Wind and Sail

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dayn’s Point of View

“Dayn!” Napatingin ako sa direksyon kung saan nanggaling ang boses. Nakita ko agad ang mga kamay ni Luke na kumakaway sa akin.

When I came back here, Luke was the happiest. I was not, but he lit my world up again. He helped me get over that past, the group I was in before, he always makes sure that I am happy. He knew that one day I am going to leave, I am sure of that even though he doesn’t say it to me.

He is my one and only best friend here in States, we always eat lunch, and study together. Some people even think that we are in a relationship because we are so close and literally do anything and everything together. We knew each other since grade school, my parents and his’ are good old friends.

This is the last semester of first year collge here in Westville that I’ll be attending, soon enough I’ll be leaving to continue my studies in Philippines.

“Dito!” sigaw ko pabalik. “Saan tayo kakain ng dinner?”

Inangat niya ang mga plastic bag na bitbit niya.

“Sa riverside!” sabay pa naming sigaw habang tumatawa. We literally think the same, our brains nerves are invisibly connected with each other. Since high school we always share the same thought.

Napatingin tuloy sa amin ang mga tao sa paligid, iniisip siguro nila na nasisiraan na kami ng bait. Sa Riverside lagi ang picnic site namin. Ilang lakad lang ang layo mula sa school, doon ang meeting spot namin tuwing tatakas kami para mag-party. It’s hidden enough to be a meeting place.

“Anong binili mo?” tanong ko. “Patingin nga.”

Kinuha ko ang isang plastic na hawak niya para tingnan ang laman nito.

-McDonalds Chicken Nuggets

-Hot Cheetos

-Chipotle

-Chick-Fil-A

-Dalawang XL Whopper from Burger King

Tiningnan ko siya. “Hindi ka bumili ng inumin? Ano, yung tubig sa ilog iinumin na’tin?”

“Siyempre bumili ako, hindi naman ako tulad mong tanga,” sagot niya. Maangas pa ang boses na nang-aasar.

“Talaga ba, Luke-a Luke-a?” asar ko.

“Oo, Celesti-liling sa utak. Baka nakakalimutan mo, once nalimutan mo na bumili, ano nangyari ha? ‘Diba muntik ka na mamatay dahil nabulunan ka tapos wala ka nang choice kundi inumin yung tubig sa ilog? Yuck, baboy mo talaga,” he said with disgust in his voice.

We are very competitive; both are prideful, but we always keep our book open. No one can ever bully him or say bad things about him, kung mayroon man, ako ang makakalaban niya. There once was this situation that we were arguing about some stupid thing, then someone joined. We both turned to her, and she then went home crying. We felt bad for her after that, so we gave her a bar of chocolate with a note that says “Do not get involved in someone’s business. Hope you learn your lesson, it’s free.”

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad dahil sa sinabi niya. I looked at him unbelievably, how dare is he to mention that again?

“You prick-” Hinubad ko isang ang slip-on ko, nang nakita niya iyon ay tumakbo na siya para sa buhay niya. Binato ko iyon sa kaniya at tinamaan siya sa likod ng kaniyang ulo.

Ngiting tagumpay ako hanggang sa makarating kami sa riverside, pero naglaho iyon nang madatnan namin na may mga lower graders na nakapuwesto sa puwesto namin. Nagkatinginan kami ni Luke at tinanguan ang isa’t isa. Napag-usapan na namin ang gagawin kapag nangyari ang ganitong sitwasyon.

That place is ours; we can even buy this land if we would want to. Oh yeah, I should pitch that idea to him.

“Look at those kids laughing and invading our territory. Having fun, huh?” He’s glaring at those kids like a predator who’s about to attack his prey.

I cracked my knuckles, and neck. I warmed-up my voice, I let weird noises come out of my mouth. I glanced at our plastic bags filled with our food hanging on a trunk of a tree. He did the same thing I did and looked at me with his pamatay na smirk, as he calls it.

“On your mark,” I said, preparing for an attack.

I messed up my hair, smudged my eyeliner and lipstick, just to look like as if I cried my eyes out.

“Three, two, one!” We both ran towards the small group of people sitting and laughing in our beloved place.

I stopped near them and started yelling at him. He kept his distance from me, just enough for him to hear whatever I’m going to say.

“No! Don’t come near me! I will kill myself in this very river where we first met and had my first kiss!” I yelled dramatically at him.

Now, I can feel that all eyes are on us. I smiled at the back of my mind, everything’s going according to its plan.

“Then go kill yourself! I do not love you; I never did! All those moments we had together were all fake! Huh, so stupid of you to fall for my charms and games. You think someone like me will like you back? I think you are dreaming awake,” he yelled back.

I upgraded my acting skills. “You tricked me!” I acted surprised and hurt about everything he just said.  I drastically put my hands on my chest and shook my head.

“Stupid b***h,” he said. He was about to turn his back and walk away but I started crying fake tears.

I cried, “If you leave me, I’m going to die! I will curse you and your whole family, up to your grand, grand, grand children! I will steal their souls and bring hell in their lives! And every person who went and claimed the places where we met and kissed, I will burn their souls in hell!”

I looked at the small group of people who are in our place, their eyes were instantly filled with fear. I started mumbling words that I, myself don’t understand. I made them up to look like I am putting some curse to them.

As I walked slowly towards them, they started panicking, they picked up their belongings quickly and ran away as fast as they can.

I heard them whispering with fear in their voice while running away, saying that I am crazy, and that they will never go back to that place again because it’s cursed.

