It's Always Been Us

24: Friendship, Love and Loyalty

"Coach, what are we doing here?" She was wondering why he brought her back to the chapel where they've met before. All she could remember was he came knocking on her apartment very early that morning and managed to convince her parents that he's gonna borrow her for a few hours. It surprised her that her parents are so eager to let her go with him.

"Let's get off first, shall we?" He alighted from the driver's seat, opened the door at the passenger's seat and assisted her in getting down from his pickup.

He took his guitar and pulled her towards the chapel.

"What's up with you coach? It's still early in the morning. I think the chapel is still closed." She said as she walked hand in hand with him.

They stopped before the chapel door. "Do you remember this spot?" He asked.

"Yeah, you bumped into me!" She said, memories of their collision still vivid in her memory.

"I don't think so..it's more apt to say we bumped into each other." He smiled. He tried to push the chapel door but sadly, it is still locked.

She gave him an 'I-told-you-so' look.

"Let's wait for a few minutes, shall we?"

They sat on the stairs leading to the chapel. He started to pluck the strings of his guitar with a song that he was still trying to finish.

"Is that a new song you're writing?" She asked as the tune is not familiar to her.

He was surprised. He didn't expect her to know immediately.

"I love the melody, it's kinda intriguing. I wonder what the lyrics are," she said smiling at him.

"You'll be the first one to hear it once it's complete. I think I am already 99% finished with it," he said, feeling a little nervous.

"Let me hear it now, I don't care about the one percent that's lacking, I wanna hear it please," she was trying her best to convince him to sing his new song to her but from the looks of it he is determined not to.

He shook his head.

"Coaaach!" She wailed and acted as if she were about to cry, when the chapel doors opened.

"There goes the chapel door, come on." He helped her stand up and they were greeted by the chapel's caretaker.

"Good morning! What a beautiful morning and a lovely couple we have today!"

"Hello!" She smiled and waved.

"Thank you, thank you!" He said.

He recognized the cap that the chapel's caretaker was wearing. It was his GSW cap that he left on the pew that fateful day that he collided with her. He was sure it was his cap as it has a small letter B stitched on the left side panel of the cap. He does not regret that he left the cap. Had he not forgotten the cap, he might not have found her, so he wouldn't have it any other way.

They entered the chapel and walked to the front pews.

"What are we doing here early in the morning?" She whispered to him.

He motioned her to sit on the front pew as he sat beside her. "Well, you've prayed and poured your heart out here right? At this very same spot."

She nodded, remembering.

"I have to make a confession."

Her forehead creased.

"That day that you were pouring your heart out, I'm sorry that I made up stories about you."