2 Chapter 1

Summer, 2016

Megan exhales dejectedly before quietly muttering, "It's not always going to be like this, right?" Her entire face stoic, some would describe it better as lifeless.

The scene surrounding her is completely different from the youthful and vibrant playground she used to enjoy. All she hears are the blaring horns of random cars and the occasional ambulance siren. Not even a whisper of air to comfort her during this trying time. What's she to expect? She's in the middle of Makati on a blazing hot time of day. Not that a couple of hours would make any difference anyway. The Philippines' weather is literally hell on earth.

Zoe follows and stands next to the familiar slouching figure, fanning herself with what looked like important folded documents for work. "Well, it shouldn't be," she replies to the younger one's question, even if it was rhetorical.

Another day at their crappy job meant another dilemma to top off their existing—albeit wavering—stack. They're really just trying to get through the year at the Godforsaken company. They haven't been lucky looking for better work. It almost feels impossible finding any—let alone the right one—for them.

Megan has called in sick about five times just to go to interviews while Zoe went absent for a whole week to try her luck on walk-ins. But what's most agonizing is the waiting game. No, not the waiting game of whether a new company hires you or not after that interview. Not at all. It's the waiting game that happens right after you hit the send button on your resume and cover letter. The absolute nightmare of it all.

Though being stuck in a toxic work environment is much worse. So, it's better to just move on and get it over with while you can.

When did life start getting so shitty?

A familiar hum from Megan's pocket interrupts the two friends' long silence. "What do you want?" she answers her phone with a snippy tone, knowing exactly who it is.

"Ah, so I see you haven't heard," the female on the other line deadpans.

Megan could almost hear Felicity's all-knowing smirk as she purses her lips in annoyance. She chooses not to say anything out of spite.

"Some of us have to work, you know!" Zoe crows this time so that the conversation between the two isn't completely dead.

"It's nothing urgent," Felicity says in the most nonchalant tone possible, "Just call me back when you check your personal email."

"Whatever," Megan replies before abruptly hanging up.

Not at all fazed by her usually cold attitude, Zoe asks, "Ano meron*?" She found it a bit suspicious that Felicity would call out of nowhere at this hour. Either she's bored out of her mind instead of finishing coursework or she's got something up her sleeve and she just couldn't wait to get Megan riled up.

If it's Felicity you're dealing with, a combination of both could be a plausible theory.

Megan shrugs, playing with her already messy hair out of habit. In Megan language, it typically means that she couldn't be bothered about anything at the given moment. "Something about an email."

"Email??" Zoe furrows her eyebrows confused and wonders what it could possibly be.

Megan turns to her and watches as Zoe bites her nails, clearly going deep into thought. "It's probably a chain letter. Who the fuck knows with Fae…"

The older female abruptly stops and lets her nails free from her habitual dental wrath. Realizing that the situation couldn't be that big of a deal, she snorts, knowing Megan's statement to be true.

"Well, if you have enough time to chitchat, I think you also have enough time to get the fuck up back to work," a familiar male voice bellows in Tagalog.

Megan's jaw instantly clenches as she avoids eye contact with her boss and folds her arms across her chest. The key, at least to her, is to tune him out until he goes away.

In contrast, Zoe stands her ground and glares up at him. "It's lunchtime, sir."

"You don't get paid to eat lunch this long. You get paid to sell goods and services efficiently," the stocky man berates before glaring right back at her, "What was your name again? Aren't you in the acquisitions team or something??"

Megan suddenly walks away from the scene, not being able to take any more of his condescending voice.

Zoe frowns at her actions but knows this is her cue to exit as well. Instead, she gives the despicable guy her best glower before following Megan inside their office building. Her own boss is the devil straight from hell, but she forgot about how much of an asshole Megan's is. How they managed to stay in the company for almost a year will continue to astound her.

"Are you kidding me?" Zoe catches up to her friend, clearly still irritated.

"We're leaving soon anyway. We'll get back at him on our last day," Megan calmly reassures her friend, though her expression remains impassive.

A bright smile of approval graces the older girl's face as she latches onto Megan's arm in delight. "Ah, you truly are a mini-me."

---

"Anak**! My Meggie!"

As Megan enters her humble abode, she instantly spots her glowing (it's from the sweat, no big deal) mother grinning widely. Seemingly floating in her dark blue duster dress, she continues to glide around the kitchen, only sparing her daughter that one smile and glance.

