Chapter Text
~~~~~❆~~~~~
pororo 05:11 PM
what do you mean you got back together with him??
naenaë 05:12 PM
We talked
And he swore he will never do it again
It's all good
😊😊
“Nandyan si Mommy mo?”
Aiah looked up from her phone screen when she heard one of her friends ask, looking past them and towards the garage doors where she could see the back of a car through the small glass panel.
Their friend, Stacey, parked her car on the driveway and the four of them stepped out, gaping curiously at the garage.
Gweneth– their other friend– went as far as peering through the glass panel, squinting her eyes to see which car was inside. “Hala, oo nga. It’s your Mom’s car.”
“Oh?” Aiah looked through the panel as well. “And it looks like kanina pa siya.”
“That’s new,” Maloi commented, smiling bemusedly at them.
She couldn’t blame her friends from being this surprised, not that they were overreacting in any way. Her parents were busy people, handling their family business took most of their time so the presence of any of their cars tucked within the garage before 4PM was a rare sight to behold.
It hadn’t been any different to Aiah, who spent most of her days at school or over at a friend's house because their home was always empty ever since her brother had moved to a condo with his wife, now she was often left alone in a big house with far too many rooms and space with no one to talk to most of the time unless her friends come over and hangout with her.
“Let’s go,” she gestured to the front door. “Pasok muna kayo.”
The three girls followed her inside and they all exchanged glances when they saw that all the lights were on, there was the aromatic scent of food floating in the air from the kitchen, and there was this soft jazz music playing all over the living room instead of the usual silence or the sound of the vacuum cleaner whenever the housekeepers were working.
Huh.
Her mother, Miranda Arceta, sat on one of the breakfast stools by the kitchen counter while typing away on her laptop, eyeglasses perched on her nose. She was obviously cooking something on the stove while she worked on her computer. The woman looked up from the screen and smiled upon seeing them. “Oh. Hi, girls. Nandito na pala kayo.”
“Mom,” Aiah rushed over to her mother and gave her a hug. “You’re home early today.”
The other girls followed suit in a chorus of “Hello po, Tita M!” as her Mom gave them all each a quick hug before they scattered all over the living room like it was their house. It might as well be, for how often they were in this house ever since they all met in high school.
Aiah set her sleepover bag on the floor and studied the screen of her mother’s laptop. “Working?”
“Well,” the woman turned to her and took off her eyeglasses. “If you must know, I’m booking everything we need for our holiday trip to New York.”
A frown born out of confusion formed in between her eyebrows, she noticed her friends pausing when they heard it, too. “Wait, you’re serious about that trip?”
“Oo naman,” her mother looked at her like she was being crazy. “Didn’t we talk about it before?”
“Yeah, Mom. Like… two months ago.” Aiah counted in her head and nodded. “When you met your friend… um, Tita Miriam? But I didn’t think you and Dad were really going to take her offer!”
“Sa New York kayo magpapasko, Tita?” Maloi asked from the couches, eyebrows high on her forehead.
“Yes, hija.” Her mother replied, then turned to Aiah with a pointed look. “You’re coming with us, young lady.”
Her phone chimed from a new Discord notification but Aiah ignored it for now– her online friend could wait– her mother, though, will not. “Mommy naman…” She began, giving her best puppy dog eyes that she knew had never failed her before. “You know Rico wanted me to spend Christmas Eve with him and his family for their annual holiday gala, right?”
“Honey,” her Mom gave her that look, the one she gave Aiah whenever she did something they disapproved of but didn’t have the heart to tell her so– especially whenever it involved her boyfriend Rico. “You did that last year and…” The woman sighed, exasperated. “Ngayon lang kami makakapagbakasyon ng matagal ng Daddy mo, don’t you want to spend it with us?”
Aiah looked away, knowing she couldn’t answer it. Of course she would love to spend the holidays with them– but all the way to New York City? Where everything would be freezing during that time?
Besides, she and Rico just patched things up again after that big fight they had. Aiah didn’t have the heart to tell him she wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas Eve with him. The thought of her boyfriend reminded her of that dinner date they would be having later on that night, it was the reason why she asked her friends to drop her back home just so she could have time to prepare and dress up.
