BOOMERANG
By: Jerilee Kaye
“What goes around… comes around.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Christine…
She was the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning. Her smile lingers in my memory and the idea of seeing her again would have a stronger effect than three shots of any form of caffeine in my system.
I smiled as I reached for my cellular phone to send her a good morning SMS.
Good morning. Pick you up in an hour?
That was my usual line. Thousands of flowery words come to my mind, but somehow I haven’t worked up the courage say any of them to her. I have attempted about a hundred times to slip in something Shakespearean, but somehow, I find myself pressing the clear button and settling for my usual Good morning lines. Casual. Warm. Platonic.
I have given her no hint of what she really meant to me. She was my madness. My addiction. But I never found the guts to tell her… or show her anything beyond friendship.
I picked her up in my new Lexus in exactly fifty-five minutes. I waited patiently, as I know she would make me wait for at least fifteen minutes, which she normally does.
And just when my patience started waning, and I feel the first temptation to blow the horn to ask her to hurry up, the front gate opened and she emerged, looking sassy in a skintight low waist denim pants, plain Sabrina top, her light brown hair tied in a pony, with curly locks falling seductively on both sides of her angelic face. She didn’t wear any make up, save for the lip gloss that made me want to plunge for but a taste of her pouting lips.
She looked almost virginal. And yet, she has that look of an angel fallen from grace as well.
Christine drove half the guys in our college crazy. But nobody has managed to catch her. Some who almost had, I have managed to drive away before they taste the first doses of their success. She was a prize. And even if she doesn’t know it, I almost feel like she was mine.
Christine and I have been the best of friends since we were in junior high. And up until college, we were inseparable. I went to our university, even though, other universities of higher standards have given me scholarships. Because what would my college life be, when I had to live with nerds, and bookworms… when I wouldn’t see Christine’s beautiful face every single day. It will never be enough. I will never be complete.
“What did you dream of last night?” She asked me sweetly.
I stared at the road ahead for a full minute, before I slightly turned and looked her in the eye.
“An angel.” I whispered solemnly.
She smiled. A smile that brightened her illuminated face even more.
“Well, I hope angels would come for us soon.” She said. I can hear a sound of frustration in her voice.
I smiled to myself. She is lonely. She is waiting. For me, she is ready. This means I should start working up the courage to show her that I am more than meets the eye. More than a car pool in the morning. More than a shoulder to cry on. More than a friend to lean on.
“Soon, my dear. Soon…” I managed to whisper. And I know I meant it.
I called her that night. An hour after I am certain she had her dinner. Two hours after I know she had finished all her homework. Three hours after I dropped her off her front gate.
“What type of angel are you looking for?” I managed to ask her.
I could imagine her having a dreamy smile on her face.
“Well… nothing fancy really. Just the normal guy-next-door. Someone who could make me smile. Someone who wouldn’t pressure me. Someone who could wait for me to be ready for every single phase of our relationship. Someone smart… and gentle… and caring… someone who could make me laugh. Someone protective. Someone who gets me.”
I smiled to myself.
“Do you have someone in mind for me, finally?” She teased.
I nodded even though I know she can’t see me.
“Jan!”
“I’m nodding.” I said.
“Really?” She asked.
I couldn’t make out if she was excited or nervous this time.
“Soon.” I said simply.
We talked about other things in school. Some of them even gossips. I indulge her with her girl talks. I didn’t like to gossip, but I know listening to her sentiments and the things she picks up from the girls’ locker rooms when she changes for cheerleading practice would work to my advantage in the future. And the future doesn’t seem so far away.
I waited for a week. I will take it slow, I decided. I didn’t want to scare her off. I didn’t want her to stop trusting me. I wanted to show her that there is no one else perfect for her.
And today, is Day One.
I have thought about how to woo her over and over. I will not say what I feel for her. I will not say the flowery words I longed to say to her—yet! I intend to give her all the silent signals… drive her crazy thinking why I am doing it… until I will become a permanent figure in her thoughts… and she finds herself thinking about me, not in a platonic way.
“Oh it’s so cute!” She wailed when she saw the big teddy bear on the backseat of my car.
