No Cheese, Please.

Fiery(leftmost), and friends

"I might not know where to find love, but I know where I won't find it." - Gooey Jo.

****

Take me back to Makati. Better, to Diliman. I am so not a Manila person.

Too proud to ask for directions. I asked Dan , but he is all the more not a Manila person. So I got on the next bus that looked like it had clean seats, ones not scented with pantry gas. I try to sport this appearance of knowing exactly where I'm headed to. "Buendia(?)" It's so good that bus conductors can't read question marks, or else, my front would be ruined. I got an unobscene change for a fifty bill. Amidst watching LOTR (I don't know which installment. I don't have patience for such movies.), I started SMSing people for directions. I have unlimited texting, and one battery bar. A thousand pairs of left contact lenses.

A third of the people got off by LRT. I figured I should be getting off, too. I don't know the difference between "Buendia" and "LRT". Yes, laugh at me. I hope it made you feel better. Five shawarma stalls. It's P25 - with cheese. I don't like cheese in my shawarma. I don't like cheese in most food items that non-Joie's deem putting cheese on a brilliant idea. I don't like my food salty and tarty. So I get myself a shawarma, and gulaman to wash it down. I need energy for "regrouping". I believe I am left with enough coins for a train ticket (and I didn't know how much it would cost to get to Pedro Gil).

I had to maintain the this-is-my-daily-commute face up the platform. In pure Joieness, I outsat a pregnant woman. I don't know which would be more cruel - that, or thinking that she's just fat. I held on to the bars, shoving an elderly. Yes, hate me. This is the funniest bit - I don't know which way the train was going. I don't know if I'll end up in Monumento, or if I'd get to Rob Place before they start thinking that I flaked on them. Next station was a stop nearer Pedro Gil. Cruelty to expectant mothers and the aged, God still loves me.

***

"Deretsuhin mo lang yang Pedro Gil, Rob na." - Kuya tricycle driver (was he tracing the line between my boobs, or motioning to the general direction of the mall?)

***

Will watch "And I Love You So." Will try to keep facial muscles relaxed.

***

"Andito kami sa McDo. Maghanap ka ng mataba." - Juvy Sampang (my future OB)

***

McDo. We can't go wrong. We'd sit for hours, ordering 3 large fries, 2 McFlurry's, pretending to study, while making memories (that we'd later talk about. In some McDo.) I love them too much, I can't be envious about them being MD's in a matter of hours. Allan - he stuck it out with me when I only had enough cash for 3 Ikot rides. Juvy - she was there to police me. Melvin, who was all composed minutes before a Bio exam, taught me the art of surrender. And Joy - Joy was there. Macel, Tin and Angel were missed.

They were family. Nine years, and we're never stangers. I used to think that I can't keep friendships. They are the anti-thesis to that.

***

I want to be with you for a long, long time. I don't want you to be a stranger. Not soon. I l-

(Word vomit suppressed)

***

1:46. I'll be up at 4. Shower or sleep?

Sex.

(I tend to fancy what I can't have).