Emotion Speaks: Short Stories (BL: Randoms)

Your Presence

"Sometimes, we'd forget about things so important to us, we'd just cry when we realize."

Winter season's already coming and blew the finest winds to deliver the cold atmosphere of the Christmas time. The Sunday high noon used to be blazing in the fire but the cold graze of the yuletide season has come and Gerald's freezing as he closed all the possible gaps inside his room from the outside world. He turned on the heater to warm himself up. While rubbing his hands and breathed into it, a sudden pain had pierced his heart. Enlarged eyes and opened mouth, he started recollecting his mind for something that he seemed to forget. It felt nostalgic about his memories. Suddenly, a loud voice was heard even in the claustrophobic room. "Gerald, son! Let's eat lunch already!" Gerald was caught up in the moment but not long until she realized it was her Mom's voice calling him. "Ah – coming." He replied back. The young man was so confused about what came up to his mind. But as if it was just a small thing, he zipped out from his room and went to their table for lunch.

They were having "galbitang" for the lunch and it was perfect for both of them to sip something hot during winter days. Gerald's face happily gulped the soup but his face came back to how he seemed to remember the nostalgia earlier. "Gerald? Why the long face?" His mother asked. "Something's strange, Mom. I think I forgot something so important. It was so nostalgic. My memories are confused and I'm going nuts!" Her mom just raised her eyebrows and shoulders. "You have all the time to remember that important thing." She smiled at Gerald and ate.

12:30 when they finished lunch and Gerald took all the dishes to the lavatory for the cleaning. When he started washing the tittynopes of the dishes, the dark memory visited him again. Tried recollecting everything, his eyebrows have already met as his forehead formed wrinkles. The confused brain burned him down and stopped thinking about it. Then something went on to his head and it was to check his phone for some updates in social media or any personal messages sent by his classmates, friends and stuff. He washed off the bubbles, dried his hands with the dirty yellow rag hanging at the front of their refrigerator and walked to his room. His phone was beeping a small green light, indicating some messages received. He turned it on. It was some Facebook notification about Christmas and Twitter tweets about Earth's drastic change. One message was in his inbox. It was Jade's. "See ya at the park at 1 p.m. today." And Gerald suddenly changed clothes.

Jade was Gerald's best friend since their grade school moments. They were almost brothers. Until Gerald's point of view has changed. He was in love. In love with his boy-best friend. They'd go together to school, answer their assignments, and keep in touch with each other's weaknesses. Hang out to each other's house, play at the arcade every Sunday afternoon, and eat at restaurants when they're bored or hungry. Whenever they'd had conversations or interactions, Gerald would always smile as if Jade was his happy pill and the young man would always be weirded out why Gerald's always smiling every day as if he's got tiny, little bits of problems in his head and he'd just raise his eyebrows and shoulders just like her mom. But the thing is, Gerald hasn't confessed his cup of tea to the one he loved and cared for. Because he was holding unto the fear of losing Jade when he's going to let everything out that was locked inside his box of Pandora. So he decided to just keep it cool and calm and make things not intricate for both of them.

"Mom, I'm going!" "Wait, you haven't finished the dishes, you child! Where are you going?!" "I'm meeting Jade at the park and I'm late!" "But it's still 12: 32 and – oh my God..." Her mom's eyes grew. "Gerald...I..." "Mom, if you don't have any more words, then I'm already going. Bye! See ya later!" "Wa-wait! Gerald!"

Gerald wore thick jeans, turtle necked sweaters, layers of coats and a long coat on the outside. He had with him his phone and white earphones plugged into his ears and have it playing Ailee's "I Will Go to You Like the First Snow." The outside world was freezing as if it was Niflheimr but he just scoffed the cold and walked towards the park 10 blocks away from their abode. He ignored the cold just for the heat of their friendship he always wanted.