A Game To Be With You

“Hello, this is John. How may I help you?” he said while typing mindlessly on his keyboard and glancing his eyes back and fort unto the monitor screen. “Hey. I have a problem with my…….” He heard from the other line. The rest seemed just a background noise as he heard it but he was suddenly lost in space. He gulped. “Hello? Hello?” the voice from the other end getting louder and the robotic voice seemed to drain from his old worn-out headset. Then someone slapped the back of his head. A hard slap. “Would you like to be fired, c***k head?” the voice of a fat old man reverberated from behind him. “I-I’m sorry. The costumer just hanged up anyway.” He said, shaking. “One more of this nonsense and your out of here. Understand?” the old man pointing his finger against his cheek. He just sighed. He didn’t realize that the rest of his coworkers from other cubicles are gazing him. To him, this is not often to happen. But he didn’t know what was going on with him. To his delight, his shift was ended and he finally cleared his cubicle. He stood up and wore his worn-out navy blue jacket and pulled up the hood. He walked silently as his fellow coworkers looked at him. They all seemed dazed, dazzeled, or if appropriate, worried. He just gave them slow nod and then left. When he was at the hallway, he poured a cup from the dispenser. Then a woman wearing a longsleeve and pencil dress approached him. She was holding a mug with coffee powder. “Getting nagged again, John?” she said while pouring hot water herself from the dispenser. He just smiled, forced. “Hey. Are you okay? I know our job is quite exhausting and draining, but, it seemed you are really on edge.” She said then patted his shoulder. “I’m fine. Thank you.” He said straight then turned his back to walk away. “John. If you need help or someone to talk to, just tell me.” She said quite loud. He turned and gave her nod for a reply. He was frowning, as if the gloom is emanating from him. He knew he wasn’t like this. He knew he changed, but not like he wanted to. No one knows what he had been in the past, like he was anymore caring for anyone to know. It was just waste of his time, he thought. He walked through the seemingly quiet road of the Millesota Street of the Old York City. There are few people passing by and the lights of the buildings and streetlamps are starting to light up. It will be few more minutes before the rush hour where most people will crowd the street to go home. He was John Donnovan, age 26. He was a tall young man with brown hair and eyeglasses which he wore for the first time today. He walked slowly while his hands are on both of his pockets. He has to go home but like he doesn’t want to. He reached the Verd Park, where there are benches and taller trees. There was a huge fountain at the center. People are starting to crowd. He found a bench and took a seat. He just stared the fountainwhile its lights are now making a spectacular show. But he didn’t care. He felt as if everyday is just the same over and over again, like there’s no where for him to go. There’s no one he could come to, count on or at least make good friends with. He was working for their call center company, Eagle Inc. for months now. At first, he was performing very well. He was very good and excelled quite fast compared with others—until he got bored. Slowly, his performance went rock bottom and from thereon, his boss frequently yell at him, to the point that his co-workers become worried. And today, he got his final warning. One more mess-up and he’s fired.  His co-workers noticed how he changed from being energetic to sudden lifeless shell of a man he was. They don’t hate him, but they don’t really care for his issues. He knew it was because of one reason, he was incredibly handsome. His face and his voice greatly emanated, thus attracting more costumers to invest and buy from Eagle Inc. The company had skyrocketed to the global market because of him. Although his performance deteriorated severely, his boss can’t afford to fire him yet because of this. He was wondering if he will really be fired is he mess-up again, and if that red card was just an empty threat. He smiled. He knew they couldn’t go forward without him. But like anything of it matters. He doesn’t care. If he’ll be fired, so be it. If he’ll be broke, like he was stranger from that life. Right now, he was broke in all levels and dimensions of his person. He thought he was just draining every bar of life inside him. But like he care to do anything aboutt it, as if anything will change, as if it will bring them—back. As if it will bring the time he was with—her. Right, the thought of his ex-girlfriend still lingered inside him. He cannot do anything to bring back their relationship. She was no longer his. As if he had any means to find her on the day she left him. He recalled what he did earlier. He knew exactly her voice. He knew it was her. It was her—on the other line of that phone call. And there’s something, a thought that gave him another barrel of energy. Insane. The only word he remembered. The last word he heard from her before she left. True, and he thought there’s no time to waste. He has to find her whatever the cost. For the first time today, he made an extreme smirk and nodded his head. On the next day, he immediately asked his boss to run