XVI. Lost and Reborn
Time could either work for you or against you. It could either heal the wounds or leave a nasty looking scar that would make you feel the pain, over and over again. Time could either be your friend or your worst enemy.
For Devon, it was neither. Two months after she and James parted ways, time was unable to heal her wounded heart. But time helped her get numb. She feels sad whenever she would see their photographs together, but she no longer cried. She would feel pain when she hears Bren and Freya silently talking about James carefully trying not to let her hear, but she no longer cried. She has been moving through her duties and work responsibilities, mechanically. She’s fulfilling her task but she no longer feels triumphant. She has continued her life, but the past proves to be difficult to forget.
For James, it was both. In two months, there were snippets of things he would remember: the death of a friend’s father, being promoted, or an old neighbour who moved away. It was random, and in those random images he would always see a glimpse of Devon in his memory. Her smile, her laughter, even her tears. And in every random thought, he would feel a pang of pain on his chest. Physically, he has healed perfectly. Allie was also wonderful to be with. But there would be times when he would feel that something was missing. Something was not in its proper place. He would shrug the feeling off, but it would come back, again.
And again.
And again.
Allie and James were in the mall and stopped on a record and video store. Allie was checking the CD shelf, with James standing beside her. He was smiling at each of her comment about the recording artist, when something caught James’ eye. He saw a shelf of animated films. He started to walk towards them. It was a weird assortment of films, but only one CD stood out. It was the first OVA of Bleach, aptly titled “Memories in the Rain.”
James took the CD out of the shelf and looked at it. He remembered watching and talking about it. He felt Allie standing beside him.
“You’re gonna buy that?” Allie asked, weirdly.
James smiled and nodded. “I want to watch it again. We’ve watched it before. Your favourite character was Rukia, remember?”
Allie looked at James and shook her head. “I have never watched that before. Not even with you. I don’t even know what that show is about.” She turned away and started to browse through the other CDs.
James looked at Allie. We haven’t watched it before, James wondered. But I remember watching it with somebody and having a great time. Could it be?
****
“Devon, you need to get out more,” Freya pleaded.
“I’m fine,” Devon insisted. Freya and Yen will be attending a friend’s birthday party. They were trying their best to coax Devon out of her pajamas and go out with them. “I like to stay home tonight.”
“My gawd,” Yen countered. “You’ve been staying inside the house for two months. The only time you’ll leave the house is when you go to work.”
Devon shook her head and started to munch on a cookie. “Not true. I went out with you guys, the other night.”
“That’s not even qualified as going out,” Freya insisted. “We only went out to get dinner. And it was a take-out.”
“Still I went out,” Devon pointed out. And started to walk away from her friends.
She knows that her friends meant well, but partying is not her kind of thing. Back in college, she would only go with them just because she does not want guys stalking her friends. But now, Bren would be with them, so there’s nothing to worry about.
