Illusion

07 | Illusion

It was drizzling the next day, the school authorities finally got tired of us by eight o'clock but it took them a long time to do it. I was pretty sure we were halfway through another geological age already.

We didn't see each much of each other that day but what disturbed me was her failure to respond to my texts even when I knew some of my classmates were receiving messages from her during breaks.

Once I was inside Jollibee, I ordered a couple of sundaes then some fries for nibbling. Pretty soon she emerged from the crew room headed straight to the exit.

I ran after her.

"I've eaten already," she said before I was able to say anything, inching away.

"But I thought..."

"I said I've eaten already! Geez, do I have to repeat myself all the time?!" She groaned. "God, what a psycho!"

"Well, at least let me get the sundaes and fries. We can eat them on the way."

I rushed back inside to get my order. This time the guard had to open the door because I had my hands full. But when walked outside, the street was empty of her.

I needed to kill time, I needed to think; so I chose to hike back to the school, taking the longest route possible.

I was walking for about a solid thirty minutes when the traffic came in a drone. Just then, McDonald's came into view so I rushed over. I needed to rest.

Though muffled by the glass panel of the joint, laughter I knew so well reached my ears. My heart lurched unpleasantly. My searching eyes found them sitting near a window. I tear suddenly fell from my eye. I began to walk away as fast as I could but then I remembered. I approached the guard who greeted me with a smile.

"Could you please give these to that couple?" My voice was garbled. The guard was confused as to why I was giving them goods from Jollibee when they are in McDonalds.

"Thanks." I gave him the sundaes and fries. I'm so juvenile.

"Aldrin, why do I always love to be in your plans?" She snapped at me one time. "Why'd it always have to be me, huh? Me in that! It nearing to drive me nuts! You're old enough without me to babysit you. Go by yourself, damn it!"

"You know you're starting to annoy me." Abby broke into my thoughts. It was another period in the canteen where she found me morosely.

I blinked and tried to focus. "You too? Why?"

"Because every time I see you, it's always the same damn scenario. You being alone in the farthest corner of the cafeteria, sulking about whatever is even going with your life.  It's getting into my nerves."

"You just don't understand what I'm going through, Abby." I said shaking my head.

"You're right. I don't," she deadpanned.

"Abby, please," I pleaded, "don't misunderstand me."

"You're insane Al, you no longer make sense. I can't see why you go to all lengths for her, sacrifice your happiness for her, avoid other girls for what? For her? So she won't be jealous and hurt? That girl doesn't treat you like you still exist, Al! That she had met you!"

I stared at my plate shaking my head. Not wanting to accept what she had said was right.

"Maybe you're just confused," she continued." Just because you had good times with her, she entertains your attention, and accepts what you give her, but that's how she treats the others."

I stared in alarm.

"Yes, Al," she repeated, "the others."

"But I love her." I said helplessly.

"And you would rather get hurt and die than fall in love with someone else but her?" Abby finished for me. "That's too deep Al, treacherous and impassable." She slapped some mayo to her salad.

"I think she's the one for me." I said watching her.

"The question is, does she think the same way too? I told you to tell her how you feel but she ignored you and it's her loss." She paused and took a bite of the salad.

"I guess that's the main problem; you loved her way too much that she'd forgotten she had to love you back even of only because you're human."

I was about to say something but she cut me off. "That girl has already got a boyfriend or girlfriends - whatever - she doesn't need another one; you could die and come back to life and she still won't give a damn. I hope you realize that so you won't get yourself worked up."

As I went on to stare at my cake, I could feel Abby's eyes on me. "You can always wait for another chance." I heard her say.

"What, like wait until they get tired of each other for real? I'd be hobbling around with a stick by then." I complained.

Abby smiled wistfully. "No, you didn't get my drift. Second chances don't always have to be with the same person."

"What do you mean?" I asked tiredly.

"What I mean is true love calls just once in a lifetime, but sometimes things go bad; you find that you love the wrong person. You have to release the one that you're holding and wait for the time when the right one comes along. It may not be the same person but it is still the same feeling. It's like being a leaf; you have to know when to let go and deal with it."

She left me there, contemplating about the life I had and where I had gone wrong.