When they’re all gone, we both burst into laughter. Our knees weakened because we were laughing so hard.

“OH MY GOD! HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR FACES?” I laughed out loud. I feel like my stomach’s going to explode anytime.

Nakahiga na ako sa damuhan katatawa. Sumasakit na ang tiyan ko at naluluha na. Ilang beses ko rin narinig magmura si Luke.

“Yes!” Luke agreed.  “They looked like their gonna pee their pants and cry!”

“Oh my lord in heaven forgive us, we are evil!” I wiped the tears of joy and naughtiness.

After a few minutes of laughing, we finally stopped because I cannot take it anymore. Whenever I remember their faces… I just burst out laughing again. There was never a dull moment when I am with Luke.

We started eating while laughing, Luke almost choke, good thing that he bought two bottles of one liter coke. We drank it as if it was just water. If my mother sees this, she’d want to put me back in her womb and just abort me.

We left a piece of plywood with its stick stuck in the ground that says⁠—

“THIS IS WHERE WE MET AND HAD MY FIRST KISS!”

-you know who

Few days after that wholesome scene, I finally told Luke that I am going to continue my study in the Philippines. I’ll be second year college student then.

He glanced at me.“What? Philippines? You’re leaving? When?”.

“Yeah, no, I mean yes,” I answered.

“Why?” Luked asked continuously.

I muttered, “This weekend.”

The space was filled with silence. I heard him sighed.

“You have a life here already, why bother going there and start a new one?” he spoke after a few minutes.

“I miss my family. I am not starting a new one, I’m continuing it like how I do every day. But I want a new environment, I want to know myself more, I want to get out of my comfort zone. And I think I am ready to go back,” I explained.

He knows why I am here; it’s because my parents threw me here to self-reflect and think about the life decisions I made back then.

“Okay.” He suddenly hugged me, and I heared him crying.

“Okay? That’s it?” I let go of his hug with my confused face.

Luke sighed, “I understand. You already made up your mind and I know I cannot stop you from doing it. At least God gave us six more months to create another set of memories. But if you ever get tired there, you can always come back to me. I’ll held onto you forever.”

His words made my heart feel finally at calm. I sighed in relief, I sat down on the grass and started letting go of the tears. “I thought you’re gonna get mad. Oh, I’m so lucky to have you! The girl you’re gonna marry is so f*****g lucky. I am jealous of her.”

“Bet she is.” He sat beside me. He removed his jacket and put it on my back.

“You know that this is not an easy decision for me to make, right?” I asked.

He nodded. He smiled a little, not showing his teeth. His face looks genuine, soft, and his presence makes me feel safe.

I started, “It was really hard. There was never an evening I did not think of this. It’s going to hurt the both of us, it’s sad and days without you would be lonely.”

“Yeah. The place we met and had your first kiss is not the same as before if you aren’t there.” He chortled.

I chuckled. “Yeah, that Riverside.”

I had a short flashback of everything that we did at the Riverside. Our picnics, that time when we swam there, the almost death of me caused by choking, tried to fish there, midnight meet up to go to a party, the dramatic scene with kids, the signage, the kayak that flipped, so many memories. We really had a good time there.

“I’m gonna miss that place,” I said.

He looked away and said, “I’m going to miss you.”.

I noticed that his voice grew quieter.

“So do I,” I said placing my head on his shoulder.

We stayed like that for a little while.

“Let me walk you home,” Luke said standing up.

He wiped his hands on his knees trying to get the dirt off. He helped me get up, he wiped the dirt off my hands and knees as well and fixed his jacket that is on me.

Look at this man, so… caring

Few weeks has passed, and it is time to leave States behind and move forward. It’s time to go back to Philippines after so many years. I got accepted in one of the most prestigious school there.

“Hey, remember what I always say to you. To-” he said.

I interrupted him. “To call whenever I miss you. To keep myself away from any mess, take care of myself, and always trust my instinct. I knew what you’re gonna say, okay? Calm your s**t down, we will still be seeing each other. I will visit States and London because my bestfriend is there.”

He frowned. “You forgot-”

“I didn’t. And to always listen to my parents. I know.” I took my last baggage from his hands; he wasn’t ready to let the baggage and I go.

He started sniffing, oh my god he is starting to cry.

“Damn. Do not cry, maiiyak din ako!” I said, holding my tears back while slightly stomping my feet like a kid who did not get the doll she wanted.

He held my forearm. “Why can’t you just study here for the whole college? Or come with me in London?”

“Oh no, we already talked about this, aren’t we? We will be fine, we’re rich don’t you remember? You can always fly to Philippines with a private plane anytime.” I explained, trying to bury the sadness with laughter.

I heard my flight being announced, we both knew it’s time to go. We held hands then hugged each other.

I whispered I love you, so did he.

I grabbed my baggage and walked away, but before I hand my ticket to the attendant, I ran back to him and hugged him again.

“I knew you were going to do that, go in. I’ll be fine. That was the greatest six months of my life, Dayn. I love you until forever falls apart,” he said.

When I left Philippines for high school and to continue my first year of college here, it didn’t hurt as much as it did now. Saying goodbye is a hard and a painful thing to do, I never wanted to leave but I knew I had to, I needed it, and I am ready to continue the life I left in the Philippines. I knew I belong there, and my time here is done.

Leaving people that you’ve always known and loved is painful. You are entering a new world, the world that is unknown to you. New environment, new people, new experiences, new memories.

I hope I don’t regret this decision. I hope this turns out well.

With every memory we created together, I nodded and get myself moving. 

Riverside, Westville, and Luke, ‘til we meet again.