The Girl in the End

XXXVIII

XXXVIII.

*********

Three loud but slow knocks and two successive quick taps.

That's what usually takes for that particular door to open. But that instance was different. Walang nagbukas ng pintong iyon para sa kanya. Kung dati ay may malambot at mabangong katawan na sasalubong sa kanya matapos syang pagbuksan ay ibang iba sa nangyari sa ngayon. Pinagmasdan nya ang seradura at kinapa ang susi mula sa suot nyang jogger pants. Agad nya itong sinubukang ipasok ngunit hindi magkasya. Muli syang kumatok.

Isang beses.

Dalawa.

Wala pa ring nangyari.

Ang cellphone naman nya ang napagtuunan nya ng pansin. Muling idinial ang kahapon lamang ay kanyang tinawagan.

'The subscriber cannot be reached. Please try again later...'

Sabi ng pamilyar na boses ng babae na hindi naman kay Zoey.

'Zoey..' Tawag nya habang kumakatok. 'Zoey.' Pag-uulit pa nya.

Nawawalan na sya ng pag-asa nang naalala nya ang isa pang bagay na maaaring magbuklod sa kanya kay Zoey. He scrambled for his phone, tapped onto App Store and downloaded that 'blue-birded' icon. Agad agad nag-log in, checking that one particular account.

'Tang---' Stanley desperately reached for his head at halos maibato na nya ang phone matapos nyang matuklasang blocked sya ng twitter handle ni Zoey. 'Tangina. Zoey, ano ba?' He made another account, sent a follow request and waited.

Nakaupo lang sa loob ng kanyang unit si Zoey habang naghihintay ng notification kung inaccept na ba ng inimbita ang imbitasyon. Hindi na nya alam kung ilang oras na syang lugmok sa kanyang sofa, tulala habang hawak ang cellphone. As he sat there, head bowed down, he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder.

Right there and then, Stanley had already made a decision.

*********

Jamie's eyes widened the same as the saucers in their pantry once he sees who just entered the entrance of their office.

'Ate girl!' He squeals, nearly spilling the contents of his mug.

'Jaimie!' Zoey exclaimed as well.

'Puta ka. San ka galing?' Jaimie asked quite exuberantly, pulling her for a ferocious embrace. 'Gaga ka, na-miss kita.' He whispers.

'Nag-bakasyon lang.' Zoey said after freeing herself from her friend and putting down her belongings atop an empty chair.

'Saan?'

'Tagaytay.'

'Mag-isa ka lang?'

'Kasama ko sina Inay at Tatay.'

Jaimie stared at Zoey.

'Wala kang dalang kotse pagpunta mo dito?' Tanong muli ni Jaimie habang sumisilip sa parking lot sa labas.

'Nag-uber ako.'

'Mula Tagaytay?'

'Fine may naghatid sa akin.' Zoey finally surrenders.

'Sana yung Tatay mo.'

'Si Travis.'

'E putangina mo talaga kang babaita ka.'

Zoey breathes hard before closing her eyes.

'Well that was the exact reaction from you that I was imagining. Hindi ako nagkamali.' She smiles bitterly before grabbing hold of her bag and walking to the corridor leading to her office.