JanTom: Complete Opposites

What Ifs -Epilogue (Part 3)

Characters : Jackie (17) and Oskar (17)

"So when are you going to confess to Oskar?" Leila inquired, her ruby eyes reflecting against the lens of her glasses.

Leila was frankly tired of hearing her best friend's excuse, always chickening out the last minute and if not for her, then who else would push Jackie to make a move?

Jackie sighed, scooting the farthest towards the edge of the bed, causing a soft creak. "I dunno. Maybe...I'll just keep it to myself."

Jackie is already happy with how Oskar treats her : like a good best friend. It felt like yesterday when she thought she'd never get to speak with Oskar, but look at where they are now. Oskar is comfortable with her and Jackie didn't want to ruin their relationship.

"Jackie no!" Leila screeched, wondering if Jackie heard herself. She was not only stupid but very foolish at best. "---we're going to graduate! Are you really okay with having him as just your friend?"

"Yes," she replied without any hesitation. "--I'd rather keep what we are now than destroy everything we have."

Leila wanted to bash Jackie's head for being so stubborn and so she'd finally get some sense. For Pete's sake, she was smarter than the three of them and yet she's...

Leila didn't want to finish her sentence. As much as she wanted to slap Jackie right across the face like some cliché drama where the main character finally gets some enlightenment, she doesn't.

"Dude, he prolly likes you," May pipes up after idling away as she read some comic on the bed. "--maybe."

"Jackie, would you rather live your life with regret not telling him how you felt? Or maybe get rejected but at least you told him?"

"Both of those sound bad," Jackie sighed, a wry smile etches her lips. "--I...don't have that resolve to tell him. He won't like me."

"But you don't know that!" Leila cried in exasperation. "--even...even if he rejects you, we'll still be here."

"You'll finally move on without clinging onto him..."

"OH!" May let out a sound. "---speaking of our topic, read this."

The three scooted themselves close to where May was, all staring heavily at the screen while a melancholic music resonated the thin walls.

The comment could be summarized in these following words :

"I had a best friend whom I've loved for 10 years. We were always together, but I was too afraid of telling him how I felt; that I would ruin our friendship. Past forward years later, I attended his wedding. He came to me and smiled, "You know, I loved you..until I met her." "I never told you because I was too afraid." I was so conflicted that I burst into tears. All along, I was his and yet it's too late. He could never be mine."

May added, as if it would make the situation better. "This comment became an inspiration for their other song. So...I'm not like Leila that I'd force you to confess.."

May was more of an easy-going person, enjoying life as something simple where she doesn't have to think hard that causes her head to ache.. But she's not that stupid that she can't see her friend struggling.

"...but think about these two people. They had so many chances to say what they felt but didn't."

"---Wouldn't it be more painful to only think about the what ifs--when it could've been true, if only you had the strength to make it a reality."

Jackie and Leila could only stare dumbfounded at their friend, who usually says childish stuff, something so deep that actually struck Jackie's heart.

"I didn't know you were that wise, May," Leila wipes a non-existent tear, like a mother who saw her own child take the first steps. "--you should've been like this right from the start you know?"