Her moment’s hesitation told her mother everything she couldn’t say so the woman let out a sigh. “I’m not taking that as a no, I’ll let you think about it for now. May ilang weeks pa naman before we have to go, okay?”
Aiah pursed her lips, giving a small nod before her mother turned away to check on the stove. Her friends were all looking at her over their phones, not at all pretending they weren’t listening to the argument she had with her mother just now.
How am I supposed to tell Rico that my parents wanted me to go with them to New York for Christmas? He would think this was them sabotaging their only time together for the holidays. The guy already had ideas that her parents weren’t all too fond of him.
Something he was completely right about.
When Aiah first told her Mom and Dad two years ago that she had started dating someone ten years older than she was, her parents were instantly concerned even when Aiah couldn’t see anything wrong with dating someone like Rico.
Juan Frederico Santillan the Third came from a long line of successful real estate investors whose family name alone carried weight in the business world. Well-educated, handsome and pretty much every girl’s dream. She met him when she and her friends were checking out this new club in the city and they hit it off right away. Soon, they were going on dates and he’d always invite her to dinner parties as his plus one.
People stared and talked behind their backs, but Rico kept reminding her that there would be people who’d be envious of what they have but there was nothing those people could do about it because they love each other.
It had been two years yet her parents still haven’t warmed up to the idea of them being together at all.
Aiah went to the couches where her friends were seated, all of them were giving her sympathetic looks. Maloi went as far as cuddling her arm to comfort her. “Samahan mo na sila, Aiah.” The shorter girl said quietly just so her mother wouldn’t hear. “You know how rare na magbonding kayo as family lately, ‘di ba? I’m sure Rico will understand naman…”
“Will he?” Gwen questioned, her arms crossed and eyebrows arched on her forehead. “You know how he gets kapag hindi nasusunod gusto niya.”
Stacey shrugged. “And then what, mag-aaway na naman kayo? Break up and then ikaw din magsosorry for not understanding his situation?”
“Girls,” Aiah huffed defeatedly. “Pati ba naman kayo?”
“Look,” Gwen gave her a solemn stare. “He had been the perfect guy the first few months but, Aiah, don’t you see the pattern in your relationship? His toxic behaviors? No?”
She raised her hands, halting the conversation at once. “I am not having this conversation again, okay?”
“Okay, girl. Your choice, we’ll just be here kapag sinaktan ka na naman ng lalaking ‘yan.” Stacey stood up, but when she looked over at Aiah, her scowl softened before she wrapped her arms around her. “I mean it. Also, if this dinner date of yours gets boring, you know we’ll be at the club lang. Just give us a call.”
Aiah nodded. “Thanks, girls.”
Her friends stood up one by one, hugging her goodbye then her mother before she walked them to the door, waiting until Stacey’s car disappeared down the street. When Aiah returned inside, she sat on the counter to watch her mother cook, trying to compose a speech as to why they should let her stay in the Philippines instead of taking her along with them to an icy place somewhere north of New York City.
“Mom–”
The laptop screen on the kitchen island lit up and began to ring, notifying them both of an incoming Skype call from one Miriam Lim.
“Honey, can you please answer it for me?” Her mother said, quickly turning off the stove. “Baka si Tita Miriam mo ‘yan.”
“It is.” Aiah said. She jumped off the counter to sit on the breakfast stool, turning the laptop around for her to answer and the call immediately went through.
A woman in her mid-fifties appeared on the screen, sitting in a beautiful home. She blinked when she realized it was Aiah in the video call with her. The woman squinted at the screen. “Maraiah, is that you?”
“Uh… hello po, Tita Miriam,” Aiah greeted, suddenly feeling shy.
“Oh, my goodness! Look at you,” Tita Miriam beamed at the screen. “You've grown, sweetheart. And beautifully, too!”
She felt herself blush from the woman's compliment. “Hala… thank you po.”
Her mother laughed as she washed some kitchenware on the sink.
“Where’s your mother?” Tita Miriam asked.
“I'm here! Hinuhugasan ko lang mga pinaglutuan ko, just give me a minute.”
“Well, Maraiah,” the woman on the screen asked. “How are you?”
