Short Story

SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD

(It come to pass after Mae’s OJT, when she was about to go back home at MINDORO. She didn’t expect that she would see him again. And beside, whenever she remember this incident, can’t help herself but to scream and cry. Hopefully, she could tell him how much she love him up to now, and she’s dying to attempt and tryin herself to submit an application working in AMERICA just because of him. And she won’t stop till she don’t see him again telling how much she care for him, how much she dear him. All being well, yah.. She do believed that he will wait for her..Could it be? She guess yes, optimistically. )

At the ship..

It was a pretty great perfect-pictured tardy-summer after lunch. MAE is now looking at the sky covering a peacock blue, showing and emitting a light that could hurts everyone’s eyes. The atmosphere of Aquatic Ocean makes the whole surrounding in a soft and soundless harmony. The sound of engine-powered vessel seized the background into little blast of vibration.

At last, after three months OJT at the Metrobank, she was here, travelling a journey at the MONTENEGRO SHIPPING LINE going back to a place where she’d appropriate, a place where she’d fit in, a place where she’d belong….going back to her dearly-loved province…MINDORO. MAE can’t wait to see her family, can’t wait to see her friends, can’t wait to eat a fresh food and crisp fried-fish, can’t wait to hug ‘em tight. If only she could pull in the hours in order to see ‘em all. Aiissh, if only she can,…She miss ‘em by now.

Suddenly, MAE exhaled a bottomless sigh then shrugged. Her pint-sized lips moved into a slight smiled while looking back at the sea. The area was almost flawless. She could feel the powder blue-sea smiling over her as if giving sympathy to her. She could feel it, she almost feel it within her. The feeling of being ‘COMPLETE’ is almost ringing in her interior. Feeling ‘COMPLETE’ because GOD put in touch with her in her three-months working at Ortigas and now, it virtually finished. She’s ready for her next footstep, her next adventure, next undertaking, next quest..THE GRADUATION DAY. Finally, that she, ‘MAE FORTE’ is going to hold and obtained a DIPLOMA and DEGREE.

Aissh, thank GOD. After four years of hardship, suffering and lack. The waiting is over, and she knew..this is just a begin--------

“Mae?”a familiar-alto tone voiced had bring her to a halt of thinking. The voiced is very habitual-usual as if she heard it before? Or is she just hallucinating? This isn’t right, ‘NO MAE! It’s not him. Don’t look back, it’s not’----“Mae? Ikaw ‘yan di ba?”a familiar voiced echoed again.

Her heart is now quaking as she prior to care thinking what to do or what the proper words to say. The voiced host into a conclusion that she wasn’t hallucinating. She knew dat voiced, she recognized dat voice, effortlessly. Damn! How could she forget him? How could she forget a man who’d arrest her innocent heart during her highschool years?

Should she turn her head back in order to see him? Or should she just stay in her locality and wait for his twist?

As an impromptu, Mae sense’s a repositioning walk beside her, alongside of her, almost close to her. She decided to seal off her eyes ignoring the assortment of feeling within her. Mae don’t want to see him. ‘For heavens good, what is he doing here all along? Why is he here? ‘

“Bakit nakapikit ka diyan?”A man demanded in a disdainfully quality of voiced as if insulting her or whatever it is.

The warm of his presence lift her cheeks in a little inflamed somewhat like teenager-girl that teasing a boy’s crush. It feels unusual to her, truly. Mae didn’t feel it in the other guys who trying to persuade her. But talking about this man? She didn’t know but he easily gets her affection into an easiness mode.

Seems weird but her eyes is still close for unknown reason. A crazy feeling for him, she guess!

‘Ugh! What is this feeling? Why are you doing this to me all along? After years..? You came up here by nowhere and now entering my life again? Damn this feeling!’in her heart.

Suddenly, a peace and quiet had take control the entire atmosphere in a scarce shape. Before, she choosed to open her diminutive eyes in a slowly and unhurried manner and be aware by his look, consciously.

