I remember last week when we were sitting at the lunch table and you were blocking your hand and you went all ninja and swung it away before I got to hit it, then you started laughing and teasing me because I missed. Or that one day after school where you were talking to your friend and I walked passed you; the next thing I knew- you were standing right next to me until I got my locker open. Well, I got it open- but then I realized that I was already holding my jacket and you were threatening to close the locker & instead I slammed it and got you to laugh. Then there was today after school where I was standing, waiting for someone and then I hear my name from behind and it was you. You told me “let's go!” and then we ended up walking to the buses together. I was leaving you and you said, “What? I don't get a hug?” Or let's rewind a little bit, when we were all hanging at the bridge and I went up to you and said “hi” then you offered me some of your frappe. Then at lunch, you sat in front of me and started eating my edamame. Let's rewind a little more to the middle of this year. I hadn't seen you in about 6 months, and you called and wondered what time I was going to be at the book signing. You found us not too far from Starbucks and then spent at least two hours in line with us. You were thirsty and got some water in a cup and went back in line and offered me some to drink. I refused, but you wouldn't take “no” for an answer and made me drink while you were holding the cup. An hour and a half later, not too far from our starting point, we just sat there and took pictures- in every photo, a different fact of you goofing- off. And earlier that night I stole your iPod, then you tricked me and got it back, then started teasing and laughing at me again. How about that one day after school? I saw your picture pop- up on my screen and you were actually calling me. I picked up, and then asked why you were calling, you said that you were just “checking up on me like what a good Kuya would do.” I worked on that project replaying what you said over and over again. I remember during homecoming, we were all hyped up and jumping around then you popped out of no where and I gave you a glow stick and you smiled and wondered how random that was. And when we were leaving I was walking away but you were calling me because because we didn't say goodbye yet. “Don't worry, I still think of you.” A month before that, was Xy's debut and all the practices you guys had. During the after party everyone was singing and dancing and I was sitting at the table and you went up me with your arms stretched out-- “dance with your Kuya”... and you don't know how much I regret for not doing that. I remember seeing you was the hard part of what I had to get through last semester. So that one day where I fell apart altogether you comforted me and and just hugged me until there were no more tears left. The football game against West- you bought me my shirt and sat next to me the whole time. Then when driving home we were in the back seat, and all I remember were the laughs. I got to see you over the summer too. Like that one day with Jon, Ashley, and Ann. Then that other time with Ann, Charis, Nick, and Herald- playing hide and seek. We were partners! And just pretty much cruised through the mall and didn't put much effort into hiding. We first hid in a cellphone store and we got caught first. Hahaa. Then you bought a phone charm and offered to buy me one, but I said it was fine. Then there was that one morning you had work-outs and biked all the way to my place so we could hang-out that day and for you to help me find a present for Georgeanne because she was moving to Dubai. You gave me half an almond pretzel, and we went and smelled every scent, and sprayed every spray in Bath and Body Works. The ladies were giving us faces and we just laughed. Sophomore year had memories of its own. At some point of that year though we grew distant but in the end you understood me, and came back strong. When you touched my face or the fact you you were being so clingy never made me upset- there's a whole other explanation for that. That Christmas of that same year- you gave me Toblerone. Then the Christmas before that, you got me a spinning pen and until now I still have it and the Toblerone bag. In the hallways you every now and then let me recognize your presence by either you knocking on my skull or pulling me backwards to the point I almost tip over. But either way you choose to say “hi” they both result with the possibility of me having a concussion or loosing a bunch of brain cells. Then there are those days where I don't eat lunch and you come up to me and tell me to eat or you're going to give me “palo”. Every now and then you hand me an ear bud to listen to a song you like or tell me the title so I can listen to it myself. I like high- fiving you by the way, and making your eyes roll because I can never shut up about Bigbang ♥ and those times when I'm overly amused by something and you give me a smile and a glare saying “Why am I friends with you, again?” xD And there there was my birthday this year, you called after school because “you remembered” hahaa. It was nice to hear “Happy Birthday” from someone when you go through a day at West and no one even knows your name & Charis, Mia, Xy, and Gina pretended they forgot hahaa phone conversations never lasted very long but you sacrificed your minutes and jeopardized the chances of having your phone taken away. I've bullied and annoyed you, and yet you gave me a “one-paged- essay” to put in my yearbook! … & a picture of :P – a colon and an upper cased “P”. Second sem of freshman year we had lunch together. Another day I was upset you folded up a tissue and tried wiping my face with it. In exchange, a day when you weren't so happy yourself- everyone was asking you what was wrong and you wouldn't tell. Then even called me over, to talk to you- and you did. Me. You told me. Fast forwarding to mid- January of this year, I called you one morning and I asked you where your locker was because “a friend of mine had to give something to you”. You know how pumped up I was that morning? I couldn't believe I was gonna see “Ish” in the longest time. I remember I was hiding behind Amanda and Stephanie & when you walked passed I just said “Hi Ish” and you were um... surprised? Confused? Whatever that expression read on your face xD During youth group meetings, seeing you pray, and sing praise and worship songs- I can't help but smile. You trusted me for many things from your secrets to the password on your iPod. I met you in the beginning of freshman year-- IN PERSON! But beforehand it was only sending messages back and forth or making each others ears hurt from the sound of the IM, I even remember that point in time when I called you “bakla”. But soon enough our name calling changed. We sat down and came upon a decision-- you became “Kuya”, and I became “Anak”. *BLESS-- and that was how it all started.
