Huling Segundo

Chapter 4 - George

Teejay looked at his black, G-Shock watch.

11:48 PM

"Teejay, matulog ka na, anak." Esther placed her hand on top of his. "Hayaan mong magkaroon sya ng time mag-isip."

Teejay was sitting next to Esther on the maroon sofa, he held a mug in his left hand. Crickets chirped in unison in the background.

"Tita.. I can't sleep pag ganitong galit s'ya sakin." he took a sip of coffee—it's already cold.

"Sige but.. Let me ask you this, did you do anything wrong?"

"Wala po akong maisip na nagawa kong mali. I was with him the whole time. He was crying when I saw him."

"The whole time? Hindi pa s'ya lumalabas ng bahay since he came home. I know because I was with him."

Teejay's face changed. He was sad earlier but now the look of frustration took over. His eyes darted left and right.

"No.. Tita. I came inside the room, nandoon na sya sa loob. He was crying. I'm sure it's him kasi suot n'ya yoong kwintas." Teejay placed the mug on the table and the coffee almost spilled—his frustration was apparent to Esther.

Esther tilted her head a little bit with her eyebrows furrowed, she stood up.

"I'm sorry anak pero it's almost twelve 'o clock. Masakit pa ang balikat mo, 'diba?" she reached for his arms and assisted him as he stood up. "Sleep, you both need it."

"But Tita," He couldn't do anything when Esther guided him to the door. "it was him. Kilalang kilala ko ang boy…" he paused after realizing his tongue had slipped. "Kilalang kilala ko ang bestfriend ko Tita!"

By the time, Teejay was already out the door. Esther's figure was blocking the entrance. The light from the living room gleamed through the crystals in her earrings.

"Yes, anak. It was him. Siguro nakalabas s'ya ng bahay kanina—hindi ko lang napansin. Good night na Teejay, pagod na ako anak."

Esther shut the door in his face.

Teejay knew something suspicious was happening. He went home with a determined look on his face.

*******************************************

He woke up to the loud alarm of his mobile phone. Ken stretched out his arm to his phone on the table. The piercing noise of an old telephone stopped.

He sat up and yawned, raised his phone at chest-level and his eyebrows furrowed. He remembered what had happened last night.

Ken went to his messaging app and he read Teejay's messages—oldest first.

Messages:

Sender: DY

10:56PM Mako! SLR. I was in the bathroom. 

10:56PM Are you being serious? Pumunta ba d'yan si Jancel at naginom kayo? 😒

10:57PM Ken, hindi ko alam kung bakit ka nagagalit. Imposible namang hindi ikaw yung kasama ko kanina. So sino pala yoon, impostor mo?

10:58PM SHIT! Mako, remember when I woke you up sa hospital? Pupunta ako d'yan, magbibihis lang ako. Wait..

11:06PM We have to talk, please. 😢 Andito na ako sa baba. Nagakyat na ako d'yan kanina pero sarado.

11:07PM I'm talking to Tita. I hope you're still awake. Nagugulahan na ako and I need you.

He put his phone down and walked inside the bathroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"Teejay.." he uttered. A tear was forming inside his eye but it was met by a splash of water.