Chapter 2 - The Gals

Sunday afternoon, 3 o'clock P.M., Maria is set to go back again to her boarding house. She usually takes the 4 P.M. trip to a neighbouring town where her University is but it seems that her friends slash sisters in heart slash roommates are planning to purchase kitchen stocks and some snacks good for one week.

It was already three days after Rigor and her had a conversation in facebook and after that, no more.

Maria is somewhat disappointed that it only lasted for how many hours. Her ears and mind are having a vivid partnership to remind her about how manly Rigor's voice is.

She can still perfectly remembers the intonation and pitch of his voice message, even the shyness of his voice is echoing in her ears.

This is not her.

She seems to enjoy having a conversation with Rigor because of his humour that matches hers. She never knew Rigor can be funny. Her conversation with Rigor was on Thursday night, after not receiving any reply from him, she never logged in to her facebook account again since Saturday.

Maria arrived to Bulanao, Tabuk City from Rizal (where her residency is) after forty minutes of travel. Maria realized that she again is being lulled by the voice mail of Rigor, if not of the driver's announcement of them having arrived to their destination, she might be day dreaming again for how many hours.

****

"Finally, you're here!"

Maria's friends exclaimed as they saw her walking towards their room.

"Get yourself ready so we can go to the grocery store."

Maria's circle of friends consists of seven girls including her. They're Arl Jane Cabral – her cousin, the ultimate Collin Raye and Bon Jovi's number zero fan, Brenna Luz and Iralyn Luz – they are twins, the group's activity planners but of course their group is unique for every plan the twins make had never happened and they all believe that unplanned activities are more fun. Raine Brudh, the girl who always wears make – ups, a sassy fashionista 5 Star level bitch, Jesse Upril, the mother of the group, she always gives lecture on proper manners whenever she seems like doing it and lastly, Graille Marie Borromeo, the other Maria Ecostas, a simple lady yet her beauty is shining, though she won't believe she is beautiful and that's make her more beautiful.

They are her friends since day one of her college days and also her classmates, great group of friends indeed.

They have arrived to the nearest grocery store from their boarding house by riding one of the famous transportation machines in the Philippines – a tricycle. Wherever they go, you will never get tired of listening to their entertaining noise, never a nuisance to everyone for anyone who happens to hear their topics will also get entertained and goes along with their laughter.

"Oh goodness gracious Maria Ecostas Lazarus!!"

Laughingly shouted her cousin Arl Jane.

"What?"

Maria annoyingly creased her forehead as she turns her head to her cousin.

"Why are you laughing again this time AJ?"

"Do you have a plan to check your grocery basket every time you put something in there?"

She still couldn't stop laughing on Maria as she looks at her basket. Maria still couldn't get what AJ wants to point out.

"Aren't you going to stop eating lots of sweet foods and drinks unless you get a pancreatic disease?"

This time, AJ had stopped laughing and seriously faced Maria to get her point.

"Mel, you have to take good care of your health always especially that eating lots of chocolates could give you problem to your heart."

AJ still looks serious, well, trying to be serious as she suppress her laughter for Maria knows that AJ will never get serious in situations like this.

"Says the woman who drinks vinegar and bagoong like it's a holy water."

AJ couldn't hold her laughter anymore and just blow it up only to realize that they are the centre of attention of the other customers.

"Sorry Aunties and Uncles, I don't know this crazy woman."

Maria laughed on AJ who is now glaring at her like she's a criminal. Maria sighed in gladness as she turned her back to AJ and left her covering her ashamed face.

****

//At this point, the story will flow on Maria's point of view.//

We have decided to have dinner in the supermart's foodcourt. Our table's the noisiest as we're seven in total. We're ladies, but we eat like we haven't had a meal for a week.

After having dinner, we got out to head where the tricycles are parked. It is across the road and I irritatingly looked at the busy road, my friends are still waiting for the cars to pass before we cross over but nah, we'll take hours if we do that.

I've made their hands hold with each other and hold my cousin's hand then as I saw that it's the right time to cross I never let them ask anything, I just pulled AJ's hand and cross the road as fast as I can without letting the cars pass first before me. Well, my steps are faster than their wheels.

"Goodness gracious Maria Ecostas Lazarus!!"

Well, that was Raine.

"Damn, are you trying to kill us, huh?"

And that's Graille Marie.

"Are you out of your mind Mel? You're hella insane!"

Now, that's Brenna

"I will never let you hold my hand again if we're gonna cross the road, Mel!"

Finally, my cousin, well they're always like that but later on they will laugh and will feel the excitement they had a while ago.

"Haha, oh really? As if you didn't feel thrilled as we walk through the road like we're cats having 9 lives!"

Yea, right! We love to race with those car wheels. There was even one time that we also came from the grocery and we need to cross the road again but that time, there's a pedestrian lane already unlike today.

We planned to walk on the pedestrian lane slowly and stand there as if we're waiting for each other. Then, before we got to the middle, we noticed that the pedestrian lane is in front of the police station so our plan failed.

"Fine. Yea, that was cool haha."

Iralyn exclaimed happily. She's the exact definition of an angel. Such a kind lady.

"Aren't you going to scold me, MOTHER?"

I teasingly asked Jesse. I often call her 'mama' 'cause she acts like one. She's also the one who teaches us proper manners or ethics on everything inside a house.

"Next time my daughter."

She laughed as she answered me.

"Stop talking guys, it's almost curfew. We need to hurry. Let's go get a tricycle."

We headed to the parking area of those tricycles and as we go there, one of the drivers notices us.

"Hello miss, you need a ride?"

The tricycle driver asked.

"Yes po, how about you do you need one?"

I heard small laughs on my back and notice it was my friends. I realized, my answer to the old man isn't right and also laughed.

"Sorry sir. Yes, we need two tricyles, 4 people for the first one and 3 for the second one."

"Okay, hop in. Hey dude, 3 passengers for you."

He shouted on his comrades.

We safely get back on our boarding house and fixed our groceries. Later then we slept for tomorrow's Monday and we need to go to school early again.

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