Paper Memories

Chapter 9-II

Chapter 9-II

We finally stop driving, huminto kami sa may seaside.

Nasa simoy na ng hangin na dalang ng dagat ang attention ko. I breathed in to compose myself and observe the stalls in the marketplace. There are food stands, merchandise, and some religious objects. Dito yung huling date namin. Pero ni isang picture ng mga araw na yun ay wala kami. Maybe this night I can immortalize a memory of him.

Does he love it here?

"Pwede ko ba kayong hulaan?"

"Sorry po, pero hindi naniniwala ang girlfriend ko sa ganya------"

Pero agot ko ang hinihintay ng ale, hindi ng boyfriend ko." Sandali lang, hindi ako magpapabayad, hija."

Umiiling-iing lang ako, pero hinihingi pa rin ang kamay ko, wala siyang nilabas na tarot cards o kung ano pa. I could give it try but there's so much defiance in Percival's eye, is he upset we're being interrupted?" Ah hindi na po, salamat na lang. It's just like what my boyfriend says..."

"No thanks, ayaw ko rin po" Beat. Percival refusal came out strongly. He's hiding his hands behind him. " Mauuna na po kami. We're on a date."

Pero tinawag pa rin kami ng ale." Hijo, ayaw mo ba mabago ang kapalaran?"

Percival squeezed my hands. He pulled me away from the old fortune teller. " Believing in fate is a curse itself."

Maya-maya hinila niya na ako papunta sa food stalls.

Iba't-iba ang nabili naming katulad ng chicken wraps, junk food, dumplings and ilang paborito kong desserts. Parehong mga pagkain na inorder namin nung unang punta namin dito. Ang rami naming dala-dala. Then he told me he just wanted to bring me at the top of the hill, to wait for a shooting star he jokingly said. Another plan we failed to do last time.

"Shin." Percival uttered, but I glared at him. He smiled as if expecting that reaction. So this time he called me correctly." Sheena. Sheena...You really have nice name, don't you, Hon? I'd remember it forever."

"Hindi ka nagsasawa kakatawag ng pangalan ko?"

"I'd call your name forever, unless you don't want me to."

Napakunot ang noo ko, ibinaba ko ang cellphone kong nakatapat sa madilim na langit." I don't want think about forever, Percival. I just want to think about now. Sawa na ako sa mga pangako at kung paano magbago ang mundo."

He chuckled despite his bitter words." Am I enough for you, Sheena?"

I move closer to him, then slowly leaned my head on his shoulders."I'm starting to be satisfied with you----you said you'll complete me."

Percival smiled and just poke my cheeks."Yes, I'll be here as long as you need to. I vowed to make you happy and fell in love with this world again, Sheena."

"Is that how I said it? How we promised?"

"Yun ang pinangkong ko gagawin, but you-------You wanted Ralph back."

I froze and look up to him." Oh...I might have wanted to you to be like him or surpass him even that I almost forgot our fake relationship...But really its just hopeless...Also I can't have Ralph "back" when he's not mine in the first place...I'm just a face in the crowd for him...Secondary."

"You know your feelings are mutual." Ngisi niya.

"I could be imagining it." Iling ko." Pero tayo---Nagsisimula pa lang tayo, diba?"

Out of nowhere he became melancholic. Its as if he already saw our ending in sight. Ipinidikit niya ang mga palad ko at saka yun dinampian ng mga labi niya." This is just the beginning, Sheena.""

"You know my schoolmates already calls me slut because you suddenly came into my life and I was tolerating that so I could be with you. I am isolated, nobody in school like me, and they shunned me more when you were there. Sumusubok ako na ikaw na lang-----kaya bakit ganto ka sakin pabalik?"

"I'm sorry I'm so inconsistent. For making you face that all alone."

I play with his hand that held me. Kailangan ko maayos to."...Should we take a picture and start anew? I'll show it to others. Gusto mo ng memories diba? Ng habang buhay? At isang araw hindi na tayo nagsisinungaling o nagtatago? Ipagmamalaki kong boyfriend kita, sasaya ka ba sa kung ganun?"

Walang guhit sa mga palad niya."That sounds nice. Pero ikaw na lang..."

I close my eye to forget that little uncanny feature.

And maybe that why I didn't catch a shooting star passed by.

Our date ended with no new pictures again. Bagong maghating gabi ay napagdesisyunan naming umuwi na. Tahimik byahe pero discomfort ang dala nun na nagpalalim sa mga iniisip ko. Percival and I might not have a single picture, but maybe I could paint our lives together, yet I don't even know if we still have time for that.