Inserts

He turned her around to face him when he felt her tears fell into his forearm. He wiped her eyes with both his thumbs and leaned her head onto his chest.

“I’m sorry I’m such a crybaby.” She told him while her face was still resting on his chest.

His heart was beating a rapid rhythm at the moment so he pulled her toward the couch anxious that she might notice he was nervous.

“You’re really a good riddance of my unnecessary emotions,” she told him.

Josh sat in front of her and offered her the tissue container that he got from the corner table.

“How long did your relationship last?” he out of the blue asked.

She momentarily looked at him then started to speak.

“About 2 years,” she answered plainly while clearing her face.

“Two years?” “Wow that’s like forever!” he was surprised.

“Why not?” she looked back.

“Nothing, I’m just amazed.” “I never really had any relationship that would even last for five days.”

“Whaaatt?” “Why?” she’s curious.

“I don’t know, I think I’m not used to having a constant partner.”

“Why not?”

“Coz I don’t like any dramas,” he grinned.

“Dramas?!” “What about when I used to cry in front of you, isn’t that any drama?” she’s looking straight at him.

“That’s different.”

“How different?”

“I don’t know, it seems like I wanna see you cry then I wanna calm you down, I don’t know,” he just shrugs his shoulders.

“Really?” then she had a big smile.

“Why?” she asked again.

“There goes your endless why’s again!” he chuckles.

“Two years, wheeew!”

“Hey why not?” “You think it’s pathetic?” she said.

“You’re the one who said that, not me,” he shrugs his shoulders.

“I just remembered when I was your age, I courted this celebrity girl and I know I’m close to being her boyfriend when she found out that I’m courting another lady from our village at the same time, it turned out they’re my friends’ friends, then I got smacked,” he told her while touching his face.

“Ouch!” “Hahaha you deserved that!”

“What happened to them?” her cheerless face turned thrilled.

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask them.”

“You’re really bad!” “I wonder why there are guys like you?”

“Hey don’t say guys like me, it’s not fair, I’m one of a kind you know.” “This is my thing and this has nothing to do with any other guys,” he grinned.

“Okay if you say so.” “But why did you introduce me to your friends as your special friend before?” she candidly asked.

He was baffled. He doesn’t know how he can arrange his words suitably that it won’t mislead her to something else and would not suspect that he doesn’t care either.

“Because you are far beyond the ladies I’ve known,” he answered.

“Does that make me special?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Too many why’s!” he grinned.

“If you just answer them then you won’t get any more why’s from me.” “So, why?” she persisted.

“Because you’re different from all the ladies I’ve known. You’re always certain with your answers. You have those funny antics that I’m just crazy about. You seem to know life even at a young age. You’re a struggler but you are independent. And I just felt needed when you ask for my shoulders to cry on to. That’s what you are to me,” he seriously answered.

“Hey really?” “I didn’t know you feel that way,” she was touched.

“Gotcha!” “I’m kidding!” “I’m taking it back!” he played.

“What?!” “You’re so annoying! “Don’t take it back!”

“I take it back!” he laughs.

“Josh, it’s not funny!” she turned serious.

“Don’t take it back please!” then she displayed her pa-cute look on her face.

“Only if you’ll give me a kiss!”

“No way!”

“So I’m taking it back, beh!”

“Fine!” She stood up and crossed her elbows.

“Hey wait!” Andie interrupted.

“What?” he was curious.

I think I got a text from Carlo,” she said while scrolling the text from her cellphone.

“What’s in his text?” he suddenly frowned; he stood up and acted like he was snatching the cellphone from her grip.

“Gotcha!” “Hahaha! I knew it you’re jealous of him!” she told him while sticking out her tongue on him.

“Shoot!” he was caught. “What makes you think that I’m jealous?” he defensively answered.

“Come on Josh it’s really obvious!”

He just shook his head and covered his face. That’s what he was telling her about, her funny antics.

“But you know I think Carlo likes you,” he told her when they’re both settled.

“How’d you know?”

“Andie, I should know I’m a guy.”

“And what makes your instincts so accurate?”

“I don’t know, don’t you feel it?”

“No.” “I just don’t assume anymore and I stopped overanalyzing things if they’d show affection to me, only if they tell me straightforwardly so.” She replied.

“Why not?”

“Because there are better things to think of than that,” she said.

“So does that mean if somebody likes you, you wouldn’t care?”

“How would you know if somebody likes you?” she was testing him.

“It’s easy.” “If I smile at them then they smiled back at me then they’ll follow, that’s the start of it!”

“Really?” “That’s lame!” Andie said.

“Do you always give the first hint?” she continued.

“No!”

“Why not, you’re the guy?”

“Waste of time!” “I’d rather be alone than give the first hint to some girls I’m not even sure I’m gonna endure talking the whole night with.”

