The Only Reason

"Welcome home guys!" My father exclaimed with enthusiasm as he opened the door and led us to come inside. He picked us at the airport earlier and brought us here, our new home here in Sydney, Australia. My father has been working here for 15 years as an Architect and on his 10th year he petitioned us to be a citizen of this country—which is now granted—and be with him. I roamed my sight around, this house is quite bigger than the house we had back in the Philippines, but its interior isn't far in what we have before; all the decoration are so Filipino. The big spoon and pork hangs at the both sides of the window in the living room, those Abaka fans pasted on the wall creating a cute design together with a painting of Nipa Hut with a falls behind it makes me feel at home. Also, there's this portion of the house—just beside the living room—that full of our family photos; from my parents' wedding photos up to the present. I even laugh at the baby photo of my older brother. He was sitting in a chair made of bamboo, wearing a shirt top only showing his ugh, he's still a baby in that photo so I guess there's nothing wrong with that.  I shook my head. I went next at the kitchen where I found my parents sitting at the stool bar while laughing at each other; catching up, I guess. I walked towards my father and wrapped my arms from his behind. "I missed you, Papa." I said as I buried my face at his back, being the Papa's girl myself. Papa chuckles before pulling me to face him. "I missed you, too, Ading." He kissed me on the forehead before hugging me. "How are you?" he asked after releasing me. "I'm good, Pa." I answered as I sat beside him. Once again, I roamed my sight around the kitchen and all I can say is, this is gorgeous. For sure Papa paid too much for this kitchen to look this amazing.  "You have your dream kitchen now, Ma." I said to mother teasingly.  My mother is a great cook and having a kitchen with complete set of cooking appliances like this is her biggest dream. And I know Papa made that dream came true now. "It's her number one reminder when I'm still planning this house. She said she won't live here if the kitchen isn't this good." He said, chuckling. Mama slightly slapped Papa's arm. "Aba, dapat lang ano!" she said laughing, admitting that she said that. They are always like that, and I really loved watching them.  "I just hope my room is as 'good' as this, Pa." I said, wiggling my brows. Papa chuckles again. "See for yourself," he said putting his hand on my head before messing my hair. "Pa!" I jerked away. The side of my lips curled upwards slowly, I jumped on my feet before running upstairs.  We don't have second floor back in the Philippines and having it now here in Sydney made me more excited, making the jet log ineffective. I stopped at the light yellow painted door at the right wing of the house, beside it are two doors colored with grey and blue—which I know for sure are the rooms for my brothers—blue is the favorite color of my youngest brother and grey is for our eldest leaving this yellow door for me. I smiled as I held the doorknob. Yellow is my favorite color so yeah, this room is mine. Excitedly, I twist the doorknob open pushing my door slowly, giving myself a thrill. And the moment I stepped inside, I can't help but be in awe; my mouth hangs open.  This room is bigger than my old room, way bigger! And its interior suits my personality well. All of the furniture I have here were painted brown, the frame of my bed, my bedside table, study table, the bookshelf beside it and everything that is made of wood inside my room, also, yellow and white is all over it, from my bed sheet—my bed is also bigger than my old one—, pillow cases, blanket—which is thicker than I used to have—to the curtains hanging at my balcony's sliding doo—. "Oh, God! I have a balcony!" I cried out, jumping and clapping my hands. Balcony, I have been dreaming to have one for my room and having it now really makes me happy. It feels like I'm a princess leaving in a beautiful castle. Yeah. I'm already seventeen but I still believe in fairy tale. I roamed my sight again inside my room with a wide smile before looking back at my balcony. I walked and stood at my door's frame, resting my hand on its glass door. I smiled feeling the wind blows on my face. "Sydney's breeze." I stepped closer at the railing, wandering at the view presented in front of me.  This view is way far from the view I used to see before. The mango tree in front of our house, the wooden gate, those children playing in front of it every morning and afternoon, the sounds of the tricycle passing, those were now gone and replaced by the big house standing firmly in front of ours.  I sighed. I went back inside and started unpacking my things after dinner. I unpacked my luggage first and put all my clothes inside my closet according to its color then, next was the box where I put all my books. Books are my obsession, I started reading and collecting when I was in grade eight that made my classmates to creep out. They said I'm the weirdest among all the weird at school, I don't understand but I did not bother to know. I don't care if they see me as weirdo or alien as long as I didn't violate any of the school rules and regulation. Besides, with my books, I always find my escape, I find a place where prejudice does not exist. I continued arranging my books until to the last one left at my box. It was the book my best friend Andreu—the only guy friend I have—gave me before I transferred out from school. He said it was an advance gift for my birthday since we won't be able to celebrate it together because my family migrated now here at Sydney. "Paper towns," I read its title before putting it on my shelf; creating a mental note to video call with Andreu after arranging my things. It was already 10 o'clock at the evening when I finished unpacking some of my things since I opted to at least finish half of it and there were still two boxes left to unpack which I decided to do tomorrow because I'm already tired and jet log was starting to kick in.  