Lives Intertwined
Aiah and Stacey have been inseparable since diaper days—lives intertwined ever since their moms met their dads.
Their mothers have been friends since highschool and so because of the deep friendship they formed until they got married they ensured that their daughters will also have each other when they grew up. A friendship like no other, living in the same neighborhood, they filled it with laughter and banter, and everyone was a witness to their beautiful friendship.
9-year-old Aiah and 8-year-old Stacey
Stacey’s been staying over by the Arceta’s house since yesterday; her parents are out for a business trip, so her mom decided that it is best for Stacey to stay over by the Arceta’s. It was already 7 pm, an hour before their scheduled sleep, when Stacey tried to start a pillow fight.
“Fight me Ate Aiah, come on!” Stacey happily shouted while softly hitting Aiah with a pillow.
Aiah smiled widely while shaking her head. “It's already late, Aubrey. Bukas after school let’s have a pillow fight.”
Stacey pouted. “Eh, tomorrow na ata babalik sina mommy; we can’t have pillow fights again.”
“Who said we can’t? You can still sleep over here, and I can sleep over sa inyo, right?” Aiah assured Stacey.
“Right! Okay, ate Aiah, I’ll keep that in mind, but hug me again while I’m sleeping; I can sleep better when you’re hugging me!” she excitedly said.
Smiling widely at Stacey's excitement, Aiah agrees, "okay, okay, princess, I will. Now, ayusin mo na pillows, and I will get us some milk.”
Minutes later, Aiah came back with two milks on a tray.
“Here’s your milk, Aubs, drink it na so we can sleep na.” Aiah gave the milk to Stacey.
After they finished their milks, they settled onto the bed and claimed their spots, Aiah being on the left side and Stacey on the right. Just like what Stacey requested, Aiah hugged her, and so Stacey scooted closer.
“Good night, Ate Aiah, I love you,” Stacey said sleepily.
Aiah smiled at her and answered, “I love you more, princess, sweet dreams.”
Present
It’s been a while since Stacey and Aiah had a sleepover, not like they haven’t done it in the past months but the thing is they were with their whole circle everytime they do sleepovers, so a much needed sleepover with just the two of them must happen. Stacey took it upon herself to plan everything, of course without Aiah knowing. Aiah's been busy the past week with her OJT and Stacey's been restless since then, she barely sees Aiah for the past two weeks, it's like their houses are miles away.
With her dedication to make their sleepover just like before, Stacey prepared everything. She told her Tita Malou, Aiah's mom, about her plan and knowing that her daughter needs an actual rest, well, she knows Aiah’s rest is Stacey, so she lets Stacey be.
Everything is already set, Stacey’s just waiting for Aiah to arrive.
What's taking her so long? Stacey thought. Usually umuuwi si Aiah by 6 pm, but it is already 6:45 pm at wala pa rin siya, so Stacey sat on Aiah’s bed frowning when suddenly the door opened.
Aiah, on the other hand, was shocked when she saw her best friend sitting on her bed with a frown on her beautiful face. “Hey, you?” Aiah greeted reluctantly.
“You're late, A,” Stacey said with a pout on her lips. Natawa si Aiah habang inilalapag niya ang kaniyang mga gamit.
“I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd wait here; may dinaanan lang ako kay Colet.” Aiah explained before she kissed Stacey's head. “What's with all these ba? Sleepover?” Aiah looked around her bed and the set-up projector.
Stacey rolled her eyes playfully. “obviously!” And then she pulled Aiah to hug her fully. “I missed you, A. You only go to our house to kiss me good morning and good night; hindi ka na nag spend ng time with me.”
“Hey hey, Aubs, hindi pa ako nakakapagpalit ng clothes, let me change muna before you hug me.” Aiah knows well Stacey is kind of a neat freak, hindi ka p'wedeng lumapit sa kaniya kapag galing ka sa labas, you need to change first before you can go near her, but there is only one exception, and it is Aiah.
Stacey didn't mind what Aiah said; she pulled Aiah even closer, if that is even possible.
“I'm sorry for not spending time with you. I've been busy, and I know hindi ‘yun reason for me to find a way to be with you. I'll bawi, okay?” Aiah said softly while caressing Stacey's hair.
They talked a bit more before Aiah changed into her sleeping clothes and went downstairs to eat their dinner.
...
Dinner was fun; Arceta’s are complete, and Stacey's mom was also there. Aiah’s brother kept on teasing them about how they should just get their own house because it looks like they do not want to be separated ever; the two just rolled their eyes and laughed.
After their heartfelt dinner, the two decided to go upstairs and start their movie marathon. They'll probably watch A Walk to Remember and Flip again, for they don't know how many times already; those two movies will never be out of their movie night lists when it's just the two of them.
