ni Wicker. "Ang sakit mo naman magsalita." And then he held his phone. "Sandali nga lang at matawagan si Catherine." He faked calling someone over the phone.

Wicker quickly pull his phone off of his ear. "I was just joking. You seemed a well-respected man," pagbabago nito sa sinabi niya kanina kahit hindi naman iyon ang tunay na dating ni Olly.

"Ang galing mong mag-joke, 'no? Bakit hindi ka kaya mag-singer?"

Saka sila naghagikhikan doon.

They missed each other for sure. Alam na alam ni Wicker kung ano ang mga karakas ng kaibigan niyang 'to. They were classmates and childhood friends since elementary with Migo. Masyado lang busy ito sa paragliding business nila sa Bellmoral kaya hindi ito gaanong nakakasama sa kanila.

"By the way, Wick, I have something for you." Kinuha ni Olly ang box mula sa gilid niya at ibinigay ito kay Wicker. "Alam kong miserable ka ngayon, kahit papaano gusto ko namang sumaya ka."

Pinagmasdan ni Wicker ang box na binigay niya. "Ano naman 'to?"

"Why don't you open it?"

Nang buksan niya ang kahon na iyon ay bumungad sa kanya ang isang collector's edition na laruang kotse. "E-chariot Chevorlet Camaro ZL1? What the fuck, Olly? Seryoso ka? Where did you find this?" Hindi makapaniwala si Wicker na hawak-hawak na niya ang isa sa mga car toy collection na gustung-gusto niya. Bagong-bago pa ito.

It's one of the set in four different diecast car toys. He had the other two with green and blue and add this yellow one to his collections. Isa na lang at mabubuo na niya ang set na matagal na niyang gustong makumpleto.

"I bought it! Look, it's still MISB! Bagong-bago pa 'yan," he said. MISB or Mint in Sealed Box is an item that is brand new and the box is still sealed with manufacturer's tape.

Wicker still mesmerized by the box of the toy. Sinusuri at binabasa niyang maigi ang mga nakasulat doon. Kumikinang ito sa mga mata niya. Kanina pa hindi mapigilan ang mga ngiti sa labi niya. Olly definitely put Wicker's boredom life to a happy one.

"You bought this? Where? I thought this is a collector's limited edition and it was sold out 'til it got released."

Olly cocked a brow. "I said, I have connections." May pagmamayabang sa boses niya.

"I'm so thankful you had your connections. May silbi ka naman pala minsan. Babayaran ko 'to kapag nakabalik na ako sa Bellmoral."

"No need, Wick. It's yours, para naman happy ka rito."

"Mahal ba ang bili mo rito?"

Tumango si Olly sa kanya. "Yup. I pay for it ten times at its original price. Napakahirap palang maging bisyo ang pangungulekta ng ganyan. Sasali ka pa talaga sa bidding para lang d'yan."

"Bidding? Mabuti't nalaman mo kung sa'n ang auction nito. How did you know that this one is what I can't have on the set? Saktong-sakto 'to para makumpleto ko ang set ng E-chariot."

"Pa'nong hindi ko malalaman, kapag magkasama tayo panay ang k'wento at pagmamayabang mo sa akin ng mga car toy collections mo. Kahit alam mong hindi naman ako interesado r'yan."

"At least you know what I like. Thanks again with this."

"Anything, dude!" He smiled.