Don't Walk Away

Her night was almost ruined when she got reminded of him. "Movie tayo." was the first of the string of text messages that she sent him. She waited, and he surprisingly assented.

"Sure! When?" She replied tonight with all the hope and positivism that she could gather. She was reminded of her horoscope which she refuses to take seriously: IF YOU WANT TO FIND IT, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. She was not looking because she has her eyes set on someone. "I'm still at work. Sige, pick you up at your place around 1o?" She smiled knowing that her day was just beginning.

"Ok, I'll go change. Later." She wasn't excited because of the idea of ROMANCE, she was just in need of that sense of familiarity, that feeling of actually belonging. With him, she felt at ease.

After a lot of "let's catch up" topics, he looked at her with the gentlest of all stares, with a half smile he said, "I miss having you around."

She smiled hoping that she could thank him enough and that she could make him feel how appreciated his gesture was. "I like it when you're near." Looking at him she added, "You make me feel that things are gonna get better."

He looked away, drawing with silence what seemed like a bundle of question marks. She sipped her iced tea and waited. He wiped that tiny wet spot on her mouth like reflex. "What's wrong?"

With a startled tone she blurted out, "What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't text me just like that if you were ok. I know you too well Eunice. Something OR SOMEONE is definitely bothering you. So, what's up?" He jokingly made the v sign.

She sighed, "Why didn't we work? We used to be ok right?"

"Because you find it hard to realize how beautiful a person you are. You always want reasons, you always want things to be logical when in fact, they're not meant to be logical." He took another sip and continued to look at her.

"Did you ever feel that I was the one?" She looked away, biting her nails and waiting for the dreaded answer.

"I wanted you so badly to be the one. I wanted our relationship to work so badly that at one point, I just had to give up. Remember when we would talk 'til the wee hours of the morning? I was so happy just knowing you're on the other line. God, sappy." It was his turn to look away.

Teary eyed she whispered, "I am sorry."

"You don't have to be. I was happy."

I have to tell him. She thought. "There's this guy. I don't know if I should go on looking at him that way."

"THAT way?"

""The way i used to look at you."

"Stop being so logical for a while and allow yourself to be happy. At least let him know."

"I don't think he feels the same way. I can't afford to tell him."

"In that case, let's smoke outside, walk towards the car holding hands and watch Music and Lyrics with your brother and sister."

"Sounds like a good plan."

They both stood up holding hands. He looked at her right before they stepped out of the restaurant, "Don't walk away from him, Euns. Don't give up without even trying."
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