(After playing, and for leaving)
"Where will you go?" I asked him as we're in the cab. "I'll be heading back to the office."
"You haven't really changed." Is he insulting me? "It's already 6 in the evening and you're gonna go back to your office? A girl who's so in love with her work will be alone forever."
"Huh? Wha--what? What are you talking about? I was just saying..."
"Naah, fine. I know you love your work more than anything."
"So you're saying I ain't got time for some other staffs like bowling or getting a coffee?"
"For both, I guess."
He's into my nerves! Does he know whose he playing around with?
"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow at Moro Lorenzo by 8 in the morning. You wouldn't be happy missing it." I said and got down from the cab and went up to my office.
"Have you decided yet?" Einus asked me with bunch of magazine drafts in his arms.
"Tomorrow, I'll tell you, and by the way. Please call those three apostles you sent to guard me earlier, they owe me something big, thanks ." Then I went straight to my office.
By 8 PM, those apostles arrived. They looked scared tall guys, I ain't gonna eat them anyway.
"You're forgiven." That's all I said, they all sighed. "He's okay now, so it's fine. I understand."
"Thank you, Ma'am." They said with respect. I'm talking forgiveness to robots, that's how this feels.
"And you're gonna retain your position too. But please, leave me tomorrow alone, would that be fine?"
"Sure, Ma'am."
"A'right, you can go now." Then they kind of bowed and left. They're with their shades again, where's the sun? HAHA.
The next morning...
I yawned with a smile on my face, yep. That can be possible when you know you're sleepy but this day, you're gonna see the person you wanted to see.
I rode a taxi, my usual days are back... But I'm not sure 'til later. I saw Yohan sitting on one of the benches.
"You ready?" I asked him. His eyes popped on me, his bandages were removed, like he's not even hurt.
"I guess so." He stood up and started dribbling the ball. "Is this going to be a game? Let's make some bets."
"What game?"
"If I win, you'll do everything to make up to me. If you do, I will do the same."
"That's not fair, I'm a girl."
"Then we'll have another game." He said and drove into the basket. "We'll have the whole day to decide." The he winked at me.
"But I got work"
"But you hurt me yesterday."
"Fine." I hissed then changed.
♪♫♪ Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now. Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now. ♪♫♪
"How come you're really good at it?" He asked after the game, we're sitting on the floor exhausted.
"Which one? Basketball? Nothing, I just really loved it since when I was in high school. But things changed."
"But you really play like an expert. You're the first person I knew to be playing basketball like a boy."
"Naah, there's WNBA, nothing to be surprised at."
"I mean, look. You're Chenea Deekaila Lewis. Nothing beats your name but fashion and modeling, styling, whatever. But you do play basketball. That's just really unique in a girl."
I blushed, I just hope he doesn't see it. "Well, then thanks."
He stood up, and offered me his hand.
"So, what's next? It's 1 - 0. I've won, so you pick what's next." He winked and grinned. I took his hands and stood up.
"I know what's next..."
"What could it be?"
"Ice Skating!" He swallowed, wait. Is Ice Skating scary much? I like that! "You okay?"
"Y..yup. Let's get goin."
We rode in his Black ford Everest, aw. I miss this... when I used to be with him.. Those days... UGH! Wake up, Chenea! He can't see you smiling, you're still not okay.
When we arrived at Mega Mall, that's the nearer than MOA. Well, we ate lunch first, I also missed this.
"Can we watch a movie first?"
"Huh?! Why? It's already past two..."
"It's just two hours, please. Please..."
"But... my work..." I said like a child, I know he's not into ice skating, his face says so.
"I'll buy tickets now, see you there!" He said and then he was out of my sight. Geez, what kind of a man is he? He's funny though. I smiled and followed his track.
We're watching the A-team. It's not my kind of thang, but maybe his... Only if he's not sleeping. It's already 5, the movie repeated itself already.
-----------------------------YOHAN'S POV
I'm pretending to be asleep for almost three hours now, I've already watched this movie, man... Damn. I just don't know how to ice skate! Such a coward little boy, but I don't know anything than Basketball unlike her... What should I do now?
