Time and Fallen leaves

Not all promises can be kept

It was a gloomy saturday afternoon, Milo's favorite weather. He slightly hoped a heavy rain would follow until they have no choice but to suspend or cancel the birthday party.

His phone rang once again, Chrys' name flash on screen. Tinitingan lamang ito ni Milo hanggang sa automatic nang tumigil ang tawag. A text message immediately popped followed with another missed call.

Chrys: Bro, kanina ka pa hinahanap ni tita

Chrys: The party won't start without you

A sigh escaped from Milo's lips. He doesn't want this sort of thing. He hates interacting with people especially from individual with high status. He always feels intimidated, he was always reminded with the fact that he's never really one of them —no matter what he does.

He may be adopted by a family with a high spot in the societal hierarchy, hindi pa rin mawala sa isip niya na he was once on the lowest part of the pyramid. If he wasn't adopted, nasaan na kaya siya ngayon?

His phone rang once again. This time, si Leeon na ang tumatawag. He finally had the courage to pick up the phone and waited for the other line to talk first.

"Milo? Can you hear me?"

"Yep" rinig sa kabilang linya ang malakas na music, various voices can be heard chatting on the other line.

"We're waiting for you"

"Ikaw na lang ang hinihintay, birthday boy!" Boses na ni Chrys ang rinig sa kabilang linya, mukhang inagaw nito ang phone mula kay Leeon.

"Take your time! You're the star of the night, you can be fashionably late...but don't keep us waiting too long" pasigaw na saad ni Keen sa background kaya napatawa ito.

"Fine, nandiyan na ba si Erin?"

"Wala pa, come here already or else I'll drag your arse papunta rito" Chrys laugh on his own joke, Milo can't help but snicker.

"Oo na" sagot nito at naunang pinatay ang linya. Bigla itong napahiga sa kama at tumitig lamang sa kisame. Pupunta ba ako? He doesn't really want to, but attending was the only way to show appreciation —especially from Leeon's family. Ayaw niyang may utang na loob kahit kanino, kailangan niyang utago muna ang pagka introvert niya at makisama kahit papaano.

He only wore a white crew-neck t-shirt and a black pinstriped button-up shirt worn unbuttoned under his t-shirt. Isinuot rin nito ang kanyang paboritong navy blue baseball cap with a logo of the New York Yankees imprinted on it. He doesn't bother wearing something grand dahil uuwi lang naman ito agad kapag nakita na siya nila Leeon. He doesn't intend to stay long.

His feet drag him in a familar two-story house. Kinuha niya ang phone mulsa sa bulsa and dialed a number that he unconsciously memorized a long time ago. It rang a few minutes before finally hearing a click from the other line.

"Hello?" The voice from the other end is so soothing he immediately close his eyes, a sudden relief wash his entire system.

"San ka?" Tanong nito habang palarong pinagsisipa ang maliliit na bato sa kanyang paanan.

"Sa kwarto, why?"

"Punta ka sa terrace" he heard the latter mutter in confusion. Ngunit sinunod niya rin naman ang binata, Milo's eyes follow the silhouette from the window upstairs. His breath slightly cut short by the sight of a woman who's curiously coming out from her bedroom.

"Look down" Erin immediately look down — meeting Milo's gaze who's already looking up her direction. It's like all his troubled thoughts suddenly went silent. Hindi niya maikakaila na ganito ang impact sakanya ng dalaga. The mere sight of her suddenly made him at ease, she was his breath of fresh air.