How I Married My Bias

CHAPTER 18

“He had cancer. They both do,” I said as I munched on the sandwich.

“There’s nothing they could do if he was to die in the end.” We broke into a debate over Augustus’ death in The Fault in our Stars.

“What if it’s the other way around?” he said as he chews on his mouthful of sandwich. “What if Hazel died instead of Augustus?”

“He’ll probably be as sad as Hazel was. But I bet he’ll be writing a novel for her,” I said as I finished my sandwich.

“What if the time comes when no one else knows who you are?” he said, his faced turned into a serious one.

“Are you scared of oblivion too?” I asked, looking at him.

“Aren’t you?” he said looking back at me.

I shook my head. “We all want to be remembered. And it is never true that you’ll be forgotten someday. This world is a witness to your existence and as long as the world exists, you continue to co-exist with it because you’re part of it,” I said still looking at him.

“You never cease to sate my hunger for reason,” he said.

He reached for a glass and poured a dark liquid into it then offered it to me. I looked at the glass for a moment and hesitate.

“Don’t worry,” he said the leaned closer to my ears and whispers. “It’s Cola,” then he leaned back.

All throughout the day we sat under that white beach umbrella. The weather was warm and it was really a nice day to go for a picnic. The fact that it was he whom I am with right now is truly something to be thankful for.

We sat with our back leaned against each other. I was so caught up with the feeling that I can’t understand whatever it is I’m reading. I could hear him, turning pages of his book.

I really can’t focus. I’m leaning against his back, my head touching the back of his. How could I possibly focus?

At about 4 in the afternoon, we decided to head back. We folded the blanket, the umbrella and put all of it inside the box.

We lift the box together and head back to the car. The sun was already starting its journey down and long shadows from the trees were printed on the sand. I caught glance of him staring ahead, his sharp jaw line matching his side-view feature.

I sat on the passenger seat again as he puts the box on the car trunk. I peeked into the side mirror and saw him scratching his head, figuring out a way to fit the box in the car trunk. I laughed secretly for a moment then opened the car door.

“Why won’t it fit this time? I’m pretty sure it’ll fit or you would’ve succeeded in bringing it here.” I told him.

He leaned down on the car trunk then let out a sigh of relief. “It fitted. I just disoriented the box at first,” he said then come up towards me with a smile.

He stopped just in front of me and stared at me. The sky was a mixed color of orange and purple, light slowly drifting through darkness. His faced was bathed in shadows, his deep eyes fixed at mine.

Time seemed to pass us by. He just stared at me and so did I. Inches – we were inches apart. It was just me, him, the sea, the purple sky, the breeze and the car.

Then he walked towards me, swift and sure. And in one moment, I was in his embrace. I never want to leave, to let go of that hug.

I slowly hugged him back, not because I have to but because I wanted to. It was straight out of a dream.

“Thank You,” he said. “For today,”

“I had fun. It was really something.” I said.

“If only it could be this way all the time,” he said. I could feel his embrace getting tighter like he never want to let me slip out of it.

“We could be this way forever. I love you,” I wanted to say that so much but I just can’t. I was speechless.

“Tomorrow,” I said, sinking myself into his chest, inhaling his smell, hearing his heartbeat, savoring each second.

“Tomorrow,” he said.

I wished. He wished. We wished we could be like that for all time. Tomorrow – that’s what we both hoped for.

But we’re not promised tomorrow.