"Finally, it's done!" Gael breathed a sigh of relief as he flexed his tired fingers. Just the last chapter and the epilogue left, and he would finish his fifth mystery-thriller novel. "Just editing and proofreading left, and after that, I'll pass it to the publishing house—local publishing this time. The market is ripe for new submissions, and I'm sure my manuscript will catch their interest. What do you think?"
He looked over at his friends lying on his bed and noticed that both of them were busy since he could hear the notification bells of the dating apps they were using. Even in each other's physical presence, it often felt as though he was talking to himself.
He hadn’t yet mentioned to the two about his one-month vacation. He was planning to bring it up earlier but held back because they immediately started using their phones. He couldn't help but reflect on the paradox of companionship. It seemed that, in the company of his two friends, moments often spiraled into a tedium of indifference. He wondered how he could grab their attention.
He got up and grinned. He knew his friends wouldn't like his plan, but he had no other option. First, he grabbed Xinc's phone, and then he took Eir's. The look of shock and irritation was clear on their faces.
"What the heck are you doing?" Xinc complained.
"I'm still playing!" Xinc added.
"I have a conversation with her," Eir pointed out, not mentioning who "her" was. Maybe it was his longtime crush from high school. "Give me back my phone."
"No way," Gael said, shaking his head as he stood up and moved away from them. "You guys are always on your phones. You're making my room even more boring. Let's talk," he added, feeling bored.
Xinc creased his forehead. "Okay, what do you want to talk about? We see each other all the time, right, Eir? We're like the guys next door."
They lived in the same dormitory, but they had different rooms. Still, the two often crashed in Gael’s room.
"I agree," said Eir, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "And we always end up talking about who has the most girlfriends among us." He added, "Too bad I always win."
"Man, engineers aren't supposed to have many girlfriends," Gael corrected him.
"Supposedly," Xinc added, and he and Eir burst into laughter.
"Okay, I've finished writing my fifth paranormal novel. But since you two aren't interested, I won't include your names in it. I have a little night party planned, so I need to call my other friends." After saying that, Gael stepped over to the sofa in his room and flopped onto it.
Xinc laughed. "Oh man, sorry, you're an attention seeker too."
"Eff, never," Gael grunted.
"So, what's this fifth paranormal novel of yours about?" Eir asked, walking over to the sofa. "I didn't know my friend was writing a book. I thought you were just an engineer. You've finished five novels? And I didn't even know. Gosh, all-Potomac."
Xinc laughed. "Who knows, Eir? Maybe his writing is inspired by our funny conversations. Damn, but I hope one night those scariest scenes in your novels will come to life so you'll stop writing." Xinc added, laughing.
Gael grinned. "What's so funny?"
"Wait, can you tell me the titles of your novels?" Eir asked with a shrug.
Gael looked at Eir. He wasn't sure if Eir was sincere in his question. It seemed like Eir was interested, but Gael wasn’t sure. Even so, he still held onto their phones and had no plans to give them back. Their friendship really needed rules—no using phones when they're together unless it's important.
It was disappointing to realize that his friends weren't up to date with his writing. "Oh my, my friends love me so much, yet they don't even know a single title of what I've written." He pretended to be sulking.
"Okay, man, we're sorry about that," Xinc blurted out. "But please, give me my phone. I need it."
Gael shook his head. "Why? It doesn't matter to me what you guys earn on your phones. How much money does using a dating application pay you?"
"What the hell are you talking about? I need my phone now," Xinc smirked.
"Relax, Xinc," Gael thought. There should be some payback, even if it was a bit unfair, since he used a bit of force to make them pay for breaking the rule he had just thought of—no phones allowed. He grinned at his own thoughts. He already knew the consequences if they insisted on getting their phones back. "Are you still going to take it?"
Xinc simpered. "Of course, what do you think? I'll die of boredom if I don't have my phone."
He bit his lower lip. "One condition, and you must obey it."
Eir let out a long sigh, exasperated. "What nonsense are you thinking now, Gael? Don't tell me you're planning to scare us with those fake horrors from your novels again. That's what you get for being such a gossip."
He flopped dramatically onto the sofa, arms spread wide as he stared at the ceiling in mock despair. "Seriously, what's the latest scoop? Are you about to reveal that your chatmate from that dating app is on the hunt for you?"
"That's exactly what worries me. My request for those nude pictures was still loading earlier," Eir muttered under his breath. What a jerk!
Xinc scratched his head in bewilderment. With a resigned sigh, he had no choice but to inquire about Gael's condition just to get their phones back.
Xinc couldn't understand why Gael's antics always seemed to backfire, and it was frustrating that they were once again the unwitting victims of their friend's misadventures. Gael stood up suddenly, his face lighting up with excitement—probably because Xinc had shown some interest in his condition. "You guys need to buy ten of my books. It’s not my problem which titles you prefer. Five copies each. And of course, you have to buy them now. I'll transfer the money from your PayPal accounts to mine. Right now."
"Are you out of your mind?" Eir protested, throwing his hands up. "And what are we supposed to do with your books? We're not even your fans, and we're not bookworms. What are the books for? Let the ants read them? Five copies each for Xinc and me? From Amazon? I don't know if you're a blessing or bad luck as a friend. And don't forget, out of the three of us, you're the only one with a high-paying job." He paused, standing up and trying to calm himself down.
Gael chuckled. "My wealthy friends with good jobs, but who love me so much. Please..." He changed his voice, attempting to sound cute. "I'll transfer the money now, okay?"
Eir scratched his head in frustration. "That's why we're here in Manila, to work hard. Okay, fine. You look desperate. But after that, give us our phones back. I learned my lesson today." He seemed resigned to accepting defeat. "Fine, transfer five thousand to your account. Just include us in your party. I feel sorry for you; you might not have enough to pay for your room. A perfect example that not all engineers have money."
Gael's smile widened. "You guys are really nice. Thank you so much, my friends." After he completed the transaction on their phones, he immediately returned their phones.
Eir and Xinc exchanged glances.
Eir shook his head, muttering under his breath, "We're buying your book reluctantly, but since you forced us, fine." He nudged Xinc with a grin. "I told you, when Gael's around, there's always trouble."
Gael laughed. "Is it my fault that you're here?"
Xinc chuckled and tapped Eir’s shoulder. "It's okay, next time we'll do it to him too."
Meanwhile, Gael sat back, satisfied. "Oh, don't worry, guys, my books are worth it. You'll thank me later." He winked playfully.
Eir smirked. "Maybe you'll get inspired for another crazy idea." He couldn't help but tease.
Gael grinned mischievously. "Wait, you might end up as characters in my next story!" He laughed, enjoying the banter with his friends.
Left to himself, Gael eventually reopened his laptop and revisited the story he had just finished. As he started editing the prologue, he furrowed his brow in concentration. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling of being disconnected from himself... from his own imagination.
He stood up and started pacing back and forth, trying to ease his anxiety. He was struggling with a new plot. Not really a new plot, but one he had been thinking about writing for a long time—revenge. It's a common plot, but he wants to write from his experience; he wants to put himself in the shoes of those who seek revenge.
"What's going on with you, Gael? You've been pacing back and forth. What's bothering you?" Xinc asked, finally noticing Gael. "Go to your bathroom and calm yourself down!"