TRAPPED BY LOVE

CHAPTER 4

It could be because of too much excitement, but Janna wasn’t able to sleep well. As early as four in the morning, she was already in their makeshift kitchen and cooked some rice. Her movement was fast because she wanted to finish everything before sunrise.

She got his text message last night, but she had no available balance on her prepaid phone. Therefore, she planned to go to the nearest store as early as possible. After cooking, she immediately swept the dried leaves in front of their house and put them in the compost pit.

“Janna, do you have a class today?”

Janna was startled upon hearing her mother’s voice, but she prepared her brightest smile towards the woman who supported her since she was born. “Good morning, Mother!”

“Morning, Janna. You seem to be extra cheerful this morning; why?”

“My crush sent me a message last night, and I’m just so happy to read it!”

“What did you tell him?”

“Hmmm, I have no balance, so I can’t send him a message, mother. Do you have extra money for my prepaid load?” She asked nicely because she’s aware of how tight their budget was.

“Are you crazy?”

Janna was hurt when her mother shouted. She asked nicely, and it was uncalled for to call her crazy over a twenty pesos worth of load. Before her mother could utter another hurtful word, she ran towards the house and went inside the only bedroom where she and her siblings slept at night.

For several hours, she stared at her phone while hoping that Anthony would call her. She waited, but the call she’s been waiting for didn’t come. Disappointed, she just went to bed and tried hard to sleep.

Two hours later, her mother came and apologize for shouting. She’s aware that it wasn’t intentional, but she would be glad if her mother would think twice before opening her mouth. As soon as they were okay, she was asked to fulfil her task at home. She obliged, and thankfully, she was able to divert her attention to the chores and temporarily forgot about Anthony.

The following day, she tried her luck to ask for reloading money but ended up being disappointed…again! She was frustrated that she couldn’t reply to his message. She had been waiting for several years to be noticed by him, and when Anthony finally noticed her, she couldn’t send him a message. 

What a sad life, she thought.

When she learned that her father’s going to the trading centre owned by Frederick Quileopas, Janna volunteered to go with him, and her mother questioned her intention.

“Do you have to wear that?” She asked.

Janna glanced at the mirror to check her appearance, and she couldn’t see anything wrong with the spaghetti dress she wore. An elastic band within the dress perfectly accentuated her waist. It’s a balloon style, and its length reached below her knees.

“There’s nothing with my dress,” she reasoned out.

“Nothing wrong? Janna, are you out of your mind? You’re only going to the trading centre!”

However, Anthony didn’t see her when they arrive, or he deliberately ignored her! She was excited to talk to him, especially when he looked more handsome in his walking short and white sleeveless. She was ready to smile at him when he walked towards the store where she and her father sold their produce.

Janna's excitement faded when Anthony just left on a motorcycle without looking back. She bit her lower lip as she stared at his back while leaving. Half of her body felt numb while the other half screamed in agony when a burning sensation inside her chest wouldn’t subside. She massaged her chest to lessen the pain of being ignored.

She watched her father received the money after selling their two sacks of palay to Frederick Quileopas and decided to try her luck once again. “Pa, can you buy me a reload? Please?” She used her expressive doe-eyes to good use, and after a few seconds of trying to look vulnerable and cute, her father nodded and informed Frederick’s assistant that he’s buying a cellphone load for her.

Janna smiled widely as she dictated her number to the lady behind the desk who managed the store for Frederick Quileopas. She waited for a few seconds, but it turned into a minute, and she didn’t receive the load. “Is the load successful?” She began to suspect that something's wrong with her phone or with the network.

“There’s no confirmation yet from the provider, and maybe there’s a network problem.” The woman informed Janna.

Strike Two.

First, she was scolded by her mother when she asked for load money. Second, there’s a network problem. As she considered them, she suspected that Anthony wasn’t for her. However, she liked him so much!

No, it’s just coincidence and nothing serious, she thought.

“I will not take back the money, but please don’t forget to process the load later.” She informed the woman before they left the store.

“You’ve been asking for reloading money since last night, Janna. Do you have a boyfriend?” Armand Auxtero asked his daughter. He suspected that his eldest daughter has a boyfriend, or she wouldn’t risk being scolded by his wife just for a cellphone load.

