A Week Before summer

Mondays are a drag, except for that one. March 22, 2010 was the best start of the week that'll have the worst ending.

Monday. He's up again for another trick on me, another sly scheme that would test my gullibility. I was playing along with it confident that it's just like the last one he tried to pull on me, very lousy. We even bet on it because I was sure that I would win it. Knowing he was in Zamboanga, I know it would be impossible for him to get here in Bacolod in a matter of thirty minutes. Zamboanga to Bacolod would take more than two hours. So I gambled. Thirty minutes and he shows up would mean I'd be broke for a week. I would have to buy him an everyday meal from Mcdonalds if he shows up. I was confident it would be a no show after thirty minutes have passed. Fifteen minutes after my phone rang. "Where are you? Where should I go from Almaciga and Apitong street?", was what I heard him asking from the other end of the line. I was simply shocked so I ran to go outside and find him. He' pissed me. How could he even show himself without even telling me? I had to make the lamest excuse to my mom to justify his coming over our house. School project was the brilliant idea that I thought of. First installment of the week's deal was the next thing that happened and McDonalds cash register welcomed us with a huge smile and leaving my pocket not so happy. hahaha! Actually he just ate a sundae while I indulged myself with a one complete meal.

I couldn't believe that he was right next to me, eating his sundae. I couldn't believe that we were actually laughing together and making fun of other people. I couldn't believe that we actually disturbed the silence at Mc Cafe with our boisterous laughters. I just couldn't believe he was there.

Tuesday. He dropped by the internet cafe where I was at and I made fun of his pants which was a repeat act from yesterday. hahaha

Wednesday. Since I consider myself as a very diligent student, I woke up at 7:15 for my 7:30 exams. Yes, that's how dedicated I am with my studies. So I went to school without taking a bath, which isn't really new to me. My good morning greeting at the guard's office was a reprimand for not wearing my ID which was confiscated the day before this, yesterday. I think of myself as a runner so I sprinted along the corridors to my classroom only to find out that I have no more exam to be take, because ehem, I was exempted. haha Well I had my one and only exam that day. Since I wasn't able to give the second installment of the deal, we went to guess where? McDonalds agian. Being with him is simply comfortable and easy. i didn't need to look my best. Who I am is who he sees. Well he notice my lashes curled and made fun of it, he always does when he notices something and it doesn't bother me at all because it usually ends up as something we could laugh at. When I'm with him, it seems that everything is just so light and happy that everything around us even the simplest things could tickle our keen senses and make us laugh 'til our jaws get tired and give up on us and out tummies become so gaseous. Every moment is just worth keeping and remembering. We've always loved to walk until we get our feet sored and tired. It was almost sunset when we felt the need to take a seat and rest our feet. I still had the burgers that were left untouched during our lunch so we fed on them as we walked an extra mile to see the sun set at the port. But the clouds were envious and they had the sun hidden behind them so all we saw was the golden lining of the clouds which made us argue with the color. I said it was tangerine and he insisted it was pink. I think he's just color blind. We gave up on the idea of sunset and left the port. On our way out there's this "karinderia" that had a videoke machine. He has been itching to stretch his vocal cords and sing so we stopped by the place. It was sleazy and poorly lit and the microphone kept on echoing back but it didn't stop us from holding our very own concert. We sang our hearts and lungs out together. Watching him sing with so much emotions and passion which I thought was very odd made me want to lose myself in that moment wherein there was just him and I. When he stared at me, his eyes melted my heart and if I decided to linger on that moment I could've completely lost myself into it. I looked away instead and eluded my feelings which my eyes could have given away. The sleazy shack, poorly lit place, the malfunctioning microphone, for me everything was perfect. Having him there was enough.

Thursday. We had a burial. I didn't see any of him and it made me feel a weird longing. It was not a feeling that I want to have.

Friday. I submitted my final requirements for my Religious Studies class. He also went to school so we met up. It was very hot that afternoon and nothing could be any sweeter and rewarding than an ice cream. We scoured the places near the school for the most sought after ice cream. We bought a tub of melon ice cream and the next thing we needed was a place to chow down on the cold treat. So to make use of a place, he bought a drink as a prop. He's as brilliant as I am and it's one of the common things we share. hahaha So there we were, sitting side by side, feet propped on the chairs infront of us and digging on the tub of ice cream we had. we shared on the music he was listening to which was mostly club music courtesy of his sister's playlist. It didn't matter whatever song was on the background. For me what mattered more was that we are together, beside each other eating ice cream and listening to the music. But the time we had was limited. He had to buy his sister lunch and I had to submit my papers, so we had to part ways to do our separate errands. I didn't want to but we had to. I had to make the goodbye fast and quick and civil. "So, Goodbye?", was what I mustered to utter and followed by a handshake. Very civil I thought. When I turned around after we shook hands, he took hold of my hand again and pulled me back, but I had to leave. I was running but my steps were so heavy and my heart was beating improperly, pounding really hard. I don't want to say goodbye yet.

I volunteered myself to accompany him to the pier. I just had to, because I felt it was what I should do because it was what I wanted to do. So he picked my up and we went to the pier together. We were seated a seat apart inside the cab. I was looking out of the window and talking random things. I couldn't bare to see him knowing it would be one of the last. We waited for his trip to arrive and talked about stuff to pass the time. I had to keep myself from breaking down. He showed me their pictures during his Christmas vacation and asked me to choose one. I couldn't believe that he's leaving me with a piece of photo. It's not the photo I want, it's him to just stay for a little while. He had to leave. He needed to leave. He hugged me. I know it was really goodbye. So I left without looking back. I couldn't afford to do so. I couldn't bare to see him leave. And I couldn't let him see how a mess I was with all my tears running down my cheeks endlessly.

If I could only hold him back and make him stay even just for another day I would do anything. If I could only rewind the time we hugged, I would hug him longer and tighter. I don't want that to be the last time we'll be eating McDo together, the last time we'll be pigging on ice cream together, he last time we would sit beside each other, the last time we would laugh together, sing together, walk together, be together. It pains me to think that those things were the the last we would be sharing. Thinking of how the week has been and how stingy the hours were for us makes me cry. It constricts my breath and tightens my chest when i recall those times. It pains me even more to know that it pains him as well. I just can't stop thinking of him. How could I when every single thing I see reminds me of him. How could he make me feel so miserable? Why did he even come and eventually leave? Why did he even said those things and did those things when they'll all just remind me of him, when they would just all make me feel that I've lost him and all that's left are those memories, those words that would remain etched on my thoughts. I don't know how things will be after this.

I wished for summer to be different this time and it is. What a way to welcome my summer. Summer will remind me of the time he told me that we'll be having summer classes together, that we'll take one subject together that he missed. That when he gets back here again, we will be together but those are not happening anymore.