(Phone conversation)

SAT AT 09:33 PM

Call started.

Jenessy :
Hello, MM! Nasa bahay ka na?

Marcus :
Yes po. Kaka-lock ko pa lang ng pinto. (Footsteps echoing) Ikaw? Nasa kwarto ka na?

Jenessy :
Opo. Nagbabasa lang ng books mo kanina. (Yawns) Wag mo kalimutan ilagay sa ref yung dala mong pagkain a. Para may breakfast ka na bukas...

Marcus :
(Refrigerator door opening) (humming) Wait lang...

(Shuffling) (Glassware clinking) (shuffling)

Marcus :
There. I just did.

Jenessy :
Uh... (Breathes) Gusto mo ba ibaba muna yung call? Para ano... magawa mo muna yung gagawin mo?

Marcus :
(Chuckles) Ayoko nga. I want to hear your voice.

Jenessy :
(Breathes deeper) E kasi... Gising pa naman ako e. Magbibihis ka pa. Mag... (pauses) uh... Ano pa gagawin mo?

Marcus :
Maliligo.

Jenessy :
Naliligo ka bago matulog?

Marcus :
Uh... Pagkauwi ko, usually. (Pauses) Hindi rin naman ako nakakatulog agad dahil nag-aaral muna ako.

Jenessy :
A... (Giggles) Ang galing. Nice to know.

Marcus :
(Chuckles) Don't hesitate to ask anything about me from now on. (Lowers voice) I will tell you everything.

Jenessy :
(Inhales sharply) Okay...

Marcus :
Anong sabi ni Nanay pag-alis ko? Napagalitan ka? Nagalit ba?

Jenessy :
(Silence) Wala naman siyang sinabi e... Uhm... (Pauses) Ngumiti lang.

(Silence)

Jenessy :
Saka, ikaw raw... magsasabi? Ng pinag-usapan nyo kanina?

Marcus :
Talaga? Hm...

Jenessy :
(Lowers voice) Ano bang pinag-usapan nyo..? Bakit... hindi ako kasama? Uhm... (pauses) Pano mo sinabi sa kanya? Umiyak ba siya?

(Silence)

Marcus :
Hm... Hindi naman siya umiyak. I did as planned. Nung pinapunta ka sa kusina, ibinigay ko yung flowers sa kanya.

Jenessy :
(Holds breath) Tapos?

Marcus :
We started to talk. Ang tapang kanina ni Nanay -

Jenessy :
(Holding breath) Nagalit sayo?

Marcus :
(Chuckles) Are you breathing, Jen ko? Breathe first. Nothing bad happened.

Jenessy :
(Inhales sharply) Okay... Tapos?

Marcus :
I told her that I wanted to court you. O kung hindi pwede, I will wait until it's okay. (Pauses) We negotiate... Uhm...

Jenessy :
Negotiate about what..?

Marcus :
About you. (Long pause) She asked me first how I came to like you.

Jenessy :
(With panic) Hala!!! Sinabi mo yung ano... yung ano... as En...

Marcus :
(Chuckles) No. Siyempre, hindi.

Jenessy :
(Whiny voice) E di ano pala?

Marcus :
That I saw you at school. That I didn't notice you at first. Then one day, I lost my Mom and out of the thousands I know, you asked me how I was doing. Persistently. (Exhales slowly) That you became a friend to me... (Lowers voice) That you talked to me every night when was without company until it became something I look forward to... (Swallows) That you became that one person I wanted to tell my days about (pauses) and the one person I wanted to talk to first thing in the morning. (Long pause) That I love you and it will be my privilege if she will grant me her blessing to wait for you... until it's okay to court you formally.

(Silence)

Jenessy :
(Swallows) (Breathes) (Almost out of breath) Sinabi mo... lahat yun?

Marcus :
Yes. It's okay naman, di ba?

Jenessy :
(Out of breath) Oo... (Pauses) Tapos? Pumayag siya?

Marcus :
Sabi niya, pwede na raw akong manligaw.

Jenessy :
Hala! Hindi nga?!

Marcus :
She said that you told her that you wanted to be reserved for me, so I should start courting you.

Jenessy :
Hala! Pano..?

Marcus :
(Clears throat) Well... (Pauses) I negotiated my case.

Jenessy :
Bakit? Panong negotiate?

Marcus :
(Breathes out slowly) I'm graduating, Jen...

