Truth Untold

10

Birthday

July 17th

"I think I know why I like you." He said out of the blue.

I frowned, " And why is that?"

"Because you talk a lot, I like hearing you talking." He answered.

I snorted. For all I knew, in the twelve years of our friendship, he despised the woman next class because she is so damn fussy, garrulous for her own good.  He even cursed once, which I shushed him immediately. "You hated it, Ef. You hate the fussy ones, don't even lie to me." I snapped.

"I hate the trash talkers and women who's all talk, but I like listening to your talk. I like you. It's that simple, why is it so hard to get it through your thick skull that I do like you?"

Morning started off slowly. Soft streaks of sunshine through the blind greeted me, waking me up from slumber. I would prefer an early morning phone call from him but looking at what we had now, it would be totally impossible to receive his call. Perhaps he had forgotten how to use his phone, or he just avoided me at all costs. It was July 17, Efrain's birthday. He turned twenty two that day. Even though he wasn't the type to glorify his birthday, I was on the opposite polar. Birthdays after all were meant to be celebrated, even with just two candles blown with long list of wishes. He could long forget his birthday, but I could not. I could forget about lots of things, but when it came to Efrain, there were too much I could not just forget.

I looked to my right; a beautifully wrapped box was in sight. It was meant to be given to him, his present. Had it been two months before, I would have had no hesitation to go straight to his room; face straight out of bed, a cake in hand and present I had tried to balance for dear life.

Had it been a month before, at least our phone calls would have sufficed.

"Happy birthday, Efrain!" I wished him happy birthday, along with the wishes that things would go well in his favor in the next year. "I'd wish for your dreams to come true, dream a little of me while you're in it?" I pushed my luck.

He laughed heartily. "What do you want me to say? Something like what's use to dream for all my dreams came true when I met you?"

"Ew, shut up!" I half shouted at him.

His laughter only got louder, "Thank you, Love." He answered, his voice hoarse from the exhaustion of the day. The clock just stroke midnight on July 17 and of course I had been on the phone with him for two hours straight, not only to wish him happy birthday but also did it as we were on phone calls. "I'd pray for things to go well on your favor, too, stick by my side until the next birthdays, yeah?"

"Always, you know I'm forever glued to your side. You're stuck with me in this lifetime."

He laughed again, "I'll be the one to put glue so you'll stick with me, forever if it may, or a very long time on your terms." This time I laughed, knowing forever was his kind of word but it was overly used, in my opinion. Forever is a very long time and none of us can exactly know when our time is up, isn't it a bit too early to abuse the word? I had asked him once. I preferred the term a very long time rather than forever. "You're the one telling me that forever was abused a bit too much as a word, a very long time then it is"

"Right, I know." A yawn was heard next. Exhaustion began to consume me, too.

"You're tired, Love, get some rest. I'll call you again first thing in the morning." He said, dismissing me very quickly.

"Will this morning's pick up also include a slice of birthday cake?" Not so fast to get rid of me, Efrain.

"Isn't that supposed to be your job to arrange some surprise shit--"

"Dude, language!"

"Right, sorry. Isn't that supposed to be your job to arrange my surprise party?"

"You sound really tired just now. Go to sleep, Efrain. I will see you later today."

His answer came in the form of laughter booming from the other line. "Goodnight, Love." He said in between his laughter and I clicked the red circle on the screen fast, dismissing our conversation of two hours and fifteen minutes.

Had his birthday happened a couple of months ago, I was sure the scene would have flipped out that way. The good old days, peeps, now the name Efrain Harris only cause heartache at six in the morning on July 17. What used to be the cause of pleasant churning on my lower stomach now made my heart fell, along with tears on my face.

The phone calls used to be a routine of ours every single night. Sometimes they turned longer than planned. The clock had to remind us that it was way past midnight; the reason why our eyes drooping and it was almost impossible to stay awake. It was just that his voice allured me and I was never willing to put an end to our phone calls. It used to be, but no, not anymore. A few months ago perhaps things would've stayed this way, but that ended long before morning greeted me with its biggest grin, mocking me on my face. He fucking left, didn't he?

I dared myself to pick up my phone, typing a simple happy birthday to text him. As I had said, no matter how he didn't like it to celebrate his birthday, I still would. Things when it came to Efrain always had its special meaning for me. Even though it was only months knowing him.

The thing was... I used to have no reason to talk to him, now I couldn't even talk to him without having the whole conversation mapped out in my head.

ConstanceClairé [10:23am]
Hey, Ef, you busy today?

Efrain Harris [1:34pm]
Hey, Love
Sorry, just got out of the meeting room
Is there anything I can help you with?

ConstanceClairé [1:35pm]
Never mind then

Efrain Harris [1:35pm]
Come on, what is it?

ConstanceClairé[1:36pm]
Thought I could drop by your place if you weren't so busy
but never mind then

Efrain Harris [1:37pm]
See where this is going on if you keep that attitude
I'll be waiting for you tonight, Love

Constance Clairé [1:43pm]
Happy birthday, Efrain.

Efrain Harris [1:43pm]
I'll still be expecting your visit tonight

Efrain Harris [11:52pm]

Love, thank you. Thank you so much for the present
I really like you
I really like it that I like you
And I like you, far so much more than I should've
Sleep tight, Love
My love.

Things had ended but it was enough explanation that I slept with a smile upon my face that night. Happy birthday, Efrain, I'm sorry that I still care too much about loving you.