Unexpectedly, unknowing that he would meet her eyes with passion engaged her equilibrium in a weak and feeble feeling as if he slap her. He was staring at her, narrowly. She can’t assist herself but to look at him starting from head to toe somewhat like doing investigation.

This man, he really changed a lot into a new well-fixed man. He look good in his black T-shirt incorporated by sweater that stir up into a cool guy in town.

‘Niko Ocampo (fiction name), my childhood sweetheart during my teenage years but unwitting relationship had break our hearts into a pretty frenetic status, complicated relationship, I assumed’in Mae’s mind.

“Sabi na eh..ikaw ‘yan, likod mo pa lang kilalang-kilala ko na!”Niko alleged in sardonically note while smirking at her.”Papikit-pikit ka pa…”he added, jeeringly.

‘The nerve! Doesn’t he know that he is the reason behind that shaggy-dog of words coming from him? Aissh.’ Mae cleared her troath while tryin to make herself up ignoring the hack off feeling.

“Masarap kasi ang hangin kaya nakapikit ako! Dinadama ko lang,”Mae lied in unconvincing tone then looking at him directly. Meeting his eyes, determinedly.”Ba-Bakit nandito ka? U-uwi ka rin nang Mindoro? Ka-kamusta ka na?”her weird interrogation in unsteady tone of voiced.

‘Damn Mae! What is happening to you huh?! Relax..’

Out of the blue, Niko didn’t answer her. He was just staring at her, intently. Eye to eye. His steamy-asian eyes is almost subsiding her heart into a summit of highland, she guess. He has a stunning look that could take her beath away, naturally.

‘Why are you doing this to me again Niko? Why now? What is the meaning of this strange meeting of ours? Is this really coincidence? Or GOD allowed me to meet you? But why?’in her heart, voicelessly while viewing him in a solemn kind of girl.

“Halos hindi kita makilala…Laki nang pinagbago mo!”Niko inserted, seriously as if he hadn’t heard question coming from her.

‘No..I wasn’t changed NIKO! The feeling within me didn’t changed even years had elapsed, or how much guy I’d talk to..i didn’t changed! I DIDN’T, I swear to GOD! You are the reason why I’m still single, im waiting for you…to…to..love me…again?’in her mind, tounged-tied. Mae don’t have a strength to voice it. She’s afraid that he would fall out her feeling and break her heart again in a cutted pieces. She wouldn’t allow that to happen again..

“I-Ikaw din naman..You’ve grown up into a well-built man! Sa itsura…”Mae alleged into a meaningful manner then added”pero sa isip kaya…oo?”

Mae didn’t know why she questioned him in that way. However, she’s waiting for his answer. ‘Did he really change? Is he grown up into a matured-man? Hopefully yes,’

“Kamusta ka na? Balita ko, may trabaho ka na? Totoo ba ‘yun?”Niko said.

‘Obviously, he didn’t answer my question. He was tryin to enclose a new subject avoiding my question. Damn you, Nathan! Why you making my heart scratched, puzzled?’

Mae nodded her head slowly while wondering where on earth did he got those pieces of information about her. Is he observing her facebook right from the outset? However, she gaved a look away from him. Feeling disappointed.

“Oo..pero nag-iisip pa ako kung magtatrabaho ulit doon..OJT lang ‘yun pero pinapabalik nila ako..Bahala na!”she stated in a mind-numbing voiced without looking at him, perceptibly. Subsequently, she released a deep sighed as she managed to be quiet waiting for his opinion.

“No doubt about that..You almost there, matutupad mo na pangarap mo..and Im happy to hear that!”Niko exclaimed in slightly pleased habit. Then, she heard his swallowed.

‘Happy? Is that all? And what about the undertaking promised of him 4 years ago? Is the word ‘happy’ can carry out the pain that scores my heart? What about me? What about us?’

“B-bakit ikaw? Ka-kamusta pag-aaral mo?”Mae expressed in a formative question.

Niko heaved a low sigh while shifting his shoulder in a gentle shrug to a certain degree of no route but to answer her question, obligingly.

