Jennifer

My family and I had just moved to Pangasinan and frankly, I was quite disappointed there were no malls plus add that dose of bitterness knowing my awesome friends back at our small house in Novaliches are having the time of their lives whilst there I am, playing alone. I remember my mom leeching, cooking me all sorts of my favorite dishes. Even with that, I wasn't very happy.

My kindergarten school sucked big time, I hated going to school and I would always-always remind my mom how cool the system was at St. Anthony, Lagro. The store was always busy and I hated being fetched from school by some anonymous tricycle driver whilst the rest of my classmates have ates and kuyas. I miss my mom taking me home. Yes, I lasted for about a year with nothing but grumpiness in my mood meter. 

I skipped prep.

First grade. I finally succumbed to the awful truth that we are indeed, staying at Pangasinan for good. But I still hated my school. XD and yes, finally stopped pestering my mom. 

So, of course I had to make some friends right? This phase marks, ladies and gents, the start of my story. I don't particularly remember why and how I developed a special interest in watching her, esp. during recess and whilst waiting for the school bus. All I remember was she was always alone, she always-- has colds, she never talks, she always cries(when the jerks-- my boy classmates--teases her.)

I think it was July(if my memory serves me correct) when I finally had the guts to talk to her. This is how I remember it, prolly biased. but nonetheless, we were waiting for our schoolbus, as always... I love the swing so I was watching her by the swing. She was sitting near the gate, anticipating.

Bat ka nagiisa palagi?(why are you alone?) first sentence- (ultimately dumb) conversation starter I could ever think of.

I remember wanting to run away this moment realizing how stupid my question sounded. But alas! APPARENTLY, SHE CAN SPEAK.

Wala kong kaibigan(I have no friends) she retorted whilst looking away dramatically. I knew that was a cue for me to stop talking or should i say annoying her. But what can I say, I'm a curious kid, and so I blurted out another stupid question, Bakit ka walang kaibigan? (why do you have no friends?)

She ignored me. I was a very hopeful and stupid girl back then so I waited eagerly for a reply following her annoyingly with a blank stare. I got no answer. One of my busmates screamed in joy for our bus finally arrived. We both joined the crowd. I got no answer but I remember that she smiled at me before I got off the bus. 

I do not remember what happened next. Amazingly, we became bestfriends, together with four other girls, talking hours and hours on the phone on weekends, playing during breaks, having our own codes and inside jokes, calling each other cheesy nicknames, going into each other's houses.. wow. how did that happen?

After graduation, they all went to the same school(private), I went to a public high school. We lost contact for years, then I saw her on facebook and we chat occasionally(once in every... year?). Last update I had of her, she had a lot of boyfriends, likes taking pictures of herself, she graduated nursing, and she has twice as many facebook friends as I have. To sum it up, she's changed, A LOT.

We grew apart, that's normal, i guess. Seems like a simple story but it actually means a lot to me. Sometimes when I feel useless, I remind myself of this story. She's one of the few people who made me realize I my existence had a bearing in this world... that once upon a time, had I not been born, this girl will prolly have a grim and lonely childhood, who knows what else could've happened.. 

I was Jennifer's first friend.