Flip was playing when Stacey scooted closer to Aiah, snaking Aiah's left arm around her waist while Aiah's right arm was right there in Stacey's head, hand busy playing with her hair.
“Sleepy already?” Aiah asked softly.
Stacey looked at Aiah with her sleepy eyes, “mhm.” She then nuzzled her face on Aiah's neck.
Aiah smiled while watching Stacey succumb to sleep. “Sleep well, pretty. I love you.” She just looked at Stacey until the girl was fast asleep inside her arms.
It’s nearing December, and it just means one thing for a 4th-year psychology student like Aiah: it means the end of the beginning is near, and so their thesis is waving right after they finish their on-the-job training. The thesis is one of the most important things before they graduate, and so Aiah made sure that she wouldn’t slack off; nakasalalay ang pag martsa niya sa thesis, ngunit para sa kanya ang thesis ay hindi lang para makuha niya ang kanyang diploma, she took it seriously to contribute to the growing knowledge of psychology, specifically in the development of children; for her, it is crucial to give more and improve the developmental psychology in the Philippines.
She was supposed to have a lunch date with her friends, but she’s here at their house slumped on the floor with her laptop on the coffee table and with Colet, her best friend in college and her thesis mate. They got a call from their adviser that their statistical treatment was wrong, so they have to start all over again with computing the raw data. They actually thought they could interpret the results already, but here they are stressing about it again.
“Sayang lang binayad sa statistician na ‘yun, lintik!” Colet frustratedly said, they paid one thousand two hundred pesos for it, tapos mali naman pala ang gawa, so their frustrations are valid.
Aiah, the epitome of calm, chuckled, “We can’t do anything about it, Col. Hanap na lang tayo ng bago after natin ‘to marecompute.”
They’d been recomputing for two hours already when Colet decided to voice out her frustration again. “Wow, chi square na lang nagkamali pa talaga ‘yung statistician natin ha,” Colet said unbelievably.
Colet was going to say something again when they heard footsteps approaching, and then Stacey appeared all smiles. “Chill ate Colet, salubong na kilay mo oh.” Then she puts down the iced coffees and donuts they bought for the two.
“Tatanda kang madali, Colet, sige ka, hindi kita sasagutin.” Gatong ni Maloi, one of Aiah and Stacey’s childhood friends, who happened to take a liking to Colet.
Colet rolled her eyes, “Mag tigil ka nga.” Then she faced her laptop again.
“Take a break muna, you two,” Stacey said, and she sat on the sofa behind Aiah. She reached for Aiah’s head and gently massaged it. “Rest your head on my lap, A. Come on, take a break.” So Aiah did; she needs it anyway; she needs to recharge, and only Stacey can give her that.
Highschool (Grade 10 Aiah and Grade 9 Stacey)
As the student supreme government president, Aiah was cooped up with a bunch of paper in her office, checking the proposed booths for their upcoming school fair while also reviewing for her quiz tomorrow. It is already nearing 4 pm; students will be out soon, and that means she has to finish checking everything before 5 pm.
Maloi, her friend and the secretary of SSG, entered the office. “Hoy Ate Aiah, mag break ka nga muna, kanina ka pa diyan ah. Tapos na klase ko, hindi ka pa rin diyan umaalis. Ako na muna magtuloy niyan, I brought snacks for you.”
“No, it’s fine,” Aiah declined. “Patapos na rin naman ‘to, you should go home na rin. Tell the others that we'll just have a meeting tomorrow after class.”
Shaking her head, Maloi spoke again, “Ang tigas talaga ng ulo, oh. Sure ka na keri mo na?” she asked again, and Aiah just nodded. “Okay, sige, pero kainin mo ‘tong burger ha, and drink water after!” She then waved her hands as a goodbye.
Twenty minutes after Maloi went out, someone knocked on the door and slowly opened it.
“Aiah.” Aiah, buried in the papers, looked up and saw Stacey with worried eyes. “Ate Maloi said you’ve been here for hours already.” Then she went near Aiah and saw the food Maloi said she gave to Aiah—untouched. “At hindi mo talaga kinain ‘man lang ang dala ni ate Maloi.”
“I thought may date ka?” Aiah asked.
Huminga ng malalim si Stacey, “that’s really the first thing na sasabihin mo sa’kin?” Hindi naman siya galit, siguro malapit na. “How am I supposed to believe that you are the self-love club president? Eh, ito ka, mukhang pinapabayaan ang sarili.” Stacey said incredulously.
