11/23

Hashtag 08

"Sayang effort nung tao."

Jhing shot July a look, making her co-worker know she wasn't in the mood for this. "Walang dapat i-effort. Kung ayaw mo ng shake, itatapon ko 'to."

"Itatapon mo?" naghahamon ang boses ni July.

Tumayo si Jhing, almost ready to walk when July held her arm.

"Uy! Itatapon mo nga?"

"Ayaw ko. Ayaw mo. Sinong iinom? Lalanggamin lang pwesto ko."

Hindi naman dapat magpapakabitchy si Jhing. But what was done was done. Did she regret it? Sure. Why not. Pero nasabi na, eh. All she needed to do was to own it.

Buti na lang July had a bigger heart than hers.

Ito na ang uminom with a question, "ano bang mayroon?"

Hindi naman din dapat magpapaka-rude si Jhing pero nagawa na niyang ipasok ang earphones sa tainga to shut the world out. She knew she needed to say sorry afterwards, o pwedeng kalimutan din.

Bahala na.

Naging bugnutin tuloy si Jhing sa binabasa. Asar na asar siya sa panibagong ineedit na manuscript. Gets. Teen Fic. But it was really getting in her nerves when afternoon came.

Tumakbo kame ni Bae para makatakas sa mga panget. Alam niyo ba ang nangyari sa amen pagtapos readers? Syempre hinde niyo alam kase nakikibasa lang kayo sa love life kong sobrang exciting! Nakatakas lang naman kame sa goons! Kileg nga ako kase napagod ako sa pagtakbo. Binuhat ako! Binuhat ako ni Bae na ice cold gangster! Inggit kayo no?! Kileg talaga love life ko!

She almost send the email of her comment, [*kami, *pangit, *amin, *hindi, *kasi, *kilig] May sira ba ang letter 'i' sa keyboard mo kaya puro ka 'e'? And this is a story, a novel. First POV! So why the fuck are you speaking to the reader? You're breaking the fourth wall! Stay on the story and their world. Huwag mo akong kausapin bwisEt! Nakakainis pag puro "e" di ba?!

And who the hell name a gangster Bae?! Apparently, you.

Fourth wall is the imaginary wall between the fiction and reality. Do not break it if it isn't the story's style. KAINES.

PS: HINDI AKO NAINGGIT SA KALANDIAN MO AT NG ICE COLD GANGSTER NA YAN STOP TALKING TO ME!

It was a good thing she stopped herself before a single click can ruin her again.

Jhing seriously needed a time out, so she went out of the office, not minding anyone who looked at her with curious eyes. Sa 711 na tapat ng office nila siya tumambay.

Halos nag-space out siya sa pagtitig sa published books kung hindi lang may nag-excuse na crew.

For a moment, she wanted to try smoking just so she could reduce stress according to her workmates – pero hindi niya magawang manigarilyo. Nakakatakot sa health. Pucha. Gastos pa kapag may nangyaring masama.

So she ended up sitting on one of the empty chair. And frowned when she saw what was written in the table.

Smile, share a seat & meet a friend.

Well, fuck you, seat.

Jhing won't smile.

Naiiyak siya. Bakit? Hindi rin niya alam! Siguro kasi paksyet si Miko. O paksyet yung manuscript na ineedit niya. Paksyet din niya for being a bitch.