(Silence)

Jenessy :
A... (Long pause) E... Alam ko naman...

Marcus :
(Breathes) And even before... my Mom died... (pauses) she wanted me to study abroad.

(Silence)

Jenessy :
(Sighs) Ibig sabihin...

Marcus :
After she died, I'm left in this big house... (Swallows) Lahat ng kamag-anak namin sa side niya, nasa California. (Pauses) Dad's the only reason why I'm still here. And the last time he and I talked... (Exhales slowly) he wanted me to stick to the plan. Nandun na rin naman daw siya kay Tita Patty.

Jenessy :
(Voice cracks) So... (Swallows) ibig sabihin... after graduation...

Marcus :
Yes, Jenessy. I will be going away.

(Long silence) (Sighs)

Jenessy :
(Low voice) Saan ka... mag-aaral?

Marcus :
May application ako sa dalawang Universities. Wala pa namang result ngayon but probably... (pauses) UCLA. Kilala na kasi run family name namin.

Jenessy :
(Voice cracks) Wow... (Swallows) Maganda run... (Clears throat) Magiging UCLA graduate ka sa med...

Marcus :
Yes...

Jenessy :
(Slow speech) May Skype naman. Tapos, call. Facebook. (Swallows) It will be... It will be -

Marcus :
It's not okay, Jen ko...

Jenessy :
(Inhales sharply) E...

Marcus :
(Low voice) I will miss you when that happens...

Jenessy :
(Breathes) (Sobs) E di bakit ka aalis?! (Sobs) Pinapalungkot mo naman ako e...

Marcus :
Sorry... (Exhales) Hindi ko nasabi agad...

Jenessy :
(Sobs) It's decided?

Marcus :
Yes. But if you want -

Jenessy :
No! (Breathes) Nalulungkot lang ako ngayon... (Sobs) Saka nag-aalala. Saka... nanghihinayang... (Sobs a little) pero maganda run... kung dun ka mag-aaral.

Marcus :
I think so, too. (Chuckles lightly) And it will save you from me, too...

Jenessy :
(Stops abruptly) Huh? Ano..?

Marcus :
Going away will save you from me...

Jenessy :
(Breathes) Bakit..?

Marcus :
I'm not good at keeping all the don'ts. (Chuckles lightly) Especially the not kissing you part.

Jenessy :
Hala! (Chokes and coughs)

Marcus :
(Chuckles lightly) And the no touch policy.

Jenessy :
(Chokes and coughs more) Ha... la ka... kay (coughs) Nanay!

Marcus :
Gaya niyan. Kapag naubo ka, gusto kong hagurin yung likod mo...

Jenessy :
(Still coughing) Wait...

Marcus :
When you're not near me... I want to be near you..

Jenessy :
(Breathes) (coughs)

Marcus :
When you're near me, I want to at least hold your hand...

Jenessy :
(Breathes) Sandali -

Marcus :
At kapag naulit uli yung lapit natin gaya sa freedom park, if I look into your eyes that closely again... I will want to kiss you.

Jenessy :
Hala ka!

Marcus :
(Chuckles lightly) Magpipigil naman ako, Jen ko. (Pauses) I just figured you will be harder to resist if you're always near me... in the long run.

Jenessy :
(Breathing faster) You're - you're - (out of breath) you're -

Marcus :
- In love with you. Madly.

Jenessy :
(Total silence)

Marcus :
Jen ko?

Jenessy :
(Breathes deeply) Ha?

Marcus :
What happened?

Jenessy :
Maybe I... (lowers voice) shrieked?

Marcus :
(Chuckles) Of joy?

Jenessy :
(Lowers voice) Siyempre... Super crush kaya kita...

Marcus :
(Chuckles) Crush lang?

Jenessy :
Hindi... (Stammers) Super... Sup-er crush...

Marcus :
(Imitates Jen's tone) Sup-er crush lang, Jen ko?

Jenessy :
E... (Stammers) Yun... Yun din...

Marcus :
Anong yun din?

Jenessy :
(Whiny voice) Late night na o...

Marcus :
(Laughs) You're just trying to escape...

Jenessy :
E kasi! (Whiny voice) I can't say it! (Pleading tone) Wag muna! Magpapraktis pa ko e...

Marcus :
(Laughs) I know, I know... (Breathes) I'm just teasing you...

(Silence)

Marcus :
Anong pinag-uusapan natin?

