Chapter 1 (2/2)
Wow. That’s just so… emo.
Those who can relate from her words almost did a standing ovation. It won’t even be a surprise if they will go as far as jumping and tumbling. Look, even the host almost cried when she heard Jhing’s words.
Although, the girl who asked the question, had no reaction.
That made Jhing nervous.
After the Q and A session which revolved more on love, moving on and silly crushes— the signing event finally started. It’s fun, and at the same time tiring, to do book signing.
Anyway, this is what Jhing wants. She’s already content with this even though she doesn’t like spotlight. Figuratively. And literally.
After a few signs on the readers’ book, small talks, and selfies plus groufies, the girl who asked the question was next in line. Jhing was still smiling as she takes the new published book from the reader’s hands before realizing the familiar innocent face of the latter.
“Hi,” the girl greeted. “I loved how you answered my question a while ago,” she added.
Jhing thanked her.
When she glanced at the sticky note on the cover, she felt a punched towards her heart.
It says MJ.
Why the initials?!
She also got conscious because that girl took a picture of her.
Jhing raised her eyes and what she saw made her hands colder than it already were.
On the girl’s wrist, were horizontal line scars. A lot of it.
Maybe that explains the long sleeves?
She looked away when MJ got curious about her expression. Acting as if nothing hapened, Jhing started writing her dedication with her right hand slightly trembling.
Hi MJ, thank you for supporting me and my first fantasy book.
Of love and karma, JhingBlanco.
When Jhing returned the book to her, MJ grabbed something from her bag.
It was a box. A present, but not so presentable. The gift wrapper is a mess. It looks like they redid the scotch tape a few times because there are parts on the design that disappeared. There was even a loose thread and who knows where that came from.
“This is for you,” the MJ girl said.
Jhing took the box. She got embarra.s.sed because it’s not her birthday, and Christmas nor any kinds of occasions that needs ‘presents’ are still far away.
“Thank you, MJ.”
“Uhm, no, actually,” she said, “I’m not MJ. I was only tasked to give it to you.”
Before Jhing could react, the girl bid goodbye. A last look from the girl made her uneasy. She stared at the present on her hand as fear starts to crawl her skin and she doesn’t know why she felt that.
The signing ends peacefully, but Jhing’s mind was still on the box, wrapped not-so-nicely that even Fall mocked it, “Maybe there’s a fish inside ah?”
Well, Jhing doesn’t want to expect a lot of things because expectations cause depression, but she at least hope that the box doesn’t contain a fish.
Fingers crossed.
“Are you serious, Miss Zue?!” Fall asked, wide eyed.
“Is this the real life or is this just fantasy?”
The people on the backstage laughed, including Miss Zue even though she really was serious.
“Again, girls, I’m serious,” she smiled, “Each of you here will write a novella, no more than thirty thousand word count. All eleven of you are chosen to do this trial stage. It will be a special edition; only one thousand copies will be sold each book, with a lot of ill.u.s.trations, and some trivia and all other cool things your readers will enjoy.”
“Seriously?” you can clearly see the excitement from Fall’s expression.
Another author smiled, “For you, Fall, everything’s a joke… like you, you were born a joke.”
They laughed once again. No matter how tired they were, they can still find the time to fool around.
“The most important point here is…” Zue turned to Franz, the marketing head.
“Drum roll please.”
The crew members really did a drum roll using either chairs and tables while one of them playfully smacks the empty plastic bottle against his friend’s head, laughing.
Franz stood up, fixed his tie and smiled. “Great news is that the Star V CineFilms will read the novellas and choose one book that will get adapted into the silver screen.”
“SERIOUSLY?!” Fall screamed even more hysterically.
Everyone laughs at Fall’s reaction.
“So better write those novellas after you get your beauty rests. The deadline of the first draft will be the first day of the next month,” Zue turned to the editors in charge of the projects, Vammy and Stella. “Vams and Stel will take charge, you already know their emails.”
The news made Jhing smile. She had no idea about this! Wow.
She almost wanted to scream ‘Bring it on!’ The sudden overwhelming good vibes feels really good that she even happily joins the discussion about the ‘last women standing’ as they walk towards their van.
Later on, Jhing went back to her apartment while holding the presents her thoughtful readers gave her.
She had a smile on her lips until she saw the present that girl gave. It didn’t have any card nor note telling her what’s inside it.
It’s only green, unpresentable, and… box.
When she decided to peel off the wrapper— she felt scared.
She felt like she’s holding the Pandora’s box. She can imagine her world falling into ruins the moment she opens it.
But!
This is a gift from a reader. It should impossible that a reader will bring chaos, no?
So she opened it.
Jhing was greeted by a small brown card and a CD. Underneath was something white, a paper or something. There were no touching message on the card to make Jhing teary-eyed but…
Oh, G.o.ds, no.
It was just a simple drawing, a very familiar emoticon from the past. That certain past she wanted to forget.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Silence.
All she could hear was her heart thumping loud…
Her breath stopping…
And yeah, a thought of saying s.h.i.+t too.
Taking the card that has an emoticon to the side, Jhing took the CD below it.
It was a mix tape. She nervously started playing it on her laptop.
Together with her breathing, her heart stopped for a while the second she heard the first song: Silent Sanctuary’s “Sa ‘yo.“
What p.i.s.sed her off is that the one singing was not Raymund Sarangay, the vocalist of the band; instead, it was an acapella from a familiar voice— and even though the man’s voice has hints of laughter and was even out of tune, Jhing couldn’t make herself laugh.
No. She can’t.
After the CD was a white book. No t.i.tles, nor ill.u.s.trations on the cover. When she saw pages after pages of the book, Jhing couldn’t help but tighten her hold.
It was a book of comical ill.u.s.trated unforgettable online memories.
Of her.
Of that guy.
Of them.
Of the 23:11’s.
What the h.e.l.l’s going on?
For a few months, Jhing kept silent, trying to live like a normal person who aims to be better than herself from yesterday. She is reaching towards that path, slowly, one step at a time.
But this box, her own Pandora’s box, with things she don’t want to get involved to again, will ruin her from the inside, and will pierce her until destruction.
She’s okay now. She deleted that stranger from her life already.
A few months has pa.s.sed by!
But how can one move on, when the st.i.tches of the past starts bleeding again?
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