Suddenly, a soft ping echoed through the quiet of the room, startling Aira. It was 3 AM, and she had been lying awake, trying to drift off to sleep. She reached for her phone, eyes still heavy with sleep, and saw a message from a number saved only as "SSD."
"Hi, Cheska. Kindly bring the files I asked you for. Put them on my table on Monday."
Aira frowned, confused. This isn't for me, she thought, and quickly typed a reply: "Sorry, but I think you've sent this to the wrong person. My name is Aira, not Cheska."
She hesitated before pressing send. Should she just ignore it and go back to sleep? But what if it was something important? Or maybe someone just had a late-night moment of forgetfulness.
A few seconds later, the phone buzzed again, breaking the silence. Aira opened the new message, her curiosity growing. It said:
"Apologies. I didn't realize. Can you help me? I need those files by Monday, and I might not get the chance to ask Cheska again."
Aira paused, torn between skepticism and a strange pull of curiosity. Why would someone she didn't know ask a stranger for help, especially at such an odd hour? Her fingers hovered over the keys, unsure of what to do. Should she ignore it, or should she offer help? It was a decision that might change more than just her weekend.
Aira took a deep breath and typed back, her fingers moving quickly. "I think there's still some confusion here. I don't know a Cheska, and I definitely don't know you. I think you may have sent this to the wrong number. I'm Aira, by the way. You may have received a greeting meant for my best friend—her birthday was yesterday, but my message couldn't be posted in time. I had submitted it to the 'Free Greetings' section of the newspaper, but it was delayed. My message for her will be posted today instead."
She hit send, hoping that would clear things up. Aira stared at the screen, waiting for a reply. She hadn't expected to get involved in a random mix-up at this hour, but something about the whole situation kept her intrigued.
Moments later, the phone buzzed again. Aira opened the message, and her eyes quickly scanned the words:
"Aww! Sorry for the mix-up."
Aira let out a small laugh, shaking her head. It seemed like an innocent mistake, but something about the conversation still felt a little strange. Who was this person, and why had they thought she was Cheska? Still, it was a relief that the confusion had been cleared up.
The text, "Aww! Sorry for the mix-up," was enough to finally ease the tension in Aira's mind. It seemed like the confusion was over. She felt herself relax a bit, her eyelids growing heavier as sleepiness began to return.
"It's alright," she replied quickly, thinking the conversation was finally over. She placed her phone back on the nightstand and tried to settle back into her bed, but just as she was about to drift off, her phone buzzed once more.
Aira groggily picked it up, her eyes squinting at the screen. Another message from the same number appeared:
"Wait, I remember you now. Our guard said you haven't gotten your copy of our newspaper yet. Please accept our way of making up to you."
Aira blinked, fully awake now, and a sense of confusion mixed with curiosity swept over her. Yes, I haven't gotten the newspaper yet, she thought, remembering her late-night shifts. How does this person know about it?
She quickly typed back: "Yes, I haven't gotten the newspaper yet because I work late-night shifts. But I'll pick it up. Whose name should I mention to the guard,please- Sir or Mam?"
She waited anxiously for the reply, wondering where this strange conversation would lead. Her phone buzzed again.
"Say you are the visitor of Granny Jona," the texter responded, followed by a grin emoticon, "😊" Aira furrowed her brow, unsure what to make of this. Granny Jona?
Aira stared at the screen, the grin emoticon lingering on her phone, and a strange feeling stirred within her. Why does that smiley face feel so... funny? she thought. It seemed almost too playful for a late-night exchange, especially with a stranger. But she shrugged it off. So the texter is a Granny...
She tried to recall if an elderly woman was working at the newspaper company. Aira had been an avid fan of the paper since her high school days, and she was familiar with the entire staff. Maybe they've hired new personnel, she thought, though the idea didn't sit perfectly in her mind. Still, it made sense.
Aira gave a small sigh and decided to go along with it. She texted back: "Okay, Granny Jona. Nice texting with you. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness."
She stared at the screen for a moment longer as the message was sent. Deep inside, Aira felt something strange stir in her chest. It was 6 AM now—her conversation had stretched for over an hour. How did that happen? she thought, a bit unsettled by the time that had passed without her even realizing. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock again, feeling a bit disoriented. But again, she brushed off the strange thought. It's just a late-night chat. Nothing to worry about.
