The Rarities

Jessy

I'm a young adult who has a badly damaged compass. Career wise, I'm failing. It's only been three months and my performance evaluation is shaping to be ugly.

My sister, whom I thought was a lesbi, override the order of birth by posting in her IG that she's having a baby boy, leaving me with what-the-f expression and a sense of bereavement. Like, how come she got pregnant first!? I'm like the eldest!? She should've waited until somebody impregnates me, right!? Right. Like gays have the ovaries to do that.

To top it all, I've been spending Valentine's single-handedly for the past 23 years. So don't you think these are legit reasons to be with our Lord Almighty!?

"Jess, you're just being dramatic!" That's the voice within Christina Aguilera was singing about. It has spoken to me. And it took me a lot of convincing on my part that I am.

Okay, maybe I'm just overwhelmed by the current of life. Big waves make me feel small which make me feel drowned and eventually down.

So... I decided to go to my province.Yep, pretty random. Like that could solve the problem.

Well, yea, the problem is still there, in Manila particularly, but the problem troubling my mind will perhaps go away or something if I'm off to somewhere. I don't know exactly how that works but...whatever.

It's a long weekend after all.

The plan is to window-watch the places while riding the bus. And I did that until the sun rose to the east and my seatmate, without consulting me, covered the window that's been my source of sanity ever since her existence.

She took off not long enough though and boy was it taste like freedom. I could sit like an emperor, snore and pick my nose without anyone preaching about decency. But when I get tired being crazy, I resigned myself to just leaning on my arm and gazing blankly.Shut up. I'm not emotional.

Okay, maybe sometimes.

"Sh!t!" I mumbled as I hit my head against the window. The bus made a sudden stop to accommodate an impossible guy, that's why. Really, why would you load a passenger in that kind of velocity? And why good Lord, he has to sit beside me!? I demanded answer from God.

I eyed the stupid guy with much abhorrence for choosing to invade the reserved seat for myself. But while he's trying to take off his jacket to feel at home, he glanced at me and gave a carefree smile.

Like, why isn't he intimidated!?

I know I should be remotely concerned with anyone else since I have the window all for myself yet my neck can't help turning to my right to see what this guy's doing.

He's checking out his plant like an O.C; turning it side to side, touching its leaves, its petals, picking another one once satisfied. His getting his fix through that. So odd.

He probably think catching me watching him was an invitation for a talk.

"You know these flowers are very rare." he said.

"I Don't Care is playing in my phone." I said.

Where the fvck did I get this nerve, you might ask. Frankly, I don't know. I'm notorious for making bad first impression which sadly happens to have a second when I stepped on one of his plants accidentally while going out.

"Why!?" he just said. Yet I know how much emotion does it hold.

"I'm sorry!?" I shrugged but continue anyway. I have to hurry because bathroom break is only for five minutes.

"Next time, be careful." Was what he said when I came back few minutes later. His tone was not stern as I imagined it would. Didn't give a guilty AF façade though. Matter of fact, I just sit there unabashed .