CHAPTER ONE

Change.

They said it’s the only constant thing in this world. Everything --- people, things, animals--- is
undergoing changes every now and then. And Spring is a lovely reminder how beautiful
change can be.

I glanced outside my window to see the signs of Spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees
were almost budding, and the sun was bright. Even inside this room, I can feel how warm it is
outside. The cold winter is now gone.

“Alright, class! Study chapter 4 and 5, we will have a short quiz tomorrow. Enjoy the first day
of Spring!” Our teacher left. Everyone in the room giggled and hurriedly went outside to
witness their favorite season.

“Huy, tara na! Ang pinkish and yellowish sa labas, oh!” Summer pulled me up from my chair.
We followed Snow and Autumn who’s running to reach the front.

“Snow, Autumn, hintay naman!” muling sigaw ni Summer. Nilingon naman kami nung dalawa.

“You’re too slow! Make it fast or we won’t get to see it bloom!” sagot ni Snow.

The sweepers are now getting rid of the remains of Winter. Now, the street is clean and
everyone changed to comfortable clothes. No one is wearing a coat with multiple layers like
yesterday.
“Oh my… This is so perfect para sa Instagram ko, don’t you think?” tanong ni Autumn sa ‘min.
We all nodded. She get her phone and took pictures of the trees, the sky, and the people
around us.

“Take a picture of the trees, too, Autumn.” Sambit ni Snow pero inismiran lang siya nito.

“You have your own phone naman, girl. You can do it yourself na,” napailing na lang ako dahil
nag-asaran na silang dalawa. Pagandahan na sila ng kuhang pictures, paramihan ng likes sa
post, and so on.

Instead of taking pictures using my phone, I used my eyes instead. I want to capture this with
my own sight. Pictures won’t be appreciated.

The surroundings turned pinkish and greenish because of the grass, trees, and flowers. Star
Magnolia, Dogwood, Weeping Cherry, Kwanzan and Yoshino Cherries, Eastern Redbud,
Hawthorn and Crape Myrtle made it pinkish. It was so beautiful to look at. Feeling ko ay
mabubuhay ako sa school, basta ganito lagi ang makikita ko.

“Aw, look how lovely Spring is while looking at the trees…” komento ni Autumn habang
nakatingin silang tatlo sa phone niya.

“Delete it, Autumn. Mamaya magulat na lang ako, nai-upload mo na naman ‘yan sa IG mo,”
sabi ko at sinubukan agawin ang phone niya. But it’s hard because they teamed up against me.

“C’mon, girl, ang ganda mo kaya there! I’ll upload it na… What’s a good caption, Snow?”
Umiling na lang ako at hinayaan na lang si Autumn sa gusto niya. Atleast, they are happy.
“Uh… Spring enjoying herself? Or maybe, Spring under Spring?” Suggest ni Snow. Wala na
silang pag-asa.

“Whatever. That one is gross. How about you, Sum? Give an example with a sense, please.”

“Tigilan niyo ‘ko,” sagot naman ni Summer kaya natawa ako. Naglakad na ito paalis kaya
sumunod na ako. I clung my arms in hers.. And when I looked back, kasunod na rin namin
‘yung dalawa.

We lived in the same village, maliban kay Summer. But we’ve been friends since we’re in High
School. At first, Summer and Autumn always get into each other’s throats, because Sum is a bit
serious and strict, while Autumn is a kikay. But later on, naging magkasundo na rin sila.

“Wala akong pasok bukas,” pag-open ko ng topic kaya napatingin sila sa ‘kin. We’re walking
side by side.

“Why? Unfair naman,” reklamo ni Autumn kaya tinawanan ko lang siya.

“Ako rin,” singit ni Summer.

“I only have one class tomorrow, but we have a major exam, so…” Sabi naman ni Snow.

“Wow, so I’m the only one who have a full-packed schedule bukas? Why is the world so unfair
pagdating to me?”

“Date tayo bukas, Sum? May bibilhin ako sa book store tapos may daraanan sa church. Is it
okay?” tanong ko sa kaniya. It was fine with me if she won’t go with me, naiintindihan ko
naman. I don’t really want to bother them para lang samahan ako. I know they have personal
tasks to do or something.

“Sige. Wala naman akong gagawin bukas. Maglilinis lang siguro ako sa bahay tapos text mo
lang ako kapag magre-ready na,” sagot niya kaya lumapad ang ngiti ko.

“Hala, thank you, Sum!”

“Sayang, I want to go with you, too. Kaso I have class, e…”

“Don’t act as if you really want to come with Spring in church, Autumn. We all know you can’t
enter there without getting burned,” natatawang komento ni Snow. I can’t find anything funny
in her statement, but I think it is, since tumawa si Summer.

"Bakit ka tumatawa, Spring? Na-gets mo ba?" biglang tanong ni Summer. Napawi ang ngiti ko
at napalitan ng simangot.

"Hindi. Pero tumawa kayo, so it's a joke, right?"

"No, Spring. They are teasing me kaya sila tumatawa. They think na I'm some sort of super
sama na person, kaya I'm not allowed to enter church. I'll get burned. So, no, Spring. It's not a
joke. They are bullying me," paliwanag ni Autumn kaya sinamaan ko ng tingin ang dalawa.
"'Di ba sabi ko, bawal ang mang-bully? Those words are bad, Snow. And Sum, you shouldn't
laugh when someone is getting bullied."

