I remember you calling me a ‘man of a thousand circles’. What you meant by that, until now, I do not now. I remembered you that ay because of your get-up: a camouflage sweater draped around your blouse, a dog tag suspended around your neck swinging like a pendulum at the naught of your movements, and a white backpack emblazoned with stark red fonts saying, “Glory to the Masses”. Ironic, but cute.
It as a good day, no rain thought of a visit, and our gang ere again the spearhead of laughing trips at the lane made infamous by lips-wrestling lovers. But time has come (heh, come to think of it, time always came) that the group had to part ways and find their way to their own settlements. Nadja, the last one amongst our clique of the extraordinary to leave us alone, took the opportunity to tease us; ‘lovers in denial’ then wolf-whistled, then finally went on her way.
When Nadja was far-off, as we expected, she turned about and saw that our eyes were on her. She gave us a last wave, then, finally, left.
“How was last Friday?” You started.
“Oh,” I said, nearly caught off guard. “It was fine. I was nearly hit, luckily I was at the full flight of my run, and made that dude hit my backpack instead. Well, after much painstaking push – which was nearly literal – we reached Chino Roces.”
You were silent at this and spaced out on the floor. I tapped your back.
“Sorry, I can’t come at your birthday.” I said, humbling my tone as much as I could. “I just… got to be there.”
“It’ okay, you see.” You answered, with your eyes still on the dust-studded floor of this ancient school. “But…”
I waited.
“You have put me into a dilemma.” I thought for a split-second that I saw in your eye when you threw them back at mine that there was a flare of difficulty in refocusing. Dilemma? “I do not know here to put that gift of yours. Surely, it won’t do it justice if I just tucked it away. But then, I do not have much space in my house to put it into display.”
“Oh.”
We both fell silent at that.
The wind blew and fellow students went by, lovers clinging to one another’s arm. Time passed as it was supposed to, but we remained in that place, sitting quietly, finding invisible traces of messages that we somehow shot through as radio waves overhead. None broke the voiceless connections.
By the time you broke our silence, the sky was already a bit dim.
“Don’t you want a quiet life?”
I knew that was coming.
“It’s not that, you see…” I turned at you saw that your eyes ere waiting for mine. I dropped the gesture. I knew what those eyes meant, what phantom weight of a choice lies beyond those glistened spheres of pearl black.
“C’mon, I’ll walk you home.”
I remember that I’ve always walked you home. Ours was the nearest at the university. And on the way, we used to talk, or buy snacks, or even have lunch if not yet taken. But there were none of those today.
We did not utter even a soft whisper along the way. We were both lost in our thoughts, not breaking the silence until we reached your front door, where you suddenly drew me close for a hug.
“Hey, Friends Forever…” You muttered, still staying close.
Then you withdrew and stared at my face for quite a time. You seem to be examining the details; probably searching what you have missed all this time.
And then you gave a faint smile, then turned about and walked towards your door, not even tilting your head slightly to shoot a glance at me. You walked straightforward to your door, shutting it behind you. I knew that, from then on, that door would never again open ever I take the chance to come knocking one night.
It as a good day, no rain thought of a visit, and our gang ere again the spearhead of laughing trips at the lane made infamous by lips-wrestling lovers. But time has come (heh, come to think of it, time always came) that the group had to part ways and find their way to their own settlements. Nadja, the last one amongst our clique of the extraordinary to leave us alone, took the opportunity to tease us; ‘lovers in denial’ then wolf-whistled, then finally went on her way.
When Nadja was far-off, as we expected, she turned about and saw that our eyes were on her. She gave us a last wave, then, finally, left.
“How was last Friday?” You started.
“Oh,” I said, nearly caught off guard. “It was fine. I was nearly hit, luckily I was at the full flight of my run, and made that dude hit my backpack instead. Well, after much painstaking push – which was nearly literal – we reached Chino Roces.”
You were silent at this and spaced out on the floor. I tapped your back.
“Sorry, I can’t come at your birthday.” I said, humbling my tone as much as I could. “I just… got to be there.”
“It’ okay, you see.” You answered, with your eyes still on the dust-studded floor of this ancient school. “But…”
I waited.
“You have put me into a dilemma.” I thought for a split-second that I saw in your eye when you threw them back at mine that there was a flare of difficulty in refocusing. Dilemma? “I do not know here to put that gift of yours. Surely, it won’t do it justice if I just tucked it away. But then, I do not have much space in my house to put it into display.”
“Oh.”
We both fell silent at that.
The wind blew and fellow students went by, lovers clinging to one another’s arm. Time passed as it was supposed to, but we remained in that place, sitting quietly, finding invisible traces of messages that we somehow shot through as radio waves overhead. None broke the voiceless connections.
By the time you broke our silence, the sky was already a bit dim.
“Don’t you want a quiet life?”
I knew that was coming.
“It’s not that, you see…” I turned at you saw that your eyes ere waiting for mine. I dropped the gesture. I knew what those eyes meant, what phantom weight of a choice lies beyond those glistened spheres of pearl black.
“C’mon, I’ll walk you home.”
I remember that I’ve always walked you home. Ours was the nearest at the university. And on the way, we used to talk, or buy snacks, or even have lunch if not yet taken. But there were none of those today.
We did not utter even a soft whisper along the way. We were both lost in our thoughts, not breaking the silence until we reached your front door, where you suddenly drew me close for a hug.
“Hey, Friends Forever…” You muttered, still staying close.
Then you withdrew and stared at my face for quite a time. You seem to be examining the details; probably searching what you have missed all this time.
And then you gave a faint smile, then turned about and walked towards your door, not even tilting your head slightly to shoot a glance at me. You walked straightforward to your door, shutting it behind you. I knew that, from then on, that door would never again open ever I take the chance to come knocking one night.
