FEBRUARY 26, 2023・SUNDAY・10:14
Maya is in her bed, staring at the messages she's already sent Noel.
MAYA:
NOEL, PLEASE LET'S TALK
NOEL??
NOEL, PLEASE REPLY.
BABE. SORRY BABE. LET'S TALK PLEASE.
NOEL, PLEASE REPLY.
She bites her lip and navigates out of her texts. She goes to her Messenger and calls JR.
He immediately answers the call. "Hi, Maya," JR says with a tone of sympathy.
"JR..." Her voice trembles. "Wala gihapon siya naga-reply. Unsaon man nako ni JR? Wala nako kabalo sa akong buhaton."
"HE STILL HASN'T REPLIED. WHAT DO I DO JR? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE."
He falls quiet for a bit. "Hmm."
"Kabalo na siya?"
"DOES HE KNOW?"
"Dili ko sure, Maya." He adjusts his throat.
"I'M NOT SURE, MAYA."
"Wala mo nag-isturya?"
"YOU HAVEN'T TALKED TO HIM YET?"
"Wala. Naa lang pud ko'y mga...basta."
"I HAVEN'T. I'VE GOT A LOT OF...NEVER MIND."
"Katong Byernes, diba niabsent siya? Wala siya nitext sa inyo? Or chat?"
"LAST FRIDAY, HE DIDN'T ATTEND CLASS, RIGHT? DIDN'T HE TEXT YOU? OR CHAT YOU?"
"Wala gyud Maya. Pati kang Aljun, wala."
"HE DIDN'T. HE HASN'T EVEN TEXTED ALJUN."
She gets up from her bed and rests her hands on her hips. She scratches her forehead a bit. "Unsa man akong buhaton ani JR? Wala man lang ko niya gipa-explain."
"WHAT DO I DO NOW, JR? HE WON'T EVEN LET ME EXPLAIN."
He exhales.
"Silingan man mo, diba? Wala gyud ka niadto sa ilaha?"
"YOU'RE NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? DID YOU TRY TO GO AND CHECK HOW HE'S DOING?"
"Wala, Maya. Akoa sa siya gipabugnaw kay basi'g wala pa siya sa mood makig-isturya sa amo."
"I HAVEN'T YET, MAYA. I'M STILL LETTING HIM COOL DOWN FOR A WHILE. I'LL TALK TO HIM WHEN HE'S ACTUALLY IN THE MOOD TO TALK."
"Okay. Pero pwede ka muadto sa ilaha karon? I-check lang kung okay ra siya?"
"OKAY. BUT CAN YOU GO TODAY? JUST TO CHECK IF HE'S OKAY?"
"Hmm. Sige. Unya na siguro kay nag-simba pa to sila. Pero Maya, siguro...erm..." He pauses.
"HMM. OKAY. I'LL CHECK ON HIM LATER. THEY'RE STILL AT CHURCH. BUT MAYA, MAYBE...ERM..."
"Hello? JR?"
"Siguro...pabugnawa sa si JR. Kay mao ra gihapon. Dili siya mureply sa imoha kung lain pa iyahang gibati."
"MAYBE...YOU SHOULD LET HIM COOL OFF TOO. BECAUSE IT WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING IF YOU KEEP TEXTING HIM AND HE WON'T REPLY TO YOU BECAUSE HE STILL FEELS LIKE SHIT."
"Pero..." Maya shakes her head. "Wala man gyud ka'y giingnan, JR? Kay wala gyud ko lain giingnan."
"BUT..."
"DID YOU TELL ANYONE, JR? BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T TELL ANYONE ELSE."
He goes silent for a bit. "Katong si Gabriel? Wala siya'y giingnan? Basig siya. Kay ako...wala gyud baya ko'y giingnan, Maya."
"HOW ABOUT GABRIEL? DID HE TELL ANYONE? MAYBE IT'S HIM. BECAUSE...BECAUSE I SWEAR, I NEVER TOLD ANYONE, MAYA."
Tears start falling from her eyes. "Bugoa gyud nako uy!" She closes her eyes. "Hay, Maya, kabugo."
"I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!"
"MAYA, YOU STUPID GIRL."
"Erm...relax lang, Maya."
"ERM...JUST RELAX, MAYA."
She nervously nibbles on her index finger.
"Ayaw kabalaka. Adtoon lang nako si Noel unya. Unya itext tika kung unsa man. Pero kato, ayaw lang sa siya i-text, okay? Kabalo ko lisod pero need pud niya ug space, Maya."
"DON'T WORRY, OKAY? I'LL GO AT NOEL'S LATER AND SEE IF HE'S ALRIGHT. AND THEN I'LL SEND YOU AN UPDATE. BUT YEAH, JUST DON'T TEXT HIM YET, OKAY? I KNOW IT'S HARD BUT HE NEEDS SPACE TOO, MAYA."
"Sige, JR. Salamat."
"OKAY, JR. THANK YOU."
"Sige lang, Maya. Ma-okay lang lage ang tanan."
"NO PROBLEM, MAYA. EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT."
She ends the call and lies back in bed.