Aiah gave the woman a quick rundown on her life. That she’d just finished her undergrad and some snippets of what she’d been up to lately.
As she was speaking, she heard the sound of doors being pushed open from Tita Miriam's side, followed by a voice she hadn’t heard before. “Mom? Why are you up so early?”
The woman turned and her face lit up. “Mikhaela! You've come just in time, anak. I'm just talking to your old friend here. Remember Maraiah, ‘yung kalaro mo noong nasa ‘Pinas pa tayo?”
Aiah couldn’t hear what the other girl was saying out of the frame but it was clear she didn't want to be seen.
“Aw, come on. Mikha,” Tita Miriam gave her daughter a pointed look before she turned the laptop around to show the girl.
Mikha turned away quickly, black hoodie up. “Jeez, Mom! I don’t want to–” before she ducked out of some hallway and disappeared.
Tita Miriam clucked in dismay, returning the camera to herself. “You'll have to forgive my daughter, sweetheart. She's just been on a four-hour drive from her campus to get here for the semester break.” She explained fondly. “Mikha tends to get a little cranky after a long drive.”
“I'm really not!” The girl disagreed from the background, voice faint and distant. It made Tita Miriam laugh.
“That's okay, Tita.” Aiah replied, not at all minding it. She was already unprepared for having to talk to her mother’s best friend, facing her old childhood friend was the last thing she wanted to deal with now. “I’m sure she's tired from it.”
“Okay, I'm here.” Her mother finally finished what she was doing and had sat back on her chair. “A four hour drive? That's a long one. Saan na pala nag-aaral si Mikha ngayon?”
“MIT,” Tita Miriam said with absolute pride. “Her dream school.”
“Oh, my!” Her mother beamed. “Such a great one.”
She's always been smart, that girl. Aiah thought, recalling those times when they were children and how Mikhaela used to always spit some random facts about the solar system and the universe and how much she wanted to be an astronaut one day, so it hadn’t been surprising to know that the girl would end up in such a school as ambitious as MIT.
“Nakakuha siya ng full scholarship by playing women's soccer for the varsity, actually.”
Her mother nodded, utterly impressed. “Smart and active. I knew that kid would go places someday.”
“What about you, Maraiah?” Tita Miriam turned her attention to her. “Any plans on pursuing an MA for your degree?”
Aiah straightened up. “I just graduated from my bachelor's in Architecture, Tita. I'm looking into getting my MA right after.”
“She's being modest,” her mother piped in. “She actually received an acceptance letter from Boston University just recently. Ewan ko ba at hindi pa nakakapagdecide.”
“Hey, Boston U have the best programs in Architecture!” The woman on the screen pointed out. “And it’s pretty close to MIT so you will have a friend nearby should you decide to study there.”
Maraiah smiled and nodded politely even when she still had so many reservations about going all the way to Massachusetts to study, and before the topic about her could go any farther, Aiah stood up from her chair. “Mom, I should probably go upstairs to get ready.”
“Oh, may lakad ka?” Her mother asked. “Nagluto ako ng ulam. Kumain ka na diyan, sweetheart!”
“Um, actually,” Aiah cleared her throat as she stood. “I'm going out for dinner with Rico, Mom.”
Her Mom just sighed and waved her off. “Okay, hon.”
Aiah waved at Tita Miriam on the screen before she walked away towards the stairs to the upper floors.
“Boyfriend, I'm guessing?” She heard the woman ask.
Her mother sighed loud enough for her to hear. “Yes, unfortunately.”
“Thank God I didn't have a problem with my Mikha with that. Though, I'm getting worried she doesn't seem to show interest in anyone...”
Their voices faded as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom, letting out all her frustrations in one breath. Her phone chimed along the way.
pororo 5:47 PM
you're too good for him
pororo 5:53 PM
u okay?
Aiah smiled, because even though this person didn't know her in real life, she could tell that her Discord friend really cares about her.
And she really trusted her. Pororo had been the only person she knew she could vent to without being judged.
naenaë 5:54 PM
Just that my mom and her friend were talking about colleges again
But I’m okay!