After cleaning myself and changing into my loose shirt and cotton shorts, I dived in on my bed with my phone in my hand. I need to talk to Andreu even just for minutes. I went on my phone's f*******: application and scrolled on my friends list, it was only 8 pm in the Philippines since Australia's two hours ahead. And I know he was still up; 8 pm isn't the sleeping time of teenagers nowadays, and I know very well that Andreu stays online until 12 midnight every night to chat with his girls, and I am sure of that. I'm his best friend and I know all his activities, even the 'dirty' ones. And I was right, he's online. I clicked on his name and topped the video call icon on messenger and it only took three rings. "Let me guess, you're chatting with Karen," I said as he picked up the call.  I shifted on my right. "Hello to you too, Aries, and I miss you too," he answered instead, arching his brow. So gay; I laughed. "How have you been, dude?" I asked, dismissing his teasing. He shrugged. "Aside from my school days were boring, I'm also starting to get broke," he answered sighing. "No more free lunch and snacks, I pay for my foods now and it was your fault." He added, brushing his hand on his hair while biting his lip. I laugh harder.  "Nah. It was Papa's," I said between my laugher. "Don't worry I'll tell him how miserable you are now for paying for your foods." I added. Since my mom is a cook and Andreu really likes her cooking, she prepares food for the two of us: lunch and snacks, making Andreu spend less for his food. Andreu pouted. "How are you?" he asked instead. "I'm good. I haven't been out so..." I shrugged. "You?" "Missing you," he answered. "Aww. So sweet of you, I'm touched." I teased. He rolled his eyes, I chuckle. "I miss you too, i***t. But seriously, how're you?" "Lot of things have changed since you left, just so you know, I can brand myself as loner of the year." He answered, showing a frown. I rolled my eyes. "Like I'll believe you," I said. Andreu's a playboy; he's one of the campus player but not the f**k boy type. It's just that, toying with girl's feelings is one of his hobbies but it did not become a hindrance for us to be friends, besides, he has been a good best friend to me and never showed nor did attempt to do his shits on me—because it won't work and we both know that. He laughs. "I'm serious, dude," he said. "It feels weird not having you around; it was like everything is new to me." He added. "I felt alienated doing things we used to do together." He shrugged. "I was so used with your annoying presence that it gives me a hard time adjusting."  It was so dramatic of him and I admit that it rendered me speechless for seconds. He was my best friend since grade school, the only person who stayed with me; the only one who understands my sentiments and weirdness and vice versa. I smirked. "You were too dependent on me, that was why," I said, teasing. "Because, I never imagined you'll leave me." He answered shrugging.  "Clingy." I commented. We both laugh.  Andreu and I have been through ups and down, there were times that we can't understand each other because of the things we chose to do. But those did not move our friendship but made us stronger as best friends; that after those fights we had we still ended the same and just laugh for arguing for such stupid thing; that in the end of the day he's still the Andreu of Ariessa, and I'm still the Ariessa of Andreu; we're still and stay best of friends. "I wish you were still here." He murmured, lying on his bed. I sighed. "We'll see each other soon, Dreu." I said. "5 years is too long to be 'soon', Aries." He said. I pouted. "I understand and I don't have any choice but to and wait 'til 5 years is over, though," he added. "Let's video call every night," I said. He nodded. Best friends are still best of friends no matter what happens, even they were apart. That there's no time and space that will separate them, even they were miles and miles away; continent to continent. "Good night, Dreu," I bid, yawning. We've talked for an hour jumping from different topics that mostly were about how he really was at school since I don't have much to say about my stay here at Sydney. And honestly, it kind of gross for me to hear his dirty activities with his girl, that if I did not stop him, my innocent mind will be corrupted. I can't honestly remember how many times I comment 'yuck' and 'gross' at him in the whole one hour video call. The prize of having a player of a best friend. "Good night, Ries," he bided too before ending the video call. My eyes were too heavy and the light of my phone is blinding me already. I was about to fall in slumber when a loud and disturbing noise startled me—it was a car's horn. My heart beats faster that made me wide awake; sleepiness left me. I grunted. I stood from my bed and lit up my lampshade; the noise didn't come inside my house but outside. I peek behind my curtains and there, just in front of my room, under my balcony were four people—boys; whom I think are just about my age—having fun—I can say they were. They were sitting on a convertible car with red cups in their hands while shaking their body on the music that is blasting at the car's stereo; it seems like they were having a little party inside that car.  I shook my head.  I was about to go outside to shut them up but a blonde girl came out from the house in front of mine and walked fast towards those four idiots.  The music vanished and was replaced with grunts from those four; I saw how the blonde girl smacked their head as she gets those cups they were holding. One of them hopped out of the car and stood beside her: the black haired among those four. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and attempted to kiss her cheek but she stopped him and gave him another smack on the head; she must be his sister. The other three boys laugh and I as well on the scene; boys plus alcohol: crazy teenagers. Shaking my head I went back on my bed and tacked myself in my comforter. This country is really different from where I grow up and I am just newbie, an alien to a foreign territory, I'm totally clueless to what are going to happen to me here and the thought of different possibilities excites and scares me at the same time.  I sighed. "You're not in the Philippines anymore, Aries. You're in Sydney now and this is your new home," I murmured to myself as I slowly falling in slumber. I just hope everything fall perfectly on my favor, like how I lived back home. I want to live the same life I have back there: no complication and s**t.