Nap Time Rocks!

the tv fizzed and came to life. blurred images of girls with long hair and long legs filled the screen and made their statement that this is beautiful. I ignored them, quite content with my hair, and my legs, which have never failed me in the boys department so far. There have been misfortunes, but then, nobody’s perfect right? Except those girls on tv. Right.

I have better things to think about anyway, and American Idol is coming up. i wonder if the fil-am is gonna make it? i hope taylor hicks wins. I settled into my favorite couch and sipped my homemade strawberry-carrot-and-banana shake.

Knock, knock. Someone’s at the door.

Oh. It’s the pizza guy. How much is it? here’s an exact bill, keep the change. Back to my couch and taylor hicks.

I know it’s a Friday night, and the girls have been calling all night to get me out of the apartment for a usual night out. I said no, said I wanted to spend this night by myself and just be a couch potato for once. It’s been a busy week, what with the promotion and all, and my new boss breathing down my neck every hour or so.

the next contestant croons on the microphone kinda like how my new crush does…

***

the crowd applauds after the last note fades out, and I opened my eyes to bright lights. The audience seemed pleased with the performance and I smile back. All part of the life. the cameras flashed and phones were raised up to take pictures. I continued to smile, took a bow and said thanks for coming tonight, I’ll see you in my next gig. Please be there!

My manager, tony, ushers me into the dressing room, giving me a routine pat on the back.

Good job, he says. all the girls loved you out there. You were really charming, chris. a perfect singing heartthrob.

Thanks, but i don’t think you should be elevating me to that status, tony. It’s not exactly the image I want to keep, you know that. I just want to sing.

He frowns at me as if to tell me I didn’t know what I was saying. I said thanks again and left me in peace. I opened my phone to call mom to tell her I just finished the show and it was a success.

In 15 minutes I was driving down C-5 and was recounting the night’s events in my already tired mind. I’m doing what I liked most, and I couldn’t be any happier. Then there’s that dinner tomorrow night mom kept reminding me about. There was this girl she and her clubhouse friend were dying to introduce me to. She was supposed to be a politician’s or judge’s daughter or something. She’s hot daw, my friend aki was saying.

My cellphone rings, and I pick up the phone to answer.

***

hello? I said groggily into the phone. It was my friend, tina, possibly in the middle of a party-swinging crowd in one of the bars at greenbelt. I couldn’t hear her well with the pounding club music in the background.

You should’ve been here! You’re missing the party of your life! I wanted to say that every party we go to is the party of our lives.

Well I’m happy where I am right now getting a well deserved sleep, and you should be going home. It’s 3am in the morning, tina, who’s with you?

Everyone’s here, trish! Paul’s even looking for you, he’s looking sooo hot right now!

*sigh* part of me had wanted to go to the party, after all, it’s a weekend. but after being swamped with new assignments by the boss from hell, I just couldn’t resist a night on the couch watching simon cowell bash young talents.

Alright, tina, you’ve convinced me. I should be there, but next week, ok? You guys take care and I’ll see you later. Click.

i ducked under the covers once again, and drifted to sleep.

***

the phone rang again. I opened one eye to get a glimpse of who would possibly trouble me at this time of the night. It was tina, and I snapped open my phone.

Bail me out sis, im at the precint. I hit this guy’s car who was driving too slow — yeah you were, mister! — and now they’re making me pay! I really dont care if you’re someone’s son ok? Who the hell are you anyway?

Tina you sound really drunk. Why were you driving? Where are you???

***

I’m at the Makati precint mom. No, im ok. No everything’s fine, you don’t have to come down here. i try to sound calm but this girl’s getting on my nerves. She’s drunk and still calling for back up. wake up, miss, I’m not getting into a fight with you.

Ah, finally, someone’s come to rescue you. Are you her friend?

***

“yes, I am. Im really sorry for the trouble she’s caused,” Trish gushes as soon as she comes into the police station. Oh. My. Gosh. It’s him. “Her insurance will pay off the damage. Can we discuss this tomorrow? I mean, later? I really have to take her home, you see how drunk she is. Im so sorry, Christian.” I cant believe it’s really you in person. I have the most embarrassingly biggest crush on you. But you don’t need to know that now, not after all this mess.

“Excuse me?” Christian seems a little surprised, then quickly remembers who he was to the public. “Oh, you must know who I am already.” He adds shyly. Well she is nice.

Trish reaches into her purse. “Here’s my contact number, and please call me whenever you’re ok,” Crap, I hope that didn’t sound so desperate. “We’ll fix this, don’t worry.” Crap, his eyes are really nice. And he’s so gwapo!

He took her calling card and said he will give her a call as soon as he gets some sleep. She says that they are grateful, and promises again to fix his car.

“you should get your friend home.” The police in charge interrupts gruffly, after typing away the last letters of the report, anxious to settle the dispute and turn over to the next officer in duty. He was oblivious to the fact that he had just played a part of a predestined meeting.

Trish ushers Tina into the car and drives home, wondering if she should feel sorry for her friend who just had a larger problem than a hangover, but smiles all the way home despite it.

Christian, on the other hand, takes a good long sleep, wakes up late in the afternoon, and decides to cancel dinner. That can wait. He calls the number scrawled at the back of the calling card.

Tina wakes up with the foretold headache, takes in two aspirins, and swears not to kill herself with drinking anymore.

—

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