“Of course, I’d only dig on girls who make a move on me first,” he explained.

She raised her brow.

“But what about Mitch?” “I remember she made the first move on you,” she teased him. Josh was caught up again.

“Hey hey hey I’m not finished yet,” he continued.

“That was before, but now I changed my mind, I think I’d like to practice making the first move this time,” he grinned.

“Yeah right!”

“So how would you know if a guy likes you?” he asked her.

“I used to do that same “smiling trick” before,” she started.

“I was overconfident back in high school.” “I would hang out with my friends in our “tambayan” where cute high school boys pass along. After signaling us that the boys were coming, we’d spray cologne all over, the same scent, then we’d smile in line while facing them. That’s our trick. Then I end up having a prom date,” she laughs.

“Hahaha that’s lame either!” he told her. She frowned.

“Well that’s just my fun high school memories.” “But you know after my life with him, I became insecure. If I try that trick again like when I’m in the mall or somewhere else, that won’t sell anymore,” she displayed a bitter smile.

“Are you sure?” he teased. She just nods.

“But I’m still gonna buy it,” he thought to himself.

“Josh, why didn’t I see you smoke?” she curiously asked.

“You want me to smoke?”

“Just answer it!”

“Because I chose to drink than to smoke,” he remarked.

“You’re really one of a kind, I didn’t expect I’ll get that answer from you.”

“I know rich guys drink, smoke, drive and got busted,” she mocked. (Andie’s teasing opinion)

“Hey that’s below the belt!” “I’m not like that,” he exclaimed. She was laughing but then Josh turned serious.

“My uncle taught me all of these vices. He said if I want to live longer but with one, if not all, of the pleasures around me I should pick one between smoking and drinking.

“He chose to smoke then I chose to drink, now he’s already 6 feet under,” he said.

“Is that true? “I thought your uncle is still in the hospital?”

“No, that’s the other one.” He actually forgot he brought her to the hospital to see his alleged uncle. Good thing she didn’t notice.

“My brother used to hate him for taking me everywhere he goes.” “I learned to drink when I was 15 and then started gambling at casino at age 20.”

She was shocked.

“And your parents tolerate him?” she asked.

“There’s nothing they can do about it, but that’s another story, I’ll tell you some other time.”

“Okay,” she plainly answered.

“What about your uncle’s family?” she continued.

“He has no family.” “He thought it would be an interference to his lifestyle.” “That’s why my uncle used to argue with my brother about taking a commitment.”

“He said girls are just sex and money. You buy your own pleasure.” (according to Josh’s uncle’s principle)

“What?” Did he really mean that?” she was very curious.

“Yes coz that’s what he has been feeding me and it made sense when my brother’s girlfriend left him for another rich man,” he wretchedly remarked.

“How did your uncle die?”

“A year ago he was diagnosed with end-stage lung carcinoma then died that instant.” He perished with millions of debts from people and banks.”

“I delivered my necrological speech on his funeral but I didn’t cry. I was surprised not a single tear rolled from my eyes,” he remembered.

“Why?”

“I don’t know, I thought it was the end of my laid-back years, and I thought I should repair my life, but I’m unmotivated.”

“What would make you change your lifestyle Josh?” Andie asked him.

“We’ll know in time Andie, in time,” he calmly replied.

She just agreed. It was really a relief that they’ve finally vented out one of the heaviest predicaments that burden them.

“Tomorrow when we get back to Manila, our real world is waiting,” she told him.

“At least for a moment I stopped thinking only about myself,” Josh was delighted.

“What do you mean?” she was curious.

“Go figure!”

“No…I’m too lazy to think, come on tell me.”

“Analyze that…..,” he laughs.

“Hmmm anyway, thanks Josh, you showed me the different side of life.”

“And you gave me the best vacation ever!” she was delighted.

“Hey I should tell you that first,” he grinned

“How many months have we known each other already?” she asked.

“Uhmm 1,2,3……” he was counting through his fingers.

“Five months,” he answered.

“Wow that long?”

“Uh huh, I’m surprised I endured you!” he gave a silly grin.

“And I’m surprised you have a constant friend for five months!” she laughs harder.

“So we’re only friends right?” Andie said while it’s like giving him a hint.

“Yes.” “Friends.” he said while reaching for her hand.

“Best friends!” Andie shook his hand then.

“Nyee corny!” his eyes rolled. She just laughed.

The two decided to rest for the following day’s travel back to Manila. Andie’s mind is all cleared. She had signed out from her unfinished business to Olongapo. Her struggle with Josh’s feelings for her was also cleared. She’s now certain that Josh’s love and care for her mean nothing but friendship. It was all right that Josh exposed his true self that he has never shown to anyone else but her.

Are they gonna end up as friends only? Let’s find out!