FUBU

cuarenta

I arrived home tired. It was the most peaceful night I've had but my mind seemed so restless. I haven't slept. I was just there, looking at him peacefully sleeping. 

I suddenly smelled something really good. 

"Coffee."

I turned towards my kitchen and saw him already preparing two mugs.

"Good Morning!" there was something odd with his smile. 

"You look happy today. Anything you want to share?" I said as I sat down in the chair across him. 

But the irony is, I looked a lot like a woman who just had her walk of fame. The walk after a silly one night stand with a man you met in the bar. 

"Oddly enough, I am."

"Did you talk to her?"

"I did."

"And?" I excitedly beamed at him.

He handed a mug of freshly brewed coffee. I took my time smelling the fresh aroma before sipping from it. 

"She looked great. Different but great."

"Did you have the chance to talk about the past?"

"We had. I actually wanted to thank Austin for stealing you."

"It worked out that much huh?"

"It did. We've talked and we agreed that we were young and that breaking up back then was the best thing we could do."

It sounded like a complete 360.

"Why do I feel like you're about to tell me something big?"

"I am." he moved beside me, "She said that she figured about her entire self with the time we were apart. Turns out, she likes girls now."

"What?"

"Yes. So that just put me off so much. I think it was really the closure I needed. Imagine, iilang taon din akong naghintay. I wanted to know why. And now that I know, it feels like she's finally happy. Even if it isn't because of me, I know she is happy. And that's enough for me."

And as I looked at his eyes, there was not even an ounce of anger. Loneliness yes. But then, it will never go away. The loneliness. 

"So, that's it?"

"That's it. I guess that was all I needed."

"And then, what happens now?"

"Now, I move on."

He turns to the TV and turn it on.

"Wait. Yun na 'yun? That's all that you get after a long time of waiting? That's all you have?"

"What can I do?"

"Don't you have plans of you know, winning her back?"

"No. She looks happy. We agreed to be friends. That's enough for me."

"By any chance, what's her name?"

"Shane de Silva."

And that's when another nervous beat started to attack me.

Shane. Would she be the same woman who is Austin's liaison?

"Well, that's surprising. Akala ko pa naman magkakaroon kayo ng happy ending."

"Well, this is our happy ending. She's happy and I am too." he shrugged, then sat straight back into the couch, "At isa pa, this will give me time to explore what I have with you."