Cofi and fishbols

Chapter VIII: Rewind

What’s wrong with me?

Marla’s question stuck.

Everything’s wrong. Dead wrong.

I closed my eyes shut trying to remember the things which happened for the last two weeks.

Shut it tight as if trying to press a rewind button.

But I guessed I pressed too much.

**

‘I’ll stop the world and melt with you…’

My mind bolted awake.

Tried to look for my phone beneath the pillows.

Found it and clicked.

“Good morning this is customer service representative Vito, may I please speak to my princess?” the glint of humor evident in his voice. It’s my dream boat boyfriend. He graduated a year before me and now works as a part-time model and call center representative.

“Hey there callboy.” I sleepily mumbled.

He laughed. His usual laugh that makes me wanna hug him that exact instant.

“Hi there princess, how’s your sleep?”

“It was good. Could have been better if you’re beside me though.”

“Aww…we’re two pieces of sweet suckers no?”

I laughed.

“haha..oo nga e. Ikaw? How’s work? Kakauwi mo lang?”

“Well, same old, same old.. Been shouted at, snubbed, hanged upon…the  
perks of the damned job. But thankfully, I have my favorite client on the line now.”

“Sucker!! Anyway, you should get your rest.”

“I know. Just have to give you your wake-up call and hear your voice para makatulog ako..” His voice throaty from tiredness yet his sincerity highly detected.

My teeth are dry from smiling too much already. This is ‘kilig’ intensified.

“I miss you honey.”

“I miss you too princess, you better get your diaper commercial-worthy ass out of the bed now. It’s the first day of school today for the new sem remember?”

“Uhuh.. What time is it anyway?

“Half past three.”

“Ok better get moving. I’ll just see you later ok?”

“Yeah looking forward to it. You take care ha.”

“You sleep tight…”

“I love you princess. I always have and I’ll always will.”

“I love you too, Ito, very much.”

I clicked it off.

This is life.

The perfect life.

**

I can feel its perfectness is doomed to a wrong end.

“Will you stop staring? Nanginginig tuloy kamay ko.” I told Aira as she was staring at me like inspecting an insect under a magnifying glass as I put on my eyeliner.

“I’m just curious how you can manage to apply it thinly. Mahirap yang liquid diba?” She said and asked with her unintentionally childish ‘pa-cute na matinis’ voice.

“Aira, leave Alex alone or she’ll face consequences with that boyfriend of hers, if she arrives late to their date. Come here, and I’ll be the one to paint your face.” Marla said, still with her usual sarcasm against my boyfriend.