We were the newbies, the neophytes. On our first sojourn into the production floor, we were the fresh-faced agents without a clue. Who would have thought that we would make it to "Very Good" status so soon after getting certified? Who would have guessed that we would exert so much effort into Savior Christ the King? Who would have known that we would win that parol-making contest with our combined junk and then nab the top spot in the morning shift with another "Very Good" just last December?

There was six months of laughter and tears, stress and petix. That was six months of camaraderie and worry. That was half a year worth of friendship that was strengthened by crazy shifts and crazier coworkers. So much effort poured into our team. So much love and caring invested into our little family.

When we started out, there were thirteen of us: Mommy Pam, Ency, Pau, Jean, Cha, Rhina, Leila, Lei, Len, Ghara, Stefan, Ate Trish and me. Everyone was close with everyone. I could go with anyone. It was a strange and funky mixture of personalities that had fantastic compatibility. No one got mad or felt awkward. It was always full of laughs and full of excitement. It didn't help that our Team Manager (TM) or Big Boss, TM Myrecca was just like one of us.

There was so many things about them that it would take me ages to put them up! Mommy Pam was the oldest and the most maternal of us so she mothered over everyone. She had a sweet smile and a calm manner that allowed us to be comfortable around her. Ency might be short but she packed a lot of personality in her. She was sweet, smart and totally reliable with her snarky comments. Pau was quiet, intelligent and born on Christmas Day. Hey, the guy's totally boyfriend material but he treated us all as his little sisters in spite of constant teasing towards him and Cha. Cha was fair-skinned and very honest. I thought she was older than me before she gently corrected me by saying that we were of the same age! She was close with Leila and Rhina. Leila and I were friends too. She's younger than I am by two years and she had a thousand cats at home. (She's a sweet girl, really, because she's sincere in her desire to build a foundation for homeless cats.) Leila understood Rhina who was beautiful and slightly strange. But she's still one of the most sought-after girls at work. But that didn't mean that our little group wasn't full of beauties. Take Ate Lei for instance, she was a total snow white with a sweetie smile and tender demeanor towards customers. It was a balancing factor with fiery Ate Ghara who was silent but deadly with her side comments and snarky Ate Lei who looked mataray but was totally approachable! They referred to themselves as the tenured (because they think they're old. I don't think so!). Of course, Ate Trish wasn't going to think of herself that way even though she had three kids and a husband at the tender age of 25. I love Ate Trish because she's so sweet and sincere with lots of good advice. Thank God that our young daddy-to-be, Stefan, was taking cues from her. He's expecting his girlfriend's birth of their first child this January. And TM May wanted to be the godmother... Just kidding!

Do you know that pretty fair-skinned woman with her cell-phone playing music on the background? Did you hear her reminding us firmly about our duties? And did it ever cross your mind that was the best boss around? Meet TM May! She struck me as rather scary at first but she really wasn't. She was always there when we were happy, sad or if we did something wrong. Her reprimands were soft-spoken and her praises were loud. But what happened at work stayed at work. When we got out of the building, she became our friend or our Ate.
In our little corner tucked away from the rest of the production floor- right in front of the workforce, QA Bay and the Shift Manager's desk- we had a little world all to ourselves. There was always something to laugh about or something to talk about. Jean was always talking to anyone and everyone, including myself. Rhina, Leila and Cha used to sing silly childhood tunes. Ate Lei, Ate Ghara and Ate Len used to chat quietly in their corner but they never let that stop themselves from jumping into other conversations. Pau and Stefan always had a little payabangan argument about variance. Mommy Pam and Ency used to exchange stories about their shared work history in another company. TM would be sitting on her almighty chair while laughing and sharing stories with Jean.  I would either be with Jean or Ency... Or you'd find me hanging out with everyone. This was a typical day with Team SAT.

Good things did not last forever though. Mommy Pam went away because she had her family. Ency had to leave because of her health at the same time that Pau handed in his resignation letter. We felt sad but we moved on... (And we had a team-building to mark the occasion last September.) We were still together. Everything will be fine.

Team San Antonio survived through the dreaded dissolve. We lived through every scandal that was whispered with our name. We went on as if nothing was wrong. Our team had lived through the worst. After seeing hell, nothing could scare us anymore. It served to make us more united and stronger. We thought that nothing would separate us anymore. That was what we thought.

Jean left mid-December after the company dropped a surprise bomb. Everyone was sad but nobody was sadder than me. My best friend was gone! What would happen to me? But God did not let us down. He removed a bad apple but replaced it with a better one. Into our tight little team came Belle. She's that darling with an angelic laugh and a firm manner with customers. (And she had her own share of bloopers too!) Everyone loved Belle too.

It was as if we had gone through everything imaginable. San Antonio was invincible until the latest schedule change. We were separated and reshuffled into different teams. Our times changed. Our rest days were different. Starting on Monday, we won't be sitting together anymore and existing essentially as a team was over.

"Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony, can't you please look around? Something's been lost and must be found!"

If only it was so easy. If only it wasn't so hard. If only a prayer could bring us together and if only a wish could come true. The times that we could have spent are lost. And the laughs were gone in midair. No more jokes and no more teasing for us. No more team effort. San Antonio was finally broken up but not in spirit. Everyone cherished what had passed; everyone treasured what they learned and felt. Nothing was forever, that much was certain. So we lived in the present to appreciate the hurt and to move on.