errands to the main company and do some system check to the mainframe building. At first, he looked at their database on the calls he received yesterday. But to his dismay, the call he received do not have most information to trace from where it is from. It would be a lot easier if the caller did not hang up midway of the call so their system can save it. But no, he had to work something out. Immediately, he got an idea. “You are quite the life today, Mr. Donnovan. Are you on drugs?” his boss, Mr. Oldus Fatman said, flustered as looked this man who was smiling and shaking at the same time. Then he just shook his head and said, “Very well, if you screw this up, you know what will happen.” He nodded and immediately left the room with the papers on his hand. For some reason, it gave him additional boost, leaving his post at his cubicle. He reached the mainframe building, about 15-minute ride from their building. It is located at the edge of the city, near the quarry. There was a tall cell site next to the mainframe office of the Eagle Inc. “I’m here on behalf of Mr. Oldus Fatman. I’m John.” He said to the female receptionist at the front desk. She nodded. She scanned the papers and said, “Very well, John. Please wait a moment until further notice.” “Thank you, Regina.” He said while reading the woman’s nametag. He smiled like he used to. He knew exactly how to make girls like him. She replied a smile. Gotcha! He yelled inside. “Am, Regina, can I use your PC? I think I left my email open at the office. Just checking out if someone might screw me up back there.” He said and scooted close to the woman before she left. The woman gulped and felt confused but she can’t resist for some reason. “Oh, okay! If you weren’t cute, I won’t let you.” She said softly. He winked at her. “But just hurry before someone sees you.” “Gee. Thanks.” He smiled for the last time before Regina left to take his papers. This is one of his greatest chances. He opened a lot of tabs on the PC. And accessed the database of their calls since yesterday. He knew the mainframe office is the only one which holds these data, and their office system alone can’t help him. To his delight, he saw the address. “Umm, John. Are you done? Hurry!” He heard Regina’s loud whisper. She came back so soon. “Yeah. I’m just writing up my new password.” He said as Regina scooted quickly behind him. She saw her screen flashing the email site and John writing on one of her stamp pads. “Hurry. The manager will call you in a minute.” She said. “Thanks, Regina.” He nodded and pulled the stamp inside his pants pocket. Then walked away. “Hey John—are you…” she said quite loud as John walks away to the hallway. He turned and smiled forcefully. “Are you free tonight? I was wondering if we could have a drink or two?” she said then looked down. Her cheeks blushed. The man looked somewhere and thought a while. He said, “Okay. See you.” The girl smiled and suddenly forgot what she is supposed to do. “Ah, Mr. Donnovan. I hope you are well. Please report to Mr. Fatman some things that require his attention.” The manager, a middle-aged man stood in one of the chairs in an empty conference room. John entered and greeted him.  “Please join me at the mainframe hall, Mr. Donnovan and please consider taking down notes.” The man talked a lot while they are walking through a gigantic hall, of several meters high and extremely wide. In front of them are panels full of wires and screen monitors with many small bulbs lighting up. John wasn’t interested at all. He pretended to take down notes but it was pretty dark so it doesn’t make sense for him to write. He just hoped the middle-aged man did not notice his pretension. “As you can see, we require such maintenance for this valuable assets of our company. I trust your judgements to rely this very well to your boss, Mr. Donnovan. As far as I heard, it is you who brought our company into staggering heights from the shortest period of time. I am both proud and grateful.” The manager said. But John wasn’t listening. He has to get out of there as soon as he can. He has to go. He has to make his girlfriend see his face again and be enchanted with his charm. After few more painfully long minutes, John has to leave, to his pleasure. The man talked a lot to him. Now he has to go back to his old fat boss and immediately leave. He can’t contain his excitement. It was nearly the end of her shift and Regina was so excited. She just made her make up with the hopes that boy will like her. But she was wrong. To her surprise, she did not have any means to connect with him. “Oh no. I forgot to ask John his number. And his address or where we will meet.” She said. Then, a naughty thing crossed her mind. She looked at her computer, and scanned few sites based on the recent history search. To her surprise, John’s email address did not appear on her computer. She put a security software on that PC so she could access everyone’s information who logged in there. But she was surprised that John did not accessed his email. Instead, she was directed to the mainframe traffic and call registries. “What?” she gasped. “Umm, John. Are you done? Hurry!” “Yeah. I’m just writing up my new password.” “What is he up to?” the only words she uttered when she remembered what he said. She took her stamp pad and wrote the edge of her pencil on it. It