Chapter 11 (1/2)
¹Leave it up to Batman!- Filipino expression that has similar definition to
”whatever will be,” or ”coiven up,
and left the outco for some miraculous intervention,
as shown by how Batly most impossible situations
²Big Sister- A faroup of contestants
will live inside the sa Brother's rules
and every week, one of theet evicted out
DoorSlightlyOpen
“A door ajar is atte comfort not to be in control”
-x-
Co Blanco wasn’t an exemption Most people seek co 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; froround stories to the climax until resolution She breaks characters, let thes
A h, a lot expect the
News flash!+ They don’t
Especially to so, who’s too comfortable of her own zone, that when so
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 feriters 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 na, “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 illustrations will be good,” trying to not look at hi at her
She couldn’t control his eyes, so she controls hers instead
For comfortability's sake
However, the taxi they rode ho Six people were cra 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 the 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 ar wanted to ask Yayo’s son in her tu 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 hed
The aardness 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 ca 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 h 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 o 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 Soo 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
Pushi+ng her anxiety back, she asked, “Just because I' me like a weak person?”
Miko’s eyes darkened Before Jhing could react, he pulled her closer to hi's hair
A car al
Well, there was 2 meters distance away fro
“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 froer 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 irls in the streets
“Huh?” She heaved a sigh, trying to get her ain
“Let's talk until you get home I want to assure 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 thethe truth: Back to zero
To break the staring session which she couldn't take any longer, Jhing dictated her new nuo until he was 100 certain that she gave her the real one
“Answer
Jhing struggled as she grabbed her phone fro 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!”
Onetwotherethey stood in front of each other, phones near their ears like idiots, in the 's heart was in a chaos She wasn’t sure if it was because of her aching body, or herjust 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 so bad, happened
Jhing felt a punch in her stomach
“Miko?” she called, unsure