When The Church Bells Toll

The Second Encounter

     He stood from the balcony of Tia Gertrudes' house, and looked at a faraway distance.   Leoncio made another puff of his cigarette. His computer turned on, cursor blinked forever, and opened on top of the metal brass table, waited for him to do some action.  For a couple of days the reply that he had been expecting, did not arrive. The rising temperature of the afternoon, added to the restlessness of his present moment. He was to leave in a few days and still, nothing favorable seemed to happen. For him, it was a matter of life and death situation.

     He hurriedly dressed casually and left the house without a word. He was sure of his steps, yet he felt agitated, he walked down the road leading to the town plaza. He passed by and had taken a quick glance of the Fuente de Agua, and walked until he reached the riverbanks of Ebro. He crossed the bridge and  took the concrete steps to the left. He checked if there were strangers walking on the bridge. His footsteps were quick and went down hurriedly under the bridge. He stayed there for a while. He lit up one stick of cigarette and remained standing under, for about an hour. The sun had started to set from the horizon, and had left a light and dark orange colored surroundings.  Then few people, who were on their way home appeared and walked by the bridge. After several sticks of cigarette had been lit up, butts scattered by the banks, he saw me appeared at the other end. Leoncio walked up the concrete steps on the side. Unaware of the impending action, I walked across like I usually do everyday on my way home. By the time I reached the middle portion,  Leoncio appeared out of nowhere and grabbed my hands and waist and pulled me down the steps that led to the hidden portion under the bridge.

     I struggled and tried to free myself from his grasps and attempted to scream but his hands covered by mouth.

    “Psssst… don’t scream, I’m warning you,don’t scream. I won’t hurt you, Celina. Please listen to me! Listen to me! I want us to talk. If you promise…”

     In this kind of situation, us alone, and without anybody around, anything can happen,  good or bad. What I needed right now was presence of mind. Keep calm, Celina, I thought. I nodded my head in agreement to his demand.  Leoncio removed his hands on my mouth and the weight of his heavy body on me as he pressed me on the concrete wall under the bridge.

    “Please step back…I can’t breathe,’ I told Leoncio. He let go of my hands. “Now, what do you want from me?”

      He looked at me and said, “I don’t mean to harm you, Celina, but you didn’t answer my calls nor my emails.

    “So?”

     “Why can’t you just give me some answers?” he demanded.

    “We don’t have a relationship, Leoncio. We’re not even friends yet, so why are you forcing me? Do you know what you’re doing right now – you are stepping on my boundaries! Next time around, I’ll call a police.

    Leoncio’s stoic expression changed into a subtlier emotion…but I’ll be leaving in a few days. All I want to know is, if there would be a chance for us to be friends.”

    “I can’t give you an immediate answer. But if you are in a hurry to have a friendly relationship, sorry but to be frank with you, I am not ready for anything yet.”

     “I need to go, my parents are waiting for me at home.” I knew I need to find a way to avoid this kind of confrontation in the future. “Okay, if you're sailing abroad and sending me an email or a call, I will answer it. But don’t pressure me into anything.”

     “That sounds better to me.” He curtsied in front of me and gestured his hands as if giving me the way...and said sarcastically,  "Your Highness, you can go now."

     I left with an understanding that this might not be the last time we will see each other after he leave for UK. I don’t know what will happen, but I can’t make drastic decision that will jeopardize my future.  For now, we both headed into two different directions. Only time can tell what the future holds for us.

     I walked myself home and felt a bit guilt-stricken for the things I said. His actions was not expected.  He was too proud to admit his mistakes. Ever since this thing happened and up until this time, I haven’t heard him say the word that could make a big difference to this situation – sorry. 

     The night started to fall and filled the surrounding with darkness. Leoncio felt like it was nature’s way of consoling him in this time of momentary bitterness. The moon hid behind the silhoutte of the trees and tall concrete towers of the Fuente de Agua, and cast a gloomy light effect on the river. Leoncio remained sitting at the riverbank and had thrown rocks into the water like the thing he used to do when he was a still young boy at Tobera. 

     "Nobody ever said no to Leoncio Marco, not even you, Celina."

      He lit up one stick of cigarette again like an old friend who appeared to console him. It was his way of calming himself down when he was feeling agitated.  He inhaled the smoke, and then he exhaled it out into the cold air of the night. He kept doing it until it relaxed his mind of some agony he was feeling inside, not only about the present moment, but also, the things of the past, about his mother, father, and now … me.