untouchable

16

"Okay, sige po Ma. Ingat kayo. Text niyo na lang ako kapag nand'on na po kayo." You said to your mother on the phone before hanging up.

Your family will be attending the Makati MDA and told you they're on the way there. It's only 8 in the morning, and Leni Robredo hasn't even left Naga, but apparently hundreds of kakampinks already arrived at the venue. Some even reportedly camped since midnight, earlier than the volunteers who were setting up the stage and all. On the last day of the campaign, kakampinks are ready to show their all-out strength whether by conducting another intensive H2H campaigns throughout the country or by coming to the MDA for a record-breaking number of attendees. It's now or never, after all.

However, the other camp also have (dirty) moves of their own: they've allegedly rented tons of buses so public transportation for visiting kakampinks from the South or the North would be even more limited, they're also more aggressive with luring poor people to come to their own MDA held at a prestigious resort and casino grounds (that is inaccessible to the public) with more cash and food, their troll army also got more vicious with their attacks and propaganda. These methods have sparked another discourse online.

There's so much going on it's frankly overwhelming. You couldn't sleep last night due to both anxiety and adrenaline. Right after you leave the Robredos' family home, you became this ginormous ball of nervous energy and chaotic emotions. You skipped on coffee this morning, not wanting to feed your anxiety more. You don't need it anyway, your whole being is awake since yesterday. You're trying to collect yourself - emphasis on the trying - so you won't make a fool of yourself since everyone is eerily calm. Why are they calm?

"Ako lang ba 'yung kinakabahan? Shet malapit na eleksyon." You frantically asked your friends while you bounce your legs and pick on your fingers. You're holed up at the airport, waiting for your flight to Manila.

Jillian isn't on this flight for she'll be tagging along with her Mama and her staff, and their schedule is later in the afternoon.

"Kinakabahan din kami, girl. Kaya nga nananahimik lang kami dito sa gilid." Shein replied to you, eyes trained on the monitor playing repetitive commercials.

"Ba't ka ba kinakabahan? Gagi 'wag." JD said.

You scoffed and deadpanned, "Wow, salamat ha. Sobrang laking tulong, Jason."

JD breathily chuckled. "So..." He trails off, diverting the subject.

"So?"

"So... Spill mo namarn. Anyare senyo ni Jingjing pagkasibat ko?" JD tauntingly asked while wiggling his brows.

Now the question also perked Shein up.

You frowned. "Wala naman? Nag-kwentuhan lang kami."

"Weh? 'Yun lang? Walang... ano?" Shein asked.

"Anong ano?" You asked in return.

"Ano! 'Yung ano, walang ano... Honesty is the best policy, ganorn?" Shein vaguely asked.

"Huh? Pinagsasasabi mo? Gago ka ba?"

Shein and JD looked at each other. They didn't hear from Jill since last night. They didn't check in on her this morning as they prefer to talk to her in personal. Jill told them yesterday during the Naga MDA that she'd probably partly confess to you. Your friends wanted to tell her that that would probably (definitely) not be a good idea but they also figured they shouldn't meddle too much. So they shut their mouths, and now waiting for an update either from you or from Jill.

But since they've received radio silence from Jill, and you're blissfully clueless to what your friends are trying to know, last night was perhaps a disaster for Jill. They have a hunch she didn't confess, but you certainly let her down. How? That's for them to find out. The young woman might or might not be a wreck right now. Why is Jill not on this flight with them? This is frustrating.