[b]Update[/b] [quote][b]CHAPTER 3.2[/b] “Kels!” “Oy Lara, bakit?” “Ano na? Pagtatakpan ba kita mamayang hapon?” “Ha?” “Ano ka ba? Para makapag-usap kayo ni Khalil!” Lara is one of my best friends. Actually, siya din, tulad ni Fatima, unbiased, kaso minsan may tendency siya na mag-spill ng secrets. Hindi naman sa madaldal siya, kaso masyado siyang friendly and hindi siya makapag-sinungaling kapag may nagtanong sa kanya. The last weeks, para maayos ‘yung sa’min ni Khalil, she’d been covering up for me. Since kakilala siya ni mommy, she would tell my mom na kasama niya ako, gagala gan’on, but actually kasama din namin si Khalil. Konsintidor, oo, pero alam niyang importante ‘to sa’kin, and kasama ko pa rin naman siya eh, may dumagdag nga lang kaming kasama. “No need,” I said with a half-hearted smile. Right there and then, she knew, and she hugged me. “Oh my gosh, Kels. Ba’t hindi mo sinabi? Hindi ako tulad nila, I wouldn’t judge you. I wouldn’t force you with Khalil. Kilala mo naman ako.” “I know Lara, pero you’ve been helping me a lot, to the extent na nagsisinungaling na tayo tapos feeling ko, masasayang lang ‘yon kasi bumitaw ako.” “No, ‘wag mo isipin ‘yan. Buhay mo ‘yan, sinusuportahan lang kita. Kung d’yan ka magiging masaya, nandito lang ako.” I was still hugging her. I promised myself na whatever happens, hindi ako iiyak sa school pero hindi ko talaga kaya. Bakit ba ‘pag si Lara na ‘yung niyakap ko, umiiyak agad ako? Siguro kaya talaga marami siyang kaibigan, She’s genuinely kind and understanding. At siguro dahil na rin sa fact na patay na ang dad niya and her mom remarried, ‘yung mga kaibigan na niya ang pamilya niya kaya ginagawa niya talaga ‘yung lahat for us, for her friends. Sabagay, isn’t that what friendship is all about? “Sige lang, nagpipigil ka lang noh? Okay lang umiyak, Kels. Matapang ka, you can do it, okay?” “I… I’m... I’m really sorry. Nasayang lang ‘yung effort mo, bumitaw ako.” “’Wag mo isipin ‘yan. Magiging okay din lahat ha.” That night, I called up Martee and told him what happened with Lara. “Alam mo ‘yun. ‘Pag si Lara talaga, nagiging iyakin ako.” “Kasi grade school pa lang magkasama na kayo, tsaka mabait naman kasi talaga siya.” “’Pag iniisip ko talaga ngayon ‘yung nangyari kay Khalil. Grabe, para akong basura na pinaglaruan, pinaasa—“ I didn’t finish my sentence kasi naiyak na ako. “Ano ba naman ‘yan, naiyak na naman ako. Ang iyakin ko talaga. Sorry ah.” “Okay lang ‘yan Kels. Nandito lang naman ako eh. Bestest nga ‘di ba?” I continued crying and then after a few minutes, regained my composure. Nagkwentuhan pa kami nang sandali until I decided to end up. Moving on isn’t going to be easy, but I can do it. I can definitely do it. I need to.[/quote]