Page 23 of Chasing Mr. Prefect

“Why don’tyousleep? You’re going to wake your kuya up, sige ka.”

“Naks, concerned. I’m not in Ortigas, though, so I’m not waking anyone up. You’re really turning over a new leaf?”

“Well, that’s the general idea but you annoying me at this hour when I’m supposed to be studying is throwing that off the rail.”

I stood from my chair and walked towards the window, which had a nice view of the night sky. The light from my study lamp was far behind me now, allowing me to appreciate the stars.

“Wasn’t that your aim in the first place? To set me straight?” I prompted.

“Aim? I’m not sure about that, Piece of Work. I’ve accepted that we can’t really go against nature but I’ll take what I can get.”

“Mukha mo, nature.”

“Okay, wait lang, I’m sorry, let me clarify that,” Cholo said, looking at the camera this time. He let out a nervous laugh,probably seeing that I did take offense. “What I meant to say was I’m happy with you being you as long as you don’t set foot in my office again. Ever.”

“You could have said it like that the first time,” I told him. “And stop calling me a piece of work.”

“Sorry. I wanted that to sound like an endearment. It’s not working, is it?”

“Never going to work.”

“Do you have a nickname for Gian Luca, too?”

“Gian Luca?” I sputtered, laughing.

“Why? That’s his name, isn’t it? Would you rather I called himSquidward?”

I felt my smile drop off my face. “Bye.”

“I’M JOKING. Wait, don’t hang up!”

I did not. I walked towards the window and sat on the cushioned part, only to find something else sitting in there.

“AGH!” I screamed, jumping off the seat. The blood must have drained off my face as I froze, focusing on what I had just sat on.

“What in the…? What’s this doll doing in here?”

“Hey, I’m alone in here!” Cholo said from the other line, all traces of laughter gone. He sounded more scared than I was as I took small steps towards the doll. “Look, I swear. I’ll stop being an ass. Just cut it out.”

It must have been a full minute before my eyes adjusted to the darkness. It finally clicked and I raised the doll up to eye level.

“Melba,” I muttered, blood rushing back up to my head.

“Wha—you really had to give it a name?” Cholo said from the other line, his voice an octave higher. I would have found this funny any other day but my temper boiled straight over.

“Ugh, Liana!” I groaned, realizing that no one else could have put this back here except her. She had the other matching doll named Tindeng and this must have been her idea of a prank.

“Wait, where are you going, don’t hang up!”

“Youarealone, Prefect Brat, what are you even talking about?” I said, torn between finding him funny and being annoyed at Liana. I took some more steps towards the door, about to reach for the handle when it burst open, revealing Liana who was still wearing jeans for some reason.

“Vinnie?” she said, her hair standing up in all directions.

I glared at her and put the phone away.

“Are you okay? I heard you scream.”

I was ready to yell. All the blood had rushed up to my head and I could not think straight. The pent-up anger I had all these years had boiled over.