rejection

Writing Challenge, Day 16


I'm on an EB roll! This one is a flash-forward though, so this meet-up happened in the latter part of the story. In short, this is not the one Bryan is/was meeting in Makati. I still haven't figured out how to write that.



* * *

Be there in 5 mins, Bryan had typed on his cellphone before pressing Send. This time he was telling the truth. The meeting place was literally five minutes' jeepney ride away and on a Saturday night, it would just take him one full song to listen on his iPod. So he spent his spare two minutes freshening up, then he set off to the designated meeting place.

He met the guy online a week ago. Bryan was browsing one of the dating sites when he got a private message from someone named Don. A couple of private messages led to the exchange of pictures and cellphone numbers. Over the next couple of days, they talked on the phone. Kinda like a phone-date, Bryan had explained to Perry two days ago when they met for their monthly lunch date. Likes, dislikes, favorites, and every other date topics, Bryan and Don had them already covered.

That Saturday night, Don called.

"Let's meet up," Don had said.

"Now?" Bryan asked. He checked the clock on his bedside table. It was 9:54 in the evening.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"We can meet near the mall malapit sa 'tin," Don replied.

"Anong meron dun at this hour?" Bryan asked, confused.

"Oh God, do you want me to be explicit?" Don laughed, slightly annoyed. "There's a motel near the mall. I'm horny. I need a fuck."

"Oh," Bryan said. It was the only sound he could manage.

"Let me know if you're up for it, okay?" And Don hung up.

Bryan had sat on the edge of his bed for a couple of minutes, slightly dazed about what just happened and annoyed at how Don ended the call. When everything had sunk in, however, he grabbed his cellphone and texted his reply: Game! See you in a bit.

Bryan got off the jeepney and took a deep breath. This is not the time to get excited or nervous, he told himself. He and Don had agreed to meet up at the 7-Eleven near the motel, not only to meet up in person first, but also to gauge if each of them is into the other.

He saw Don first the minute the latter walked into the store. He gave a small wave.

Don saw him and did a double-take. To Bryan, it looked like Don was slightly disappointed.

They exchnaged small pleasantries, as Don quickly picked up and paid for a can of Diet Coke. They went outside.

"Listen," Don began. "It's a no for now." He started walking towards the jeepney that had just stopped. "See you online na lang," he said, mostly to himself as he stepped inside the vehicle.

"Okay. No worries," Bryan replied. But Don clearly didn't hear him. He watched as the jeep sped off, shrugged, and crossed to the other side of the street to get a ride back home.