Mila

A boy

Darren lit another cigarette and took a pause. He pulled the windows down and let the cool breeze enter. Mila had put on his jacket again and appeared comfortable on her seat.

He asked if she wanted him to stop. She shook her head. So continued to tell her his story.

Darren spent years looking for Theo. The rich woman did give him a chance, she would help him graduate and get a job. It took him a long time to decide and when he did, his mind was set to give up on Theo. But by the time he went to the woman's house, she had passed away.

He tried to continue with his life and lost his boyhood. He was made a man after all the tragic events in his life. With his determination, Darren finally got his degree.

Opportunities opened for him. He got a job at a local office and seemed to be doing well. Life was starting to smile at him. But fate had other plans.

He was making errands for his boss when he came upon Pomeron Street. It was there when he saw a somewhat familiar figure. He squinted his eyes against the moving crowd and thought that he knew the man on the shop. With closer inspection, Darren found Theo.

He had built himself a shop. His name was carved above the doors. Behind the register, he appeared none too important and irrelevant. But his eyes, those wonderful gray eyes, were nothing like anybody else's. Darren rushed to meet him and Theo was surprised. He had given up ever seeing him again but here he was.

Darren wanted to hug him but he knew better. There were customers moving about and he could not embarrass Theo here. So he waited until he was given attention.

Under his observation, he noticed that Theo appeared older that his actual age. When they finally had the chance to talk, Darren heard the his side of the story.

It turns out that, when Theo left, the hospital had cleared his bills but his sickness wasn't cured. He would either have to go to another hospital or extend his life with medications. Darren said that he should have supplies of medicine that was good for some time, as that was part of his agreement with the woman.

Theo laughed and said that the woman may have been rich but she was also smart. She had paid his doctors but the medication will never be free. And when they were shamelessly found at the hospital, Theo decided to extract himself and give Darren a chance at life.

Ever since then, he had worked his ass off to provide for himself. And this was were he was now. A wooden carver who owned his own shop. He may still be sick but at least, he could afford his medication and extend a few years on his lifetime.

Theo had dismissed him and told him to forget their past. He had found solace in this place and there was no chance they could be together.

He did not bother Theo for sometime but obviously, he could not resist. Darren kept coming back and continued to ask for another chance.

Everyday Theo would send him away and close the shop whenever he came. It had been like that for almost two years now. He still had not lost hope.

Darren blew smoke into the air and ended the story there. He threw the cigarette out and closed the windows back up.

Mila sat up. She still had no words to say but she listened without fail. Darren turned to her with sad eyes and said he was sorry. That his intimacy with her today was sinful. She was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

She could only nod as a sign that she forgave him. Darren glanced at his watch and noticed it was now past two o'clock. He pulled out his keys and started the engine. Mila sat back and held unto the seatbelt.

They travelled in total silence. He parked on the same parking space and escorted her back to Pomeron street. With a quick glance at their surroundings, he extracted a few bucks and gave it to her. He offered to see her tomorrow and perhaps they can find a place for her.