“Glad you liked him. Because he’s going to occupy your bed starting tonight.” I said.
Her eyes went wide! She gave me a hug.
“Thank you! I love him!” She said. “You are so thoughtful. How do you know I’m still gaga over teddy bears?”
“Every girl still is.” I winked.
She smiled again. And I know the memory of that smile will linger in my thoughts for the next weeks. Because I caused her that smile.
“Are you doing something tomorrow night?” I asked.
She stared at me thoughtfully. “Why?”
I shrugged sheepishly. “I was just thinking we go out. Have dinner somewhere. Unless you were planning a girls’ night out with some of your pom-pom buddies.”
She smiled again. “It’s a date!”
It’s a date! And I thought working on Day Two will be all too hard! Whew!
I took her to Tagaytay. She slept comfortably in the passenger seat for most of the trip. I wanted to reach out, and touch her. Or hold her hand. But I remembered… take it slow. That was the game plan. And it wasn’t like me to make unnecessary diversions.
When we arrived there, I had a dinner reservation for two.
She was impressed… or at least I thought so.
“You didn’t have to go through all the trouble, you know.” She giggled. “But still… I wouldn’t trade this for any other restaurant in the city.”
Day Two: Mission Accomplished. Flawlessly.
We arrived home at three in the morning from Tagaytay. I know that she would snuggle into the teddy bear I gave her and sleep until one in the afternoon.
And that is why I picked her up four-thirty to take her to church. This is my Day Three. We’ve never gone to church together before. But a lot of couples do. And from this day forward, I intend to go with her every single Sunday.
She appeared from the front gate wearing a white skirt that reached down to her knees, and a red V-neck blouse. She tied her hair in braids. She looked so simple. And yet so elegant. Looking so prim, she would doubtless still make heads turn in church. And I am the one she is with.
My Christine, I breathed silently before she got in the car.
Everything was going according to plan. I was thanking my own angels for the way things have been going smoothly.
But like any other perfect and simple journey, humps were sure to appear along the roads.
On the parking lot, before she got into my car, she was accidentally bumped by another churchgoer. Someone above average in the looks department, much to my own dismay.
“Derek!” She beamed.
And she knows him too! What are the odds???
“Chrissy! I am so sorry. I didn’t know it was you!” He said.
It made me want to ask, And if it wasn’t her, you wouldn’t be sorry at all? But I know when to keep my mouth shut.
“It’s okay. I didn’t know you go to the same church.” She said.
He nodded. “Yeah. I go here every Sunday.”
What are the chances, right?
“By the way, Derek, this is my best friend, Jan.” She said looking over at me.
Derek smiled at me warmly. On the other hand, I raised a brow.
“Nice to meet you, Jan.” He said politely, offering his hand.
I took it, but I didn’t say a word. I squeezed his hand to send a signal. To my surprise, he squeezed my hand as well.
And that is when I knew he was a threat. I was sending him a message. He was sending me one too.
I would guess, he meant to say, I hope we get along well, I like your best friend. I am pretty sure, I meant, Stay away from her. I am marking my territory.
I didn’t call her after I took her home. I am positive about the progress I am making. And sometimes, the cliché is true. Absence can make the heart grow fonder.
So Day Three didn’t turn out exactly how I planned it to be. But there is always Day Four to look forward to. And like I said, I wasn’t one to make unnecessary detours from the game plan.
I woke up early to pick up the roses I had ordered from the florist. I placed it on the backseat. I planned to tease her… tell her I just decided to give some girl some flowers… and I would give it her when we arrive in the campus.
For the first time, she appeared on her front gate, wearing a black skirt, and a floral pink top. Not only that, she was wearing light make up.
I bit my lip. I was completely bewitched that it took me a moment to decipher the news she was excitedly telling me as soon as she got in.
“What?” I asked.
“Derek! He called me last night! We talked for hours!” She said beaming. “He was in many of your classes! How come you never mentioned him?”
I stared at her, trying to control the cold fury that is clouding my sanity.
“I didn’t know him.” I said calmly and I drove on.
“He knows you though. He said you were the smartest in all of the classes that you shared. I told him that it’s not news to me. You were brilliant.”
