untouchable

22

(Written in 3rd person POV)

"Ready ka na, Jill?" Tricia asks her younger sister so they could leave.

Just one swipe of her eyeliner, some finishing touches, and she's done. "Yeah, I'll be right there," she calls back and hangs her purse on her shoulder. "Si Ate?" She asks when Aika is nowhere in sight.

"Nasa baba na, girl, kanina pa. Taralets na."

And so the two women left their condo to meet up with the eldest already waiting at the parking lot.

The Robredo daughters arranged a thanksgiving brunch with the campaign surrogate team. This is one of the last events in their June calendar. Right after they return from New York, hanging out with friends, 'town hall meetings', finishing backlogs, and other shenanigans busied each of them left and right.

If their schedules were overflowing, what more with Leni's?

This also means that it's a been a whole month and some days since Jill have seen Y/N in the flesh. She frankly doesn't know how to act around her again, nervous that it will be awkward since the two haven't really been in contact since the night of May 13.

In the first few weeks, they both got valid reasons. Life got in the way, they both were occupied with their own individual businesses.

Y/N was busy taking care of her transition to another company, tying up loose strings as courtesy for the company she worked for for a half-decade. She had to groom the employee who would be overtaking her position, which wasn't that hard since it was her friend Shein. But still, her last month of employment was arduous; talk about giving her a great parting gift. Oh, Y/N couldn't wait to leave.

Jillian was catching up with friends, traveling to beaches either overseas or domestic, making the most out of her free time before facing reality in two months or so. She's basking in the fruits of her labor for the past couple of years, which is just well-deserved.

None had the time to check up on each other.

...Or both are just shy on reaching out to the other first.

This game went on for a week, then another, and another; until either of them forgot, until either of them got used to the mutual silence.

The guilt Jillian was feeling for not contacting Y/N again plagued her on the first few weeks. She blames her own pride and pain. She did convince herself over and over again to not ghost Y/N because she's a better version of herself now, but looks like her default method of moving on from the hurt would still come through. Perhaps, Jillian is still the same immature Jillian five years ago. Her remorse and longing start to water down the more she spends time with her friends. Their company helped her forget about Y/N, even if momentary.

Unluckily, free time also means more time to self-reflect for Jill. She did postpone her drowning on self-pity. Now, she's letting herself feel it all, better late than never. And so, Jill couldn't face or talk to the person who inflicted the fresh wounds she's attempting to patch up.

Meanwhile, Y/N would stand by at their message thread; thinking of a convo starter, or how to casually check up on the younger woman's well-being. It feels silly since she isn't really one to strike up a conversation, especially if the reason isn't valid enough for her. She would make up excuses why she shouldn't message Jill — baka busy 'yon makagulo pa ako, mukhang nasa beach, mukhang wala sa 'Pinas, next time na lang kasi inaantok ako, etc. Her ego is another factor as to why she won't be the first to make small talk. Y/N just doesn't want to seem needy.