Waiting Game

***** Wednesday. 7:45 PM *****

Rob smiled as put the last piece of tape on the wrapper. He had waited until his housemate, Alex, had left for his almost-nightly gimmick before wrapping his gift.

"There!" he said proudly, lifting the neatly-wrapped package in front of him. As he turned it around, he noticed that he forgot to put tape on the other end, exposing the bottom of his gift.

Okay, so it wasn't really neatly-wrapped, he thought. Rob set it on the table and got some more tape.

"There!" he said again as he admired his handy work. He spun the gift softly in his hands, looking at its every nook and cranny. All he needed now was card. Of course, he forgot to buy one.

"Damn it!"

Scratching his head, he placed the package on the bed and headed to the balcony for a smoke. Alex told him to follow if he felt like it.

"Jenny will be there, man. She's into that boring shit that you like. Movies and books and shit. You'll hit it off!" his housemate of two years said before leaving.

He lit a stick, sat down on the metal chair and stared into space. He took a puff and smiled.

"Dana's gonna love this." he said to himself.

***** Seven hours earlier *****

Rob joined his officemates for lunch. As they were walking to the restaurant he noticed that it was just beside Powerbooks.

"I'll catch up. I'll just look around." he called out to his friends as he ducked inside the bookstore. He picked up the new Dan Brown novel on the display rack and gave it a look-see. He wandered past the magazine stands and made his way to the graphic novel section. He held an unopened copy of Daytripper and noticed that its corners were folded inside the shrink wrap.

"Bloody savage." he said out loud, quoting Brody from Mallrats.

As he put the graphic novel back in the shelf, he noticed a pile of notebooks beside the sci-fi section. Rob rummaged through them as he tried to remember the brand that Dana mentioned. Like his childhood friend, Forgetful Jones, his mind drew a blank. He fished out his phone from his pocket and dialled her number but like the previous calls to her since last night up to this morning, all he got were three busy beeps.

Call ended.

That's really weird, he thought. He had been trying in vain to call her, just to say hi or what's up or whatever. Same thing with texts. Rob had gotten no replies.

"Oh well. Good old Globe." he muttered.

He saw a beige hardbound notebook with green and purple stripes. He wasn't sure if Dana would like it. Then, he stopped for a moment.

He wasn't sure why he was buying Dana something in the first place.

He closed his eyes, his hands still holding the notebook.

It was just one night. One night of kissing her lips. One night of feeling her body on his. One night of sucking her perfect breasts. One night of squeezing her firm buttocks. One night of feeling her warmth as he was inside her.

With his eyes still closed, he mouth formed into a smile.

It was just one night. One night of talking about Flowers for Algernon and Of Mice and Men. One night debating which Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan movie was the best. One night of sharing stories. One night of listening to them.

One night.

Now, if only Dana would call him or answer his texts.

Rob let out a sigh and went to the cashier. He picked a roll of gift wrapper on the way and paid for his purchases.

"I say a prayer,I count the hours,I hear a voice but it's not yours. I count the score,I can't go on playing the waiting game." he sang to himself as he joined his officemates.

***** Wednesday. 8:25 PM *****

After two sticks, he went back inside and looked at his phone. No new messages. Rob pressed Dana's name.

Three busy beeps. Call ended.

"What the hell?" he said out loud.

He stared at the gift lying on the bed. He looked at his phone then at his watch. He picked up the phone and composed a message

"Hey, you. Long time no hear. Everything okay?"

Add recipient. Dana. Sent.

One minute went by. Then two. Then five. Then ten.

Rob sighed and took another glance at his watch. He composed another message.

"Lex, where you at tonight? Let me know, I'll follow."

Add recipient. Alex Horndog. Sent.

He put his wallet in his pants and headed out the door.

"If you should ever change your mind, I'll be here, just call my name. Until then, I'll be playing the waiting game."

***** The End *****