Thank you 🩵
pororo 5:54 PM
what are u doing rn?
naenaë 5:55 PM
I have to get ready for my dinner with R
pororo 5:55 PM
oh
okay
enjoy ur night then
She stared at the app, waiting for her friend to add more but it seemed that that was it so Aiah typed back a quick reply.
naenaë 5: 58 PM
Thanks! 🩵
Maraiah set her phone aside on her way to the closet– she has a date to prepare for.
~~~~~❆~~~~~
Maraiah stared at the glass of wine that stood in front of her, not knowing what she was doing there exactly.
What was supposed to be a dinner date for her and her boyfriend was actually a group hangout between him and his old college friends, so there she was, surrounded by people a decade older than she was.
“No, actually– that's not how I remember that!” Rico's girl best friend, Megan, exclaimed– giving the guy an affectionate slap on his arm. “You were drunk as hell, how’d you possibly remember that??”
“But I do!” He argued good-naturedly, and everyone on the table bellowed in laughter.
Aiah forced a smile, hoping it was convincing enough, even though she had no idea what they were talking about since it was back from when Rico and his friends were still in college– which was about ten years ago by now.
She reached for her flute glass and took a long sip of her wine, drowning the feeling of being out of place in a dinner that was supposed to be just for the two of them. Aiah almost couldn’t believe that was possible, except it was a common occurrence when the guy was within his friends.
What do you expect? Her subconscious asked. He and his friends seemed like they were in a totally different generation compared to her– different circles, different college experiences… She had no idea what they mostly talked about so the only thing she could do was sit, listen and smile until Rico gave her a second of his attention.
This whole time, she couldn’t help but think about what her own friends must be doing at the moment. They should be heading to the club by now, if they weren’t there already. Aiah was supposed to go with them as they all planned but when she and Rico reconciled yesterday, he had sprung this dinner date on her and hadn’t even mentioned his friends were going to be there as well.
Now she felt like she had failed not only from being a girlfriend who’d get along with the people her boyfriend likes hanging out with, she had also failed to be a good friend to the ones who had been there for her for almost half her life.
“Right?” she heard Rico suddenly ask, gesturing grandly with his arms.
Aiah put on her best smile and nodded, playing along to whatever he said while her mind was a million miles away.
He put his hand on the table between their plates and Aiah immediately reached to take it, only for him to pull it off her grasp, giving her hand a pathetic pat before laughing at some stupid joke some guy across the table had said.
Nobody seemed to have noticed it at all, not even Rico, but the humiliation buried deep into her being. Megan shot her a pained glance but that was it. Aiah sighed heavily, biting her lip in frustration.
Their laughter rang into her ears, as if mocking, even though they weren’t exactly paying any attention to her at all– a reminder that she didn’t belong with them in the first place.
Worst part is, the only person she knew in this table and had thought would never make her feel left out was not even aware he was doing it yet again.
Rico leaned close to her ear, whispering, “Could you at least pretend you’re having a bit of a great time?”
Wow.
Just wow.
Aiah blinked at him in disbelief, pulling her phone out of her purse and shooting a quick text in their group chat asking if they could come and pick her up. Then she stood up, her chair screeching faintly on the marble floor of the restaurant but it was enough to halt the conversation on the table. She gave all of his beloved friends the sweetest smile she could muster at the time. “Excuse me.”
With that, Aiah left the table and walked to the direction of the bathroom without looking back. Keep it in, Maraiah. No crying.
And she did. Aiah leaned on the sink, hands clutching the marble edges tight as if that was enough to keep her grounded while she blinked up at the ceiling in hopes her tears would go away.
God, I’ve never felt so shitty in my life… she thought, taking deep calming breaths to compose herself.
Then her phone chimed from her purse.
Maloi 8:47 PM
We’re almost there ☺️
Aiah let out a breath of relief, washing her hands quickly before drying them, leaving the safety of the bathroom then back into the outside world. Her steps faltered for a second on her way out when she saw Rico heading right towards her– no doubt to pick her up because she was taking too long– but she caught herself in time and managed to steel herself for the incoming argument that was sure to come.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” He demanded, hastening his pace to catch up to her.
“Leaving.” She replied curtly.
