Ink and Prints

Chapter 27: Heaven's Despair

Memories we keep, fragmented in our thoughts
Haunts us in times when needed
Memories we keep, hidden in our mind
Visits us in times we do not expect 

_

     "Lumi, baba na tayo, we have to meet up with Carmela and Sol, remember?" I said to him. "Ah, oo. Gutom na rin naman ako, eh," he replied to me. "Nasaan na kaya sila?" I wondered. "Let me call them." Lumi proceeded to grab his phone and call one of them. "Hi, Carms. Nasaan kayo?" He said to the phone. "Okay, okay," he replied while nodding. "Nasaan sila?" I asked him. "They're at the food court. Tara, Luna," he said to me and he held my hand. We quickly went downstairs for we're actually hungry and Carmela and Sol may be waiting. 

    While we were quickly walking while holding hands, I looked at him and the hands that are intertwined, this feels so good, I went from rejecting this sort of thing to holding someone in the middle of the mall. I went from someone who stopped any advancements to one who wants to be advanced. It's baffling how he made me like this, it's baffling how he changed me. I wonder though, how this is for everybody. I've heard stories of their failures in love, I've also seen how Carmela cried because of her exes, and boy, let me tell you that those moments were really aggravating, you were pitying the person crying in front of you right now, at the same time, you really want to punch someone in the face or break their neck, it's funny. I hope that those things will never happen to me, I won't let it, and I'm sure that this man won't let me be hurt either, I've seen everything that he has done for me, and little by little, in my own way, I'm trying to also be the best for him. 

     "Hanggang sa mall naman holding hands while walking, Luna Selena, huh? Por que nagka-boyfriend ay sinagad-sagad mo na," Carmela said sarcastically when she approached us. "Gandang bungad naman," I annoyingly said to her while I rolled my eyes. I enjoy Lumi holding my hand, it makes me feel comfortable, and somehow it keeps me warm. "What do you want, Lunie?" Sol asked me. "Don't pretend that you don't know what I like here, Hel," I replied to him. Sol chuckled when I said those words, he should know, of course, he's my twin after all. "How about you, bro?" He asked Lumi. "Sinigang lang sa akin," Lumi replied to him. I really found a soulmate here, huh? Sol went out to order after getting our individual wants and we sat down the food court. "Lumi," Carmela called Lumi. "Po?" Lumi said. It can be noted that his level of comfort from earlier died down and he went back to being timid and shy around Carmela, I don't know if it's because of Carmie calling him out of nowhere, but I don't know. "Sorry if nadadamay ka sa kabaliwan ng babaeng 'to." She pointed at me. "May times talagang nababaliw lang 'yan." She laughed after she said that. I looked at Lumi and it seemed that he was very uncomfortable with Carmela's action, I can't blame him, even if he's all Mr. Confident like when he's around me, the anxiety that statement brings may still make his skin crawl. "Okay lang 'yun, Carms. Even if she's a whole load of crazy, I'd still handle her, no matter what," Lumi said anxiously. It's sweet and all, but I'll just forgive him if that's the case, Carmela will actually give me the heebie-jeebies if those were directed towards me. 

     "Lana, are you verbally abusing someone?" Sol said when he arrived. "Funny how you always said that to Luna," Carmela replied with a chuckle. "Hindi na kasi siya masyadong nagve-verbal abuse ngayon, e." He then proceeded to laugh as he brought the tray that he was holding down. "So, yeah. adobo for me, caldereta for Lana, and sinigang for Lumi and Luna." As Sol said those words, Lumi and I just looked at each other. To think of it, Lumi and I haven't eaten here yet, we're both very busy people, so we usually just resort to fastfood. We ate after that encounter, and during the meal, I actually glanced at Lumi, and he seemed like he was enjoying the food, who wouldn't though? It's sinigang. 

    After eating, we proceeded to bantering. "So kumusta naman cruise niyo, Carms?" I asked her. "Nakakaenjoy naman, Sol and I tried a lot of new things, new experiences, and ang gaganda rin ng mga nadaanan and napuntahan," she happily said. "Anong try new things naman, Carmela, huh?" I immediately saw the two of them blush, I looked at Lumi and we laughed really hard. "No, it's not that, Lunie," Sol awkwardly said. "Save the explanation, Hel." I went back to laughing after that. "Luna, how about your dissertation?" Carmela shifted to a more serious tone. "What about my dissertation?" I asked her. "I heard that Dr. Santos will be a panelist," Carmela said with concern. "That washed up physicist, huh? I'm sure I can handle him, Carms. Don't worry about it," I replied to her. "Okay, whatever you say," she said to me.