Rosa sighed as she browsed through her social media accounts. It is that time of the year again when majority of the contents is about graduating or receiving awards. She knew a lot of people who are proud of their children or family members. When she was a student, she also had some awards but no one boasted about her then. Not even her family. She grew up in the province with distant relatives so she had not been not one of those who she sees now that have their mothers posting online about their children's achievements to other people.
She was about to shut her phone in bitterness and jealousy when she received a message inviting her for a celebration party. Alas she is at work that time. She sighed again as she gazed at the small and hot room where she has been renting for months now. She just had her first work out of college after months of procrastinating and sending out applications.
She seemed to be earning enough at first but then she had to send money to her relatives in the province because two of them have chronic diseases that need constant medications. She is also helping pay their bills while she is paying her own. Now her monthly salary cannot keep up with what she has to pay.
Rosa's ears ached as she heard the familiar night noise from the other room because the walls are thin. They do try to keep it low but she is always disturbed when they are on it even early at night. The landlady warned her that she would be living with a young couple and a big extended family of 15 but she still took the room because it's the cheapest she found. She is the only single person in the old house-turned apartment building of rented rooms and shared kitchen and toilets.
When Rosa could not shut out the noise anymore, she grabbed her jacket and headed out. She has her day off from work the next day anyway. She went to the 24/7 store across the street in order to use the free wifi internet while drinking the cheapest coffee there is in her reusable tumbler. She received it as a gift in their last company Christmas party.
While resting her eyes from reading on her phone and idly looking outside through the glass windows, Rosa suddenly stood as she recognised a face. She ran to the door but came hurrying back for her tumbler with its half-drank coffee.
"Jan!" she called out, very excited to see a familiar face from college.
When the guy turned and didn't look like he recognized her, her face fell but she still tried to smile while feeling embarrassed. She almost wished that she didn't call after him. She was just so happy to see someone from years ago that she impulsively called out his name earlier.
Thinking about him, they were not even close back then. Now she is not sure if he even knew her.
"Hi," Rosa greeted, now feeling silly. "I'm Rosa Dumapit from section 10. We were in the city hospital in December before graduation for the extension duties."
The guy's eyes widened as realisation dawned.
"Oh my gosh, we're from the same batch in college? Really?" He was scratching his head and looking embarrassed too. "Sorry, I don't remember. Sometimes I don't even remember all of the people in my clinical group."
He laughed awkwardly.
Rosa hesitantly laughed too. He is truly making an effort to be polite here.
"Oh no. And sorry too. I was just shocked to see someone familiar. I just moved here a few months ago for work."
She wished that would suffice for her suddenly talking to him.
"Oh? Where do you work?"
He seemed interested.
"In that building."
She pointed at the tallest building in the area. She is quite proud that she works there but her pay does not even match that grand facade.
