THE GOOD SISTER

Chapter 13 - Callout

Good evening my dears, how are you? I hope the last chapter wasn't too much for you.  This chapter is more sad than it is angsty, but it is also hopeful. Nursing a bad headache my dears, so I won't say much. 

I hope you enjoy the weekend ahead. Once again, thank you for the comments, and for giving me honest feedback. Masaya na tayo bukas, beshies. Cheer up na  tayo, ok? Bawi ako tomorrow :)

Northwestern University Campus, Evanston - Spring 2015

Throughout the next three years that they attended to their studies, Dei and Richard barely saw each other. They would bump into each other on campus with their new set of friends or occasionally chat on Facebook just to see how each one was doing. They got so caught up in their academics and focused on their writing, such that the pain of losing each other became a little more bearable.

On her birthdays, she would always receive something from him. He would send her excerpts from the stories he was writing, words strung together that reminded her of how he still regarded her as someone special to him, framed and gift-wrapped, delivered to her.  On his birthday, she would send him food that she made, with a reminder to always eat on time and take care of himself.

One evening, Dei called him and asked him to come over. She was filled with a bad case of homesickness and yearned for someone to hug her. He arrived close to midnight, straight from a group study session on the outer side of Evanston.

"What happened, Dei?"

He was looking at her with concern, noting how much weight she lost and how she had dark circles under her eyes. But she felt better already upon seeing him, and knowing that all she had to do was call and he would come to her, like they never parted ways.

"Can you just stay with me for a while? I just don't want to be alone."

"Are you ok? The truth, Dei."

They sat down on the sofa, and like old times she put her feet up, while he sat beside her and stretched his long legs, crossing them at the ankles. He was actually tired but happy that they were together unexpectedly.

"I'm ok, Jay. Really. I just don't want to be alone tonight. I couldn't think of anyone I can talk to freely about feeling like this. I'm sor-"

"Stop.....ngayon lang tayo nagkita and you're apologizing again. Dei, I'm glad you asked me to come over. Alam mo, several times I actually stopped by here to see if you were home but in the end, I would chicken out and leave."

"Why didn't you call? I would've wanted to see you."

He looked at her and cupped her chin with his hand.

"I didn't want to confuse you Dei. If I came by, we might start seeing each other again, start another cycle of apologies and misinterpreted actions. Tonight was different, you asked for me to come, and I'm glad you did."

"Pa-hug Jay. Please?"

She went into his arms and buried her face in his neck, savoring his warmth. It was like lying down on a soft bed with warm covers wrapped around her body. The comfort and familiarity of his body against hers soothed her. 

She tried getting over him. She even dared to date other guys to neutralize the ache she felt over losing him, but those dates ended dismally.

"I still love you Dei."

"I love you too, Jay. All this time, even through the mess I've made of overthinking about us, I loved you."

He kissed the top of her head. The revelation that she loved him back tempted him. He saw an opportunity to be back in her life again, but this time, he held back. He wanted both of them to be emotionally ready to face things together. Right now, in the middle of all the chaos of getting ready for graduation, he knew it wasn't wise to be together again.