Her phone vibrated with a low ping as a new message came in. Aira looked at the battery icon, noticing it was almost out of charge. She picked up the old Nokia 3210, a gift from her father after she finished college. The phone was far from new, and its low battery life made it difficult to use for long conversations. It was second-hand, bought by her father from his hard-earned savings for only a thousand pesos—about a week's worth of his salary. Despite its age and limitations, Aira cherished it deeply, as it held sentimental value, a symbol of her father's sacrifice and love.
She plugged the phone into the charger and continued to look at the screen, still pondering the conversation. Just be grateful, she told herself. The texter had been kind, offering to make things right with the newspaper. Aira had no reason to doubt them.
Aira thought the conversation was over, but then—ping—the notification tone sounded once again, pulling her back to the screen. Her heart skipped a beat. Another message from the same number?
With a mix of confusion and trepidation, Aira opened the message. The words she saw made her eyes widen, her hand trembling slightly as she read.
"Joke! You go straight to the guard and say that Mr. Jonathan Xander Saavedra is expecting you! 😁😁😁"
Aira's heart nearly stopped as she stared at the screen, her breath catching in her throat. The realization hit her like a thunderclap—Jonathan Xander Saavedra? The very name she had only seen in print, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, the man she had admired from afar since high school. The person she had dreamed about. The one whose words she'd devoured in every article and editorial, always wishing she could be noticed.
No way, she thought, her mind spinning. It couldn't be true. It had to be some kind of mistake or joke. Aira blinked several times, hoping that the words would change, but they didn't. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped her old Nokia 3210, completely dumbfounded. She sat there, speechless, for what felt like an eternity, trying to process what was happening. Is this real?
She hadn't expected this. The unexpected connection, the texts that had started so casually, were now unraveling into something she could never have imagined. Her ultimate crush, the person she had admired from a distance for so long, was now texting her. How could she even respond to that?
The seconds ticked by, and then—ping. Another message appeared on her screen. She stared at it, still too stunned to react at first.
"HELLO? Still there? My GOD..."
Aira's heart pounded in her chest. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, and for a brief moment, she couldn't think clearly. She had admired this man for years, never daring to think she could even be in his thoughts. And now, here he was, texting her, addressing her with such casual familiarity. It was all too surreal.
Am I dreaming? she wondered. This can't be real, can it?
Aira couldn't hold back any longer. She was too shaken, too excited. She wasn't sure if it was her mind playing tricks on her or if she was just overwhelmed by the happiness and disbelief that flooded her. She quickly composed herself and decided to play along—if only to keep the conversation going and mask just how nervous she truly was.
Her fingers shook as she typed, trying to sound playful, pretending to have it all together. "Hi, Grampy! Yes, I'm still here," she texted back, her heart racing, a small smirk tugging at her lips as she teased him back.
She hit send before she could second-guess herself, hoping she didn't sound too awkward. In the pit of her stomach, excitement bubbled up—she had no idea how this conversation would unfold, but one thing was certain, Aira's world had just been flipped upside down.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" came the reply. "Yes, my Granny?"
Aira's heart nearly leaped out of her chest. She stared at the screen, her pulse racing as a wave of chaos flooded through her. Granny? Did he just call her that? Aira blinked a few times, still processing the lighthearted tone of the text, mixed with an overwhelming wave of emotions. She felt both flattered and a little embarrassed. The playful tone was so different from the serious, professional editor-in-chief she had always imagined him to be. It was as if she was talking to a completely different person, someone... warmer, more approachable.
She couldn't believe it. Jonathan Xander Saavedra, the person she had admired for so long, was now joking with her. The man she had spent years reading about in the pages of the newspaper, now casually texting her and calling her "Granny". Her heart pounded, a flurry of butterflies swirling in her stomach.
Aira's mind was in chaos. She didn't know how to respond. She thought she had been playful enough in her last text, but now... she wasn't so sure. What do I say now? she asked herself. This wasn't how she expected her conversation with him to go. A professional, serious tone, maybe—something formal. But this? This was completely unexpected.
After a long pause, her fingers hovered over the keypad. Should I say something funny back? Should I keep it casual?
Taking a deep breath, Aira finally typed her response, trying to sound as calm and composed as possible, despite her racing heart.
"Well, looks like I have to live up to my 'Granny' title now, huh?" she sent with a playful wink emoji. "Just kidding! But seriously, you're making me feel all giddy over here."