“Thank you.” I said quietly.
“Jan…” She said slowly. And I knew it was coming. I knew I wouldn’t like the rest of what I was about to hear.
I just raised a brow at her for a short moment and continued to drive.
“He asked me out. I said yes.”
I almost stepped on the breaks harder than normal when we got to the stoplight.
“Ouch!” She said. “Drive carefully.”
“When?” I asked when I finally manage to get a grip of my temper.
“Tonight.” She replied.
“Why tonight? Why so sudden?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes. “Hello! It’s Valentines’ Day!”
I know.
“It’s the first Valentines I am going to spend with a potential boyfriend in years.” She said happily.
I didn’t say anything anymore. Afraid that if I do, it wouldn’t come out nice.
She turned to the backseat and saw the roses.
“Wow! Whose are they?” She asked.
I took a deep breath. “For my… mother.” I lied.
“Why?” She asked.
I stared at her for a moment, and then I said, “It’s Valentines’ Day.”
Day Four was a disaster. I sulked in my bedroom. I played Aerosmith over and over, and I must have smoked two packs of cigarette in the balcony of my room, while I drank six cans of Strong Ice.
I am not going to call her. I want her to feel that I wasn’t okay with the whole situation, and somehow, I wanted to believe that she would care if I was okay with her dating some guy or not.
I received a call from her by one in the morning.
“You’re still awake! He kissed me! Oh my God, Jan, I felt wonderful! And he gave me roses! He was the first one to give me Valentine Roses in years! Do you know what this means?”
“That you made it so easy for him to court you?” I snapped.
“Come on, Jan. Please be happy for me. I have been waiting for months, maybe even years, to feel some excitement like this… like my life is about to change.”
“I’m not saying I’m not happy for you. Just… just tread carefully, okay?”
But she didn’t tread carefully… nor slowly. Derek became her official boyfriend two days after Valentine’s day. Which means, he got her after his Day Two.
So my Day Four up to Day Ten was a complete disaster. I even lost the privilege of being her car pool. How convenient of Derek to live in the same neighborhood as mine and Christine’s!
Day Eleven. I got a call from Christine when I went home.
“I miss you.” She said. I could almost imagine the tears in her voice.
“Well… we’ve got different things on our minds. We’ve been both busy lately.” I said casually. But inside, I wanted to scream! I wanted to go to her house, and just crush her in my arms. And tell her I love her! That I have always loved her! That I can give her more than what Derek could! His was just an attraction. Mine was pure love… selfless love!
“Let’s meet up. Come to my house in an hour. I miss hanging out with you!”
I took a quick shower. My heart was beating wildly in my chest. I am going to see her! She missed me.
But when I got to her place, she was waiting for me at the gate, with Derek’s arms wrapped around her.
I couldn’t speak. I have been trying my best avoid them in the campus. They have been all over the place, lately, snuggling, kissing, enough to make me want to puke, apart from the fact that my heart is already shattered.
“Come on. Let’s, the three of us, go out.” Christine said cheerfully.
I stared at Derek. He stared back at me and then shrugged.
We went to Malate for drinks. I tried to disguise the pieces of my broken heart with some fake smiles. Derek, on the other hand, looked like he was having fun. He was always trying to strike a conversation with me. It looked like a question and answer portion for a while, until I realized that this guy is trying to reach out to me.
I felt a smile tug on my lips as a plan begins to hatch at the back of my mind.
By the time the night is over, I was convinced that my plan will be brilliant. Derek is not the first guy I will drive away from Christine. I have triumphed in the past, what would make it different this time around? It might require some desperate measures, but if Christine is the trophy I will take home by the end of the day, I am willing to risk it.
When we got back to Christine’s house at three in the morning, Derek was quite convinced he has won my vote. He got my number, and said that we should hang out one of these days. I simply smiled and nodded and then I took his number instead.
“I’ll let you know when I am not busy.” I said.
“Come on. You are always busy heading those Student Council things of yours.” He said. “Christine would be happy if we could be friends. It would mean a lot to her.”
You already thought she would die for you, you asshole! I thought. But I simply nodded.
