Reunion
Everyone was noisy at the bus that day. IV-2 is heading to Baguio City to have their reunion. Cheska and Nova sat beside Lance while talking to those who sat at their back and in front of them.
“How much is your salary?” Kris asked Cheska.
“Thirty thousand a month,” Cheska answered. “But my mom said that I have to save my money for the future use. So I save 80% of my salary at the bank. My mom won’t let me have my own house anyway.”
Below the noise of their former classmates, Lance and Mylene were silently talking. “So what happened to you and your girlfriend?”
Lance didn’t answer. He just looked at Mylene and smiled.
“Oh, I think it didn’t end well, did it?”
“Sort of,” Lance answered. “It’s my fault anyway.”
“Why?”
Lance looked at the window and saw the rising sun. Lance simply said “I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my life.”
“I’m sure you’ll get over it,” Mylene advised.
“I hope so,” Lance said.
“Do you still love her?”
“Yes,” Lance said gently. “I love her more than everything.”
Mylene doesn’t have a clue what Lance is going through. All she knows is that Lance is broken hearted for a reason that she’ll never know.
* * *
“So how’s life?” Cheska asked Lance while they eat their lunch at the mall.
“I don’t have to answer that question,” Lance said. “There are things I don’t want to talk about.”
“You don’t have to answer or you don’t want to answer?” Nova said. “You can run away from these things, but they won’t leave. You can’t change the fact that these things will always be there, hunting you.”
Mary Joy, one of their classmates came with her tray of foods. “Can I join you?”
“Sure,” Cheska answered.
Mary Joy began her stories while Lance eats his Lunch. At the table beside them, Nicole and Charles were eating their lunch. Lance could hear Charles talking to Nicole. Nicole will just laugh and smile or whatever reaction is appropriate to what Charles’ saying but she’s not really listening.
For Nicole, Charles was really sweet and caring, but he’s nothing but a friend to her. She feels guilty about using him with her clever plans and Charles’ a very nice person. And today, she’s going to find the fruit of her plans.
* * *
Several boats floated at the lake at the Burnham Park. Ten of them were occupied by Lance’s classmates, and one of those was occupied by Charles and Nicole.
“It’s a nice day, isn’t it?” Charles said.
“Yeah,” Nicole agreed. “I feel a little awkward being here in this reunion. I don’t belong to your class anyway.”
“Charlie said we can bring anyone,” Charles said.
“So tell me about them,” Nicole said.
“See that girl with a Cleopatra hair in that boat? That’s Jahaciel,” Charles pointed at the girl in the other boat. “And the guy beside her is Abed. Those girls with them were Jil-anne, Karen, Mary Joy and Divina.”
“And how about them?” Nicole pointed at the boat behind Charles.
“Those are Kris, Jesila, Geena, Alyssa, Mylene and Ariel,” Charles answered. “I used to eat lunch with them. And see that boat behind them? Those were Charlie, Jhasmine, Carolyn, Ge-ann and Ericka. And the one on their left were Jasmine, Mia, Amelia, Lester, and Noemie.”
“Two Jasmines?” Nicole asked.
“Yes, but the first one has ‘h’ in her name, we even have three Lesters you know.”
Charles paddled and went directly at the middle of the boats where his classmates were. Nicole was just enjoying the moment when Charles suddenly pulled a littler red box and opened it. Inside was a silver ring with a real blue diamond in it.
“Holy shit!” Nova said.
“I’d be goddamned,” was all Cheska has to say. Lance didn’t say anything. He just looked at them as their boat pass by behind Charles.
“Nicole,” Charles said while everyone is looking at them. “Will you marry me?”
Nicole was frozen, from head to toe. She ran her fingers into her hair and looked at the boat behind Charles. Nova and Cheska was shock, but Lance… she can’t read his expression. But she was sure she saw tears slowly forming in his eyes.
The people around them buzzed, they cheered and some shouted “Yes! Say yes!” Nicole knew how Lance is feeling inside, especially now that his friends were cheering for his rival. If she would say no, it would be a life time of humiliation. But if she would say…
“Yes,” Nicole answered Charles’ question while looking at Lance. “I will marry you.”
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