CIOS.

I opened my eyes as I felt the sun touching my face. I reached for my phone on my side table to check the time. There’s so many message notifications my phone received, some of them are from my cousin ーRed.
"Meow."
I jumped out of bed to find Zoey. I saw her laying next to the fridge. I smiled and walked towards her, she approached me.
"Good morning, baby. How's your sleep?" The cat meowed, "Hm. Let's cook some breakfast na so that we can fetch your Ate Camila, okay?"

Binitawan ko na si Zoey and made my way into the kitchen to officially start my day.
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"Kuya! Good morning!" Bati sa akin ni Camila bago siya sumakay. Pagkasakay niya ay nag-seatbelt agad siya at inilabas na ang kaniyang phone.

"Morning. Don't be too loud." Ini-start ko na ang kotse. "Kumain ka na?" I asked.

"Yes po. You?" She answered, not taking her eyes away from her phone.

I sighed, "Kumain na ako. Kumusta ang studies?" Tanong ko.

"Maayos naman po. Sayo?" Once again, she answered but still too-focused on her phone. I raised a brow, sino ang kausap niya?

"Ah, Kuya? Pwede po bang sa may Jollibee mo nalang ako ibaba?" Magalang niyang tanong. Tumango na lamang ako, it's her life anyways.

She won't hide anything from me, right? Yup, Camila will never hide anything from me.

"There. Ingat pagpasok ha? Don't be late, Camila." Ibinaba ko siya sa Jollibee, katulad ng pakiusap niya kanina. Nakangiti siyang yumakap sa akin bago bumaba, mukhang hindi mapakali at parang may hinihintay.

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"That's all, class dismissed."

After the dismissal, students of STEM-1 are already in chaos. Naririnig ko na ang boses ni Red habang nag-aayos ako ng gamit.

"Boss Kyo! Nakita mo na ba locker mo?" Red shouted.

"Why?" I answered, not giving him a single glance.

"May lollipoー", hindi na naituloy ni Red ang sasabihin. I wonder if binatukan na naman siya ni Sho for being too loud.

"You should check it yourself, Cios." Mahinanong sabi ni Sho.

Kunot-noo akong pumunta sa mga locker at chineck ang locker ko.

"Oh sabi sayo may lollipop at lettー", again, he's not able to continue his words.
"May mata si Kyo, okay? Hindi ka naman siguro tanga, Red?" Sho said. "Kanino raw galing?" Dugtong niya pa.

"Tamo curious ka din eh!" Hiyaw ni Red.

Tatlong lollipop and a letter saying, "Have a nice day, sungit." Kinuha ko iyon at itinago sa bag ko, hindi ko siya pwedeng iwanan sa locker at baka langgamin.

When I turned around, I saw Camila laughing while walking with the Basketball Team's Captain ー Vega. Camila saw me which made her fix herself and walk towards me fast.

"A-ah, hehe, hi! Naglunch ka na po, Kuya?" Camila asked, hindi mapakali.
"Hindi paー"

Well, guess who interupted me.

"Uy alam mo ba na may naglagay ng lollipop at letter sa locker ng Kuya mo?" Masiglang pasok ni Red.

"Alam mo din ba, Pula, na ang hilig mong sumabat? Kaunti nalang malalagot ka na sa akin," ani Sho.

"Ay hala ka, Kuya! Sino yan ha? Secret Admirer? Ikaw ha! Baka may girlfriend kaー"

Once again, the one and only 'Red Antonius Montereal ' on the scene.

"Paano yan magkaka-girlfriend e puro aral? Are you seriously serious?" Daing ni Red.

"Ewan ko sayo, Kuya Red! Ah basta, bawal ang secrets ha? Let's eat na, Kuya." Nakangiting sabi ni Camila.

Naglakad na kami papunta sa cafeteria. Hm? Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at nagmasid sa paligid.

"What's wrong, Kuya?" Tanong niya.

"Nothing, let's go." Sagot ko.
And we started walking again.


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"Kuya, are you sure na ayaw mo talagang sumali sa liga?"

Padabog kong ibinaba ang hawak kong tray at umupo. "God, Camila. 3 days mo ng itinatanong yan. Hindi ka ba nagsasawa? Iisa lang din naman ang isasagot ko, A-YO-KO."

"Pero, Kuya. We all know na mahilig kang maglaro, at magaling ka din! Sayang naman kung hindi ka sasali, diba?" Kalmado niyang sabi.

"Ayoko nga, Cam. You can't force me to do something na ayokong gawin. Hindi ako magiging masaya diyan." Kalmado ko ring sabi.

"At sa mga utos ni Mom? Magiging masaya ka? Masaya ka ba, Kuya?"

Am I?

Hurry up and answer her, Cios!

"Ah! Kain nalang tayo, Camila. Kaya na yan ng Kuya mo, kumain ka na." Sho saved me, again. Tinapik niya ang braso ko.

Obvious naman sa circle of friends namin kung sino ang seryoso at ang masiyahin. Red is the life of the group while Sho is the heart, and I am the brain. As the brain, we are not doing any decisions na hindi sunod sa maayos na plano. But Red is just dumb and does whatever he thinks is right without a concrete plan. Although he really is the ray of sunshine to all of us. He's also annoying but he's the strongest. The happiest.

As for Sho, he's the calmest. He's the heart who gaves the three of us the support we all need. And he's the only one who can stand still whenever a bad situation strikes and we can't pull ourselves back up. He's our secret foundation and he saves me. Always.

"I'm done eating." Walang gana kong sabi. Tumayo na ako dala ang aking bag at naglakad palayo. Heto na naman ang weird feeling na nararamdaman ko kanina.

I tried to look around but I see no one. Not until a sound had made.

A camera.

I looked at the direction where the sound came.

It's her?