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" I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at 3
You're too sweet for me "
It's three in the morning, Colet was still sipping on her glass of whiskey as she sits quietly outside their shared cabin while the others were already fast asleep.
Their group of friends planned a get-together three years after their graduation.
"Hey, bakit gising ka pa?" Aiah was surprised to see Colet sitting alone outside their cabin as she hugs herself with the slight breeze of wind in the wee hours of the morning.
Colet looks back at the girl standing behind her. Still an early riser, she thought to herself.
She signals Aiah to sit beside her.
As the other girl approached Colet, she removed her hoodie and placed it over Aiah as soon as she took a seat beside her.
Aiah chuckled as she fix the hoodie on her, "Nasa'yo pa din pala 'tong hoodie ko. Favorite mo talaga to 'no."
Colet hums in response.
Of course it is.
How can she forget?
She gave Aiah her varsity jacket on the last gameday of her senior year as the team captain of their women's basketball team.
Inaasar pa nga sila ng barkada because her last name was printed at the back and it was supposedly memorable for her since it's their championship jacket.
All she could say was, "Nag-trade lang kami ng hoodie n'ya."
"Bakit gising ka na?" Colet ask as she finished her drink.
"Dinaya mo na naman sila kagabi uminom 'no?" She knew Aiah was not a heavy drinker unlike their other friends.
"I only had 3 bottles of beer, Cols. 'Cause I wanted to go on an early jog after watching the sunrise."
"Ikaw, hindi ka pa ba matutulog? Umaga na."
"Matutulog. After the sunrise."
They sat comfortably beside each other. It was quiet but not awkward.
Colet's thoughts were interrupted with Aiah's loud sigh.
"Ang lalim ah. Anong problema?" Colet asks.
"Wala, I was just thinking, kung hindi pa nag-aya sila Gwen i-celebrate yung birthday ni Shee out of town, hindi pa tayo magkikita-kita."
Colet smiles at the girl beside her, the ever sentimental Aiah.
"Naging busy lang siguro, Aiahkins. Huwag ka na magtampo." Colet smiled sheepishly.
Aiah softly chuckled at the pet name Colet used to call her when they were younger.
"I missed that.." the older girl pouted.
"Alin?"
"You calling me Aiahkins.."
"Silly, nagpapalambing ka lang eh. Lika dito." Colet opens her arms for a hug.
"Hindi ah" she accepts the hug. It warms her more than the hoodie she was wearing.
"Kamusta ka, Cols?"
Colet sighs as she look ahead. The waves near the shore was calmer than her nerves.
Kamusta nga ba sya? After graduating, she took over managing their small family business.
Bahay-trabaho, it became a routine for her. Just like the old times if she was being honest.
University, varsity practice, repeat. Halos sa school na nga ata sya nakatira before. She was used to being occupied with stuff all the time, kaya sanay na sya.
Being with her friends was her breather.
"I'm good. Ako na nagma-manage ng firm with my siblings. Nag-retire na si Dad."
"Engineer Vergara. Akalain mo yun no, team captain na, academic achiever pa! Kaya ang dami nagkaka-gusto sayo nung college eh!" Aiah teases the other girl.
Colet laughs heartily at what Aiah said. She recalls how her friends were always proud of her.
"..and I don't get it why you were jealous" she whispers and hopes Aiah didn't hear her.
Aiah gasp. "Ang kapal! I was not jealous!" she blushes as she recalls those times.
"Do you remember telling them may girlfriend na ako so they will stop inviting me out? Sino nga ulit yung girlfriend ko?"
"I just said that kasi lagi ka dinudumog ng fan girls mo sa practice. If I know, gusto mo naman." Aiah rolls her eyes at Colet.
Colet shakes her head as she remember those days.
They look ahead as the sun rises in front of them.
They were engrossed at the sunrise that they did not heard the door of their cabin opens.
The woman slowly approached them wrapping her arms at Aiah.
"Good morning love, ang aga nyo naman magising dalawa." Maloi placed kiss on top of her girlfriends head.
"Hey, goodmorning. Bakit gising ka na, love?"
"Naalimpungatan lang ako, pag tingin ko sa tabi ko wala ka na pala"
"Good morning din sayo, Loi" Colet breaks the moment between the two as they are engrossed in their little bubble.
"Good morning bestfriend!" she laugh at Colet's remarks and sides hug her bestfriend.
Colet stands and walk in front of their shared room.
"I'll make coffee for us before I jog, love. Cols, ikaw, you want one?" Aiah stood up helping tagging her girlfriend with her.
She looks back at the two before she enters the room, "Yes please, make it black. Thanks, Aiah."
Aiah stares at her girlfriend with confusion. "Since when has your best friend drank her coffee black?"