Chapter 11 (1/2)
¹Leave it up to Batman!- Filipino expression that has similar definition to
”whatever will be,” or ”come what may.” It means one has given up,
and left the outcome to fate, or hoping for some miraculous intervention,
as shown by how Batman can repeatedly overcome the seemingly most impossible situations.
²Big Sister- A famous reality game show where group of contestants
will live inside the same house. They follow the Big Brother's rules
and every week, one of them will get evicted out.
#DoorSlightlyOpen
“A door ajar is attempting comfort not to be in control.”
-x-
Comfortability is what people want and Jhing Blanco wasn’t an exemption. Most people seek comfort to the ones who they think they’ll be with for the long run. As for Jhing, the comfort is within herself.
Once she steps out of her zone, nothing will be in her control.
As an author, she owns everything she writes; from setting to characters, and the background stories to the climax until resolution. She breaks characters, let them fall- she weave the plot, and words and feelings.
A misconception of romance writers though, a lot expect them to know everything about the feeling.
News flas.h.!.+ They don’t.
Especially to someone named Jhing, who’s too comfortable of her own zone, that when someone tries to break and step inside - she started panicking.
She couldn’t control Miko or anyone around her life, could she?
Especially after they went home from Caliraya that Monday, even if she was in pain, they invited the book team and a few writers to eat.
Jhing’s protest of “I can't, it's already late, sorry,” was not heard by any of them.
They casually talked while eating as if there were no body aches they could feel.
“Jhing!” Her name being called is a thing, “Miko” and to be called with his name is another.
“What is it, Miss Zue?” Miko smiled.
Their topic from Caliraya experience went to Novella Project. They ask how the project was doing which ended up with Jhing saying, “Okay po, I'll think about what kind of ill.u.s.trations will be good,” trying to not look at him. But he was, of course, staring at her.
She couldn’t control his eyes, so she controls hers instead.
For comfortability's sake.
However, the taxi they rode home was the most awkward ride for Jhing. Six people were crammed into the small vehicle. Miss Vams was sitting beside the driver, while Jhing sat on the back seat. July was beside her then Yayo and Miko. Fall was lying on their lap, this was the only way to fit them in the taxi. Good thing the taxi driver didn’t complain.
“You should just sit inside the trunk, Hulog.” Miko laughed. “You're a hindrance here.”
“You're the guy here, you should be the one laying down ah.”
“I'm tall,” there was pride in Miko's voice.
“Cut off your legs!”
“Oh no.” Miko held Yayo's arm. Jhing wanted to ask Yayo’s son in her tummy if he’s okay with her Mom’s giggling like a teen. “Ate Yayo oh, Hulog is a bully.”
Because Fall's head is laying on Jhing's bag, she saw Fall’s grin as she said, “Jhing oh. Miko is a bully.”
Jhing narrowed her eyes which made Fall laughed.
The awkwardness didn’t lessen when only Miko and Fall was left in the taxi where the latter was sitting in between. Jhing was thankful for Fall’s stories and quirkiness which became a distraction about the fact that she's inside the same taxi with Miko.
For the last stop, Jhing thought Miko will be with Fall considering their home are both in the same direction. However, she almost had a heart attack when Miko came back inside and saw Fall’s knowing smile as she said, “Take care you two!”
Jhing's mind cursed.
“Where are we going, Ma’am, Sir?” The driver looked at them in the rear-view mirror.
Jhing didn’t talk, so Miko did.
“Uh…” He scratched his head. ”Jhing?”
“I don't know,” she said, eyes looking at the road. “Why aren't you going out of the car yet?”
“You go first before I will.”
It was the rush inside that made Jhing left the taxi even though her apartment is still far away. Miko was shocked but he quickly paid the driver and ran after Jhing. His growing footsteps were the cue for Jhing to walk fast. But Miko was faster. When he reached her, Miko’s eyebrows creased.
“Where are you going?”
“You told me to go first.”
“Ha?” Miko's eyes widen. “That's not what I meant. I want to take you hom—”
“Don't.” Jhing increases their distance while Miko went closer. ”I can go by myself.”
“But it's late.” He looked at his watch. “It's already 11pm ah.”
“I know. Sometimes I go home even later.”
“But you're a woman—”
That ticked Jhing off so she stopped walking and turned to Miko who also stopped. She didn’t want to look at his eyes, but she had no choice.
Pus.h.i.+ng her anxiety back, she asked, “Just because I'm a woman, you're treating me like a weak person?”
Miko’s eyes darkened. Before Jhing could react, he pulled her closer to him followed by a wind blowing Jhing's hair.
A car almost hit Jhing.
Well, there was 2 meters distance away from her, actually. Miko was just overreacting.
“That's not what I said, but did you see that car?” Miko asked. Jhing stared at him. “I can't just leave you to travel alone by yourself.”
Jhing shook her head before walking once again. ”I can do it.”
“I know you can,” Miko said. He tilted his head to the side when he reached her side while Jhing looked forward. “But what about me? My conscience will kill me if I leave you alone.”
“That's your problem, not mine.”
Miko frowned as he stopped Jhing from walking. Jhing was trying to get away but Miko was stronger as he offered his cellphone.
With an eyebrow raised, Jhing asked, “What's that?”
“It's called a cellphone.” A smile on his face. “This is what you use to—”
“I know. What do you want me to do?”
Miko pushed the cellphone closer to her. ”Yo wazzup, can I get your digits?” he laughed as he mimicked those men who hit on girls in the streets.
“Huh?” She heaved a sigh, trying to get her mind to work again.
“Let's talk until you get home. I want to a.s.sure your safety.”
Why can’t he just stop? Why the effort? Stop the effort!
“You're wasting your money.”
“Not really ah. Who do you think I am? I'm unlimited text, okay?” A pause, then a smile like he remembered a joke. “… not a human.”
He joked as if nothing happened in Caliraya, or the days before, or the months and the year. He joked as if… he was really saying the truth: Back to zero.
To break the staring session which she couldn't take any longer, Jhing dictated her new number. Miko didn't let her go until he was 100% certain that she gave her the real one.
“Answer my call,” Miko said when her phone started ringing.
Jhing struggled as she grabbed her phone from her bag before answering the call.
“There.”
How to go back to zero when hearing his voice over the phone, straight to her ears, feels like the day she first heard his voice at Cool Beans Cafe? What back to zero, if there are still feelings involved?
“Are you happy now?”
“Yeah!”
One. . .two. . . there. . .they stood in front of each other, phones near their ears like idiots, in the middle of the evening. Jhing's heart was in a chaos. She wasn’t sure if it was because of her aching body, or her mind not functioning very well when Jhing just stood in front of Miko.
For a whole minute, they just stared at each other, static, peaceful.
Just like the first time she saw him eye to eye.
Until Jhing woke up from her daze and walked away.
“Jhing….” His voice was playful, so was her heart. “I’ll tell a story so it's not boring.”
Just keep walking. Don't look back.
“I thought I won't be able to join Caliraya because I was busy in the studio these days. That's the reason why I was often absent too…”
Never look back. Keep on walking.
“Did you miss m—”
A weird sound, like something bad, happened.
Jhing felt a punch in her stomach.
“Miko?” she called, unsure.