- I caught up with old friends.
I never fully realised how important my friends are to me. Until I started getting in contact with them and spending more time with them. Sure, we all have different lives, busy schedules and it was harder and harder for us to get together. But we made it a point that we have to catch up at least once a fortnight to let everybody know what's been going with our lives. I think it's healthy that we weren't join in the hip. We can do whatever we want and hang out out with whomever and still have this great bond as a group.
I realised that we've all changed. They think that I've gone from being a smart-ass back in college to being a soon-to-be successful person in the corporate world. They believe that I'll turn into a kind of person that would have no time for love and all the time for work and pleasure.
Eunice, as always would always be the hopeless romantic. Sure, she doesn't have any boyfriend right now and she's focusing on her degree but I know deep down she'll always love the one person who stomped all over her heart more than once. If you think I'm crazy to be loving the wrong man for so long, you gotta meet my best friend.
Marian-And-Joseph. Joseph-And-Marian. Five years of being together and not fighting whatsoever. It'll only be a matter of time before they tie the knot. They are so disgustingly in love it's nauseating really.
Rochelle has always the family girl in our group. When we were in college, I remember her telling me how she wanted to get married at an early age. She wanted to have a kid straight after college and just be a stay-at-home mom. I thought she was crazy to be wanting such a boring life, but she sure showed me. She's happy with what she's doing and Corine has godparents doting on her every single week.
Gucci, Carlo and Mark are all busy with their final year. Whenever I wanted a hug, I ran to them. They always make me feel good about myself. They massage my ego and boost my self-esteem everytime I need some reassurance. They're all pretty cute with impeccable taste in everything. But they can never be a preyable male for me no matter how drunk I get.
Khaye and Ianne will always be my childhood friends. I ate dog food, played under the rain, battled head lice, had bitch fights, rode bikes, skated and played touchball with them. They will always be the only two people who knew how disgusting I was when I was a kid.
- I made new friends
I made so many new friends it's a shame I have to leave.
Who helped me plot the idea of leaving my cousin with no mobile phone or wallet with him in the middle of the carpark in Makati when he thought that we were all in the toilet taking a leak?
Who helped Carlo pulled over in the middle of Sucat Highway and pretended to have car trouble just so he can cause traffic? Cars behind us were piling up cause the engine wouldn't start for some reason... hmmmm.
Who tricked me into drinking gin with another shot of gin as a chaser?
Yep, I made some stupid but then incredibly trustworthy friends.
- I, and I'm not proud of this, was the cause of a terrible break up.
Experience is the best teacher. Now I know how hard it is to hang on to a man. There are just too much complications. Too much baggage and too much shit going around that I can't be bothered with relationships anymore unless I'm entirely sure with what I want. I experienced first-hand that a guy can just stop loving a person just cause he met someone who kisses better or treats him better or makes him sweat more. Life, in general sucks. But we have to live it every single day.
- Drinking is not bad for you
I've learned that drinking is actually a good aesthetic. It helps you feel numb and it takes your worries away - for a good four hours or so. But don't overdo it or they'll think you have a drinking problem.
Picture this:
"Hi, My name is nikki and I'm an alcoholic.".
Everybody at AA: "Hello nikki!"
Aaaaahhh!!! That is so not happening.
- Cousins come through at the very last minute
Cousins in the same wavelength do have a lot to talk about. How they fucked their relationships up. How they hurt people in the process of getting over someone and how to get closure and just keep walking.
"Just keep walking, Nikki. Just keep walking."
For Carlo: Have I told you that what you said stayed with me? Hope you keep walking too.
- Caution: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, FAMILIES DO STICK TOGETHER.
My Auntie is battling cancer and I pray to God that everything will be okay. I couldn't accept the fact that she has to undergo chemotherapy. We all pulled through. Giving her what she needs. We set aside our differences and just worked as a family.
Yep, it was good.
- Gotten so close to my dad it put a smile on my face everytime.
I remembered my stepdad mentioning about how everything has a greater purpose. At first I didn't know what the hell he meant by that. Then it hit me. Having felt the pain that I had encountered actually helped get emotionally close to my dad. I was at rock bottom when he came through. Asked me how I was doing and telling me that I don't need to change for a man to love me. I was touched. From then on, we just spent time together and have the best times. He made me realized that there are worse things in life than what I was feeling. He helped me turn to God for guidance and for peace of mind which I eventually got soon after. I really thought that it was the most depressing time of my life. But I saw the light, thanks to DAD.
I remembered lying on my bed one night thinking that if all it takes for us to be close is a miserable heartache, then I would gladly offer my heart out there and eagerly accept all the pain that anyone can cause me. It's worth the bond that my DAD and I shared. Way worth it. For the first time in my life, I felt that we actually have something in common - not just our almond shaped eyes and our flat noses.
