The One

02

"ARE YOU seeing someone else?" Jake asked.

He never talk or cuddle after s*x so it was a surprise to hear him talk and it was the first time that he asked about me.

"No." I honestly answered and my eyes, as if it had a will on its own, rolled to Jake's left hand that was raised as it reached the drawer beside the bed, landing to his ring finger. It had a light shadow on his skin and a depth left by wearing a ring for years and had been removed. Maybe he only removes it every time he was with me then wore it again, I don't know.

Way back when I was seeing just anyone, it was the first thing that I always notice, either they took the ring or some even still wearing their rings and no matter how shameless they were, I couldn't complain. Who am I to tell them when I was merely a prostitute.

When Jake didn't bother to continue the conversation, I closed my heavy eyes. It was already two hours past midnight.

The last thing I saw was Jake looking at me with his expressionless face.

THE SUN wasn't up yet when I woke up and I couldn't go back to sleep because it felt so uncomfortable with how dirty my body felt. It was still four in the morning but I found myself cleaning my ass in the bathroom and picked up my clothes that were pilled on the floor and dressed up, then went out of that flat.

I pulled the coat closer to my skin, feeling the cold air outside as I walked to the nearest station. It took me an hour to get back home. I only removed the coat then I threw myself to my bed and curled up like a baby as I closed my sleep deprived eyes.

Sex did fill something in me but in the end, s*x with someone you do not have intimate relationship would only feel like nothing after. I felt so empty and lonely even more.

I felt myself drifting to sleep and I didn't even bothered to check my phone when the notification bell sounded. I bet it was the money that Jake wired to my account.

LISA AND I were the only waiters in the diner, so it was either me or Lisa and we were the only ones to cover ourselves every time something urgent came up. It was always me who always covers for her because I have a lot of free time.

"Why don't you find yourself a boyfriend?" Hailey asked. "Jake looked like he really likes you."

" I told you, he and I don't have strings attached."

Hailey just smiled and shook her head. They always tease me with Jake but I kept on telling them that Jake and I have no 'future' at all. It was just pure s*x, we don't even share long conversations.

I took a seat on the stall in front of the bar. I finished serving all the morning customers their orders so I took the liberty to take a quick breather at the empty bar area, looking at Hailey who checked her phone.

Hailey has tan skin because she loves the sun so much that every time she has a day off, she would come running to where the sun would be. She would go sun bathing to any beach. She was also gentle despite how sarcastic she was to the customers who tries to make a move on her, she was beautiful and has a strong spirit. If I weren't gay, maybe I would hit on her.

"It's a waste of time being in a relationship." I said and stared at the bar counter where a bottle of different kinds of alcohol were lined up.

"It's perfect because you have a lot of time to waste." She said and I smiled.

"It's a waste of feelings and emotions."

Hailey smiled as she leaned closer to the counter and to me.

"Why? Still have feelings for that puppy love of yours?"

I chuckled. Aside from Jake, they also tease me with the guy I was with way back in college who was my first love. "I can't forget him not because I still have feelings for him. It's because I—"

I was cut by the chime at the door and a family of three came in and took their seats in a table for four. I didn't bother to continue what I was saying and walked instantly to the family and asked for their orders.

The day went by just like a normal day, people come and go to drink or eat their fill. We still have three hours to go before closing and two drunk customers were left. I just finished wiping the tables, helping our cleaner, John. Hailey beckoned her hand to me, her eyes smiling.

"What?" I asked, leaning on the counter.

"Are you free this Saturday?" She asked. "Oh, I forgot, you are since you don't have a boyfriend. Let's go to a concert."

I stared at her. I already got used to her teasing about boyfriends. I don't know why she wanted me to find one.

Hailey showed me her phone. It was an outdoor concert of a known boy band and I knew few of their songs too. The location was five minutes away from the diner. She invited me because she knows that I goes out early every weekend.

"Okay." I don't have anything to do anyway. Might as well enjoy the night.

She beamed at me. "Great!"

"Do they still have tickets?" I asked.

"Don't worry, I already bought two." She winked.

I looked at her. She might have bought the other ticket for D. I didn't want to ask because I don't want to embarrass her if ever D refused her.

"Okay. I'll pay you later. "

"No need to pay."

It would be bad to refuse a free concert ticket. I said my thank you before attending to the new customer.

HAILEY AND I punched out of work an hour early from our regular schedule and went to the concert venue after changing. We bought a change of clothes, I wanted to take a shower but Hailey wanted to be on time for the concert so I dragged my messy self to the concert filled with a lot of people.

I was surprised that Hailey bought the seats in the middle of the concert area and I could clearly see the stage.

Hailey was so excited and took pictures of the accessories that came with the tickets. There were light sticks and bands too.

"Smile." She said and took a selfie.

I was not fond of taking pictures, I sometimes couldn't see my face for a few days because the only mirror I had in my place was a pocket mirror as small as an ID. Seeing my face in Hailey's phone surprised me because I wasn't as thin as I used to.

I guess I gained weight.

"If you weren't gay, I would totally fall for you." She said and I laughed.

"Don't talk nonsense." I know she was so into D.

I NEVER thought I would enjoy a concert and all the songs that I knew from that band were played making me feel that I belonged there. Even though I wasn't used to the loud speakers and the crowd, it was still a great experience.

The concert lasted for two and a half hours. Hailey was so sad that it ended so fast and I insisted on going straight home after because I was sweating since we were jumping and dancing with the crowd. My ears were still ringing and it gets even louder through the silence in my place. I was happy that I got to experience something like that but I had these heavy feelings when I got home and I was once alone again.

It was a strange and depressing feeling as if it was eating me from the inside.

I sighed.

When will I stop feeling lonely?

I sighed again and took a long shower and ended up having a fever in the morning.

xxxxxx