Chapter 6 — The Things We Come Back To
893 Words
The next evening, Jerinah Lopez arrived at the park earlier than usual.
She told herself it was accidental.
But deep inside, she knew she was hoping to see Drecel Suarez again.
The sky was painted orange by the setting sun while cold wind moved gently through the trees. Children were slowly leaving with their parents, and the fountain lights had just turned on.
Jerinah sat quietly on the bench.
For once, her mind felt calmer.
Not peaceful.
Just… less loud.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached.
“You stole my seat.”
She looked up immediately.
Drecel stood there holding two bottled drinks.
“You have a seat assigned here now?” she asked.
“Obviously.”
“That’s embarrassing.”
“So is pretending you didn’t come early.”
Jerinah rolled her eyes while accepting the drink he handed her.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
This time, the silence between them felt comfortable.
Not awkward.
Not heavy.
Just quiet.
Drecel leaned back against the bench while staring at the sky.
Just quiet.
Drecel leaned back against the bench while staring at the sky.
“You know,” he started, “I’ve been thinking about what you said before.”
Jerinah immediately looked nervous again. “About the argument?”
“Yeah.”
She looked away quickly. “I already apologized.”
“I know.” Drecel smiled slightly. “This isn’t to make you feel guilty.”
“Then what?”
He stayed quiet for a moment before answering honestly.
“I think you were right about one thing.”
Jerinah frowned.
“I don’t fully understand what you’re carrying.”
The honesty in his voice surprised her.
“But I want to try,” he added softly.
Her chest tightened unexpectedly.
Nobody had ever said something like that to her before.
Most people either avoided her sadness or acted like they could magically fix it.
But Drecel simply admitted he did not completely understand.
And somehow, that felt more comforting.
“You really think too much,” she muttered quietly.
“You know,” he started, “I’ve been thinking about what you said before.”
Jerinah immediately looked nervous again. “About the argument?”
“Yeah.”
She looked away quickly. “I already apologized.”
I know.” Drecel smiled slightly. “This isn’t to make you feel guilty.”
“Then what?”
He stayed quiet for a moment before answering honestly.
“I think you were right about one thing.”
Jerinah frowned.
“I don’t fully understand what you’re carrying.”
The honesty in his voice surprised her.
“But I want to try,” he added softly.
Her chest tightened unexpectedly.
Nobody had ever said something like that to her before.
Most people either avoided her sadness or acted like they could magically fix it.
But Drecel simply admitted he did not completely understand.
And somehow, that felt more comforting.
“You really think too much,” she muttered quietly.
“You really avoid emotional moments with insults.”
“That’s my personality.”
“That’s your defense mechanism.”
Jerinah laughed despite herself.
For a while, they talked about random things again. School stress. Weird classmates. Childhood memories. Stupid internet trends.
Normal conversations.
The kind Jerinah forgot she could still have.
Then suddenly, Drecel spoke again.
“Can I ask something serious?”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“Why do you always look like you’re preparing for people to leave?”
Her smile disappeared slightly.
The question hit too accurately.
Jerinah stared at the fountain for several seconds before answering.
“Because people do leave.”
Drecel stayed quiet.
“Sometimes they leave by choice,” she continued softly. “Sometimes life takes them away. Either way, you still lose them.”
The pain in her voice was impossible to ignore.
Drecel looked down briefly before speaking carefully.
“I can’t promise nobody will ever hurt you again.”
“I know.”
“But not everyone leaves immediately either.”
Jerinah swallowed hard.
She hated how much those words affected her.
Part of her wanted to believe him.
Another part felt terrified to.
Because hope was dangerous when you already knew what loss felt like.
“You know what’s funny?” she said quietly.
“What?”
“I almost didn’t come to this park anymore after our fight.”
“Really?”
“You’re very irritating.”
Drecel laughed softly. “Fair.”
“But…” She hesitated. “I kept coming back anyway.”
The air between them changed slightly after that confession.
Not romantic.
Not dramatic.
Just honest.
And honesty was harder than people realized.
Drecel looked at her carefully before speaking again.
“I’m sorry too.”
Jerinah blinked. “For what?”
“For acting like wisdom automatically means understanding.” He smiled weakly. “Turns out emotions are more complicated than philosophy quotes.”
She laughed softly at that.
“Finally. Character development.”
“Relax.”
Another comfortable silence followed.
The fountain lights reflected gently against the water while the city slowly darkened around them.
For the first time in a long while, Jerinah did not feel completely alone.
And beside her, Drecel realized something important too:
Some people were not problems to solve.
Sometimes they simply needed someone willing to stay.
- Writer
