"I texted na Ate Pat earlier." I told Mars as soon as I got to her car. "Wanna read?"

"Sure."

I fished for my phone from my bag and opened it. "Here." Binigay ko sakanya ang phone ko na nasa messaging app na. "Can I drive?"

"Gaga, no! Kakakuha ko pa lang ng lisensya ko, 'no!" We both laughed to her reaction. "Baka nakakalimutan mo, Eesjee, I can be sent to prison now."

"Oki, oki. Sorry. Basahin mo nalang text ni Ate." I laughed. "Last nating puntahan ang Starbucks, ah."

"Wait, I'm reading, bestiecakes."

"Hng. Tagal."

"Here's your phone." She gave me back my phone after. "You can invite her."

"Ha?" Sure ba 'to? "Ngek-ngek mo. Gusto mo lang makita crush mo, eh."

"Hindi, ah!" She said. "Pero, hindi ide-deny na crush ko siya. I mean, sino bang hindi magkaka-crush doon?"

"Heh!"

"Pero, seriously, you can invite her." Mars said as she drove off the school. "My Auntie Lauren would love to meet her." She winked at me. "Again..."

"Miss Weltz will be there?" I asked, confused. "And anong "again?""

"Wala! Anyway, yeah, she'll be there and sila Franz and my Kuya Vonn also. Dad told Mom to invite them." She simply said while she drove. "Go na, text your Ate."

My Music class teacher, Miss Lauren Weltz is Mars' mom's step-sister. No hard feelings naman so that's why pa-invite-invite lang sila.

As per Franz and Vonn, they're Mars' brothers. Middle child ang peg nitong si Mars tapos si kuya Vonn ang eldest. Franz is my age, or younger.

Lemme tell you a secret, kuya Vonn likes my ate Aika. They met nung nag Masters si ate sa states. They're like frenymies kumbaga.

"Okay." I said and began to message my sister.

"She'll go." I said and turned off my phone. "I told her na I will text her lang kapag nasa house niyo na tayo kase may dadaanan pa us. She agreed naman."

"Where is she?"

"Still in the hospital."

"Okay..." She nodded. "We're here na."

"Sama ako?"

"Hala, syempre." She chuckled.

୨୧

Kakatapos na naming bumili ng Popeyes and Krispy Kreme, so now, we're in Starbucks na waiting for our drinks.

"One Venti Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino for... Planet Mars...?" I laughed whe I hear the barista read the name of the drink's owner. "And one Venti Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls for Eesjee...?"

"That's us, Mars." Natatawa kong sabi at tumayo na. "Let's go."

"Gagi, Eejee, pinahirapan mo si Ate girl sa ginagawa niya." Mars laughed when we got to the car.

"Oy, 'di, ah." I laughed with her. "Cute kase ng 'Planet Mars' and 'Eesjee', eh."

"Tama. Anyway, if you're hungry na, you can have some of the foods sa likod." Nakakagutom talaga ang smell ng food. "Ayaw mo?"

"Nope." I shook my and took a sip of my drink. "Mamaya nalang pagdating sa house niyo."

"Okay." She then turned to me. "Masarap ba 'yan?"

"Oo! Try mo!" I offered her my drink.

"Ayoko nga! Covid, bestiecakes, covid."

"Gaga ka!" I laughed with her. She took a drink parin naman. "Are we not going to hatid muna the foods sainyo?"

"Sarap, exchange tayo." Nag-bleh lang ako salanya at hinug ang drink ko. "'Wag na. Hindi naman na 'yan mainit kahit ihatid pa natin 'yan before tayo pupunta sa JS. Iimitin nalang 'yan sa bahay."

"Okay." I took a sip of my drink.

"Okay lang ba kung ma-late tayo?"

"Ano ka ba, Eesjee, okay lang, 'yan. What's important is that makapunta tayo doon."

"Sure ka, ah."

"Sure na sure, don't worry. Now, let me drive safely. Baka katayin ako ng kapatid mo."

୨୧

"Pasok ka, Ate Trish." Mars said after opening their gigantic front door. "Hi, po! Magandang gabi..." I smiled when she made held my sister's hand at nag mano.

"God bless..."

"Ate, halika na po. Kakain na po." Mars said and went beside me. "Mabigat po ba 'yung traffic?"

"Yeah... Did you just get here ba?" My sister asked as I guide her papasok sa bahay.

"Oo. My mom sent me to buy some foods for tonight kase. And I asked Eesjee to come with." Mars chuckled as she answered my sister's question.

"Eesjee?"

"A-Ako po..." I turned to her and smiled. "I'm Eesjee."

"Why Eesjee, Reese?"

"SJ po talaga. Put like... Ano po. 'Yun po, hehe." I laughed at Mars and pinitik ang ilong nito. "A-Aray..."

"Why are you nervous, Reese? I just asked a question naman." My sister laughed. "SJ is from?"

"First two initials niya po tapps binaliktad lang." Oh, so 'yun pala 'yon. "Ayun po..."

"Okay." Alam kong mas lalong kinabahan 'tong katabi ko.

"Mars." I turned to my friend and held up my had towards her hafe tapos pininggot ang ilong nito. "'Wag kang kabahan 'no ka ba."

"Yeah, I don't bite, Reese." Ate chuckled. "Sweet ninyong dalawa, ah."

୨୧

DO NOT REPOST

Pag-Starbucks² lang muna bago ang sakuna. ;)

-ms.banana 🍌