Sunshine

LVIII

BREAKING news. Kahilom’s incumbent mayor Romualdo Costales is currently facing charges of r**e. The case has been filed at the Kahilom Supreme Court earlier this day through the Kahilom Police Station. The alleged r**e victim is Olivia Magbanua, who is to be noted as the assailant on attempted murder of Mayor Costales. This r**e case is now viewed as a motive of the attempted murder. The public on the other hand is divided on this matter. Some says…

“The news are out.” Juan delivered in his deep low voice, trying to sound monotone as he could. He wanted to say the next words with more conviction than worry. It was his effort to comfort and assure Olivia, we could say. “The court is now counting the r**e case as one of the evidences of the attempted murder. We’re not really sure how that will help your case, but the court is not denying anymore that you are just also victim of Costales―”

“My lawyer will fill me in with the details later, Juan. Stop talking about it already.”

Juan sighed. With Olivia’s words he pursed his lips on the matter, trying to set aside the growing worry in his heart. It was not Olivia that he needed to try to put at ease but himself, actually. He’s just denying it. Simply because he didn’t know how he would do it. But all he needed to do was to start accepting that it is inevitable to worry. And that it is almost natural to feel scared. After all this is the situation that they are currently in. They are currently in the middle of the havoc of lawsuits and courts and jail. Olivia behind the bars, and him outside left with a job to throw whatever to the court that will help him take Olivia out faster. He has now accepted it— actually long ago. His efforts are not now to save Olivia from touching the cold railings, but to at least not let her touch it for the rest of her lives.

“What? Are you just going to stay quiet there and waste your not so long visitation time?”

“Right. We’re not allowed to stare forever. That will be a waste of time.” Juan joked. Now they’re breaking into small laughs and smiles. The tension on Juan’s shoulder that he uselessly put up on himself finally gone. “Now that being said, do you have a story stored there that you’re willing to tell me?”

“Stories…” Olivia trailed, thinking. “I have many stories to tell, of course. But I never really thought about which of them to tell you first.”

“Just something that won’t hurt.” Juan said thoughtfully. That was a resolution to himself. From now on, if he could and to the best he could, he will now avoid talking about things that hurts.

“Well, Alex and I were friends on college. We met like twice I think during the finals week as graduating students, and once before that and those were all just passing meetings. You could say we just barely said hi. And that’s it.” Juan only stared as Olivia traced her good old memories, only giving hums of agreement as much as it is required. Juan loved the way how Olivia talked right now. How her eyes sparkled as her tongue flicked all the words needed to complete her story excitedly. She looked beautiful. Juan was glad he is now seeing the chatterbox Olivia actually is again. Just like how they were as kids.

“And then I saw her again. On the very graduation day. She looked like she got cooped up on her seat, too uncomfortable and wanting to escape. Well I was bored and sitting in on a boring ceremony for hours just to get a sealed paper was a pain enough so I dragged her out of the hall. And there I found out his boyfriend at that time, your very best friend Carlos Ignacio broke up with her. He broke up with her on that supposedly happy day.”

So this was the other side of the story. The other side of that very same day when Juan and Carlos also skipped the graduation ceremony to knock themselves out with drinks on his house. Juan on that day was all ready to go to the auditorium dressed on a well-ironed dark colored shirt and slacks paired with shiny shoes and waxed hair when Carlos showed up on his door, looking all shabby in worn-out tracksuit and black shirt he always saw his best friend dressed with. That’s when he learned Carlos had broken up with his girlfriend of his entire college years and that they will be skipping the ceremony today.

“But why did they broke up? I never thought of asking Alex myself now that I thought of it.”

“I’m afraid that’s not my story to tell. I don’t know, too.”

“Now I wonder.” Olivia flashed a face that fits what she just said. Her eyes sparked in another light that is comparable to a curious cat, her lips twitching in a pout accompanying it. She looked cute, once again. Just like how Juan remembered.

No one knows if Olivia realized this but she is the most comfortable with Juan. Since they were kids, and the years they were separated and the situation they are now in did not taint it really. It was a feeling deeply missed. Moments that thought long gone and that is why it tickles their hearts. Now that they are living in it again.

Olivia will forever be a kid to the boy she considers her brother.