The Group of Friends Who Laugh Like a Hyena

Everyone back in HS would remember her as the student who answered back to teachers whenever she/we got reprimanded. Nobody in the Lourdes class could forget the infamous “munchkin scene” in our Economics subject where our teacher scolded us for eating munchkins and she barked back. We couldn't blame her; our teacher said inappropriate words that time so she just defended herself. At that moment, we all thought she'd make a good human rights lawyer and be eventually promoted as a secretary for the Department of Justice. We all thought wrong.

Fast forward to 2013 and the “Xena-the-Warrior-princess-trapped-in-a-healthier-body” has become a health advocate, enrolling in boxing classes in a local gym to stay “fit and fab” for the summer season. She faithfully attends her boxing classes after work, even if it meant enduring a one and a half hour of travel from Panacan to Toril. Hats off to the political will.

Before and After

If her strength is her fierceness, her weakness also starts with an “F”: FOOD. She loves to eat and she can't resist foods. Arianne has been doing boxing for two months now. Are there any physical improvements? She puts the blame on FOODS.

Ailyn loves to overthink things, believing it's such a romantic mental activity, and ends up being beaten with the scenarios she conjured in her mind. Contrary to the Law of Attraction, she likes to think about negative things because according to her, they happen the other way around.

She's best known for her unconventional hairstyles and head-turning hair colors. I don't know what inspired her but she managed to handle the stress and prejudice brought about by her sometimes post haircut-gone-wrong days. I cannot count anymore the number of times she dyed her hair and the unspeakable name of hair colors she tried on. When she dyed her shoulder length hair red, she looked like Rihanna (considering the skin color); when she cut it short, she looked like Chris Brown. ATIK LAAAAANG!!

The most daring haircut she had was late last year, when she donned an Anne Hathaway-inspired pixie cut, which definitely looked good on her. Many friends loved her new look and that's why she probably opted to maintain the boy-cut look up to now. But her long-standing battle against self-identity resurfaced when lots of bespectacled oldies and strangers have mistaken her for a boy, a lesbian, and a cancer survivor. The last, I think, is the most emotionally excruciating.

This is Ailyn in her Anne Hathaway-inspired look - the first ever pixie cut she had.

And this is her latest look. Often tagged as a cancer survivor, but to me she looked like Junjun Binay.

Weela is monikered in High School as Volta. If you remembered, Volta was a titular movie played by Ai-Ai delas Alas; she is nicknamed as such not because she resembled Ai-ai's elongated face, but because she possessed the “healthy future” Ai-ai has. Please read between the lines.

When we were in fourth year HS, she was my bathroom buddy; we went to the girl's bathroom together every recess and almost every period when we felt like peeing and retouching. (In our days, to “retouch” meant combing our hairs, applying loose powders on our faces and talking about boys) The girl's bathroom in the 3^rd floor of Rivier building has served as a storage room where our fondest memories of “kakikayans” were born.

Before and After

She finished BS in Nursing and had worked as a nurse in SPMC but we were all surprised when she had a 360 degree turn of career path and became a bank teller. She exchanged a life of syringes and indefinite working schedules for a life in an air-conditioned office counting cash. Who wouldn't? Anyway, the last time we had dinner together, she promised to treat us when she gets her salary. May is almost over and we're still looking forward to that promised treat. HALA WALA KO NAGPADUNGOG PROMISE!

Mention the word “gay” and Racelle is the first name to cross my mind. She's so gay – from her language to accent to actions – the only thing proving her womanhood is her monthly period.

She was the one who introduced to us the terms “kemfet”, “flada”, “gorabels sunga acosta”, and default names “Angkol Jun” and “Anti Miri Anne” for hospital patients they have no name for. Racelle and Ailyn share a certain closeness for adoring the same guys and hating the same girls.

I'm sure you know the “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” movie. I'm pretty sure you know the female protagonist Nam, too. Whether you like it or not, Racelle is Nam. She has blossomed from a commoner duckling in High school into an echuserang swan today. If there's an award for “Best in Transformers: Decepticons Category”, she'd win the trophy.

Nam in "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Before and After

Whether you like it or not, Racelle is OLL's version of Nam :)

Racelle recently flew to New York for greener pasture. How soon we'll see each other, I can' tell. But thanks to technology, we can still continue our kabayutans virtually. Not bad.

I am Hermione Granger, Katniss Everdeen and Elena Gilbert all rolled into one. There's nothing so special about me except my love for deadpan humor and quick ability to make up stories. I think much of who I am is evident on how I write, so I leave to you the creative freedom to imagine what kind of friend I am.

To be fair, here's how I look in high school and today.

This is me: Before and After

Anyone who dares to refute will turn into a gargoyle.

Maybe you're wondering why my title is “The group of friends who laugh like a hyena”. Join us in at least one dinner and you'll know why. You probably won't want to dine with us again. It's just too embarrassing when we laugh.