[quote][b]CHAPTER 5.1[/b] “Hoy hindi naman ako nagpapasubo eh. Kris talaga, jokeful. Tsaka may teachers kaya dito,” I answered back. There’s no such word as jokeful, gawa-gawa lang namin ‘yun, hehe. Martee looked at me. “Tara na, eto oh, subuan kita.” “Aba sineryoso naman ‘yung sinabi nila. Joke lang ‘yun. Busog ako, sige na. Kumain na kayo.” “Sigurado ka?” “Opo Tatay Martee, sigurado po ako.” He shrugged, smiled at me and then ate. When we reached Tagaytay, as my sister said, prinesent lang kami sa mga madre, sinabi ‘yung house rules, room assignments and then pinagpalit na kami ng damit na comfortable. We were given an hour to change and unpack sa rooms namin. Then, we were to go to our session halls. Binigyan kami ng groupings ng facilitators namin. Review kami ng house rules, gawa ng goals by group and as one section and then kain na. We were grouped into five. ‘Yung mga ka-group ko, sina Erika, Kevin, Stephen, and Craig. Hindi ko sila halos ka-close, except for Erika. But then I guess this retreat is going to help me know them better. Sa kainan, by group pa rin ‘yung table. “Sige, ladies first.” Sabi ni Kevin. “Paunahin na natin si Kelsey, siya naman ‘yung pinakamaliit, haha” Stephen joked. Ah gan’on? Dinadaan na lang sa height. Jokeful pa kayo eh, kain na tayo.” We ate well, merienda pa lang pero puno na agad. Busog to the max. After no’n session na kami. What happened sa sessions? Secret. Ayoko naman maging spoiler sa mga hindi pa nakakapag-youth encounter. Basta, totoo pala ‘yun, iyakan talaga. What I like about our section was, no pretensions and no hesitations. We share. We cry. We listen. We empathize. We pray. Hindi ko alam kung ‘yung iba ganito rin ba, pero kami, kung ano ka, kung anung meron ka, ilabas mo, at kung kaya mong mag-comfort ng iba, you do it. I like it that way. During break times na mahaba, and early mornings, tumatambay kami sa may veranda. One night, after dinner, madilim na sa veranda pero may mga tao. I saw him staring at the sky, and decided, it was time. I can’t avoid what I’m feeling forever, we need to talk.[/quote]