“Not yet, Papa.” She answered.

“Do you mean that someone’s courting you now? Who is this guy?” Armand asked. Janna was still fifteen, and she’s still so young to be in a relationship. However, he should be careful in dealing with his teenage daughter because he didn’t want her to rebel just like the other kids in their neighbourhood who became pregnant at an early age.

“Secret, for now, Papa. But I will tell you soon,” she promised.

“When?” He asked.

“When he will court me, you know, he’s my crush for three years, and he just noticed me!” Excitedly, she shared her first encounter with Anthony at the campus, but of course, she withheld Anthony’s name

“Okay, and he’s welcome to visit you at our house just in case.”

“Thanks, Papa.”

When they reached home, Janna checked her phone to see if the load has come, but there was nothing in her inbox. No load, no message from Anthony, no, there was nothing! With a frown, she went to her bedroom and stayed there.

Janna was sad that the load didn’t arrive yet, but she couldn’t do anything when there was a network problem. During the rest of the day, she was cranky and frustrated. She didn’t want to do anything, and she preferred to stay in bed that. Her mother came to her bedroom and scolded her.

“What’s wrong with you, Janna? You’ve been staying here all day! Aren’t you going to help me with the laundry?” She yelled at Janna.

“I’m not feeling well, Mama.” She lied.

“Bullshit! Get out now and help me with the laundry!”

Janna knew better not to get sassy with her mother, or she wouldn’t stop scolding her. “Yes, Mama.” 

Immediately, she got up and followed her mother to the water well, where they usually get their water supply. When her mother began to wash their clothes, she felt bad for being lazy just because she wasn’t able to send Anthony a message. “Ma, why don’t you take a rest for a while? I’ll do it,” she said. When she was left alone, she focused on the laundry and stopped thinking about Anthony. She expressed a deep sigh while trying to accept the possibility that they were not meant to be.

The prepaid load she bought last Saturday didn’t arrive yet, and her hopes to connect with him began to deplete slowly. In the end, she went to bed early, but Anthony’s images bothered her when she’s about to sleep.

Janna woke up with a terrible headache, and she blamed it on her lack of sleep. Yes, she wasn’t able to sleep properly because of Anthony. She had been thinking about him while staring at her phone. She hoped that another message would pop up, but there was nothing, and she ended up disappointing herself.

“Good morning, Ma. What are we having for breakfast today?” She tried to sound lively when she found her mother in the kitchen.

“Just the usual, darling.”

Janna nodded her head in understanding. Their usual breakfast would consist of fried dried fish, scrambled eggs, and red rice, locally produced. She imagined having a sumptuous breakfast every morning, but her family couldn’t afford it. They’re poor. Her father was a farmer and a labourer sometimes, but she was glad to have a mother who helped her father make ends meet despite their poverty.

Soon, she would be successful, and she could have a decent income to support her family. Yes, that was her ultimate dream in life, and she felt guilty for entertaining Anthony on her head last night. If she wanted to be successful, she shouldn’t get into a relationship that would possibly become a distraction to her studies.

However, the prepaid load was credited to her mobile after dinner. For a few minutes, she just stared at her phone while trying to think of a better message to stop Anthony from texting her again.

Janna couldn’t think of a better one and sent a single hello. She wasn’t supposed to say that! She was supposed to discourage him from getting to know her more. But just like a moth who was attracted to a flame, she sent him an encouraging one and prayed that he wouldn’t notice it. She was typing a better message when her phone beeped, and when she checked her inbox, Anthony’s name was on it. She sighed deeply before she opened the message and read it. Anthony asked her permission to call, but before she could reply with a yes or no, her phone rang. Should she pick up the call?

“Hello?” She answered after the second ring.

“Hi Janna,” he said on the other line.

Anthony’s voice was mellifluous and sweet on the phone, and Janna was immediately drawn to the way he talked like he was a late-night radio RJ.  “I’m sorry for the late response to your text message,” she apologized instead.

“It’s okay,” he replied. “So, how’s your day?” He asked.