[Jessy]

I continued running while Kristoff is following behind me. We can’t drive the car into the place because of the crowd so we left it there.

But I can’t move from my place because it’s like are like b.u.mper to b.u.mper traffic here though only people and not vehicle. I can only walk a few steps like I’m in the slow procession.

My patience is running out, I’m already sweating but I only walk a few meters.

“Jessy,” Kristoff shouted to me.  I turned and looked at him, he is far from me.

“I’ll go ahead, see you at the shop,” I shouted at him, then I push and pa.s.s through the people and walk as fast as I could because I can’t run.

I hear the people that I’m pushing gets irritated and some of them are even cursing at me. But I don’t care! I only want to go to the shop to see Allen and bring him back to us.

“Ate do you know where the second-hand shop here is?” I stop one of the pedestrians.

“There a lot here hija,” she said then walk.

I continued walking again while looking around and searching for that bvlls.h.i.t second-hand shop!

[Kristoff]

Jessy is really a  jerk ever since, imagine leaving me? She’s really too much, I’m not familiar with this place, and I’m moving by the flow of the people, though I tried to follow her but she suddenly disappears from my sight. I was about to imitate what she dud earlier, her pushing and pa.s.sing to them forcibly, but they might beat me if I do that. They do it to her because she is a woman but I’m not.

So I decided to do the smartest thing, to go back to the car.

But wait.

Eh! Where am I?

Waaah Jessy!

After going home I will really tell to mom.

[Allen]

I still continued to the follow the men carrying the bed. Where are they going to take it?

We are at the place where there isn’t a lot of people anymore, so they are walking faster. I suddenly stopped when the fat man carrying the bed talks to me.

“Hey! You boy!” he says looking badly at me.

“Me?” I ask in confusion and fear.

“Who else, do you think I won’t notice? You’ve been following us,” he told me that made me nervous.

“Not really,” I replied.

“You think you can fool us?” the man said and they put down the bed and walk towards me.

I step back as the five of them walks toward me. What are they going to do?

“Are you a thief?” shouted by one of them.

“What?” I said in fear.

“You won’t fool us, we’ve been here in Divisoria for a long time,” he said then he holds both of his hand forming a fist.

“It’s b-because I p-plan to b-buy the bed,” I said stammering when they are already close to me.

“Haha!”

I was startled when they laughed.

“Haha, why did you not tell immediately child!” one of them said.

“He’s right, we mistook you. Anyway, it’s impossible that you are a thief because you look rich and handsome!”

“Why are you going to buy this bed, it looks really old?”

“B-because,” I didn’t finish what I’m about to say.

“This is my girlfriend’s bed and she really likes that,” I said when I remember Jessy and I suddenly smiled.

“So you’re a lover boy.” they said then are laughing and one of them poke me.

“I think it is her mom that sold this earlier, she said she bought a new bed for her daughter,” one of them said.

So that’s the reason, Christine just wants to give Jessy a new bed. After all, this bed is really old and Christine doesn’t know about me.

“If you want you can help us carry this bed to the shop and you will buy it there.” one of them said smiling.

I’m dead, I don’t have any money. I said to myself and help them carry the bed.

“Can’t we bring it back and pay you there?” I asked them.

“That’s not possible kid because you need to purchase it to our boss.” he answers.

“Yes, she already bought it. And we already carried it this far and you want us to carry it back.” one of them tiredly said.

“Don’t worry kid, you will return it your girlfriend after paying it in the shop later.” he said and pat me.

“Right! You can add points to her.” said the other.

“But I didn’t bring any money,” I said to them.

“WHAATT??” they simultaneously said.

The five shouts at me and I nod.

“I don’t have money, I left it because I immediately followed it.” I said in excuse.

“What are you going to do boy?” one of them disappointingly said.

[Jessy]

I’ve been circling around the Divisoria but I didn’t see Allen. I stopped walking in the middle to wipe my sweat and tears.

Tears?

I didn’t notice that I’m crying.

I feel annoyed, I didn’t have much sleep from my trip in Zambales. I even said that I will shower immediately and sleep for the whole afternoon.

I feel sticky, I feel like I’m smelly. My feet are aching because I’ve been running under the sun.

“Miss are you okay?” I look at him, it turns out he is a porter.

When I look around I think all the people are looking at me, I keep crying. I’m annoyed.

“WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!” I shouted at them and I run fast.

I’m running while wiping my tears. I’m really annoyed because I’ve been stupidly running and searching, I stopped again.

“Allen!” I said rubbing my eyes that tears are still continued falling from it.

“Where are you?” I keep on crying.

“How sad, his boyfriend left her.”

“You’re right even though she is beautiful and s.e.xy.”

“There are really a lot of women who are abandoned by their boyfriends nowadays.”

“Perhaps, she is replaced that is prettier than her?”

I heard them talking and I feel more annoyed, even here?

I wiped my tears and continued walking when a man suddenly asked me.

“Where are you going, miss?”

“I want MY FOREVER to return to me!” I loudly scream.

Yes, I said it loudly purposely, I want all of them to hear! They think I’m the one being left, I’ll show to them that I’m the one who left.

b.i.t.c.h don’t kill my vibe!

Then I walked again to look for Allen.

[Allen]

“Oh, here we are,” one of them said and opened the door. And carried the bed inside.

They placed the bed near the gla.s.s wall of this store, then a woman put a ‘for sale’ sign immediately.

