His loan was just recently approved. And the night is young. He called his friend afterwards and asked him to accompany him to a casino. His friend obliged.
It was not his lucky night. The loan was gone after a few hours leaving him and his friend a few pesos for food and fare. They went to another friend’s house to borrow money for tomorrow’s food and fare.
How beautiful she looks. Every time she passes by, I cannot help but look. And everyday she has a new dress. She almost always does not repeat her dresses in two weeks. How I adore how she looks.
Ahh… One day I am going to walk her home. I am slowly getting hooked with the grace, with the beauty. She must be a daughter of a rich man. She looks elegant.
(A week passed. In a squatter’s area where he was doing a community service.)
Wha..? That girl from the school. Why is she here? She’s doing a community service, too? I am going to follow her. She’s not even beautiful, she must be down-to-earth doing these humble acts of service.
(In front of a shanty.)
“Were you able to get money, mother?”
“I haven’t gone to Mrs. Fuentes yet, daughter.”
“What? I have to buy that dress. You have to go to her tonight and tell her you need the money.”
What is this? I was fooled by a fake.
It was the last day of the school year and a party was held for the class. There was this boy in the class who separates himself from the rowdy ones. He was a silent and intelligent boy just minding his own business. He did not care what most of the boys get interested with.
He got his fill of buco pandan and went back to where his friends were. One of the bullies suddenly threw a small stone to his cup of buco pandan. Without a word, the boy threw out the contents of his cup to the bully. Shocked, the bully stood up attempting to box the boy. The boy’s friends surrounded him protecting him from the bad boy. The bully swore and persisted to hurt him. The boy was led out and away from him, in tears, with thoughts that why there are demons living alive on earth.
The bully never touched him after the incident. The boy never talked to him anymore.
The following day, the hostess of the party, still ecstatic of the positive remarks, heard a comment from a friend that one of the visitors is complaining.
Hostess: What about?
Friend: There were excess, according to her, because the food was measured and it was the waiter who puts food on their plates.
Hostess: Is she nuts? Did she not hear what the emcee said about the food? Grace said they can go back anytime if they wanted to. No holds barred.
Friend: Well, it can be two things. She doesn’t understand English or she’s just plain stupid.
Daughter of the Hostess: It’s plain stupidity. Those people cannot find anything wrong about the party so they say words without meaning even if nobody asks them their opinion.
Hostess: I am not going to be affected. They mean nothing to me. But for goodness’ sake, do you remember the last time they had a party, they were choosing who to give 8 oz Coke. There was discrimination in the party. If you’re not well-to-do, no softdrinks.
Daughter of the Hostess: And why are you affected? Why the reaction?
Hostess: It’s so damn annoying, that is!
Daughter of the Hostess: But you said you are not affected.
For some, it was just a simple box with a freebie inside that serves as token of appreciation for coming to the party. For her, the freebie inside the box is more that what it looks like. It is the symbol of her unbridled love.
She was with another boy her age at present. But she could not forget. She knows it is not fair to feel this way when she is already acting like a bonbon to her current boyfriend. Then again, she could not help it. The tenderness if the memories still haunts.
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