I'll Love You, Tomorrow

Chapter 18 – The Dynamic Duo

Mikhael...

"Still alive?", I tease Paul while we're taking a break in the office lounge. He doesn't answer but he throws me a bad look instead that makes me laugh even harder inside. He takes a computer course so I don't become any much help in most of his subjects aside from Statistics where we're classmates. Dark lines circles his eyes and numerous yawn floods him all throughout the shift. Paul is really having a hard time balancing work and studies. Unlike me, he is not used to such.

"Dude, promise me. If something bad happen to me, you'll take care of everything ok?", Paul jokes while looking at me with droopy eyes.

"You i***t!, you're not dying! You're just tired and sleepless. You don't have cancer!", I yell laughing at him then slap him by the nape. Afterwards, we laugh at each other's silliness.

"Dude, I need to unwind. Let's go somewhere on Saturday after your Stat class, are you down? We are off on Sunday so we can go together.", Paul invited.

"I can't sorry. I have to finish something on Sunday. And by the looks on your face right now, its better if you sleep and take a rest instead. You look like zombie already.", I replied.

I really want to go out with him on Sunday but maybe because of everything we have on our plates right now, he forgets his own birthday.

After what he had been through with his family, its no surprise that he doesn't remember his birthday. I may not have a great family structure but we never forget such dates of a family member. Since this is the only date where all of us come together and celebrate.

His birthday this year is a little off date because it falls on Tuesday and we cannot just take a leave of absent from work or school. He can avail it for sure but I can't and definitely he won't take it because he's alone. He would definitely choose not to take it instead.

I plan to throw a suprise birthday party for him. I asked Sean if he can help me cook for him and prepare this party. Sean and Paul are not yet acquainted with each other since they come from different courses but I think this will be a great chance for them to know each other. Besides, Sean loves the idea and very much willing to help.

"Is that so? Ok. I'm just going to stay home and sleep.", Paul said with a big sad sigh. He put his notes down and put his head on the table to take a nap before we get back to our shift.

***

Sunday morning, Sean and I plan to meet at the mall to buy the ingredients that we will need at Paul's birthday party. Sean takes the initiative to lead the grocery because he is a better cook that I am. I feel shy when he asked me what Paul's favorite dishes are because I honestly don't have an idea. For two years that Paul and I are friends, we spend most of our eating time at fast foods or street foods only.

Sean gives suggestions but I think all of it will be fine with Paul. He never complaints to any foods as I remember.

Sean asks the place where we will celebrate Paul's birthday and how many guests are coming. At this, I smile at Sean for lack of words on how to explain. Paul is not a sociable person and it's just the two of us in the office most of the time. During gatherings, Paul is quietly listening to the crowd chattering and laughing while he drinks his cola or eat his food. So I'm thinking, I'm just going to pack him with the foods that we will prepare and give it to him in the office.

We enter the grocery store and Sean took a basket. "What are you planning to cook?", I ask him.

"I am thinking of something simple and compact. Foods that you can easily carry and take with you when you finally think of a place to celebrate it."

"Wait, what do you mean by you? You are coming with us.", I clarify him. I see his eyes smile at my invitation.

"....as I was saying, since you two spend most of your eating days on fastfood I am thinking of leveling up your menu. How about Californai Maki?", he asks me. "I am planning to prepare it with chicken lollipops on the side. We can buy soda to go with it. It think those foods will be great for easy packing and carrying."

I love Sean's plan. We have not eaten Maki before on fast food. It will be great to try.

I love watching Sean choose his ingredients. He strolls from lane to lane, very certain where to go and what ingredients to take.

After an hour, we proceed to the counter to be checked out. I hand him money to pay for the groceries but he returns the other 500 bill.

"Why?"

"I need to have my share also in this surprise party right?", Sean smiles at me.

I keep handing him the bill but he insists.

"This is going to take time. Maybe you should find a fastfood and wait me there. Order our food already so it's ready when I'm done here.", Sean proposes.

Looking at the long line to the counter, I think Sean is right.

I left Sean in the grocery store to look for a fastfood to wait for him. Most of the restaurants are full and I cannot find a place for us. I keep looking until I come to the further end of the mall and find a tea house. There are few guests on dine in and plenty of tables. I enter the tea house and take a table for Sean and I.

While waiting for Sean, I remember that night when I was with him at a coffee shop just across the road of the university. Ram and his friends came in and all were stunned at the sight of Sean. I have been dying to ask Sean about it but I'm not sure if I'm in the right position to ask.

I put my sling bag on the table and go to the counter to order. I order two Wintermelon Milk Tea which I am sure Sean will like since this is what he ordered for us that night.

After paying my orders, the counter tells me to take my seat and wait to be called. I go back to my seat with the receipt on my hand.

"Mikhael?...", a voice calls me from outside of the tea house. It's Angeline and she is with Marjorie. They enter the tea house and come to my table. Judging by the a number of shopping bags they both are carrying, it seems they have quite a time at the mall.

"Hi Mike, how are you? Its nice to see you here.", Marjorie greets me.

"I'm great. It's nice to see you too. Come, sit with me.", I invite them. "How's it going? you seems very busy with all those bags."

