Fading Echoes

Treinta y tres (Part 2)

*Reader Discretion is Advised: The following content contains mature themes, including explicit language and sexual situations that may not be suitable for very young audiences. Reader discretion is strongly advised. 

Greggy

Pagtapos ng buong araw na meeting ay bumalik kami sa hotel. Hindi ako iniimik ni Irene kaya inabala ko nalang ang sarili ko sa ibang trabaho na kailangan ko rin asikasuhin. We just got back 20 minutes ago and now, she just changed her clothes.

"You're leaving?" I asked, looking at her wearing just a plain white shirt, black trousers and a sandals. "I am. I'll just meet someone. Bye" akmang aalis na sana siya nang tawagin ko uli siya, agad akong tumayo mula sa couch "Wait, where?" I asked.

She raised her eyebrow, "Why do you even want to know? Besides, may hotel service naman. Don't bother" she answered but still hadn't convinced me. "Kung may mangyari sa 'yo, cargo kita, Irene. Kaya saan ka pupunta?" I firmly asked.

"Kung may mangyari man sa akin, Greggy, responsibilidad ko na 'yun. Now, continue whatever you're doing" she replied and went out of the suite. I pulled my hair out of frustration.

I was sitting on the couch inside the suite, staring at the ceiling, bored out of my mind. There wasn't much to do, and with the tension between Irene and me lingering, the room felt a little too quiet. I grabbed my phone and decided to call Cath. Maybe hearing a familiar, friendly voice would ease the frustration that had been gnawing at me all day.

The screen flickered to life, and Cath's cheerful face appeared, her smile immediately lightening my mood. "Greggy! What's up?"

"Hey," I sighed, leaning back. "Nothing, just... stuck in this suite. Irene's been acting distant—again. I don't know what to do anymore."

Cath raised an eyebrow, then laughed, a soft, melodic sound that managed to cut through my frustration. "Seriously? Still? Greggy, you've got to give her some space. You two have a lot of history. You can't expect things to go back to normal just like that."

"I know, I know," I replied, running a hand through my hair. "But it's like she puts up this wall, and no matter what I do, I can't break through. Every time I try to talk to her, it feels like I'm getting pushed further away."

Cath tilted her head, still smiling but with a hint of understanding. "Maybe it's not about breaking through the wall, Greggy. Maybe you need to stop pushing so hard. Give her time to come to you."

I sighed again, sinking deeper into the couch. "I just feel like I'm running out of chances. It's frustrating, you know?"

Cath chuckled. "You're overthinking it. Irene's not going anywhere, at least not for now. Just be patient. She'll open up when she's ready. Isa pa, knowing her, she's a strong woman. Hindi 'yun basta bibigay"

Her words were comforting, but they didn't quite ease the nagging feeling in my chest. We chatted a bit more about work, the usual things. It was nice having someone who could balance being both a friend and someone who gave me a hard time when I needed it.

"Well, I guess I should let you get some rest," Cath finally said, her voice softening. "Don't worry too much. Things will work out, one way or another."

I nodded, offering a small smile. "Thanks, Cath. I appreciate it. Good night."

"Night, Greggy. Don't stress too much!"

After hanging up, I put my phone on the table, hoping her advice would calm me down, but the silence in the room only amplified the unease I was feeling. Irene still hadn't come back. It was getting late, and there was no trace of her.