After All This Time

Saturday afternoon and I’m stuck at home. Can’t believe it. As I channel-surfed through G-Mik, Click and other Saturday afternoon shows, I couldn’t help but wonder what my friends were doing. No one actually called me or anything.

After seeing Camille Prats’ face on the TV for the umpteenth time, I clicked off the TV and grabbed the phone. I was about to dial my best friend Tricia’s number, but my cellphone caught my eye, and I remembered Diane, my phone and text pal. I could talk to Tricia later. Diane could have some stories to amuse me.

I drummed my fingers on the armrest as I listened to the rings. Promptly after the second ring, someone picked up.

“H’lo?” A familiar female voice said. It could be Diane, but then it could also be her mom, since they both have the same voice over the phone. Better to be polite, at least.

“Um, hello, good afternoon, may I speak to Diane please?” I said politely.

“Who’s this?”

“It’s Jason.”

“Hey!” And at once, I knew it was her. And she sounded genuinely happy to hear me.

“What’s up?” I asked, leaning back on the chair.

“Not much,” she answered. I could hear the TV on the background. “You?”

I sighed. “Bored. Totally.” Diane chuckled and started talking. I knew I could count on her.

For someone I’ve never seen before, I like her a lot. Diane is an excellent listener, and I love telling her about Tricia. And besides, for some strange reason, we have a lot in common.

“Jason?” she suddenly asked.

“Yeah?”

“I was wondering…uh…if you want?”

“Want what?”

“I have tickets to the Freestyle concert two weeks from now…I was wondering if you’d like to go.”

Hmm…Freestyle…two weeks. I checked my schedule mentally.

“Hmmm…sounds good. I’ll check my schedule, okay?”

“Oh…okay.”

Silence.

Then she started to talk again.

A week later, I received an SMS from Diane. “Yo Jason! Could you come?”

I checked my written schedule this time, and groaned. Great. I have a college orientation at Ateneo de Manila. So I told her that and she told me it was at night. Unfortunately, after my orientation, I had to bring my younger brother to his doctor for his check-up. I called Diane as soon as I can.

“Diane, I’m really sorry,” I apologized. “Sorry…”

“It’s okay!” She said cheerfully. “I’ll just tell you about it, if you want.”

“Really?” I said, surprised at the fact that she was still agreeable. “I’m really sorry…”

“No problem…”

I was surprised at her attitude after being turned down. I was kind of looking forward to seeing her in person, but due to my darn schedule, I can’t.

I’ve got to make it up to her somehow.

I opened the door to our house and my brother ran in, setting up the Playstation immediately. I glanced at the clock and sighed. Too late to try and catch up to the concert. I wonder whom she went with instead of me…

Suddenly, the phone rang. Thinking it was Tricia, I grabbed it.

“Hello?”

“Hey Jason!”

“Diane? What are you doing home?”

“I don’t want to go anymore…so I gave them to my brother.”

I felt myself grinning. But I was confused. “Why?”

“Hmmm….” Diane said, trailing off.

A thought struck me. Could it be…because of me?

“How ’bout you?” she said. “What are you doing home?”

“I just arrived.” I answered.

Silence.

“Hey…you know Megamall, right?” I found myself asking.

“Of course. Why?”

“La lang… maybe you’d like to go there next week? You know…hang and then we’ll eat and stuff…” I said. “Next Saturday, maybe?”

“Saturday…” she trailed off. “Okay!”

I smiled.

“Hey! The concert is televised!” she suddenly said. And on the background, I heard,

‘Cause I’m missing you so bad…now that you’re not by my side…And after all this time, after all we’ve been through, baby aren’t you hurting too?

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