"Well, Angeline invites me to come with her to buy school supplies in bookstore. Never thought that bookstore sells shoes and dresses also.", she sarcastically utter while eyeing Angeline badly.

"Hey, I also buy a pen there right.", Angeline smiles at her friend. "And I'm not the only one here who buys a lot. Look at your bags."

"I cannot let you have all the fun.", and both of them laugh at each other.

"Mikhael!...", the counter calls. I look at her and come to take my orders.

"Are you with someone?", Angeline asks when she sees the wintermelons.

"Yes, I'm with Sean. He's at the grocery to buy ingredients for the birthday celebration we will be having.",

"Sean?...not the Sean Calinto of HRM evening class right?", she asks suspiciously.

"Its him actually. You know him too?"

Angeline and Marjorie exchange looks at hearing this. The same look that Jerome and Roger threw at each other that night at the coffee shop. With this, I cannot help myself but ask.

"What is with Sean? You're not the only person who reacts that way when I mention Sean's name. Even Ram reacts differently when he saw Sean with me."

"Ram saw Sean too?", the two of them exclaim in unison.

"Yes, just this week in the cafeteria by the university after our evening class. We were there and Ram and the guys came to drop by too.", I explain.

The two are fixated on me while I talk, listening.

"They told me they were classmates in junior high. If that so, what is the big deal? Did they had a fight before? why does everybody acts awkwardly everytime they hear Sean's name.",

Both of them are still speechless until Angeline breaks the silence.

"Ah,..well.. that's true. We were all classmates in junior high but...."

"But what...", I interrupt.

The two exchange looks again.

"...we're not in the position to tell the story. Besides, no one is sure what really happened; all but gossips and hearsays. None of us is the ex-girlfriend anyway.", Marjorie finished.

"Ex-girlfriend?...who?...Sean's?", I ask curiously.

"Actually it's not Sean's, Its Ram's. Loise.", Angeline confirms.

"Hmmm, so there was a time that the three of them were love triangle? Sean and Ram were fighting to win over Loise?", I conclude but for the nth time, the two of them exchange looks.

"Will you please stop that both of you. What is really going on?"

"Mikhael, what we are about to tell you is only based on what we've seen and not what really happen nor the truth."

I see the worried look on both of their faces. I'm not sure now if I still want to hear what she's about to say but I guess I won't stop myself from asking about it even if I do.

"...we were all classmates since 7th grade; Marjorie, Loise, Ram and the other boys. We belong in the same class. Ram and Loise were our frontliners in every pageants. They were both a combination of brains and beauty. Until such time they'd confessed that they're a couple. No one objected. In fact, they had the support of the entire class."

"...7th grade when Ram became the captain of the volleyball team. His team won every game during his captainship. And as his girlfriend, Loise was there in every game for full support."

"...a year after, a new player joined the team; its Sean. He was a year older than all of us. Like Ram, Sean was a great player also. Ram was the attack and Sean was the set. Together, they made the team. They brought our team to division level."

"...despite being busy over practice, Ram never forgotten Loise. He always made time for her.", Angeline pauses."There wasn't really a problem between them until.....Sean came."

"...at first, we thought they go along just fine. The success of the team was because of them working together perfectly. But eventually rumors came in that rivalry were brewing between those two star players, at least that was we've heard of.",

"...we had our final match with the other class during intramurals. It was hard but because of Ram and Sean, we managed to win, the entire class celebrated. After the game, all players went back to their lockers."

"...we planned to surpise Ram after the game. We prepared the room, we had balloons and poppers. All were prepared after the game. But the players may had spent too much time in the locker and we couldn't wait any longer so we decided to come over instead. We were off limits to men's lockers so we decided to wait outside. Almost all of the players left already but we haven't seen Ram yet. We decided to sneak in and look for Ram."

"...We should've left but Loise insisted that she won't take long. She asked us to take point while she was inside. Loise went inside and looked for Ram."

"...after a few minute, Loise came running out of the locker room; crying. Then Ram came running after her. Shocked with what was happening, we turned to follow them but Sean came out of the locker after them. He saw us standing by the door but got ignored. He walked right pass us and left."

"...after that night, we hadn't heard anything from Loise; no calls, no text. Even here f*******: was in active.

"...one day, we saw Loise's mom coming in the principal's office with Ram. They were followed by Sean."

Angeline pauses for a while before she continues.

"...after that we hadn't seen Sean in the school anymore. Words out, he transfered. Ram and Loise also broke up."

I sit on my place listening to Angeline intently, no words come out of my mouth.

"Micheal, for the record, no one confirms what happened that day.", Angeline exclaims.

"She's right. Not even Loise confirms anything. Everytime we reach that topic, she dismisses it immediately.", says Marjorie.

"...and now that Sean has returned."

"There's a sale going on second floor right? I think we should hurry or we might miss all the goodies.", Angeline cuts me with this on Marjorie.

"Yeah, I think you're right. We should go.", Marjorie agrees. "He will leave you here ok."

They gather their bags in a hurry and leave the tea house. I watch them walk away and does not give a second look. They leave me hanging there, confused and clouded with more questions.

beep...beep...beep..

I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.

"Oh my!, I forgot to text Sean!"