Chances

XII. Walking Away

The present…

James is looking at the clear, blue sky.  He is listening to Devon’s story and how they travelled to Baguio and how everything lasted for almost two days.  It was a weird and a funny story. He tried a few times to close his eyes and go back to that faithful day, but he could not.  He tried to get the memories back but all he sees is darkness with white spots. 

James looked at Devon. She was sitting silently beside him. He looked around. They are in a gasoline station, that gasoline station, where they supposedly walked under the rain. Where they supposedly shared a kiss.  Supposedly.   He looked ahead.  They were sitting in a quiet corner, under a tree, away from the maddening cars which kept rolling unto to the station to get their tanks refilled.

Devon looked at the man sitting beside her.  It took them a few hours to get here. The trip was a silent one. James pretended to sleep, trying to avoid any conversation. Devon tried to get a shut-eye, too. But the emotions are too much to contain. This would be the turning point for her.

When James asked what they were doing in the gasoline station, Devon told him everything.  What happened two years ago. If it was able to trigger any memory, Devon could only guess, for his face showed or betrayed nothing.

How long is he going to be silent, thought Devon.  

What should I say to her, James kept thinking.  

James looked at Devon. For a slight second, he felt something warming his heart.  He wanted to touch her face, run his hand through her hair.  He wanted to pull her in his arms. Why? James asked himself. Why?

James averted his eyes and took a deep breath.  “Is that the reason why I broke the engagement with Allie?” James asked.

Devon could not answer. She was hoping more than that. She was hoping that he would know what happened next.

“Why you?” asked James bluntly. “I’m sorry, but I need to be honest Devon. Why you?”

Devon felt something pulling at her heart. “I don’t know.”

“Cause if I am happy with you, I would’ve remembered,”  James said.

Devon felt the pull became a squeeze. Her heart felt it was going to burst from the pain.  “I wanted to know why, too.”

“You know what,” James faced her. “I remember what kind of girl Allie was to me. She was the best. And I can’t understand why I would throw away something that I have shared with Allie for a long time for somebody that I have only met a few times.”

“If I have the answers to all your questions,” Devon responded. “I should have provided you the answers, two years ago.”

“You got me thinking,” James started to say but Devon placed her forefinger against his lips, signing him to be quiet.