He seemed stunned and offended by that single word. “What–”
Aiah didn’t stop to listen. She kept walking until they reached the parking area which was more empty and dimmed, praying her friends would make an appearance any second.
“Maraiah,” Rico caught her arm and yanked, making her stumble backwards. “Stop being such a brat.”
“Brat? Me?” She pointed at herself, triggered.
“Yes, you!” He answered, an edge to his voice. “Why are you acting out like this?”
Oh, he really had no idea? Aiah gaped at him. “Acting out? I’m not acting out and I’m certainly not being a brat!”
“You’ve been like this ever since we arrived, it’s ridiculous. You’re being ridiculous.” Rico began to pace, hands gesturing like he was in a boardroom but he was looking at her like she was nothing more than a petulant child. He pointed to the restaurant. “Those are my friends and you were being fucking rude– Do you know that? While they were being nice to you!”
Aiah scoffed. “They’re nice people and I like them, I just didn’t like how you keep on leaving me out whenever we were anywhere with them. It’s–”
“You’re the one being weird and sulky the whole time!” He retorted. “It’s so childish–”
“Wow, you didn’t even try to include me–”
“Oh, come on!”
“You didn’t even look at me while you’re being so damn playful with Meg–”
“Oh, not this shit again!” Rico shouted, face going red. “Best friend ko ‘yon, what am I supposed to do– ignore her?”
“You’re doing a damn great job doing it to me! Kanina mo pa ako hindi pinapansin na parang wala ako sa tabi mo–”
“Fuck you and your stupid attention-seeking–”
Aiah shook her head. She couldn’t even process what she was hearing at the moment. “You dropped my hand.”
“What?? I don’t–” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “What are you even talking about now?! I don’t know what you’re saying. You’re making shits up! I’m just trying to catch up with my friends and we were having a great time– suddenly you’re all acting up and spouting shits I don’t even remember doing.” He looked at her with a deep frown, looking all hurt and wounded. “Now you’re attacking me like– God, I didn’t even do anything wrong!”
Air seemed to have been sucked out of her body from what he said. Guilt began to form on the back of her mind. Was I making it all up? What if he didn’t mean to do it? Aiah was starting to feel goddamn stupid about this whole thing.
“You’re always making me feel like this… l-like I’m a child or something.” She muttered. Here they were again, Rico berating her for doing and feeling something he didn’t approve of– that she was being petulant and overreacting.
“Maraiah,” he stared at her, shaking his head. “I don’t think I’m making you feel that way, no. You’re making yourself feel that way– literally over something that I didn’t even fucking do! This always happens, all the fucking time! It’s crazy stupid! You’re making this night all about you again! It’s– you’re so fucking selfish!”
Aiah turned away, swallowing her emotion but her eyes burned from barely holding back her tears. Her chest was getting heavier with every word that came out of his mouth while he rattled on and on about everything he thought she was doing wrong.
Only the sound of angry honking shut him up. Aiah looked up to see Stacey’s car pulling up into the parking lot, all her friends peeking out of the windows glaring daggers over at her boyfriend.
Maloi came out of the backseat and took her arm, dragging her back to the car and away from him. “Let’s go.”
“Fucking go then!” Rico fumed. “Run off with your stupid immature friends like you always do!”
“Fuck you, asshole!” Stacey shouted from behind the wheel.
Aiah hopped into the backseat with Maloi right behind her, shutting the door close just as Rico was marching over to their direction. “Let’s just go, please.” She said quietly, throat closing up along with the falling of her tears. “I don’t want to be here anymore…”
“Open the goddamn door!” He yelled, pulling at the backseat door handles angrily but Stacey had already started the car. “Bitch–”
Gwen, who had been quiet this whole time, gave him the middle finger before the car finally rolled out of the restaurant driveway. His muffled shouting faded behind them soon enough.
“Here, drink something.” Stacey placed another glass on the table in front of her.
Aiah didn’t know how long they had been at the club but none of them had gotten up from their booth to dance and have fun because her friends would rather console and keep her company, she hadn’t stopped crying ever since they left the restaurant.
Maloi brushed her hair off her face, dabbing her cheeks with a fresh paper napkin. “Let it all out. Just… ilabas mo lang ‘yan.”