Jenessy :
Yung ligaw...

Marcus :
A... Sorry. Kiss kasi ang nasa isip ko.

Jenessy :
Hala talaga!

Marcus :
(Laughs loudly)

Jenessy :
(Whiny voice) Tuwang-tuwa ka talaga e no?

Marcus :
Ang sarap mo kasi i-tease... (Chuckles)

Jenessy :
Hmp.

Marcus :
(Clears throat) So... (Pauses) (mumbles) yes. We talked about my studies, too. Kaya sabi niya, kung gusto ko talagang manligaw sayo, dapat makilala niya muna ako. (Pause) But since I'm going abroad next year after graduation, magpakilala na raw ako ngayon. Para panatag siya kahit long distance ako manligaw sayo.

Jenessy :
(Sighs) A...

Marcus :
We agreed that all the weekends I'm free, I will be in your house without disrupting your schedule. Nagpaalam akong pupunta pa rin kapag may schoolworks na pwedeng gawin sa laptop ko. (Pause) Ihahatid kita every Saturday sa bahay ni Tatay mo. Susunduin at ihahatid kita sa school everyday.

Jenessy :
Hala, hala! (Swallows) Masyado kang maiistorbo!

Marcus :
(Chuckles) No. Kulang pa nga ang chances. (Pause) Saka, tipid sa pamasahe yun.

Jenessy :
Hala! Pamasahe ang ibinargain mo?

Marcus :
(Laughs) Of course! Gumagastos naman ako sa gas. Might as well make it worth it. And I will see you home safely... Don't argue, Jen ko. It's agreed.

Jenessy :
(Whiny voice) Dapat isinama nyo ko sa usapan kasi e...

Marcus :
Bakit? Ipapadagdag mo yung sabay tayong magla-lunch everyday?

Jenessy :
Hala! Hindi a!

Marcus :
Don't worry. Napadagdag ko na. (Laughs) She said she will cook. (Puts emphasis) Para may baon tayo.

Jenessy :
(Silence) Pano... mo siya napa-oo?

Marcus :
I don't have to. She volunteered. Kasi... naawa siya nung nalaman niyang wala na si Mommy. Parehas kasi kayong mabait. (Pause) She wants me to eat homecook meals. Since ihahatid kita everyday to make sure you're safe, she will cook for me.

Jenessy :
A... (Exhales) kala ko e...

Marcus :
Ano pa ba... (Pauses) I will take you out on a date once a week. But she has to know my plans first - where we are going, when we are going...

Jenessy :
Date?!

Marcus :
May chaperone naman. Si Helga. (Laughs)

Jenessy :
Hala! Mas malala yun! (Panics) Itutulak ako ni bestie sayo!

Marcus :
(Laughs in amusement) Kaya nga!

Jenessy :
Hala kayong dalawa!!!

Marcus :
(Laughs) I will behave. I won't do anything to rush you.

Jenessy :
(Breathes faster) Pano mo na-negotiate yun lahat?

Marcus :
She must have felt my sincerity, Jen ko. Dahil gaya ng sabi ko sayo, seryoso ako.

Jenessy :
I know... I'm just - (swallows)

Marcus :
I will be waiting for our time, Jen.

Jenessy :
You will be waiting a long time...

Marcus :
Time is irrelevant. I am already looking forward to all our times together. Kahit nasaan ako.

Jenessy :
I will be waiting for you, too. Kahit nasaan ka pa.

Marcus :
Next year pa naman ako aalis. We will make the most of our time until then.

Jenessy :
Mukha nga...

Marcus :
Ayaw mo ba?

Jenessy :
(Giggles lightly) Gusto ko.

Marcus :
Good.

Jenessy :
Late na talaga. Maliligo ka pa...

Marcus :
Yes. I'll call you again to say goodnight?

Jenessy :
Kung kakantahan mo ako uli.

Marcus :
(Chuckles) I would.

Jenessy :
Okay. Later, MM.

Marcus :
Later, Jen ko. I love you.

Jenessy :
Uhum.

Marcus :
(Laughs) You have to practice your I love you's, honey. I won't let you off easily next time.

Jenessy :
(Giggles) But I'm sure you will, MM ko.

Marcus :
Hm... Someone's getting spoiled...

Jenessy :
(Giggles) Ligo na! Later uli!

Marcus :
Later...

Call ended.