The Girl in the End

XXII

XXII.

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Stanley was inside his unit, a beer in a hand. Nakabukas ang TV pero hindi naman talaga sya nanonood. Inabot nya ang cellphone matapos nyang marinig ang SMS alert tone nito.

'I'm with Papa and Mama sa mall, Christmas shopping. Do you want something?

-Larissa'

He sighed, punching the keypad, composing a text.

'Wala naman. Ok lang ako. Enjoy kayo dyan.

'Ok. See you tomorrow then. Love you.

Mas malalim ang naging buntong hininga ni Stanleybago iniitsa ang phone sa kabilang couch. Sumandal sya saka napapikit.

'Tangina.' He cursed, throwing the bottle across him which landed on the wall with a smash. He massaged the part where his eyebrows meet, his head throbbing with ache.

Paulit ulit nyang binalikan ang umaga nila kanina. Masaya naman sila diba? Gaano nga ba sya kasigurado sa nararamdaman nya para kay Zoey? Handa ba nya talagang iwan si Larissa para sa kanya? Napaigtad sya matapos nag-ring ang cellphone nya.

BERNARD CALLING...

Agad nyang sinagot ito matapos makita ang naka-rehistro sa screen.

'Stanley.'

Parang piniga na naman ang puso nya nang narinig ang boses ng kaniig nya kagabi at kaninang umaga. The misery in his heart started to disappear the moment he heard her.

'Hm?' Tanong nya.

'Naggrocery ako ngayon.'

'Mm-hm.'

'Pwede mo ba akong lutuan ng pasta?' She requested.

'Oo naman.' Pag-confirm agad nya.

'Pakitext ng ingredients please?'

'Ano bang pasta gusto mo? Red sauce, white, meat sauce, pesto..'

'Meat sauce. Pwede ba Lasagna?'

He grinned. Lasagna is one of his expertise.

'Ok, text ko sayo yung ingredients.'

'Pakibilisan please, para makauwi na kami ni Jaimie.' Zoey whispered, trying to evade Jaimie's eavesdropping, she even had to go to a different aisle just so she could give Stanley a call.

'Ano bang hinahanap mo kasi?' Came Jaimie's voice when he joined her.

And she hung up at once without another word for him.

'Ano, wala pala dito 'yun.' Pagsisinungaling ni Zoey. 'Tara dun sa kabila.' She checked her phone again. Wala pa ring text from Stanley. 'Siguro naman kailangan nun ng cheese..' She thought before pulling Jaimie to the dairy section.

********

It was already half- past seven when Zoey got home. She got into her unit, took her phone while unloading her groceries, her shopping bags now all over the living room floor.

'Hello?' Stanley answered from the other line.

'I'm here na.' She said with a sigh.

'Unit mo?'

'Uh-huh. Wala ka kasama ngayon dyan?'

'Wala.' He chuckled. 'Nagseselos ka na naman ba?'

'Ano ba.' Umirap si Zoey kahit hindi naman nakikita ng kausap. 'Punta ka dito. Kunin mo yung kailangan mo.'