"Sorry, baby Spring... Not gonna repeat that again, promise!" Sambit ni Snow kaya nginitian ko
siya.

"Tumawa lang naman ako. Pero sorry pa rin," sabi naman ni Summer.

"Say sorry to Autumn, too," utos ko.

Nakita ko na sabay lumapit ang dalawa kay Autumn at bumulong muna bago nakangiting
humiwalay.

"Sorry, Autumn," sabay na sabi nila. Hindi ko alam kung bakit napangiwi si Autumn kahit nag-
sorry naman na 'yung dalawa.

"Let's go na! I'm super gutom na kanina pa," reklamo ni Autumn at hinatak na ako.
I arrived at our house happy. Ganito naman lagi tuwing makakasama ko sila. We are each
other's support system. We keep each other sane and full as much as we can.

Naabutan ko na nagbabasa ng libro sa may sala si Kuya Matt. May suot siyang reading glasses
at naka-dekwatrong pambabae sa couch. Nang maramdaman niya ang presensya ko ay
tinignan niya agad ako.

"You're early, baby," bati nito at niyakap ako.

"Hindi ka po ba busy sa studies, Kuya?" tanong ko at nilapag ang bag sa couch.

"Medyo. I have minor exams tomorrow, kaya may kaunting time ako. You need help?"

"No, I can manage," sagot ko at pumunta sa kusina. I'm so thirsty kaya uminom ako ng tubig.
"Alright, then."

"Where's Kuya Bryan?" tanong ko sa kaniya nang hindi ko makita ang isa ko pang Kuya.

"Sa garage, washing his car."

Pumunta ako sa labas para batiin siya. If my eldest brother, Kuya Matthew, is a nerd type of
guy, my next brother, Kuya Bryan, is the boy next door type. They are the total opposite of
each other sa looks pa lang.

"Hey, Raffy, you're home early," bati nito at sumaludo lang sa 'kin. He's wet, sinasabay niya
kasi ang pagligo tuwing maglilinis ng sasakyan.
"Not really. Nagmadali kasi si Autumn, she said she was hungry," sagot ko. "Anyway, I'll go
upstairs now. Can you include my car, Kuya Bry, please? Please?"

He chuckled before sprinkling me water. "Ayoko! Bigyan mo 'ko ng one thousand, lilinisan ko
'yang nabubulok mong sasakyan."

"You're so mean! Isusumbong kita kay Mommy, sige ka!" pananakot ko but I don't mean it,
though. He doesn't want to make Mommy mad because he's a Mommy's boy.

"Yer se min... Hindi uuwi sila Mommy ng ilang araw, kanino ka magsusumbong? They'll be
gone for a few days because of some case or something," sabi nito kaya tumango na lang ako.
I bid my goodbye again to him and Kuya Matt.

I took a shower and did my night routines. I applied the creams that Autumn gave me when
she went to London. Wow, it was soft in the skin! I took a photo and sent it to our groupchat.

Spring: I put on the cream, Autumn! It' so pretty!

I was already lying on my bed when my phone beeped multiple times. Tinignan ko ito at
nakitang ang gulo na nila sa groupchat.

Summer: Bakit wala ako niyan?

Autumn: It would end up being in the basura na naman if ever, Sum. Those are precious.

Snow: I also don't have one.

Spring: She loves me the most, don't argue please.

Autumn: Oh my gosh, Spring! You ungrateful angelic bitch, why do you have to be like that?!
Natawa na lang ako dahil kinulit na ng dalawa ang kawawang si Autumn. Binilhan niya lang
naman ako dahil hindi talaga ako mahilig gumamit ng local products para sa mukha ko. I have
the most sensitive skin kaya dapat ay trusted and derma approved ang mga ginagamit ko.

I sent them a goodnight message before turning my phone off. Patulog na sana ako nang
maalala ko na hindi ko pa nakakausap sila Mommy. So I turned my phone on again and called
Mommy. Thankfully, sinagot niya naman agad.

"Hello?" bungad nito at mukhang basta na lang sinagot ang cellphone.

"Hello, Mommy. This is Raffy," sagot ko. Nakarinig ako ng kaluskos sa background and
Mommy's little voice saying my name.

"Oh, napatawag ka, sweetie? Are you home already?"

"Yes po, Mommy. Kanina pa. Kuya Bryan told me you won't be home for a few days?" I asked. I
heard her sighed on the other line.

"Ganoon na nga, sweetie. Pero baka umuwi kami bukas ng umaga para kumuha ng damit at
ilang gamit. We're handling a big case, kaya kailangan ng matinding atensyon," paliwanag niya.
I nodded even though I know she won't be able to see it.

"It's alright, Mommy. I'll cook our breakfast tomorrow, maybe it can lessen your stress even a
little..."

"Oh, that's so sweet of you, Raffy... We'll be there maybe around 8AM," sabi nito.

"Okay po. Don't be too hard on yourself, okay? Atleast take a thirty minutes nap, if you feel
tired. I love you po. Tell those to Daddy, too," bilin ko sa kaniya.
"Noted, sweetie. Thank you so much. You should sleep now, so you'll have the energy to cook
a delicious meal for us tomorrow..." She said that made me laugh.

"Yes po, Mommy. Goodnight, I love you."

"Goodnight, sweetie. I love you, too..."

I ended the call and put my phone on my bed side table. Pinatay ko na rin ang mga ilaw at
binuksan ang dalawang lampshade. With that, I fell into a deep slumber.