I glanced at her, she stood up from her seat. Then she's our out of my sight, I hurriedly woke up, looked back and forth. But she ain't here already. I saw a sticky note on her chair, "I'll be going first in the ice skating. I'll wait for you there, let's get it on! ♥ Chenea"
Oh, God. What should I do now? I shouldn't have said to play another game.
I went down to look for her. She's telling the truth, she's already ice skating. She's alone, unlike anybody else's on the ice with their bunches of friends, sibs or special someones.
Then she saw me.
------------------------- CHENEA'S POV
"It's okay, I'll guide you." I told him when he said he quits and surrenders this game, I don't know how to do this thing.
"No, it's okay. Let's just go for the third." His knees were shaking.
"Careful, oh.. OH!" He slipped on the ice pulling me too. Oh, that hurts my butt. We laughed all the way. "Fine, let's go for the third, you're just throwing away a game. Tsk!"
"But I'll decide, now we're 1-1 and I lost this. Right?"
"You got mind." I smiled at him and then we left.
By 8 in the evening, I complained. I should be at the office now!
"The last destination is... my favorite place in the world." When he said that, we stopped by the place... the place where indeed, is his favorite. It's the place, I've cried my heart out. The place he taught me where to go when I want to escape reality. This place seems to be so important and special to him.
"What should we do now?" I asked him before we get down from his car. He told me to bring a pen and paper, but I wasn't able to ask him what for, he already got down. I just did what he said.
We stood looking at the dark sky, no stars are shown in the sky, too bad. It might upset him though.
"You know what this place means to me?" He said. I didn't bother to answer anymore. "This is the place where my girlfriend or, ex-girlfriend rather, answered me years ago." He looked too steady and still. "I didn't know this could be the perfect place... There no day that we're together that wouldn't be spend here even just for a minute, she loved this place so much." he sighed. "That's why I call this place as an escape from reality... because I feel her here... The moment she died, this is my place with her."
"She means a lot to you, doesn't she? I bet she's really happy being with you." That's all I can say, because I don't know why it breaks my heart if she talks about her, it feels like he still loves her. But I can't question that.
"Yes, she does. But everything wasn't really for us." He said smiling.
"How could you say that? In the movie 'If Only' I believed that death doesn't put an end in love." I argued.
"Who told you my life's a movie?" He laughed, I know he's faking it. He's such a bad actor too. "Her brother doesn't like me, it was Calvert. That's why I didn't like seeing him, especially when we almost bumped into you when you were using Janerie's car. I didn't like him since then, it feels like he didn't give me his sister, but then she died, now he won't be able to give her to me anymore forever." That made my heart skipped a heartbeat... Calvert.
"So... uh, really? So your girlfriend then was Clara.. Clara Mason." I said blankly looking over nothing. My tears are blurring my eyes. But I have to work harder keeping them.
"How'd you know that? Well indeed, she is." He smiled, but he's still faking it. I know whenever he says her name, it breaks his heart.
So as my heart, it broke into thousands of pieces when he said it was Clara... It kept on ringing on my ear. 'Well, indeed, she is...'Well, indeed, she is...'Well, indeed, she is...'Well, indeed, she is...'Well, indeed, she is...' I felt tears on my cheeks, I've been crying too much for days now.
"You're not crying, are you?"
"No, no.. Just... tears, alright." I inhaled deeper. "Huh, that's just... repeating in my head the pain that you've felt, I get you." I wiped my tears.
It was a minute of silence. He faced me, but I ignored his movement.
"I brought you here, because I wanted to start something new, something better." When he said that, my heart never skipped a beat anymore, it reaches more of beats. "I brought you again here, because I forgive you. I forgive you for being late when I was about to leave the hospital. I forgive you for breaking your promises. It's alright now if I saw you and Calvert together in this same place." My world paused for a second when he said that. "...for I know it meant nothing, I know he's your friend, just a friend. I forgive you for not coming to the game you promised to watch. I forgive you for seeing again with Calvert, because I know you did not come for him... I forgive you, because I am so sorry for being too stupid to you. I'm so sorry." He said and then embraced me tightly I can hardly breathe. I can't help but cry.