revealed unto her what John had wrote earlier. It was an address. She searched the address on her PC and she was shocked. “Oh no. I have to warn John. What is he going to do?” she gasped and stood immediately. “Who is he anyway?” “Okay. I guess I have to go now.” John stood from his cubicle and stretched his arms up in the air. Everyone again gazed at him, but this time, they were intrigued. John wore his coat and ambled through the door. Then, Coastman, one of his officemates called, “John. Come with us. It’s my birthday. We’ll have a couple of drinks and snacks at Randy’s.” He turned and said, “I-I’m sorry but I have to go. By the way, Happy Birthday Coastman.” When he turned, Mr. Fatman was standing in front of him frowning. “If you will not go, you are fired, John.” He said. John saw how awful his boss’ face was. He knew he was forced to join them. He felt he was the only one left out, and being used for whatever benefit anyone around him he could serve. And that thought made him really angry. But he has to keep his face and make a charade. Our man was surprised. Then he made a short sigh. “Okay.” He mumbled silently. He wanted to explode his anger against his boss, but he shouldn’t. “How about you, Mr. Fatman? I hope you wouldn’t let me down, this time.” Coastman said while holding the headphone with both of his hands. “I’m afraid, I can’t lads. Just enjoy the night, yourselves.” The old man smiled the turned his back. “And take this freak with you.” “Looks like everyone is on high spirits today. Look who’s promoted.” Linda said, the woman from yesterday. “Mr. Fatman’s promotion also entails increase in our payouts. We should celebrate.” Coastman said as he stood then grabbed John’s shoulder. Everyone in the office yelled in joy. John smiled. People around him are happy, but like he care. For him, he is just being used, a thing to be disposd after its use. These people, they are just hindrance to his life that is now starting to take a good turn. But he thought he had to, at least, join them in order not to raise some suspicion. She could wait. He mumbed inside him. John was dragged by his officemates in a Japanese restaurant. They were all sitting in mats at the floor, while their food is served in a very short table. Coastman was hanging his arm on John’s shoulder. Most of them are very drunk. It is their first time to hang out after four full months and they thought they could have something different, Japanese Sake served in tiny cups. John pretended to drink but he was only pouring out water. He was never close to these people and he barely knew who they are. They were temporary companions, he thought. And he believed they thought the same way for each other. They can never be friends. And he loathed their small talks. He hated questions talking about himself or his past. He kept on imagining those times to happen and he was glad that it did not occur. Although he thought he gets the most attention for being handsome and ironically the delinquent officemate these days, he was glad that no one has asked him yet. Maybe they were scared to piss him off. Maybe they were scared that he might abhor them. He didn’t care, until today. “John, who exactly are you? Tell us, at least something to work on about you. We really like you in the office, you know.” Coastman said. He was very drunk. His face was so red and he can’t almost stood his upper body up. John made a smile, but he can’t hide his awkward expression. “You’re drunk.” “Duh! Don’t dodge the question, man. Every girl in the office had a crush on you, especially when you are silent, mysterious, they say. But most of all, when you are sad or mad, when Boss gets to scold you. It makes you more charming, which is why—why working with you is so unfair.” The man almost vomited with his words. “But it’s okay, so that old fat man, his anger wouldn’t be on us. Ever since you arrived, we never get scolded. So thank you fo taking al the unnecessary scolding even though its his fault!” The women laughed so hard and one splashed a cup of cold water in front of the dude. John tried to dodge he splash but never missed. Despite what he heard, John’s anger didn’t rise. He knew it. And the only thing that keeps him from the line of work is this opportunity that presented itself to him. Now he could find her. And make her pay, make her see him again. “Come on, dude. Get hold of yourself.” He said, while almost shaking. He smiled but he can’t hide how infuriated he was. He wanted to leave right now. To his surprise, his phone rang. He hurried to pull it and saw that it was Mr. Fatman. “John Doe, care about Regina Charot? A girl you ditched out, I assume?” the old man’s raspy voice declared. “No-no. Why?” He said while pushing away Coastman’s head who almost lie on his lap. “Well, she came here worried and she was wondering where you are. She says you are in danger and that you shouldn’t go to that address.” The old man said. “What is going on?” “I have to go.” He said quickly. “Explain this or your—f”, his boss said angrily. John hanged up. Fire me if you can, crinkled watermelon. He murmured. His eyes bulge out and he stood straight. He declared, “I have to go.” He ran out of the restaurant while ignoring the calls from his drunken officemates. Little did he know, it was the last time they are going to see them. Alive, that is.