“Stop na ako..Hi-hindi ko tinuloy pag-aaral ko!”Niko informed. The tone of his voiced is somewhat like unfulfilled and a little frustrated.

She’d feel surprised after hearing his words. Mae don’t know what to say, don’t know what to input, don’t know what to voice.

‘Does that words mean he forget me by now? Does that mean he forget what he promised me four years ago? Does GOD want me to reform this silly heart of mine finding another guy who deserved my love? For heavens good, does GOD knows how much I loved this man beside me? That in my four years studying, I’ve hanged onto and live my life in his ‘promised’?’

Mysteriously, she felt Niko’s hand grasping her cold-wintry hands and touching it tensely. She’d tried to pull it out from his hand, forcedly but she can’t. He is too strong enough.

“Bitiwan mo kamay ko Niko..”in her powerful voiced without looking at him but she have a feeling that he’s viewing he, in a straight line. She could feel the burning gazed came from him as if hitting her face in a sizzling mode.

“Tingnan mo ‘muna ako..Pwede ba ‘yun? Tingnan mo naman ako, after four years..malamig na yelo ba ang isasalubong mo sa akin?”Niko expressed while pressing her soft hands in a mild and balmy behavior.

She’d tried not to be affected by his simple caress but her heart keep fall out the silly fact she couldn’t accept in her heart. Mae want to hugged him, she want to hold him close and ignore the heartache feeling of the past four years ago. Could it be happen? Could it be? Just for now…even just now..Or could it be FOREVER?

“A-ayoko..Hi-hindi ko kaya..”Mae utter, steering clear the collection of emotion in his simple touch. Afterward, she felt Niko’s hand hovering her  soft hand and feel it into his faced, feel it with passion and keenness as if her hands isn’t that icy as it always been before she meet him from the very beginning. She could feel his smooth face but her fuckin heart doesn’t want to fight the wrangle sensitivity keep flowing into her spine since knowing ‘da datum that she love him. Certainly, yes! That’s a vow and surely true. Mae really really adore this man that even millions and billions good-looking guy would enter in her life. Her love for him is incalculable, untold and immeasurable. Kinda weird for her, but that’s the truth and she couldn’t explain why she feel this odd thing in him, she couldn’t..because she love him.

“So-sorry”Niko suddenly alleged.”I-i didn’t make an effort just to fight the infantile love we had during those years, I didn’t make a moved just to get back the youthful amity we had during those years..So-sorry, na-natakot ako! Hi-hindi ko alam kung totoo ba talaga nararamdaman ko sayo o infanthood feelings lang”Niko expressed, his words is occupied with maximum heartfelt. However, Mae tried her best not to attempt looking into his eyes even if she want to.”So-sobra kitang na-miss! Sobra sobra..Mae”he added in authentic manner.

‘Heaven, didn’t he know that I feel the same way too? God, what would I do? Why you let these things happen to me? Is this really accident? Or you permitted it to happen?’Mae whisper in her heart.

Mae swallowed. A peculiar drop salty fluid from her eyes is leisurely descending on her cheek. She couldn’t help herself but to cry by the saccharine words coming from his mouth. ‘He missed me? He’d say sorry to me?’

“P-pwede mo ba akong tingnan? Pwede ba ‘yun?”Niko call out in gratifying tone of voice.”Ba-bago man lang ako mag-paalam sayo..”

Her mind stops in a sudden philosophy after hearing his word’s ‘paalam’. The word ‘paalam’ is stirring in her brain as if something meaningful confession from him is about to know. ‘What the hell is he talking about? Why he stated the word ‘paalam’? After four years? ‘Paalam’?’

Mae make up her mind and decided to bump into his eyes, full of grave while ignoring the affection clinging into her figure.

“Pa-paalam? A-anong ibig mong sabihin Niko?”Mae inquired in an imposing quality of voiced. She’d look into his eyes hoping that he would not input unpleasant word to her. ‘Not again Niko! Not again!’

