NOVEMBER PASSED BY QUICKLY. Upon opening their eyes, the children greeted the first day of December with smile and open arms. It's the most awaited month in the whole year. December, to them, only means that Christmas and New Year is coming. Lots of paskwa from their maninays and maninoys.

It was around ten o'clock in the morning and the children, as always, was out their homes. They are all waiting for someone to arrive.

"Dugay pa?" one of them asked. "Tagal naman," reklamo pa nito.

"Be patient," Mary Ellen said. "Hindi naman ikaw ang magiging leader, eh," mataray na sabi nito.

Napatingin sa kaniya ang kaibigang si Khiazel. "Excuse me?" she said, her eyes widening at her friend. "Ako ang magiging leader kaya!"

"Pweh! Hindi 'yan," Mary Ellen replied nonchalantly.

They argued while the rest of them watched them in amusement, obviously having a bet who will win and lose. They'll know later when the person they are waiting for choose a leader.

Dahil malapit na ang pasko at bagong taon, nakasanayan na ng street nila na mag-celebrate kada welcoming of new year. Kada December 31 ay mayroon silang program na ginagagawa. Mayroong palaro, pageant, pasayaw, at kung ano man ang maisipan ng coordinator nila. Ang mga bata ay laging go, kaya ngayong kaka-start pa lang ng Disyembre ay napag-isipan na nilang gumawa ng grupo sa sayaw.

Iba ibang grupo. Nasa ibang grupo ang mga edad 5 hanggang 10, at ibang grupo din ang 10 pataas — nandito sina Khiazel, Mary Ellen, Mark Jun, Aira Marie, Evangelyn, Vince Louise, at iba pang mga sasali. At ang iba ay nasa grupo 5 hanggang 10.

Ngayon ang practice nila sa sayaw hinihintay nalang nila ang magtuturo sa kanila sa pagsayaw, at ang kanta na gagamitin nila ay ang bagong soundtrack ng ABS-CBN para sa pasko, at lahat sila ay excited na.

"Tingin mo ba, sino magiging leader?" tanong ni Marianne Eve sa kapatid na si Ericka.

Nagkibit balikat ang nakababatang kapatid. "Siguro si ate Bait. Magaling siya sumayaw," sagot naman ng kapatid.

Napatango tango si Marianne Eve. "Tingin ko nga rin," aniya. "Pero tagal naman ng trainer. Parang si Bamba lang minsan, eh!" Napasimangot ito.

Humalakhak lang ang kapatid at hindi na nagsalita pa. Habang hinihintay ang magtuturo sa kanila, naglaro muna silang lahat ng riso riso.

Two should hold the edges of the rope and twirl it as the other players jumps inside, either they'll have two or more jumps, as long as they have their jump. Mayroong dalawang sides; ang gwa at sulod. They find the sulod easier than gwa. But those pros — as they call themselves — uses the side gwa. Of course, the song couldn't be missing. Kinakanta nila ang "rosi, rosi" na kanta.

The unlucky ones that lost in their sikop are the ones that are holding the edge of the rope and twirling it. The first one to jump is Vince Louise, and as he jumped, they started singing and other players are howling jokes and such.

"Rosi, rosi, lemon juice..."

"Hinay lang, Wis! Baka masira ang lupa!"

"... spell the name of example!"

And they started chanting the ABC. If ever Vince stepped on the rope and it stops with one letter, he is expected to say any name with that letter. That's one of their rules.

"E! F! G-ggggggggg!" And he failed on the letter and capital G! "Ngalaaaaaan!"

"Go, go, goooooo!"

And they all fell in pit of laughters as they continue to play.

*****