Neophilia

N 27

NEOPHILIA 27:

And time began to slow, as if he and I were the only human beings who have the privilege to move around and explore everything in a stop motion. But we did nothing like that, we just sat there, facing each other, laughing to what he said and sending me a playful remarks about what I said. We just enjoyed our drinks and let every minute gone to waste by doing nothing but talk. And neither of us were bothered.

It was 12 noon when we decided to leave the cafe. Kaden insisted to take me home since he has a lot of free time and just decided to come along with me until I finally reached home. We talked non-stop.

Alam kong wala akong naaalala sa nakaraan ko, yet, here I am, talking to him as if I've known him for far too long and there was no single strange feelings existed. I came out natural in talking to him and I'm getting a little bit off guard that I'm bringing my defenses down when meeting people who were part of me before the tragedy happened. I was used to put a certain distance between me and the people who would try to get close to me and relive the memories we had, but with him, I let myself be. Open and carefree.

Iniwan ni Kaden ang sasakyan niya doon sa Plaza kasi napagtripan naming dalawa na maglakad. Hindi naman ganun kalayuan ang plaza sa bahay namin kaya ayos lang. And right now, he's telling me insights about his future and I can't help but to be impressed since I saw him as an ambitious gentleman.

And I dig that.

"....Yes, alam kong medyo malayo-layo yun, pero I would like that." Kwento niya sa akin. Kaden would glance at me once in a while habang naglalakad kami, and I would send him back a friendly smile. Ganun lang kami habang naglalakad. Sinabi niya kasi sa akin na dahil graduated na siya mula sa kurso niya, gusto niyang makapagtayo ng maliit na firm, complete with staffs na may kaniya-kaniyang specialty na mag-ooffer ng services if you'd like to have a dream house of your own. Pero yun nga, he has a long way to go. He needs experiences first to be credible enough for the job. And while he's at it, gagawan na rin niya yung sarili niya ng profile para magamit niya sa gusto niya.

"Nakita ko yung drawing mo kanina, yun pa lang ang nakikita ko pero alam ko at nararamdaman ko na mabilis mo rin yang maaabot ang gusto mo." Sagot ko naman. Tiningnan ko si Kaden at nakitang may malaking ngiti siya sa mukha niya. "You'll do great," sabi ko sa kaniya.

Tumango siya.

"So... The Kaden I known today is the same as the Kaden I knew before? Tell me." I opened up a new topic. Napailing naman si Kaden sa tanong ko.

"It depends to what side you wanted to know," sabi niya. Nakatingin lang siya sa semento habang naglalakad siya.

Nagkunwari akong nagulat sa harapan niya, "What? You have different sides?!"

Tinaasan lang ako ni Kaden ng kilay, "Har. Har. Di ka pa rin nagbabago, ang corny mo."

Napakagat ako sa labi ko, "Was it that bad?" I nudged him a little, "Pero kahit na corny, napangiti naman kita! Oh! Tingnan mo nga yang ngiti sa mukha mo oh! Anong corny dyan? Asus!" Kinukulit ko si Kaden habang tinuturo-turo ko yung ngiti na kanina pa na nasa mukha niya. Actually, kanina pa siya nakangiti simula nung nakaupo ko siya sa Starbucks kanina.

"No. Really. Kamusta naman ang Kaden Fletcher? What's the difference between before and after?" Sabi ko ulit. Nadaanan na namin yung bilihan ng tinapay sa kanto, so that means, malapit na kami sa bahay. Pero kahit na malapit na rin lang kami, gusto kong malaman kung ano sasabihin sa akin ni Kaden. I wanted to know.

I have a feeling that I needed to know.

My question isn't just a simple question with the intention of friend catching up good ol' stories. But it is more than that and I don't know why I would ask such question since I only met him personally a few days back with no memories of him or whatsoever.