Missing You

Way Back Home

A while ago, Jine was still holding her Before I Let You Go list while thinking about her conversation with Jarie. While holding the piece of paper where the list was written, she was rereading it with the feeling of certainty that what she wrote would come true. She kept holding and staring at that piece of paper until she unconsciously fell it when somebody held her other hand. That somebody's hand holding Jine's had a very familiar feel on her. That somebody's hand held hers with each of his fingers between each of hers.

With her usual blank face, Jine's eyes were fixed on Calvin's face when she stopped walking when she felt somebody held her hand.

"Ba't ka nandito?" She looked at Calvin with a teasing questioning look. She really wanted to smile, but she won't let herself yet.

"Ah, I was just passing by when I saw you," he was stuttering, but he could not help but smile in front of her no matter how much he would want to save his smiles for later. He didn't have that skill of Jine.

"Calvin," she still called his name like how a girlfriend would call her boyfriend. "I know so well when you're not telling the truth. Don't tell me you've been waiting for me?" Her face went near his face, and her eyes were searching for hints of lies on his face. It's certain that she would not let the ex-boyfriend thought interrupting the moment.

He also moved his face even closer to her face and whispered with a nasal tone, "Okay, lovely. I give up. I saw you this morning when you were walking to school. I saw you and Jarie go to the comfort room between classes. I saw you go to your group mates during lunch break. I saw you didn't like it to be with them. I saw you and Jarie together before you went on your way home. And yes, I've been waiting for you."

Jine looked away and resumed walking when she sensed that she could no longer contain her smile. She was still trying not to smile, but she gave up. She was now wearing on her face her first real smile for the day. There was this sparkle in her eyes, and her cheeks formed their prettiest.

"Why are you smiling?" Calvin asked teasingly.

Distancing herself to the question and feeling that his hand held hers slightly tighter this time, she also teased him, "Nakangiti ka rin naman ah. Bakit ka masaya?" She knew that that moment was enough for an answer to her, so she would not mind if he would not answer, but she began to hear his voice again struggling to keep that cool guy aura.

"Masaya ako kase kasama kita... kase kausap kita ngayon... kase nakatingin ako sa'yo... kase hawak ko ang kamay mo..." he had a longer pause this time but made sure that she would know that his line was not yet done. "kase mahal kita," his voice sounded like everything was encompassed with those three words.

She smiled even more and felt like if that walk would be endless, it would be perfectly okay.

Points for Analysis/Reflection

 

1.      How is love conveyed in the chapter?

2.      What is implied by the last line of the chapter?