Wait ed. (Carla-Billy's Story)

Passenger's Seat

I sat on my bed, looking at that duffle bag, not sure what it is I am going to do now.
I suddenly am scared.

I was probably zoning out for about fifteen minutes, when my phone rang.

I answered it without looking at the caller ID.

"Hey!"

"Hmm?"

"Has it really been your practice not to check the caller ID?", I heard him, and I knew he's grinning at the other line.

"Billy..."

"Uh hm, and I just called to let you know that I've reached home safe. And P, don't stare at that duffle bag. It won't bite you"

I shook my head when I heard what he said.
How did he know that?

I was biting my thumbnail, still looking at that bag, then asked, "Did you really..."

"Did you really think I'd forget?"

"I thought..."

"I've always been looking at you, P. You just didn't notice because you're too busy averting your eyes every time you'd feel that I'm looking at someone beside you"

I don't have words for that.
It's true though.
I've always been scared to meet his eyes when he looked my way because it always seems that he's looking at someone else.
I'd be in every game, sitting farther behind because I didn't have the pass to be somewhere near the court. That's reserved for friends/girlfriend and families. And I'm neither of those.

"I'd always give Budoy your game pass, but you never did take it. You'd choose to sit further behind, section H"

"I'm not a girlfriend nor family. And I was not sure whether we're still friends" then remembering what he said just now... how come he knew?

"I've always been looking for you, P. Even during those times that we're not talking, my eyes will automatically try to find you. I knew about that guy Francis who courted you our second year... I befriended that basketball guy from the other school when I heard he gave you flowers. He said he will ask you out if they win the ship"

"'ship?"

"2015 Division championship. I dropped 40 in that game, making sure that he won't even have the opportunity to come near you again"

"You won the MVP"

"You stayed until the awarding"

"You looked happy"

"You were looking my way, but not really seeing me"

"I was really proud of you"

"And yet you left during picture taking"

I was quiet for a while.
Why does it feel like I never really knew what happened those years everytime he would tell me how he saw it from his end?

"I told you my eyes were only on you"

Has it really....
Did he really?

A few moments have passed, and no one has dared to say a thing.
He probably is waiting for me to say something, but these things are just too much... it's as if he's making me see the past from a different lens.
And if I would be honest, I'm actually liking this version much more than what I have stored in my memory.
His point of view is narrating the dream that I kept hidden all those years.

"P, I'm picking you up tomorrow. 10am"

"Ha?", I was surprised when I heard his voice.
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