IV | Following You

HE woke up in his bed because of his own smell, he stinks and he smells like liquor. He even looks like a man whose business closed down.

He cursed when he started to move, his body aches and he feels so heavy. He didn't even remember heading home last night.

He stood up from the bed lazily and went to his bathroom for a hot shower, he needs it because it's good for an aching body and because he stinks.

When he finished, he wore a white v-neck t-shirt and his shorts. And when he got out of his room he was shocked at the discovery, it's his friends, Zitron is watching on his television and Sirius is cooking their breakfast.

"Good morning bro, you are heavy and my body aches." Zitron even massaged his arms acting really hurt.

"Why are you two even here?" he asked and looked at them seriously.

"Wala man lang pasalamat! At 'good morning'!" singhal naman ni Siruis habang nagluluto ng pagkain nila.

A moment later he received a text message... He creased his brows, reading what he received. It is a message from Mira.

She may never come back, for the meantime, She's in New York and this is the only help I could give you.
-Mira

He stilled when he finished reading the message. His friends didn't seem to notice him. Why would Mira help me? he asked himself. Who would help a jerk like him? But Mira did, maybe because Mira knew what Zaph really feels and he can feel it too.

A week after...

He was standing in front of Zio's unit and left a bouquet of flowers. Her favorite, daisies.

He pressed the doorbell and ran as fast as he can to the corner where Zaph won't see him...

AND AS she opens the door, she is confused and looked around the hallway but she didn't see anyone. She picked up the flowers and smiled. Whoever gave this, it's so sweet and I wish to see him. Sabi niya sa isip niya.

While hiding he felt that she smiled and that made him feel good. At least I can still make her smile. He smiled but he became startled when Zio came out of the elevator and saw him. He can see the anger in his eyes kaya napayuko na lamang siya.

"Pyros, make sure you take care of her. Never do a thing that would hurt her, just love her and that's enough for me to trust you." Zio told him on the day that Zaph agreed to be his girlfriend.

"What are you doing here?" Zio asked, maintaining his cold and dark aura.

"I–I wanted to see her—" he didn't finish his sentence when Zio said something.

"Mag-usap tayo, pero hindi dito." sabi nito sa malamig niyang boses at muling naglakad papunta sa elevator, sumunod nalang siya rito. Nakakabingi ang katahimikan nilang dalawa ngunit hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin nang muling nagsalita si Zio.

"Stop sending her flowers every day, my unit is becoming a flower shop," Zio said with a serious face.

"How did you know?" he creased his forehead and asked him.

"Tayo tayo lang ang nakakaalam ng paborito niyang bulaklak Pyros. And why would our brothers leave flowers on the front door if they can knock and get inside." It wasn't a question, it was a statement of truth. He stayed silent for that, barely composing himself to say something.

"I will let you talk to her Pyros only if she agrees," napatingin siya sa binata at sakto naman na tumunog ang elavator. "Communication is everything, or else you'll fully lose each other." Zio said when Pyros got out the elevator and he pressed the button to close the elevator and go up again.

THE next day Zio messages him the place where he could meet her. It's an Italian Restaurant, Zaph likes Italian foods so he thanked Zio for finding a good place.

He waited for her and she came, there was an awkward silence between the both of them that made Pyros uneasy.

He wanted to ask her something after they eat but it doesn't come out of his mouth.

"You want to say something, speak." It wasn't a statement from her, it was more of a command.

He cleared his throat and, "Uhm, do you want to go somewhere else?"

"And where would that be?" she asked her and he told her his plans for their last night together.

She actually felt disappointed when he said that it will be their last night together. She felt sad that he doesn't want to patch things up, he said he wanted them to talk and she is clearly waiting for an explanation.

When they arrived at the place that he wanted to go with her, he was happy that she agreed to talk to him.

It was a moment of happiness as well as sadness for both of them.

They are laughing like there's no tomorrow and they are talking about both of their happy, epic, and embarrassing moments together. The time that Pyros is a shy boy who asked her to be his date on the prom.

But at a sudden point, they just stop and became serious. He reached out for her hand and held it. She is confused about what he's doing but she let him hold her, she didn't feel being uncomfortable being around him.

"I'm sorry that I chose to find my needs from another person and not from you. It's just I felt like you don't really love me," he said as a tear rolled down his cheeks. "I am selfish about that, and I admit it. I don't want to blame you because you didn't do anything," another tear escaped his eyes, and Zaph dried them and nodded at him. "Please give me another chance Zaph, please let me help you heal the wounds I made, please let me help you fix this. Just don't push me away, you are my air Zaph." he looked at her intently with those pleading and teary eyes.

She looked back at his eyes and wiped his tears, "Of course I'm giving you a chance! But only as friends, that is the only chance I could give you, I'm giving you a chance because I know in my heart that you're the only line who can fix me Pyros. And if you're going to ask me and beg me to forgive you, I already forgave you Pyros, because I do understand that it's partly my fault." she said and forced a smile, but she just can't stop her sobs until she cried her heart out. And with that she felt Pyros hugging him tighter and tighter, she missed his hugs where she felt safe and protected.

"I'm sorry Hon," he said and she felt him smile at her. They stayed like that for a long time, being comfortable in each other's arms.

But disappointment never left their minds. He's disappointed at himself as well as Zaph to herself. Maybe they had to end like that and start off as friends again.

After their dramatic moment, they laughed.

"Ang drama naman," she said between giggles.

"Yeah." he agreed but he isn't laughing anymore, he's smiling and looking intently at her. Like she's the only girl he's ever seen, it looks like he doesn't care about any other girl.

He is staring at her while she's laughing, it's been a long time since I saw her laugh like this. He said in his mind and with her laughing, he can't help but smile.

"Thank you," he said that made her look at him confused. "...for giving me a chance," he added and caressed her cheeks, and because if that she felt a bit awkward so, she turned her face away from him.

"Let's go?" she shifted her gaze somewhere else and he felt that she is feeling uncomfortable so he agreed.