Si Raqs: Birthday Breakfast in Chocolate Fire

My girlfriends at work have this thing where in we chip in on something for the birthday celebrator among us. We have been doing this eversince it's now become our little tradition. This year aside from that but we also celebrated in pairs. Josie and I treated them for a birthday brunch at the Fort last July and this month Edz and Gherry treated us for breakfast at Chocolate Fire in Leviste, Makati.

I am really beginning to appreciate these girls because I am learning a lot about love through them. I'll explain.

Kami yung tipo ng group na, we don't really have anything striking in common but we're friends kasi nagkataon na kami-kami yung unang naging magkakatabi at magkakakilala when we were still new at this work.

I first met Edz at the waiting room when it was my job offer. When she arrived, she stopped at the door frame, gave this big sighed of relief and smiled at us as if magkakakilala kaming lahat doon. She travelled that morning all the way from Batangas and she was there to submit her employment requirements. We talked and exchanged numbers that day and I mentioned to her much later that there was this likeable aura about her from the onset.

It was first day of onboarding when I first met Gherry. I was at the waiting room with the others and she was that pretty girl who caught my eyes when she came in the room and sat next to me. I don't remember feeling thrilled that she did that. I mean, who wants to be seated next to a pretty girl right? A dude. I'm not a dude. I was this awkward girl who was uncomfortable with her own skin and a pretty girl sitting next to me was exactly what I needed. I didn't think we're supposed to talk, but she started a conversation and we learned that we're both from Teletech and that had become common ground at that moment. I was supposed to meet Edz later but I realized I cannot get rid of this pretty girl so I might as well introduce them so we can all be friends.

So we sat beside each other during onboarding and Josie was sitting next to us. We became a group, us and another girl, Rhianne, but she eventually got transferred to another department on a morning shift so it's just the four of us now.

I guess it's pretty automatic sa ganitong setting na kung sino yung mga unang nakilala or nakatabi mo ang magiging group of friends mo. But not all of that lasts. Eventually you would find people who you most resonate with and you'll part ways. That is true even to us. We've been transferred to different teams and we met new friends along the way. We hardly spend anytime together in the office these days. We go with our other friends during breaks. We have hurt and offended each other at one point or another. But here we are, still celebrating birthdays together.

I used to be seatmates with this guy Glenn who can quote famous lines from the Tagalog films he's seen with his girlfriend. He says he watches them because his girlfriend wants them to. And to him, "gusto niya eh, eh di go". He doesn't care if doing so hurts his masculinity because the only opinion he cares about is his girlfriend's. He wants to make her happy. And that is love, it looks a lot like sacrifice. Kaya naman kahit hindi ako mahilig sa horror at nasasayangan akong gumastos para sa tagalog films eh napanuod ko ang "A Secret Affair" at ang "The Strangers" sa sine. Dahil kahit puyat, these girls would fight stay awake to spend some bonding time with a cranky person like me. It's only right to do the same.

Minsan wala kaming bagong mapag-usapan kasi walang bago sa mga buhay namin. But it's nice to know that if anything comes up, I have them. Relationships are not always exciting, sometimes they can be dull. But I learned that relationships happen to us but for them to last is our choice. And that choice looks a lot like work. That looks a lot like setting a side time and even money for each other and forgiving each other when we don't get treated like what we expect.

Anyhow, time for some pictures. :)