Right person, but not enough time.
Somewhat we grew up in a society that adores the fair, the skinny and the ones that fit a specific standard. They kinda forgot that beauty is more than just how you look, skin colour or how much you weigh. Beauty i...
Luna lied down on the floor. It was summer and it was very hot. Yue lied down beside her.
"What?" "You tasted his ice cream." "So?" "I'm so proud of you," Yue turned to Luna and hugged her. For a second, Luna froze.
********************
"Why Hendery? Because your days are numbered?" Hala's question slapped him in the face. His expression darkened. "I was right," she looked away.
"I hate you Wu Hala," Hendery mumbled under his breath. She laughed monotonously. "Ask me how I knew, Hendery."
"I don't want to know. I just want to go home," he shook his head and pulled his seatbelt. Hala stopped him.
"You did it once. You can do it again." "Fuck it, Hala! You're sounding a lot like Kelly. I hate that!" Hendery turned away. He wanted to break down there and then but he couldn't.
"I'm sorry. I should've said nothing," she apologised and pulled her own seatbelt. She was about to pull the gear back on when Hendery said something.
"How did you know?"
"Hendery Wong told me."
*******************
"You know, Hendery. You're one of the worst secret keeper I've met. Your sister is one of the best. And that's why you guys are siblings," Hala stopped and leaned back on her seat. He nodded, agreeing to whatever she said.
Hendery fiddled with his fingers. He hated talking about his condition. He hated acknowledging the fact his days are numbered. "Luna shines differently when she's with you. I want her to stay that way," Hala's voice started breaking.
"She doesn't smile like that. Ever. She doesn't eat ice cream even when we forced her to. Hendery, you make her happy and I know she makes you happy too," Hala turned away. She tried to not cry.
"She does make me happy. That's why I can't hurt her," he bit his tongue.
"You know what hurts? Loving everything so sincerely even when it hurts," slowly her eyes watered and she started crying.
"Luna means a lot to you guys, huh?"
"She raised us. We may be the same age but she is a better mother than my mother could ever be. Remember those letters I would read in class? Those weren't from my mom. They were from her. She's my comfort zone, Hendery. My home. And I want her to be happy. She deserves that." Hala's cries turned to sobs. She was overwhelmed.
He remembered how he'd caught Hala reading a bunch of letters in between classes. He always thought that those were letters from her secret admirers. Turns out it was from her sister.
"Maybe I'm asking too much. I'm sorry, Hendery."
Hendery smiled. "No you're not asking too much. I'm just not the one."
*******************
Again, Luna stumbled upon stray Hendery photo in her phone.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"When did he even snapped this?" Luna slapped her forehead in amusement. Yue peeked at her phone and laughed. "Probably when we went to the bathroom?"
Luna shook her head and proceeded to send the photo to Hendery.
👑: Handsome, right? Thank you.
Luna couldn't even bring herself to reply. She cracked and laughed her heart out. Hendery was sure one oddball.
Yue stole a glance at Luna. She hardly sees Luna laughing like that. 'I'm glad you've found your lilac.'
And they say your yellow is the person who saved you. But I think for Luna, its lilac.
******************
Hendery waited for Hala to calm down. She was still sobbing even after a few minutes.
"Hendery, if you ever need a friend. Call me. I'm here. Lucas too. I know you don't have friends here," Hala wiped away her melted makeup. Hendery chuckled.
"You and Luna are some of the weirdest girls. Others wouldn't want to wipe away their makeup and you guys would do it willingly."
"Those are pretentious perfect girls. We're lazy girls. If my makeup melted, so be it. Luna's like that too. Because in the end....."
"It's for you not anyone else. I know," Hendery nodded. He smiled and handed some more tissues to Hala. "Remember, you deserve to love just like anyone else. Okay, Hendery?"
Her car sped through the road.
He bid her goodbye and before he closed the gate he shouted, "Was nice catching up! Should hang out more soon!"
********************
Hala kicked away her sandals and threw her handbag on the sofa.
"Why are your eyes swollen? Did you cry?" Lucas who was watching tv turned to her. Hala nodded and cried again. Lucas scoffed. He knew she'd cry about one person and one person only, Hua DeLuna.
"I've never seen her shine like that, Lucas. Throughout the years. Not even once. Not even when we were kids," she said in between her sobs. Lucas didn't understand but he listened to her so well. He waited for her to let everything out.
"I want her to shine like that all the time. I want the best for her."
"We all want that. Especially for people we care about," he pulled Hala into a hug. She looked up to him. "I love you." "I know, I love me too," Lucas chuckled.
**********************
Hendery sat down on the sofa. It was hot. He quickly took off his shirt and lied down. He was half asleep when his phone rang.
"Better be something important," he mumbled. "Just checking on you," Kelly hung up. He threw his phone to the side and fell asleep.
He knew he was dreaming but it felt so real. He was walking down a path heading to nowhere, yet he kept walking down and stopped in front of a stream.
"Why am I here again?" He looked up to sky and asked. "Because you need a peace of mind?" A familiar voice made him turned around.
"Wei?" "Hendery, long time no see man! How are you?" "Am I dead?" He asked the girl in the school uniform. Quickly she knocked his head.
"Just because I'm dead, that doesn't mean you are dead too. I can't believe this is your happy place," Wei sat down on the grass and dipped her feet in the water. He sat down beside her.
"Then, why am I here?" "You answer me. This is your dream. Your safe place," she smiled at him.
7 years passed and he changed but Wei didn't. She looked exactly like how she was 7 years ago. "I could've saved you."
"Says the person who doesn't even want to save himself," she was snarky. Wei was always snarky, to the point people couldn't see her pain.
It was quiet. Just the sound of water running could be heard. After a while Wei got up. "Can't stay long. I have to go," she walked away and a bunch of psyche butterflies trailed after her.
He watched her disappeared and everything turned pitch black.