Our motto- "One team!"- will live on.

There's just some things that are never said and some things that are never meant. How I wish I could turn back time and how I wish I could take it back. It's gone, it's done. I've paid so much and got so little. I've never thought I'd regret it. It's the first time that I did. All because I'm hurt you and all because I'm young, thoughtless and foolish. It's a decision that's changed our relationship. Is it what's breaking us apart?

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished
cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3 . My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of
next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the
store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't
have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that
way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Cafe de Lipa was a small coffee shop behind Robinson's Lipa that was an undiscovered treasure to most of its residents. I sincerely think that it was one of those pretty and chic places that our town lacked. It was small and exclusive-looking but it was open for pretty much anyone. My mother and her friends used to go there. Now we went there too just to freeload on the free internet and talk. Yuri ordered coffee, I got Dark Mocha and Ken got ice-blended coffee before settling down on a table in the greenhouse-structure outside... Sorry, I'm not a coffee addict. But this is pretty good.

We had a lot of fun talking about relationships and men, school and friends. It was pretty great. Yuri had developed into an enchanting conversationalist. She was open and charming with a slightly sarcastic edge. I think she's very pretty. Ken was still the same quiet and calm girl that we always knew. But when she talked, watch out! Her words cut pretty sharply too. (It's a shame Aki wasn't there. She had a prior appointment that she couldn't get out of. I think she would have loved the way things were going.)

There we were just talking and having fun when all of a sudden Jerome showed up... with his family! The two of us had a date that was canceled at the last minute so imagine my surprise. He didn't text me so I had a minor heart attack at the sight of his sister and mother. God forbid that we have to get introduced. (I'd die of mortification! I was only wearing shorts and a white v neck shirt with silver slippers. Appropriate for hanging out but not for meeting your boyfriend's mother.)

I made a really quick pass at Jerome to pinch his side to get his attention before going back to our table. But the clueless boy didn't know who hit on him. (?) We watched with horrified fascination as they settled on the table closest to us. His mother sat with her back to me so I was facing Jerome and Xander. Imagine the sight of your boyfriend ignoring you. Didn't the thought give you the shivers? Guess what. That's what he did.

We texted for a bit. I was waiting for him to get up and acknowledge me at least by going out to say hi. But no, he didn't! He sat inside, drank his coffee and ignored me. We tried to ignore them too but I was already rattled. I couldn't quit fixing myself. I couldn't calm my nerves because I was too full of conflicting emotions. (I wanted him to come out and talk to me but I didn't want his family to look at me. I wanted him to make an effort but he didn't.) My best friends merely laughed and tried to keep up our lighthearted mood.

Yuri had to go around 6PM because her little brother needed stitches. We offered to go with her but she refused. Off she went. We all hoped that it will be fine. A few minutes later Jerome and his family got up to leave. I texted him hurriedly that I want him to say goodbye at least.

I was crushed when he turned around to wave at me before he was gone. My heart plummeted to the ground. My boyfriend- the man I'm committed with, the guy I could kiss and the only person on earth who held my joy and sadness- left me without a proper goodbye.

It went to hell after that.

How could he do that? Why did he do that? Ken merely nodded and listened to me rant. I wasn't the most demanding person on earth but at that moment I wanted to demand him to give me my due. I wanted him to at least make an effort to go after me and to show me that he cared! A few seconds was all that it would take to tell me that he was going. A few measly seconds was all I wanted. But he didn't give me that. All because they were in a hurry. I asked him through text, "I'll never be important to you, will I?" to which he replied, "but you're important."

I wanted to scream "Show me" or at least say, "Make a damn effort at least!" but I did not. I tried to explain as calmly as I could that I'd wanted him to approach me to which he said that he didn't know. He thought that I didn't want him to so he stayed inside. (He admitted that he would have gone outside if I gave him the signal.) How could I not? Where in this sentence did it contain that I do not want him to approach me at all?! ("I'm jittery. I don't want your mother to see me.") Do explain that to me.

They're inside and I'm outside. His mother doesn't know who I was. I could have been an acquaintance, a friend or whatever it was that he needed to explain. Do you think I would engage in PDA in front of his mother? I would have been dignified, sophisticated and warmly appreciative of his presence with a delicate touch on his arm and a special smile! After the small exchange, he could go back and I would be happy. I didn't care if he'd already blown away our date. I won't care if he doesn't text me. I wouldn't give a flying expletive if he just went out and approached me. He could have gone out to see me! I don't need to go inside. I was the girl and tradition dictated that I was the one to be approached. If I went ahead and said hi, I would have broken a social faux pax and his mother could look down on me forever. Jerome seriously needed to update his social skills.

Needless to say that I was very upset and very pissed off. Jerome apologize sincerely. I know he was. But that doesn't erase the fact that I was deeply hurt and upset. I let it go because it was a petty issue. And there's always room for improvement. Maybe next time this will not happen. I hope to God it doesn't. If it wasn't so painful, it would have been funny.

When I got home after roaming the mall with Ken, I realized that I've still got a lot going on. I'm glad my best friends were there to help me deal with the situation. Weiss Kreuz will always be there for me. Sometimes they're much better than boys.