“I’m sorry. Konti na lang naman ‘to and I’m done na; I can’t slack off, Aubrey.” She said dejectedly. The last thing she wants is Stacey getting mad at her; hindi niya kakayanin.
Stacey sighed, “you’re not slacking off, A. You’re doing just fine. Don’t beat yourself up.” She positioned herself behind Aiah’s swiveling chair and gently massaged Aiah’s head.
“I promise, konti na lang ‘to then I'll go home na. You should go already, baka hinihintay ka na ni Vince.” Aiah said looking up to Stacey.
“He already went home, I’m gonna sabay sa’yo.” Stacey continued massaging Aiah’s head. She canceled her date with her boyfriend because she knows that Aiah needs her, no one can ever make Aiah feel better, except her.
The laughter in the room was loud; it was the kind of noise Aiah and Stacey bask in whenever they are with their friends. It is their year-end party slash sleepover night, where all the chaos transpired, gossip was shared, and vulnerability was laid bare. This is what their friend group loves most in December: they get to hang out and talk about nothing and anything, just them being them, an annual thing they always do. It started with just Stacey, Aiah, and Aiah’s cousin Sheena, then came Maloi, who befriended Aiah in their 3rd grade, while Jhoanna became friends with Stacey in 5th grade, then to Mikha, who became Stacey’s confidant at junior high school when Aiah got busy, and then here came Gwen, their new neighbor just across Aiah’s house in their senior high year, and lastly Colet, Aiah’s college best friend. They suddenly just found themselves being in one circle when Aiah and Stacey decided to have a Christmas party, and the eight of them were formed.
“Wait nga lang, bakit kasi si Mikha kalaban ko, madaya ‘yan eh!” Jhoanna complained.
Mikha turned her head in Jhoanna’s direction, just behind her, sitting on the couch. “What do you mean, madaya? Loser ka lang talaga.” And then the banters continued, with Sheena adding to the fuel.
Aiah just laughed at the scene; she was at the kitchen counter with Colet preparing yet another not-so-hard alcoholic drink when her eyes landed on Stacey, laughing, eyes disappearing at what Sheena was saying. She was again mesmerized by her best friend’s beauty. “Aiah, anak, sinagot ka na ba ni Stacey?” Aiah choked on her own saliva, while Colet laughed at her friend.
Composing herself, Aiah asked hesitantly, “Tita, what are you talking about po? ”
Isabel, Stacey’s mom, just shook her head. “The way you look at Stacks is different, Aiah, alam ko.” Tita Isabel smiled, “And mas gugustuhin ko na ikaw ang para kay Stacey, na sa’yo ang boto ko, ‘nak.” And then she walked to the girls in the living room to say her goodnight.
“Cat got your tongue, Ai?” Colet teased.
Aiah glared at Colet. “Shut up! ”
“Ang torpe mo kasi, boto na nga sa’yo si tita Ivy oh.” Colet continued teasing Aiah while they were finishing up preparing the drinks and food.
...
An hour has already passed, and some of them are already tipsy. Well, let’s say Jhoanna was the first one to get tipsy, then Sheena, who blabbers a lot and cannot stop talking, and, of course, Stacey with her flushed face.
“Stacks, ilang months ka na ngang single?” Sheena laughingly asked, wala namang nakakatawa pero dahil may tama na nga siya, tawa siya nang tawa.
“Bakit na naman, Sheena Mae? Kanina mo pa akong bunot ha.”
“May suggestion daw kasi si bebe kung sino bagay sa’yo,” Gwen said.
“4 months na ‘yan single; she’s in her self-love era raw,” Maloi said while clinging onto Colet.
Aiah just took in the discussion as the girls continued to hot seat Stacey; wala rin naman siyang masasabi about it, malamang ay ginagantihan lang ng mga ito si Stacey kasi naisahan sila nito sa laro that led them to admit their secrets and feelings.
Aiah was in her head when it suddenly became quiet; when she looked at the girls, they were all looking at her, with Sheena pointing in her direction. “What?” Aiah asked, bothered by all the eyes looking at her.
“Ayan, ‘yang pinsan ko, siya ang suggestion ko! Mamahalin ka at ipaglalaban ka! ” Sheena said giddily and drank the remaining Smirnoff she had in her bottle.
Everyone went silent after that. Maloi and Colet just sip on their drink, having the knowledge that Aiah actually harbors romantic feelings for her best friend, while Gwen, Mikha, and Jhoanna sit there, looking back and forth at Aiah and Stacey, feeling the tension building up.
Jhoanna was the one to cut the awkward silence, “Ganito na lang Stacks, how or what do you feel when you are with Ate Aiah ba? Baka naman nga para talaga kayo sa isa’t isa.”