Niko heaved an extended exhalation before pressing her smooth hands again. His eyes are crowded with apologetic and unhappy appearance. ‘No! Niko! Don’t look at me like that! Don’t please..? ’

“A-alis na ako..mae! My Mom decided to fetch us into America..at-----------“He stopped his words and moved his hand to wiped her little amount of tears.”Mag-aaral ulit ako! Hi-hindi pa natatapos ang lahat…doon ko gagawin lahat nang pangako natin noon. Mag-aaral ako, magtatrabaho..pagkatapos, pagkatapos..pwede na tayo magsama..T-two years…T-two years..Mae!”Niko exclaimed seemingly awared by the distressed words he may store that could shatter her heart.

Her tears are unhurriedly touching her surface and she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t explain how it hurts her a lot or where these tears came from just because of this man in front her. No one can make her feel this way, no one can make her cry this way, NO ONE BUT HIM! Damn! She tried to look away from him so as to not seeing her face that full with sorrow and tears.

‘I’ve waited four years avoiding the tempting guys on our school and live my life as a numb girl ignoring other guy’s feeling and trying their self to seek my attention. But here I am, truly madly inlove to my childhood sweetheart during high school and waited four years. Should I wait two years again? Just…just…just..just f-for him? Can i? The heck he was, what in a world why I’m so inloved with him? What the especial thing he has that other guy’s don’t have? Why am so inlove with this man? WHY?’in her heart.

Oddly, Niko repositioned his structure in order to hug her. He held her tight and put her arms in his back just to welcome his embrace. And hell, she accept his embraced, without asking why, without a word but she hug him tensely. He didn’t know how much she missed him, Did he?

Feel like the hours and time suddenly stop in their melodramatic moment that time. The alien’s eyes are inspecting them with ungraciously look and making silly chatter. However, the hell they care? They didn’t know what they’ve been through after all.

“You are the reason why I’m here..at sobrang saya ko dahil pareho pala tayo nang sinakyan na barko! Silly faith isn’t it?”Niko asserted, almost whisper in minor voiced.”I would spend my whole week kapiling ka kahit alam kong wala na akong matutuluyan sa Mindoro, I tried my best just to see you....and God answer my hope before goin back to Manila! This time, hindi na ito pangako! Totoo na ‘to Mae! Papatunayan ko ‘yan sayo kapag nakatapos na ako at nagtatrabaho na ako..Hihintayin mo ako di ba? Di ba? Di ba Mae?”Niko implied hoping she wouldn’t reject his pleased.

‘I’ve waited four years NIKO! Don’t you know that I didn’t accept suitor during my college years? Dont you know that ‘YOU ARE MY ONE and ONLY, NO ONE but YOU’? Don’t you feel it Niko? Can’t you see it in my eyes? That even I don’t utter phrases, my eyes say’s I LOVE YOU, my action say’s I LOVE YOU. So pleased, don’t keep yourself out of me…I really really love you with all my heart and soul. I’ll be waiting for you…you don’t have to worry that I might find another guy..cause that’s not in my  plan..Only God knows what is going to happen between us but I’m praying that God don’t let my heart into fragile. I believe in GOD and I believe that TRUE LOVE is really exist in reality!’in her heart keeping her mouth shut at that time. She’s put her arms around his physique. Embracing him affectionately that no one can stop her holding this beautiful-creature of a man in front of her, no one. ‘Cause she love him.

THE END

“Sometimes good-byes are not forever

It doesn't matter if you're gone

I still believe in us together

I understand more than you think I can

You have to go out on your own

So you can find your way back home”

(G/N: Up to now, Niko didn’t know how much she love him. He didn’t know that she waited four years. He didn’t know that she’s planning to apply to get employed to AMERICA after two years experience working here in the Philippines. Aissh, silly love, isn’t it? However, their relationship is still complicated but she’s willing to wait. SHE LOVE HIM VERY MUCH!! God knows how much she love him. They’ve been communicating through yahoo and hopefully, after years..Their roads were gonna cross again just like what GOD did between her and him during those moment in unexpected get-together that she believed GOD sanctify those things to happen. Now, they’ve been waiting for the right time..LOVE is WAITING, actually!)