"I forgive you, I'm so sorry too. But can you do me a favor?" I said. He loosen me up.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Can we use the pen and paper for the third game before this night ends?" I said then wiped my tears. Then I smiled. "Let's write a letter for each other, let's write what we think about each other. Let's make it like we never have written one. Let's write what we feel, let's write it all--what we want to say."
"But..why do we have to do that?"
"I just said so, and please. That can be the last favor I can ask of you." I turned around and cry harder but pretending I don't, as soon as I think I'm far enough from him, I sat down on the sand and got my pen and paper.
It was too hard for me to write, my hand shakes. I don't feel okay. My health is starting to kill me now, but I gotta be strong. I've been here so many times, let's just face the truth and write it all down.
After a long while, I met up with him. He holds his letter, folded into four parts. Mine's folded into four too.
I greeted him with a smile, I no longer cry. I have to. And be okay for the moment. I guess it's time.
"Give it to me." I took his letter and folded it with mine and put in my sung glasses' box. "We'll have to bury this for a long, long while before we get this letters." I sat like a child and buried the letters into the sand the deeper is can be. I covered the hole after putting the box. I stood up and smiled at him.
"Why do you have to bury them? We can just read it tonight and know what's written there."
"Because you'll be needing to wait for the right time. Because I'll be needing time." I'm serious.
"But why?"
"Because we have to."
"But then again, why?"
"Because... because we need to."
"Why?"
"Because it's hard to explain!"
"Why?!" I can see his eyes full of water. I guess mine's overflowing. He's half-shouting.
"Because I was the driver who swerved and caused the death of Clara!" I paused for a second. "I was the one who killed her, I was the one. All my life, I'm guilty about it until now."
"Stop it, NO. NO! It can't be. You can't be joking at this point." He said shaking his head.
"Yohan, Yohan! Look at me. Look in my eyes." He lifted his head slowly. "I am not joking." I saw his first tear fell. "I didn't know it was her you were talking about, I only figured it out today, tonight..."
"C'mon, it can still be untrue. Maybe it's just a coincidence, or--"
"The girl she's talking about with you all the time was me. The painting you said, I got it too. Everything, everything... The grave when I gave you an umbrella, it was hers. I knew that, I just didn't believe at first." I sniffed, "But I guess, it's time to realize all of these things. I killed her. I killed her, now I--I don't think you can--forgive me."
He did not speak anymore, he wiped his tears being so strong, I wish I can do that too.
"You can read the letter if you're ready, at exactly 6 months, I'll be back and I'll read yours. I'll be leaving tomorrow." I with no tears anymore, I have to say this properly for him to understand. "I'll be working abroad, so it'll be hard for me to get intact with my friends here. So I'm leaving you my word." He still did not speak, he's avoiding my eyes. "Thank you, for keeping me safe and sound in months I've known you. I hope I can see you when I'm back. I'm leaving first... Goodbye." The moment I said 'goodbye', I passed by him and left him. I walked in up to the nearest waiting shed which is about a mile away. It rained hard, I'm almost blown away by the strong wind. My feet did hurt, but I know there's no more Yohan who's gonna be there for me tonight. No one who's gonna put back the smile on my face when I'm crying. No one who's gonna make me wait for another day just to see him... There's no one else.
I sat on the ground in the waiting shed, I called Einus. "I'll be leaving tomorrow, I'm attending all the events." Then I hung up. I put my face on my arms and cried and cried... I guess I'll have no more tear to cry when it's time to sob... I'm stressed and torn apart.... Then I heard someone close a car's door, then a jacket wrapped around me. I was carried by the three bodyguards who are loyal to me. I got no more strength to thank them...
Everything went dark, I tried my best to sleep. But I keep on dreaming about the good memories with Yohan... What's worse it that what had just happened continuously breaks my heart.
I hope he can and will wait for me. Because I swear all of hell and heavens, I'll be back.
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