Phoenix vs Janna

Chapter 22

Janna walked alone in the hallway to her sociology class, feeling the stares and whispers of the people as she passed.

Of course they would stare and whisper. It was all over campus that Phoenix and his ex, the rich, famous and stunning Kat Saavedra, were reunited because of a family crisis.

The media covered the health problems of the Saavedra tycoon, and they inevitably focused the spotlight on the childhood friends turned perfect couple. Sightings of them together surfaced on social media.

Many students in campus regard Janna as the grungy activist who was Phoenix' once-girlfriend, now seemingly cast aside when Kat Saavedra came back into his life.

The insinuations were cruel, insulting, hurtful.  But she kept her chin up and endured it all.

Her phone beeped. Phoenix texted her. "Hellcat, I dropped off some baked goods sa apartment mo from Nanay Miling. Iniwan ko na lang sa land lady."

Janna smiled sadly. He still found time to run Nanay's errands for her, despite his busy schedule.

"Thanks." She texted back. After his text, days passed without any message from him at all.

Janna gathered enough courage to visit her parents. It was a tense reunion, but at least her Tatay no longer yelled at her. When they asked if she was coming back, she said not yet. Her Tatay was silent and coldly turned his back on her.

Janna asked Nanay Miling to stop asking Phoenix to run errands for her. She explained that he had a lot on his plate right now and would need their help, mostly by not being bothersome.

The day after, Janna walked towards the soccer field where Phoenix just finished practicing with his team and resting at the bleachers. He broke into a bright smile when he saw Janna.

"Hellcat! What brings you here?"

She thrust a box of pastries at him. "Pinabibigay ni Nanay."

"You went home?" He asked.

"Dumalaw lang. Sige, bye na." She waved and walked away. Phoenix stood up from the bleachers and followed her.

"Hellcat, salamat. Punta ako sa apartment mamaya."

"Bahala ka." Janna said, but she unexplainably cheered up.

Janna prepared a special dinner of his favorite dishes that night. But he called her to apologize. His family was having dinner with Kat and her mom. He would drop by the next evening.

But he wasn't able to come the next evening, and the next, and the next.

"Hellcat, pasensiya na..." He always had a valid excuse and sounded so disappointed at the same time.

"Rich boy, isang sorry pa at hindi na kita kakausapin kahit kelan!"

Janna always told him it was no problem. She didn't tell him she had to dispose the food she cooked repeatedly because of his non-appearance.

-o-

Soon the semester was wrapping up.  There were only grades completion and clearances left to settle. 

To celebrate, Janna was hanging out with her friends at the Dekada Bar until almost midnight.

Her phone rang. It was Phoenix. "Aren't you home yet?"

"Nasa bar pa ako."

"Uwi na."

"Ok, later. Ikaw, nasaan ka?"

"Nasa ospital. It's Kat's turn to stay with Tito."

Janna's mood grew sad. But she said cheerfully: "Okay, ingat!"

Coming out of the bar at 1 AM, she saw Rex waiting to fetch her. Despite her surprise, she got in.

Back home, she immediately called Phoenix.

"Hi, nasa bahay ka na?" He sounded happy. Janna heard Kat's softly laughing voice in the background.

"Rich boy..."

"Hmmm?"

"Alam mo ba kung anong oras na? Unfair labor practice na ang ginawa mo kay Rex." She said.

"Huh?" Phoenix was puzzled.

"Salamat sa pagpasundo sa akin. Pero huwag mo na sanang ulitin. Nakita mo sana ang pagod at antok sa mukha ni Rex habang naghihintay. Madaling araw na!" She continued.

"Hellcat... trabaho niya yan, and he gets paid for overtime." He said in a mildly annoyed tone.

"Pera na naman, Rich Boy?" She asked tiredly.

"I would have picked you up kung hindi lang may lakad din ako, Hellcat!"

"Pero bakit? Kaya kong umuwi mag-isa!" She insisted.

"Because I worry about you, ano pa ba!" He snapped.

Janna heart backflipped.

"Phoenix, huwag mo na akong problemahin. Salamat sa concern mo, pero okay talaga ako."

Phoenix was silent. "Simula nang ma-meet kita, nagwo-worry na ako sa 'yo, Hellcat. Ang dami mo kasing kabulastugang pinaggagawa."

"How do you think I lived bago kita nakilala, Rich Boy? I was doing fine." Janna tried to sound casual even when her heart was fluttering.

"You gave ma a bad case of paranoia, Hellcat. Ang sama mo!" He complained.

"Mag-focus ka sa mga bagay na mas importante, like... Kat. Di ba yan naman ang gusto mo? Enjoy mo lang na kasama mo siya."

There was silence at the end of the line.

"Hellcat... thanks for understanding. Tama ka, masaya akong kasama uli si Kat. Damayan siya. Anyway, let's meet tomorrow. Let's catch up. And I... have something to tell you anyway."

"Okay."  But Janna dreaded what he was going to say. She was almost sure it would be about his officially getting back with Kat.

She needn't have worried. The next day, she sat by the campus waiting shed, waiting for Phoenix to come. He'd called her earlier to tell her to meet her at this place.

But it was already 8PM and still no sign of him. Then the rain started to fall. Students passed by the shed and looked at her curiously.

But Janna stayed put, waiting for Phoenix.

She called him up, but his phone was unreachable. Shivering in the cold, she scanned her social media, hoping to find any news or sightings of where he may be at this particular time.

Phoenix, nasaan ka? She thought in dismay.

Hintayin kita. You told me to wait. May paguusapan tayo, di ba? Janna thought by 9PM.

Janna sat huddled in the corner of the cold damp waiting shed. There was no one there with her anymore. All other students who took shelter had already left.

Janna buried her head on her knees, tired, hungry and despondent. The rain had started to fall again.

A car pulled over beside the shed. It honked its horn.

Janna's eyes lit up. She dashed towards the car.

The car window slid down. It was Rex. "Miss Janna, pinapasabi ni Sir hindi daw siya makapunta. Kahahatid ko lang sa kanila ni Ma'am Kat sa airport. Papuntang Hongkong. Ihatid na daw kita."

With that, Janna's world came crashing down. Ignoring Rex' calls, Janna walked in the rain, oblivious to everything.

She didn't even know she was crying.