LOUIE (COMPLETED)

5: let's not push away each other

It took me a while to muster a small courage and continue writing this book. I would never want one story of mine to go to waste so maybe I'll continue to grow courage to this one. May you enjoy this part and to the next ones. Lovex

***

"Free ka this weekend?"

It's been weeks... no, months already since Louie did that to me. The hug around my waist and asking me to stay. Every symptoms of the now-gone winter all over Canada had all melted; sun is high again, clear skies every morning and night. Yet I couldn't find myself to forget about what happened that night in the tent.

Though he had done nothing atrocious to make me not forget but... hindi ko alam. Really. Maybe if I know what and why, I would've probably moved on. After asking me to stay for a couple of minutes, we never spoke as his trembling grip abate and his breathing went back to normal.

What his trauma was? I have no idea but it warms my heart to know I had an effect on him and it pacified Louie a bit. We joined the rest of the group afterwards and that's when my life started to drive along a new way. With him and people he knows in here.

"Got no clue." the afternoon class just ended and as usual, nasa labas na siya at naghihintay. "Why?"

Clad in white tee and faded jeans, his aura seemed to get better since that vacation at falls. The smug I sometime see in him vanished and replaced by contentment and elation. That's not because of me, it will sound ridiculously silly, but...

"Let's tour around."

"You're planning as if your schedule is not that hectic, eh?"

Wala siyang kasama na kaklase which is odd. "Oh. Please tell Artha that the art she wants has some problems. She's not replying to my chats."

"Don't change the topic, Ron." he laughs. "What? Let's go? We're just gonna tour around."

"You don't need any touring."

"Yep! But you do need one!" oh, yeah. Maybe I shouldn't have let him aware no one has offered to tour me around, at least in the city, since my auntie and uncle failed to do so from sudden passing. "I'll let her know, and you'll go with me, is it okay?"

"Thank you na lang. Ako na lang pumunta sa kaniya." iniling ko ang ulo. He didn't take that as a serious one and I hate it. This guy. "Aren't you busy?"

"I am. But everything is getting good now, vacation is around the corner now. My friends and I are planning to find a new spot!"

"I don't know, Louie..." I whispered. "I'll let you know."

The university feels like a new university after the snow slowly melted down. It looked like a normal place again and don't make us feel like we are some decorations on before snow-draped school. Peculiar, eh? You get so surprised to a new thing and when you're now used to it, it's gone again and have to face an accustomed thing again.

We're close to the gates now and that's when I noticed he's not speaking. Louie's now busy reading something off his phone and I never talked after seeing his scrunched forehead.

I'm surprised to see him still following me to the convenience store. The same place where I saw him and he had to take me home from the devoid of any transportation. I recently got a job here, though it's temporary, but the pay is no joke. My pockets need money and out of desperate moves, I started working.

Okay lang naman. The job itself is not interfering with my studies and not that stressful, unless a drunk local is forcing me to give change to his big bills when I have none.