INEFABBLE - Short Stories Collection #2

always

It was fate, they said.

Both of us were two lonely individuals wandering on the cruel paths of life. We met at a pitch-black, hidden, and filthy back alley. You stopped your journey here, contemplating about the mistakes you have made at the past. I paused at that same back alley with a heavy baggage that I always carried around with me for the past six years of my life. Our faces both looked so gloomy and pained. We did not know how to go on anymore.

And then, you looked up at me, and I looked down on you.

Even in the silence, our eyes screamed for help. It was unheard by some possible passersby, but we both heard it coming from each other. I lend out a hand and you held mine.

It was fate, they said.

We instantly clicked, remember? Even on that first day, we already had a lot to talk about. We could not stop each other from talking. We were, as you described it, irresistable. Days passed and we still had a lot to talk about. You mentioned your dreams, I mentioned my fears. We cried out laughing because of our embarrassing stories to tell. You told me your favorites, and I told you mine. It even turned out we had a lot in common. It was amazing.

It was fate, they said.

One day, you asked me to trust you with the baggages I carried. I did because you seemed trustworthy anyway. You helped me carry them and the weight I felt was not as heavy anymore. You never complained. However, I knew you were carrying some of the weight, too. So I asked to take some of your weight, too. You hesitated but trusted me anyway. We also learned how to let go of some of the baggages that we had. Life became a lot better. The road we were taking became less rocky and bumpy. Our steps became lighter and laughter filled the atmosphere we were both breathing in.

It was fate.

Everytime I looked at you, I would ask myself about what life would be like if I did not stop at the back alley. I supposed, I would still have the baggages I found it hard to let go. I would probably crawl my way to life and not be as lightfooted as now. Things could end up in a much darker route. If I had not met you, I could not have seen life in a much better light.

Were you thinking the same, too?

Have I changed your life the way you have changed mine?

You said I did.

I did.

It was fate.

I loved everything about you even the things you thought to be unloveable. I loved the way your eyes glimmered with the mention of your favorites. I loved how your smile could light up even the darkest of night. I loved how your mentioned my name with that calm and honey-dripping voice of yours. I loved how you could make me laugh with your weird antics. I loved how you would hug me everytime I would feel as if the world was falling apart. You said you did that to keep me intact.

I loved you.

But you did not love me the same.

It was not fate.

As I write this, I watch you as you take her hand. You both look so happy as you continue walking on the journey of life with me walking and smiling behind the two of you. We stumbled upon her when we entered a back alley, too. You instantly fell hard for her while I instantly knew I lost you at that very moment.

But it did not matter to me.

You would still look back at me occasionally to see if I was still behind you. I would always be behind you, if not beside you. I would always walk with you, if not alongside you. I would always love you from behind you, because I knew I could not love you the way she wanted to love you.

I would always love you even if you would never love me the same way.