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I finally got to see my buds for just about the first time this summer last Saturday, May ninth, at my best friend Steffi’s sixteenth birthday. Most of them have been taking classes together all summer, and I’ve been in another world for the past month and a half. (I’d wanted to take a break from seeing my same schoolmates’ faces everyday! Haha! But don’t tell them that.)

Anyway, it was also kind of refreshing to see them again after so long a while. I didn’t even realize how much I really missed them until I got to the kantunan beside our school and met up with the girls there. I was like, wow, have I really lived that long without seeing these people?

Danica, Charina, and me back in our Grade 6 days.

I nearly forgot what it was like to be around people my age after being away all vacation. I think I’ve been spending too much time cooped up with adults and older teens and I’ve almost forgotten how crazy things get with my friends. Needless to say, being with them felt like (to put it in their terms,) nakawala sa hawla. Just a sample of what our cracks at each other were like:

“Ang kapal ng mukha mo Charina! Lilibre mo daw si Gine tapos sampung piso lang pera mo!” –our classmate Leniel to my best friend Jo.

“Bakit lahat kayo may gift kay Steffi? Ako rin…*runs off to buy a lollipop* O ayan! Happy birthday, Steffi!” –Jo, after noticing Danix and I brought gifts for the birthday girl.

“Basurahan? Andun, yung naka-green sa labas.” –me jokingly referring to Kuya Macmac.

Steffi and me during our sophomore Valentine’s party.

Jo, Danica, Kuya Macmac, Steffi, and I got our hands on an empty Pop Cola bottle after eating. A game of Truth-or-Dare ensued, and (just my luck) the bottle pointed to me first. I picked Dare, and the girls made me go to the nearest house and tell the occupants that it was Steffi’s birthday and could they please greet her a happy birthday. I was mortified and I think I was blushing the entire time, but I went up to the nearest sari-sari store anyway and said, “Good afternoon po, kilala niyo po si Steffi Buffe? Yung nakatira po sa kampo? Birthday po niya ngayon. Paki-greet naman po. Thank you!”

Talk about laying it on pretty thick! Haha!

Our game of Truth-or-Dare turned into Truth-or-Truth after my stunt, and we all spent the better part of a tres hot afternoon getting caught up on happenings at school, digging into past issues, swapping anecdotes and sharing secrets. I realized it had really been a long time since we had all sat down and talked openly about anything under the sun.

Steffi dropped me off at the fort’s gate later in the afternoon, both of us still talking nonstop. Before we parted ways, we hugged really tightly and she expressed her happiness at our being there to share her birthday with her and for still sticking with her for so many years.=D

Jo and me now.

As I walked home, I thought about how far my friends and I have come. Our barkada of seven girls had been formed during our first year. Through the years, we’ve lost some, gained some, and most of us have found other circles to run in. We’ve grown up, expanded horizons, learned independence and led separate lives. We’ve gone through a lot of turbulence, rocky roads and rough waters, but now, three-nearing-four years later, the four of us—Jo (formerly Charina), Steffi, Danica and I (known in our place as Gine) remained.

A word of advice, girls? When you find someone who’s willing to be by your side whatever happens, who’ll text back immediately to your SOS’s, and who’ll spend half an hour in the bathroom with you just to get your hair done perfectly into a gazillion little braids, don’t let them go. You might never find anyone like them again.=)