"There's nothing you can do about it. Whether it was a good decision or not. Whether you did it for a good cause or not. It doesn't matter, actually. The only thing you can do after you choose, is hope you won't regret the choice you made."
"Wow. That's deep."
"What do you expect? I'm Captain Tripp, deeper than Johnny Deep!" Tumawa siya na parang wala nang bukas. Na para bang sobrang nakakatawa talaga ng joke niya.
"Deeper than Johnny Deep" sambit ko, smiling. Repeating what Tripp said in the past.
Alam kong masyado akong nag-over react kahapon dahil lang nabanggit ni Levi ang signature line ni Tripp. But I can't help it. Tripp was a big part of my life. When he was gone, it was like my whole system malfunctioned when he left. And now, everything that has any connection to him make me remember him.
"Hey Captain Tripp. Miss me?" I said. Smiling at his tombstone.
Third Person's POV
Tanghali na pero hindi pa rin dumarating si Asi sa ice cream parlor na lagi niyang pinupuntahan. Pilit na naghahanap si Levi ng dahilan kung bakit. Maybe she was just tired of his presence? Maybe yesterday was the last straw? Maybe something happened?
One thing's for sure, yesterday being the last straw is much better than something happening to Asi. He just couldn't imagine her life hanging by a thread. Pero ano bang karapatan niya sa buhay ni Asi?
He's just a stranger to her. Kahit na matagal na niyang nakilala si Asi, it's useless to reach out. She doesn't know him, but it's not her fault. He never had the guts to introduce himself.
Come to think of it, maybe he wasn't a big factor to Asi's life. And that just sucks.
Levi met Asi back when they were kids. He never got close to Asi because he was afraid. And he just hates what consequences that small reason gave him.
Levi realized Asi isn't coming any time soon. Kaya umalis na siya sa shop na iyon. Pumunta siya sa park kung saan laging tumatambay si Asi, pero wala hindi niya nakita ni anino nito. Nagtanong-tanong rin siya sa mga tao roon, but no hope aroused.
Habang tumatagal ang oras na wala siyang kaalam-alam sa kinaroroonan ni Asi ay mas lalo siyang kinakabahan. Paano kung may nangyari na talaga kay Asi? There was only one way to confirm whether Asi's fine or not.
"Yes?" Tanong ng isang lalaking nasa early adolescence niya, na nagbukas ng gate.
"Nandyan ba si Asi?"
Nagulat siya sa tanong ni Levi, na para bang hindi niya inakalang may maghahanap pa kay Asi. He closed the door on him. And when the boy opened it again, kasama na niya ang mga magulang niya. They knew Levi. Kilala nila si Levi bilang ang bata na tagabigay ng electric bills nila kapag umaalis sila ng bahay tapos saktong bigayan ng electric bills.
"She let's you hang around her?" Tanong na naman nila.
Not believing half of Levi's words. Those words about being in the ice cream parlor, everyday, . Nasa salas na ng pamilya Selerio si Levi. He's sitting there, with Asi's family. Mabait sila, kaya hindi niya alam kung bakit palaging nagrereklamo si Asi sa tungkol sa buhay niya.
Levi was sure of something now, Asi's safe, because if she weren't her family wouldn't be this calm. But, that didn't stop him from asking where Asi would be.
"Since she's not in that ice cream parlor nor in the park nearby, siguro kasama niya si Kuya Tripp." Sagot ng kapatid ni Asi.
Levi didn't now what he felt when he heard the boy's answer. But, he didn't make a scene, he had no right to do so, though. Nagpaalam siya sa pamilya ni Asi at umalis na.
Wala na siya ibang ginawa pagkatapos, kundi maglakad kung saan. He found himself in a cemetery. Nagpalinga-linga siya, and that's when he saw a familiar silhouette.
"Asi," bulong niya sa sarili niya. He walked towards her feeling relieved as ever. Nang mapansin ni Asi ang presensya ni Levi, nilingon niya ito. But the unexpected happened.
Asi. suddenly collapsed, in front of him. And if he weren't fast enough she would've hurt herself from the fall.
Tiningnan niya si Asi, kung may sugat ba siya o galos man lang. He didn't find any though, but her eyes were puffy. Para bang galing niya lang umiyak.
Binasa niya ang pangalang nakaukit sa puntod na nasa harap nila.
Tripp Selerio.
END OF CHAPTER 8
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Teen Fiction| Bucket lists | Petty Debates | Everyday at an Ice Cream Parlor | "So bakit ka nga ulit hindi naniniwala sa forever?" The thing about repetition is it gives you tolerance. And Levi, constantly asking this question gave me a high tolerance of it...
