White Lies

Kiss Me

"I am going back to the States."

Dawn froze as she was about to drink her coffee. She watched as Lea keep stiring her mug of coffee.

"Wait.. Bakit.. Papaano si Aga?"

"We broke up."

"What? Teka nga. Ano bang nangyayari?" Dawn dropped her mug, the coffee no longer appetizing at the moment.

"He asked me to let him go. So, I did."

"Wait, wait. Does it have to do with him falling out of love with you?"

"He didn't fell out of love Dawn. He just never did. He can't remember falling in love with me."

"Oh my." Dawn stood up and went to Lea's side and gave her friend a hug.

"Nakakapagod na ring umiyak Dawn. Pakiramdam ko kasi-"

"Stop. I know where you are going. Aksidente yun Lea."

"Then how would you explain the recent one. Dawn, he took the risk just to remember me."

"Lea, its his choice. Hindi mo siya pinilit."

"But my presence pushed him to do it! Dawn, I can't just watch him like that. Maybe, we are not really meant to be."

"Are you really giving up on him na?"

Lea swiped a tear that escaped her eye.

"Kumapit naman ako eh, wala na kong magagawa kung siya na yung unang bumitaw."

--

One week later, Aga hasn’t remembered anything new. One week after Lea has let him go, Aga finds solace in the engagement ring he found in his dresser.

“Why can’t I just remember?” he resists the urge to hit himself on the head.

The urge that continues to grow with each passing day. He wants to kickstart his fucking useless brain into remembering or something.

Anything.

He’s on a phone call with Dawn, of all people. Dawn who is steadfast in his support of both Lea and Aga in this nightmarish situation. Dawn is also somebody on whom he can also use the phrase "remember when..." and not want to completely break down into frustrated tears.

“Why couldn’t Lea just forget?” he whispers, the words leaving his lips and immediately making him sick.

He touches the metal ring, taking solace in its weight. He absentmindedly traces the engraving on the ring.

Let's drink and get married.

“I don’t know,” Dawn replies thickly, sounding like she’s on the verge of tears herself.

Aga immediately feels bad for putting his friend through this, but Dawn is the only person he trusts who knows both him and Lea; Dawn is the only person he trusts at this point to be rational. “I don’t know,” Dawn repeats. “But that’s…” She trails off.

“I didn’t mean that,” Aga mutters, already feeling bad.

“You will make it through this. Both of you.” Dawn sighs heavily.

“Whether you manage to do it together or not is less important. You will make it.”

“But when,” Aga pushes.