“Wait!” I said but one of the men put his arm around me.

“I advise to you kid to go back and get your money to pay,” he says.

But how? I can’t leave.

I stood at the side of the bed and doing nothing, then the five men left. A moment later a woman walks to me, a salesperson I think.

“Sir, do you want to buy the bed?” she asks me so I nod.

“Well sir, please proceed to the cashier,” she says pointing me to the cashier.

“Ah, but I don’t have a money,” her eyes widened when I said that.

“But sir? That’s not possible,” she said to me.

“Wow, so there is a handsome man in this shop,” the saleslady and I turned to the group of ladies.

“He’s really handsome,” someone said.

“I’m sorry sir but you need to leave.” the saleslady1 said to me. Another saleslady2 came to us.

“Don’t let him go, can’t you that customers are flocking?” saleslady2 said.

“Maybe they won’t buy,” the saleslady1 answered.

“Those who won’t buy you can leave!” shouted the saleslady2.

“We will buy,” they shouted in unison.

“Oh, see that? So you can stay here.” said the saleslady2 to me.

I just sit near the bed, I noticed that I am surrounded by women, all of them looking, smiling, screaming and pointing at me.

Is that a camera? The other phones look the same to Jessy’s.

I just shake my head when they talked to me.

“Miss how much is it?” a woman who is the same age as Christine ask.

I saw her asking for the bed so I suddenly get up and speak. “You can’t”

They all stopped and looked at me.

“And why?” the woman asks.

“It’s because he intends to buy it, ma’am,” answered the saleslady to the woman.

“If he wants to buy it why is there a ‘for sale’ sigh until now?” she asks.

“He said he don’t have a money,” the saleslady responded.

“So what? That’s not my problem,” she said then hands a card to the saleslady but I stopped her and holds her arm.

“You can’t.”

“Don’t touch me!” the woman said.

“It’s– it’s” I stopped to look around, they are waiting what I will say.

“It’s my girlfriend’s property,” I said.

“AAAHH!” I heard all of them say.

“Then why is it here?” one of the women asks, she looks rich.

“Because her mother sells it without her permission.”

“Then?”

“And it has a sentimental value for her because it came from her grandmother,” I replied.

“Well she’s a lucky girl to have a boyfriend like you,” she smiled and left. I breathe a sigh of relief.

When I look around I saw all of them looking at me, they seem to be listening earlier.

“AAAHHH!” they all said once again.

I look at the clock of the shop and its 7 pm. I’m still here sitting. I suddenly smiled.

Why are you waiting for her Allen? What does she know, she doesn’t know what happen to you. She is not here and if she knows she won’t care because I’m not her responsibility.

I breathe deeply and looked at the bed.

Maybe I need to hide again under the bed and wait for the new owner.

“Excuse me Sir but we need to close the shop and you can go back here to buy it, after all, no one has bought it today.” the saleslady said and I looked at her then stood up.

“Oh, boy you’re still here?” said by one of the five men earlier.

“What a lover boy!” shouted by the other man and the other three arrived.

They carried other things and brought it inside.

“You can out it there,” said the saleslady then look at me again.

“You can go back tomorrow sir.”

I don’t know what to say, I want to leave but how. I didn’t say anything and I hate explaining. I’m explaining for the whole day. At least I did my best that the bed won’t be bought for the whole day, maybe that’s enough Allen.

I feel so numb right now.

How? It’s not the first time that I’ve waited for so long so why am I sad, I’m already used to it. Okay, Allen remembers there are more years to come into your infinity life, this won’t be the last time!

As I looked at the gla.s.s door and some people that are inside earlier are still here. They are looking at me and seem to be waiting.

I tried to walk to get outside of this shop but I suddenly stopped and saw the invisible rope again that only I could see.

“Four meters away,” I whispered and then I smirk.

I’m losing hope, why am I expecting. So dumb to think that she would come here because of me. Sht you’re so stupid!

“ALLLEEENN!”

I heard a shout from outside and I looked.

She is running towards me, she looks haggard and exhausted. She didn’t mind the people looking at her and she is only looking at me and quickly approached.

She is crying.

I was surprised when she suddenly jumps, cling to my neck and hugged me tightly. I was dumbfounded and my hands voluntarily move and embrace her.

I heard her panting and I can also hear the beat of her heart. I’m just staring at her.

“TRY TO DISAPPEAR AGIN AND I WILL REALLY KILL YOU!” she shouted while hugging me, she still crying.

I suddenly smiled and put my right hand on the back of her head while my left hand is still on her waist. She is hugging me tightly.

I didn’t realize that I’m also crying. I closed my eyes and put my head on her neck.

“Allen,” she said as she removes her hands from hugging me but I tightened my hug so she can’t get away.

“Wait for just a moment please Jessy,” I whispered to her.

She listened and she returns on hugging me. Shortly, I raised my head and wiped my tears.

“I’m okay now,” I said then I released my hand from her.

I saw her face, I tried not to laugh and just smile.  She dirty, she is full of smoke and dust on her face, her clothes are also dirty and her hair is messy.

“Jessy” I whispered while I continued looking and smiling at her. She is also looking at me.

She’s the girl who keeps her promise that she will return today.

She is the girl who stops my world for a few minutes when I saw her running towards me earlier.

I saw her face, her face that she in only looking and seeing me.

She is the one who went here to remove my anxiety, fears, sadness and hopelessness that I felt earlier and now feel calm.

That girl is Jessy and no one else.