"Thirdy?"
"Hey."
She got a call from an unknown number. 2 missed calls, actually.
She answered the third time.
No.
Bea usually doesn't take calls from strangers.
This was a phone number she tried so hard to forget over the years.
Why won't he change it? She thought.
And she never forgot.
It was impossible.
Bea hesitated for a bit and just left her phone to ring, pleading that it would eventually stop.
She didn't know what to expect. Why? Why now?
But it felt like something was different. That she needed to hear what he had to say. Even if it's just a word or two.
Or maybe, just to hear. Whatever. Him.
So when her phone rang again, she decided to take it.
"H-hi." Bea hesitated to respond.
"I'm back."
"Yeah... I know." Dumbass. It's all over your IG.
"Did you... miss me?"
Bea felt something was off with his voice.
"Uhm... Are you drinking? Drunk? Tipsy?" She hears loud music through the phone.
Thirdy laughs. "I say a few words to you, and you figure me out. God, Bea."
"Wait-what? Turn the music down, I can't hear you clearly. It's so noisy."
Thirdy smiled, lowering the volume. "You know what, I can just turn it off. I want to hear you- oops. Damn, did I just hit a cone?"
"Jesus- are you driving? Pull over." She says firmly.
"Bei. It's cool. Kaya ko naman. Don't overreact."
"Pull over, Thirds. Isa."
"Ayoko."
"Ano ba."
"Chill out. I barely drank."
"What the fuck? You just hit a cone."
"It was an accident, just let it go."
"You call me when you're drunk. And when I tell you to get your shit together, ayaw mong makinig?"
"You can't- just - don't force me. Okay?"
"Why not?"
"Because!"
"Because what?"
"You're not my girlfriend!"
Right.
A long pause.
"Okay..." She replied in a calm tone.
Thirdy slammed his hands to the wheel, realizing what he just said. "Shit. Fuck. I-I'm sorry."
"I'm hanging up."
"Sorry, Bea... I- please... I need you."
"No. Don't."
Damn it, Thirdy. You couldn't call her when you're sober, huh?
"Bei..."
"Okay. I won't hang up, but please try not to kill yourself."
