Stuck in Love

Chapter 10

“Good morning, handsome!”

 

Delete. Delete.

 

Just “Good morning. J” With a smiley.

“Shit! I can’t do this. I have to restrain myself from texting him first!” I told myself. Save to drafts.

I got up and thought it was one of the brighter mornings of my life. Okay, overreacting. I was just happy and inspired. That’s all. With all the kilig reflected in my flashing smile.

 

“Hey! Lunch out?” Carol, from the other line.

 

“It’s no-work day. I gotta stay at home,” I said.

“Don’t make me come by your house and ask your hand from your father. Seriously.”

“Alright, alright.”

“Great. Let’s have a girly talk. No emergency dates today, ha.”

I laughed on the thought of that emergency date.

***

 

“So you got his number but you’re not texting him. Why?” Carol asked as she sliced her chicken locos. “I thought that’s what you’re dying to do?”

 

“I can’t, I’m a little shy.”

“Since when? If you would not be the first to do it, are you expecting him to? You don’t even know if he thinks about you, while you actually can’t get him off your silly mind.”

I took a deep breath. “Then what should I do?”

“Just greet him. Thank him for whatever you have to thank him for. Let’s see, how about ‘thank you for treating me into Jollibee and Starbucks.’”

“Nah—that’s awkward. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind at all.”

“So you want him to mind.”

“I want him to notice me. To actually miss me. I want him to make the first move.”

“Hello, little miss hard-to-get. You don’t even know if he’s into you.”

“He’s not into me. I know.”

“Then, you’ve gotta do something about it. Don’t just sit there waiting for the apple to fall on your head. Climb that tree, girl! You said you’ve been into him, unconsciously, for 12 years. And now he’s here. You’re single. Destiny’s been good to you so far. But you can’t rely on it every single time. Be a bitch sometimes!”

I excused myself to the wash room. And when I got back, I got a text from Sandro: “Fine. You?”

 

Then I looked at Carol and she gave that silly smile. “What did you do?”

“You’re hesitating to greet him. I saw your drafts. I greeted him for you.”

“WHAAATTT???”

“Relax. It was just, ‘Hey! It’s you pala. Sorry, I fell asleep last night. How are you?’ Give him a reply.”

Fuck that, Carol! If I could only yell at my best friend right then and there.

“It was just a group message. There’s nothing about that quote.”

“Everything starts from a virtual relationship nowadays. Be textmates.”

***

 

Why do I have to work on a Sunday?!? Why, why, why?!? Had I visualized that last year, I should have not accepted the job. Now, how could I get off?

 

“Ok, I need to earn. I need to save enormously so I can live a supercalli-blah-blah-blah life.”

 

But how about this: “Have a get-together tonight. Sama ka? - Sandro”

 

Why does he make me soooo kilig???

So, how do I decide? I got a piece of scratch paper and tore it into halves in between these options: Am I going? Or am I not? Until I could not tear them anymore.

 

And the result... “I’m not going.” Do I let this piece of paper determine my decision? Do I let this pass?

“But I don’t belong to their group! Although they are my batch mates.” Face palm.

 

Alright. Maybe there would be another chance for us to get along. After all, I have his number.

 

“I can’t, eh. Have work today. Maybe next time.” Sent.

 

Reply: “On a Sunday? ‘Til what time?”

“’Til 7PM. Tapos I have work tomorrow morning pa.” Sent.

No reply.

I wish I would not regret this, though it broke my heart to refuse him. “Hay nakakainis!”

 

So I just went on to work, kept myself busy to forget about it for a moment. But I couldn’t help but check my phone once in a while. No text messages. Arghhh...‘Di man lang ako pinilit. Sabagay, who was I to him? I was just one of the girls he meets on the pavement. A girl he does not pay much attention to.

 

‘Twas another jittery work experience. I stayed at the office for a while and waited until 7PM. Then my colleagues decided to dine out after a stressful day.

 

I was the last to go out of the lobby.

 

“What took you so long?”

 

“Oh...my...God!”

***