XX. The First
Devon was walking aimlessly. It was dusk, the sun is gently setting behind
the soft-looking clouds. She arrived in the Philippines yesterday but decided to say anything about it to her friends. She went straight to her Tita Aiz who was staying with another aunt. They were eager to have her stay at their home.
Devon decided against calling her friends and letting them know that she’s already home. She does not want to bother them with her problems, after all she’s adult enough to handle her fights on her own. She was walking along the Bay area. It was already afternoon, but adults and children are still walking along the pavements and seated on sea walls.
She saw a park cradled by several trees. There were children playing in the playground. They were all running around, riding the swing or taking turns in the slides. She walked towards an empty swing, under a tree, and sat down. She watched the several cars passing her by.
She took a deep breath. Life is hard. But at least, experiencing difficult things right now would make other problems easier, she thought. I don’t have to fear life and love anymore. She rested her against the ropes of the swing.
She was seriously lost in her thoughts and was unaware that a man was walking towards her in the park.
****
James was walking aimlessly. He has arrived in Manila shores last night. He went straight to Devon’s apartment only to find out that she was not there. Where the hell is she, he thought. He is willing to search the country’s seven thousand islands just to see her again. Last night, he kept calling her phone but her number can’t still be contacted. He sighed in frustration. Last night was yet another restless sleep for him. His body is tired, but he can’t rest.
This afternoon James had this urge to walk in the Boulevard. This was one of Devon’s favourite places. She does not care if the sea smells to fishy sometimes or if there are too many children tugging on her and asking for coins or some pieces of bread. This was the place where one of the best sunsets happens. This is one of the places where the sun kisses the earth.
This is one of her favourite places and James remembers.
He sat down on a bench and looked at the setting sun. He was unmindful of the screaming and laughing children and even the smooching couples, who were only a few feet away.
James turned his head and saw the best sight he could possibly see in the last few days. There she was. Seated on swing, only a yard away from him. Devon, he thought. His heart was caught in his throat.
Devon felt somebody was staring at her and looked around. And ‘lo and behold, it was James. Is he an illusion, have I been thinking about him too much, that he actually manifests in front of me, she crazily thought.
She removed his eyes from him and stared at him. Devon closed her eyes and counted until five.
James saw her look at him and then looked away. It’s not her, they just looked alike. Is she for real, he thought. He looked away and closed his eyes. He started to count until five.
After five seconds, James glanced at Devon’s direction. Devon at his. When their eyes met, they knew. This was not a figment of their sub-consciousness. This is the real thing.
James smiled and walked towards Devon.
Why is he smiling, Devon thought. Run, was the first thing that her instinct told her. You don’t want to get hurt again. But she held on the chains of the swing and waited. A child occupied the swing beside her and James has to wait for his turn. It took a few swings before the child got tired. James held on the swing and sat down beside her.