Megan starts paying attention to the aroma that's filling the room, knowing well that her mom must be cooking her favorite Filipino dish. And just in time. She's extremely exhausted from her travel. What's supposed to be at least a 45-minute bus ride from Makati to Alabang turned into two excruciating hours.

It's nothing new. An ordinary Friday in Manila always means outrageously heavy traffic. A PAYDAY Friday, on the other hand, PLUS light to moderate rain in Manila means the apocalypse. Though if she's being completely honest, it might as well be the end of the world every single God-given day in the country in terms of traffic.

She pouts, reliving the horror in her mind again. "I'm so tired," she thinks aloud as she slumps on their living room couch, next to her dad. Instinctively, she leans against his shoulder and sighs heavily.

"Which is why I made your paborit*** for dinner," her mother chirps with delight.

"Adobo****? " Megan drools, knowing the answer to her question.

"The one and only." Mrs. Villavieja winks.

A giddy smile forms on Megan's lips as she closes her eyes and softly hums a random tune. If there's anything that keeps her going, it's her parents, her family. Since her older sister is abroad for work, she has her parents all to herself and they spoil her rotten. At the age of 22, that's not too shabby. The spoiling, of course, isn't as bad as when she was a kid, but sometimes it does come to a point where she thinks she might be their favorite daughter.

"What happens if I move out?" she teases in a sweet and singsong tone.

"Then, you never get any adobo from me," her mom responds in the same exact manner, only she cackles by the end of it.

"Ah, the reason why I married you," Mr. Villavieja finally speaks, chuckling at his wife's slightly immature behavior.

Megan could only make an unimpressed face in reply, though she saw it coming when she thought of joking about the idea.

One thing to know about Filipinos (maybe even Asians in general) is that they don't really move out of the house unless they're completely comfortable doing so. Naturally, Filipino-Americans (often referred to as Fil-Ams) are the exception to this rule. They apparently give no fucks and want to immediately move out of their respective homes. What horror.

This fact makes plenty of middle-class Filipinos in their 20s grateful that it's almost not socially acceptable to move out at the age of 18… or even right after you graduate college. If you want to live on your own at an early age, then so be it. You're free to do so. But if you loved living in the comforts of your own home and your parents loved having you, then there's no reason for you to force yourself out of that harmonious situation.

Sandbox***** PH

Active

Zoe Torres: So… I've checked my email…

Felicity Bautista: And??

Zoe Torres: Yeah, Meg's definitely not gonna like it.

Felicity Bautista: *cry-laughing emoji* called it

Megan Villavieja: The fuck are you trying to pull

Felicity Bautista: *sticker*

Megan Villavieja: .....

Megan rolls her eyes at the sudden flood in their chat by her persistent friend as she checks her email.

From: Ingrid Baniaga <ingrid_pb@yahoo.com>

To: Naia Baniaga <naia.b@gmail.com>, Zoe Torres <torreszoe@gmail.com>, Megan Villavieja <megan.villavieja@gmail.com>, Danica Garcia <dan_garcia@gmail.com>, Jacob Ocampo <jacobocampo@gmail.com>, Jared Ocampo <jaredtocampo@gmail.com>, Logan dela Vega <logan.dv@gmail.com>, Odell Lumaban <odell_lumaban@gmail.com>, and several others.

Date: Fri, June 17, 2017 at 8:30 AM

Subject: The Reunion

Hello fellow parents, and kids!

It's finally time! I'm proud to announce that the RT reunion we've all been anticipating will be held on July 24, 2016, at the activity center near the Ocampo residence (address should be attached somewhere later in this email).

Plus-ones are welcome for each family, so feel free to bring a special guest of your choice. Get ready to catch up with old friends, reminisce timeless memories, and just all-around great fun!

Address: Hidden Valley Activity Center, Chital Street, Santa Teresa Village, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila

Can't wait to see you there!

Yours truly,

Ingrid Baniaga

For a while, Megan's mind goes blank. The word, "reunion" circulating in and out of her head like the buzzing of an annoying bee. Surely, this isn't happening and she's just stuck in a horrific yet easily dismissed nightmare.

And before she knows it, she's back on the group chat she has with just a couple of her childhood friends.

Sandbox PH

Active

Zoe Torres: Hey, you still alive?

Megan Villavieja: FOR FUCKS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Felicity Bautista: There she is ;)

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