He Says, She Says
They were in their favorite place to hangout that afternoon. It wasn't the usual coffee shops or malls that they usually go to during the week, but the small park located in the middle of the bustling business district. It was almost sunset, and the sky was slowly changing its colors from pink to orange to red, then finally to purple gradually changing to blue. She told him it reminded her of how her favorite niece colors the flowers in the coloring book she brought her. To him, it just reminded him of a gradient he used for a graphic he made at work. But he didn't say that to her.
She sat across him on the cooling ground, tucking her legs neatly under her to be comfortable. He put the bag he carried on the space between them, pulling out bottled drinks and a bag of chips that they found out they both liked during one of their long conversations before this.
And they talked. About work, about family, about life. She drank his words and he absorbed hers, forgetting that the world existed around them. They stole glances at each other even if they were used to talking like that -- him wanting to catch the sparkle in her eyes as she talked animatedly and her looking forward to see his smile light up his face.
It wouldn't seem like a big deal if they were only friends, period. But they weren't. At least, they know to themselves that they don't see each other as simply friends. She secretly likes him, while he knows he is starting to fall for her. They know that to themselves, but to each other, no one has any idea.
So they remain as friends, for both of them fear that if one of them made the first step, their friendship would be gone, just as how the sky's colors change from one color to another at the end of each day.
Suddenly, they reached the part of the conversation where most people fear to talk about but end up talking about anyway: the state of their hearts. They beat around the bush for a while until finally, she found the guts to ask, So...are you in love right now?
He didn't answer at first, wondering how he would say what he wanted to say. But because he was afraid for their friendship, he decided to tell her about some girl who was really nonexistent but really, well, her. He told her that he was falling for this girl, who he really wanted to pursue, but doesn't have the heart to because he was afraid of getting hurt and to hurt the girl and their friendship. He told her about how he found her so attractive, how she seemed so together and sure of herself. He described her as someone who can light up the room when she enters, how her kind words can uplift any spirit, and how she made his days happier even with a single IM message. He told her how he wanted to be the one to take care of the girl into forever, to be the one who would smile at him the moment he wakes up in the morning to the moment he falls asleep at night. He told her all of this in hopes of making her react, of making her ask who that girl is and maybe then he could reveal it to her.
She smiled at this, but a tiny little ache started poking her heart once he described the girl he is in love with. The ache grew until she felt like she couldn't stand it any longer, and then he finished his monologue with a sigh. He looked at her, waiting for a reaction. She took a deep breath and smiled, and started on her own story.
She told him about this guy who she seemed to be really good friends with, and is slowly making his way towards her heart. She told him of the guy who could make her laugh and cry with happiness, the guy who she can carry long conversations with all night and feel like it still wasn't enough. She told him of the guy who she admired because of his maturity, of how he handled himself. She said he wasn't like the other guys who still cared about boy things, but a guy who seemed to be genuinely serious about what he wants to do in his life. She told him of the guy who knew how to treat women, and how much he cares for his family which she thinks is endearing. She told him of the guy who made her feel safe whenever they were together, like she never had to be afraid as long as she is with him.
As she was saying this, she wondered if he will figure out that she is talking about him and not some other guy. But how could he, when he's so smitten with the girl he just talked about?
He looked at her as he described the guy, his heart shattering into little pieces as she talked. Her eyes sparkled little as she talked, but he knew from the way she spoke that she had set apart her heart for this guy. How he wished he could be the one.
She finished and her eyes met his. She wondered if his eyes looked a bit watery, but maybe it was just the darkness that is starting to cover the sky. His lips moved into a small smile, and gently, he reached over and patted her hand like the friend he has always been to her. She smiled back, but her heart wanted to scream, It's you, it's you!
They fell silent, both of them thinking deep thoughts as the stars started to appear on the night sky. Without a word, he stood up, brushed his pants and offered his hand to her to help her up. She took it and pulled herself up, all the while thinking how comfortable his hand was to hold. She brushed her pants clean and the two of them start to walk back to their respective vehicles.
I had fun today. She said. He said likewise, and both of them fell silent again. A little while later they stopped, about to go their separate ways. She wondered if he will say anything else, and why was he being so silent all of a sudden.