I managed to stay away from the limelight of their relationship for the next nine days.
Day Twenty, I sent an SMS to Derek.
Jan here. I’ll be in Malate tonight by nine PM.
By nine sharp, I received a message from Derek.
I’m here in Malate already. Where will we meet?
And we did meet. Over a couple of beers and cigarettes, I was slowly winning Derek’s trust. He was pouring in details of his personal life to me. His lousiest dates, his first love, how he lost his virginity. And through it all, we were having a good laugh. I hated to admit that he doesn’t seem like a bad guy. But I won’t let that cloud my own judgment. I’m on a mission here, and I intend to accomplish it.
From then on, I was hanging out with Derek more and more. Like what they said, Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. And Derek doesn’t know that I am his Nemesis.
He seemed too eager to please me. To gain my friendship and my trust. But no matter what a good and responsible guy he would prove to be, he will never earn my vote for Christine. He is not the right one for her! I am!
I used my popularity to my own advantage. Soon, Derek was joining my campaigns in school. He was too happy to have easily become part of the circles I move in. He was hanging out with Student Council officers, varsity players, debate club members. I was happy to indulge him with new friends and new company, so long as he doesn’t spend too much time in the bleachers in pep rallies, where my Christine is going to be.
And soon enough, I know that my brilliant plan is working. He is spending more time being a part of committees in the campus that he barely finds time to spend with Christine.
Day Thirty. Christine came back to me. She was unhappy. She asked me to go out with her. And I am more than happy to finally have time alone with her again.
“He doesn’t have time for me anymore!” She said pouring her heart out.
“He’s busy with school activities. He’s heading committees for the council.” I said casually.
“But you were the President of the Council! And you manage to talk to me everyday!” She countered.
I shrugged. “Some guys can only focus on one thing. Some can multi-task.”
Day Thirty-Three. One of the biggest moments I am waiting for finally happened.
Christine and Derek had a major fight. She nagged him about not having time for her. He was happy to ask for some space.
Then, he came to me. I knew he needed a friendly advice. Someone to shed light on him. And he chose me. And so I thought, this is my time. The time to push the limits has finally arrived. Desperate times call for desperate measures. And I will not give up now that I have come so close.
All it took are just some shots of Tequila, a few glasses of hard drink, a few words of consolation, and some expert techniques in manipulation.
I have this one night to use to my advantage. One night to put a serious blow to their relationship.
I stared at Derek. He looked so peaceful with his eyes closed. He didn’t know what hit him. I looked at him one last time, and with a smile on my face I walked out of the room.
My brilliant plan worked. I managed to break them up by Day Thirty-Four.
It took a while for Christine to recover. But I made sure that I was always there. She might think that she will never trust in love again, but I will make her believe that love will conquer everything. And she can learn to trust again.
I will give her the time. Derek is out of our lives for good. And I can pick up where I left off.
From Day Thirty-Five onwards, Christine and I went back to the way we were before Derek bumped into her in the church.
Day Eighty-Five. I figured I have waited long enough. I have stood in the shadows far too long. Day eighty-five will be my big day! Day eighty-five could make or break it for me. And I won’t take any more chances. I will come to take what is rightfully mine.
She was sitting in my bed, flipping through magazines. The night before, I have bought her a ring. I planned to give it to her tonight, when I would tell her exactly what I feel for her. When I would tell her that I have loved her over the years. And I will give the ring to her as a sign of my commitment to love her in the years to come.
But something was not right. I was feeling sick to my stomach.
“Are you okay?” Christine asked me when she noticed my uneasiness.
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. The world is whirling. Everything doesn’t feel right. Then when I couldn’t hold on anymore, I ran to my bathroom and threw up everything I ate that day.
I stared my reflection in the mirror. That moment was a reckoning for me. I closed my eyes in dismay. When I opened them, I saw Christine’s reflection behind me. I turned around and looked at her lovely face.
She was searching my eyes for answers. I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her how beautiful she was. I wanted to tell her that I remember the very first day I laid eyes on her.
But on this moment, when I planned to tell her how much I love her… all I could say was:
“My period is two months late…”
