Five

FIVE

Dumiretso siya sa ground floor, she’s looking for Miss Jean. She couldn’t leave without thanking her. She decided to wait a few minutes just in case she sees her. Ten minutes passed, she felt it was time to go. She was about to leave when someone called her.

"Ms. Miller," the voice came from behind her.

"Hello," Anna smiled, turning to face her. "I was looking for you. Hindi kita agad nakita, kaya naisip ko na umalis na."

"Looking for me? Bakit? Do you need anything?"

"Uh, wala naman. I just wanted to thank you," she said. "Thank you sa paghahatid mo sa `kin."

"It's nothing," tipid na sagot ni Miss Jean.

"Well, maybe sa `yo wala `yon, pero for me, it's still something," she said, still smiling. "Thank you ulit. I’ll treat you when I get my first salary, but for now, I have to go."

Lumabas na ako sa building at nagpunta sa parking lot.

"I think I should tell mom." I said to myself habang papasakay ako sa kotse ko. I drovemy way to my mom's house.

"Ma? Mama!" sigaw ko.

"Hey, sweetheart," She answered. "Kamusta? Kasama mo si Dianne?"

"Hindi po. Galing ako sa Anderson Company," sagot niya sa ina.

"You seem to be in a good mood today. Anyare?" her mom is trying to sound like a cool teenager. She pulled Anna to the nearest couch to talk.

"Tinanggap ko po `yung trabaho. I'm in the Anderson Company," she boasted.

"Congratulations!" Anna’s mom said while clapping. "We have to celebrate this. I have pie – Key lime pie. It's your favorite, right?"

"Thanks, Mom," They went to the kitchen and her mom pulled out the whole pie from the fridge.

It’s been a long time since she ate the pie. Since she moved out, today’s the first time she did again.

Hindi nila namalayan ang oras. Gabi na nang mapansin ng mag-ina. She suddenly remembered Dianne, who is alone in her house.

"Ma, alis na po ako. Nasa bahay nga pala si Dianne," paalam niya. "Salamat po sa pie. Hindi pa rin nagbabago ang lasa ng gaawa mo. Masarap pa din. See you soon, Mama."

Anna kissed her mom’s cheek before going home.

***

"I'm home," sigaw ni Anna, pero walang sumagot o nagpakita. ‘Umalis kaya si Dianne?’ "Dianne!" she called again, but still no response. Kahit kaluskos, wala.

Anna looked for her, sa kitchen, sa garage, sa living room at sa labas, pero wala talagang Dianne. She tried the second floor.

"Dianne!" tinawag ulit ni Anna, pero wala pa din.

‘Hmm. Malaki na `yun. Alam naman siguro niya ang pauwi," bulong niya sa sarili. She then felt drained from all her adventures. She decided to lay down and sleep, if she could.

"Nandito ka lang pala," she said as she saw Dianne sitting on the floor and holding something. Seeing her with the journal sent chills down her spine.

"Anna," Dianne looked at her with teary eyes.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito, Dianne? Bakit mo hawak yan?" she asked, pointing at her journal, which was meant to be secret.

"Bakit `di mo sinabi sa `kin? Best friend mo ako, `di ba? Hindi ko man lang alam na may problema ka pala. Sana mas inagahan ko ang uwi ko. Sana nadamayan kita," she hugged Anna, who is now sitting beside her.

"Okay lang naman ako. Kaya ko naman. Sinusubukan ko lang kung talagang independent na ako, and I have proven na kaya ko na talaga," Anna hugged her back.

Dianne handed her the journal. "Sigurado ka na okay ka?"

"Of course," Anna could not help but smile. "I'm fine. We all have our dirty secrets," she winked and remembered about dinner. "Hindi ka ba nagugutom?" tanong ni Anna.

"Nagugutom na. Pizza tayo?"