The Space Between

Chapter 6: Ghosts

I could feel the strain on my legs, but I pushed on, moving forward. The bitter-sweet feeling of pushing myself to the limits is addictive.

The light morning breeze gives me that comfort even if I am sweating all over. I could feel the heat emanating from my head to my toes.

I checked my watch and it seems I have been out for more than an hour. I started to slow down my pace, for a cool down, and started my way back to the dorm.

"Ly?"

I heard someone call out my name. I took my earphones off, just as someone tentatively touched my arm. I turned and nearly bumped into Kiefer.

I'm not exactly sure but there's something wrong with the picture. He looked somehow sad, as if he is not sure of himself. And worse, I seem to remember the feeling of being hurt by him, yet for no reason at all. Like it's a weird dream where you still carry that emotion when you wake up.

There seems to be that space between us, so tangible yet I really could not identify.

"Kief. Aga mo a," I greeted him. I wiped my face and took a big gulp of water from my water bottle.

"Tapos ka na?" he asked, referring to my jog. I nodded, and waited for him to say something.

He just stared at the ground, at a loss for words. I wanted to hold him but I stepped back. Something made me hold back, like a distant memory slowly resurfacing.

He looked at me, as if asking me to ask him something. I looked at him and sighed.

"Let's go for a walk."
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We walked without talking, a storm cloud of silence above us. We seem to be preoccupied with our thoughts, when actually, I was only thinking about my irrational annoyance with him. I sighed, and that seems to break the spell we were both in.

"Any hangover?" he asked, looking at me with concern.

"I don't know. Wala siguro. Medyo masakit lang ang ulo. Tolerable."

He grabbed my arm and that made me stop on my tracks. "Galit ka ba?" he worriedly asked.

Another sigh escaped my lips. "I also was asking myself the same thing. The funny thing is, I also don't know why and for what reason," I said. I tried to smile at him. "So I guess sinusumpong lang ako."

He smiled a little smile. And it was his turn to sigh. "Good. 'Coz I really need a friend right now."
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We sat on the outskirts of the Belarmine Field, looking in the open. Alyssa hugged her knees and asked,"So... What is it this time, Kief?"

I don't know how to start, or where to begin. I gently pulled a blade of grass and started toying with it.

"Ly, how did you know it was over between you and Jovee?"

She did not answer me for a few seconds. She burried her face on her knees and started talking,"It just happened. I just realized that I have to keep moving on. I chose to move on."

She raised her face and propped them on knees,"One day, I just woke up feeling numb. Like a scar after a wound. You do not feel the pain, but the sight of it reminds you of the hurt it caused you." She looked at me and smiled,"But it's all in the past. I have learned my lesson. Jovee and I are on good terms. We have both acknowledged and accepted that we have separate lives to live."