12/11/2024
"Glenn"
I glanced at the clock on my phone. It read a quarter past nine in the evening, and I found myself still immersed in my academic work. The past few weeks had left me sleep-deprived due to my constant procrastination. With the project deadline now moved to tomorrow, I was forced to cram tonight. To add to the challenge, my roommate was loudly engrossed in playing video games, and the TV had been blaring all day. I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast, but I was determined that if I could focus and finish the rest of my notes, I could finally get some sleep by midnight.
Suddenly, I heard a soft "psst" coming from Glenn, my roommate. I tried to ignore him, feeling a surge of momentum building as I worked through my studies. But the "psst" came again, louder this time, and I could feel my agitation rising. "What?! What do you want?" I finally snapped.
Glenn responded, "Chill, bro, it's ten o'clock. Want to grab a bite outside? I forgot to buy groceries earlier because I was supposed to finish this game."
I brushed him off, but he continued to talk about his supposed responsibilities. "Listen, I'm gonna head out—"
"Whatever. I'm busy. Please, shut up," I interrupted, feeling the pressure of the looming deadline.
He didn't say anything else, but I heard him release a heavy sigh. Feeling guilty for snapping at him, I apologized without turning around. "Bro, I'm sorry. I just need to focus right now, but if you're still up for it, let me wrap this up in a few minutes."
There was no response, but I noticed the background music from the game console stop as the TV abruptly turned off. I heaved a sigh of relief and muttered to myself, "Finally, some peace and quiet," as I took a deep breath.
"Psst," Glenn called out to me once again.
"Wait, give me a minute. I'm about to finish this paragraph," I replied, trying to focus.
As I glanced at my phone, I saw that it was ten minutes to midnight, and I received a message from him: "What do you wanna eat?"
Finishing my notes, I blurted out, "Bro, I'm done. You didn't have to text me," but as I turned around, I realized he wasn't there. I was puzzled as I scanned our small studio apartment. I picked up my phone and called him. "Where are you? I'm done with my academics."
"Sorry, man, I left earlier because I didn't want to bother you. Plus, I thought you hadn't eaten, so I went ahead and—"
"Psst," I heard an exclamation from the room again.
I interrupted Glenn, asking, "Are you sure you're not here? Don't mess with me, man."
"Bro, you want me to take a selfie?"
I abruptly ended the call, and just as I was about to check my phone again, I heard another "psst," this time louder than before.