Green is My Favorite Color

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: It's A He

I panicked. I didn't know what to reply kaya tinawagan ko si Mauwi.

Pick up... Pick the damn phone up, come on!

I have no chill right now. "Argh! This is an emergency, Maurice! Come onnnn!" That's it. She didn't pick up which means tulog na siya at hindi na siya magigising.

I started composing a message.

[No, I'm sorry]. "Ugh. Ang drama." I deleted it.

[I was actually trying to find a way to get back to you. Glad you reached out to me first.] I rolled my eyes. "OA." then I deleted it.

[Look, you really don't have to do this. I'm okay now. You could stop apologizing.] "Parang ang taray. Baka sabihing unappreciative ako sa efforts niya." For the 3rd time, I deleted it.

Aghhhh! Ano ba kasi ang tamang sabihinnnn!

Frustrated kong tinapon ko ang phone sa aking bed saka nagpagulong-gulong. "AAAHHHHH!!" sigaw ko. Muli akong nag-panic nang magring nanaman ang aking phone. Nahirapan pa akong hanapin iyon, nasa ilalim lang pala ng kumot.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwang nang makitang si 'Asawa ni Salvie' lang pala ang tumatawag. Yeah, Asawa ni Salvie ang pangalan ni Mama sa contacts ko.

Sinagot ko iyon. "Po?"

"Parang narinig kitang sumisigaw, anong nangyayari diyan? Hindi ba maayos ang pagkakalinis ko ng kuwarto mo?" 

"Ah, wala po. Bigla kasing may sumulpot na gagamba sa tabi ko kaya nagulat lang," pagsisinugaling ko.

"Ah ganun ba? You can sleep with Elliott tonight. Lilinisin ko na lang ulit 'yan bukas."

"'Wag na po ma. It's just a spider. I can take care of it."

"But who knows, baka marami pala sila diyan," she insisted.

"Ma, ang tanda ko na. Ilang beses ko nang naexperience 'to sa apartment. This is nothing I can't handle. Get back to what you're working on. Good night. Love you." 'Pag si mama gising pa ng gantong oras, isa lang ang ginagawa niyan — art.

Dahil medyo nagcalm down na yung emotions ko, muli akong nagcompose ng reply.

[Look, I appreciate all these efforts to apologize but don't you think it's being a bit excessive? If you're worried about your conscience, I'm okay now and you don't have to feel bad anymore.] I read it once more. Parang okay naman siya. Hindi masyadong arrogant or madrama. Or I don't know. Just whatever.

I took a deep breath before hitting the send button. After I did, pinataob ko iyon sa bedside table saka agad na nagtago sa ilalim ng kumot ko and waited for a few seconds kung may magring.

I waited for 5 minutes at nung wala talaga akong marinig ay kinumbinsi ko ang aking sariling matulog na.

Hindi na siguro magrereply 'yon. I checked the time and it' s 11:00 pm na pala. Yeh it's late. Baka tulog na 'yon. Tagal ko naman kasing magreply.

Despite of the thought ay inabot ko pa rin ang aking phone para siguraduhing hindi iyon nakasilent saka pinataob ulit and tucked myself to sleep. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata but my brain just keeps bothering me.

Wala naman sigurong mawawala if I waited for 5 more minutes.

And so I waited but then, wala pa ring reply.

Last 5 minutes na lang talaga. Totoo na 'to. I reached out for my phone upang basahin ulit ang message na sinend ko sa perp. Ano nga namang pwede niyang ireply dito? Hmm... I told him that he doesn't need to feel bad anymore. If that were me, anong sasabihin ko? I would've said thanks, right? Right. He/She could've thanked me.