Stacey took a long gulp from the bottle of beer she was nursing. It was the first thing she asked for the moment they arrived at the club, still fuming from what they witnessed. “I swear to God, if I ever see that guy again– hmp! Patawarin na lang ako ni God talaga.”
“Same, it won’t be pretty.” Gwen muttered, jaw clenching. Her gaze softened when she looked over at their friend. “I’m sorry, Aiah.”
Maraiah sniffled on Maloi’s lap, who had been running her hand through her hair to soothe her. “I’m sorry I– I ruined your night…”
“No, no, don’t think about that,” Maloi murmured to her. “I’m glad na tinext mo kami agad.”
Thankfully, the club was crowded and far too loud for anyone to pay attention to them. The floor vibrating beneath them coming from the music being played by tonight’s DJ, urging almost everyone to be on their feet and dance their hearts out on the floor while she was there, being so damn miserable.
Her phone chimed for the hundredth time since they left Rico standing outside the restaurant. He had left dozens of messages, demanding her to answer or come back, cursing her, then apologizing for everything he said only for him to get angry again when she didn’t respond. Gwen took her phone away from her to prevent her from answering out of instinct. The only reason they hadn’t blocked him from her contacts yet was because she wouldn’t unlock the phone for them.
Gwen glanced at the screen. “Ano na naman bang… sino ‘tong ‘Pororo’ na nagchat?”
Aiah looked up when she heard the name, sniffling. “She’s my online friend.”
“‘She’?” Maloi questioned.
“Is this the same one you always mention?” Stacey asked. “The one you met through Minecraft years ago?”
“Yeah.” She nodded faintly. Gwen handed the phone when she tried to reach for it and she opened it, ignoring the dozens of messages from Rico and finding the one from her friend.
pororo 10:32 PM
hey
don’t know if u got home yet or not
but hope ur doing okay
A bit of her heartache was lifted just by seeing the message. Her friends, though, watched her suspiciously.
Maloi tilted her head. “Have you met this… Pororo… in person?”
“No,” she mumbled. Aiah took a long drink from her glass before speaking. “Um, we’ve always talked through chat.”
“Then how can you be sure she’s a girl?” Gwen followed. “Nagsend na ba ng picture?”
Aiah shook her head. It hadn’t been something they'd thought about. She hadn’t sent Pororo a picture of herself either.
“Hays!” Stacey seemed bothered by it. “Baka naman nagpapanggap lang ‘yan na girl ah, be careful. For all we know this person is some creepy guy preying on girls through chat.”
“Or some serial killer…” Gwen suggested.
“Girls naman eh,” Aiah protested weakly. “There’s no way to know for sure, but Pororo had been a good friend. Whether this person behind the account is a girl or not, mas importante for me that they’re a decent person.”
Maloi nodded. “Amen.”
Stacey reached for her hand. “But always be careful, okay?”
“Of course.”
“There. Blocked.” They heard Gwen say, setting Aiah’s phone back on the table with a pleased expression on her face. “And don’t you dare unblock him ng hindi sinasabi sa amin, okay?”
“Fine.” Aiah shrugged, too tired and drained to argue. She reached for her glass and downed whatever’s left in it, wincing as the liquid burned down her throat, giving her a sudden urge to drink the night away instead. “I need more.”
Stacey grinned and stood up immediately. “There’s our girl! Wait, be right back!”
Gwen followed the girl to the bar to get them more drinks, leaving her behind with Maloi.
Aiah bit her lip, looking over at her friend. “Maloi, what am I gonna do now? Do I break up with him?”
The shorter girl took a second to think. “If you ask me? I say yes, syempre. This behavior of him is not giving anymore, babe. In fact, I think it would be better if sumama ka nalang talaga kina Tita sa New York this December…”
Her shoulders fell. She knew her friend would say something like that. “I don’t know about New York… I just…” Aiah shook her head. She was so not looking forward to Christmas now that she was planning on breaking up with Rico for good and a vacation in New York seemed like the least appealing idea for her at the moment, even on a holiday season.
Christmas hadn’t felt the same way for Aiah in a long time.
~~~~~❆~~~~~