He looked at her again, his heart aching and defeated. He knew she was someone else's, and all he could do was be happy for his friend, as she was probably happy for him. He reached over and squeezed her hand and said sincerely, I'm really glad you're my friend. She said nothing, and her eyes were unreadable, but she smiled.
Good night. She said.
Good bye. He replied.
And they left.
She sat across him on the cooling ground, tucking her legs neatly under her to be comfortable. He put the bag he carried on the space between them, pulling out bottled drinks and a bag of chips that they found out they both liked during one of their long conversations before this.
And they talked. About work, about family, about life. She drank his words and he absorbed hers, forgetting that the world existed around them. They stole glances at each other even if they were used to talking like that -- him wanting to catch the sparkle in her eyes as she talked animatedly and her looking forward to see his smile light up his face.
It wouldn't seem like a big deal if they were only friends, period. But they weren't. At least, they know to themselves that they don't see each other as simply friends. She secretly likes him, while he knows he is starting to fall for her. They know that to themselves, but to each other, no one has any idea.
So they remain as friends, for both of them fear that if one of them made the first step, their friendship would be gone, just as how the sky's colors change from one color to another at the end of each day.
Suddenly, they reached the part of the conversation where most people fear to talk about but end up talking about anyway: the state of their hearts. They beat around the bush for a while until finally, she found the guts to ask, So...are you in love right now?
He didn't answer at first, wondering how he would say what he wanted to say. But because he was afraid for their friendship, he decided to tell her about some girl who was really nonexistent but really, well, her. He told her that he was falling for this girl, who he really wanted to pursue, but doesn't have the heart to because he was afraid of getting hurt and to hurt the girl and their friendship. He told her about how he found her so attractive, how she seemed so together and sure of herself. He described her as someone who can light up the room when she enters, how her kind words can uplift any spirit, and how she made his days happier even with a single IM message. He told her how he wanted to be the one to take care of the girl into forever, to be the one who would smile at him the moment he wakes up in the morning to the moment he falls asleep at night. He told her all of this in hopes of making her react, of making her ask who that girl is and maybe then he could reveal it to her.
She smiled at this, but a tiny little ache started poking her heart once he described the girl he is in love with. The ache grew until she felt like she couldn't stand it any longer, and then he finished his monologue with a sigh. He looked at her, waiting for a reaction. She took a deep breath and smiled, and started on her own story.
She told him about this guy who she seemed to be really good friends with, and is slowly making his way towards her heart. She told him of the guy who could make her laugh and cry with happiness, the guy who she can carry long conversations with all night and feel like it still wasn't enough. She told him of the guy who she admired because of his maturity, of how he handled himself. She said he wasn't like the other guys who still cared about boy things, but a guy who seemed to be genuinely serious about what he wants to do in his life. She told him of the guy who knew how to treat women, and how much he cares for his family which she thinks is endearing. She told him of the guy who made her feel safe whenever they were together, like she never had to be afraid as long as she is with him.
As she was saying this, she wondered if he will figure out that she is talking about him and not some other guy. But how could he, when he's so smitten with the girl he just talked about?
He looked at her as he described the guy, his heart shattering into little pieces as she talked. Her eyes sparkled little as she talked, but he knew from the way she spoke that she had set apart her heart for this guy. How he wished he could be the one.
She finished and her eyes met his. She wondered if his eyes looked a bit watery, but maybe it was just the darkness that is starting to cover the sky. His lips moved into a small smile, and gently, he reached over and patted her hand like the friend he has always been to her. She smiled back, but her heart wanted to scream, It's you, it's you!
They fell silent, both of them thinking deep thoughts as the stars started to appear on the night sky. Without a word, he stood up, brushed his pants and offered his hand to her to help her up. She took it and pulled herself up, all the while thinking how comfortable his hand was to hold. She brushed her pants clean and the two of them start to walk back to their respective vehicles.
I had fun today. She said. He said likewise, and both of them fell silent again. A little while later they stopped, about to go their separate ways. She wondered if he will say anything else, and why was he being so silent all of a sudden.
He looked at her again, his heart aching and defeated. He knew she was someone else's, and all he could do was be happy for his friend, as she was probably happy for him. He reached over and squeezed her hand and said sincerely, I'm really glad you're my friend. She said nothing, and her eyes were unreadable, but she smiled.
Good night. She said.
Good bye. He replied.
And they left.
Labels: on a whim
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