Who We'll Be

“Symmery, wake up!”

A loud screaming and a feeling of extreme dizziness made my senses become completely aware of my surroundings as I lay on my soft and comfortable bed.

I opened my eyes.

I realized my mom had been shouting and trying to shake me into consciousness for a while now, and judging by the expression in her features, there’s obviously something going on.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked, yawning.

“Dress up and fix yourself, dear, quick. Eric’s here. He’s got something really important to tell you.”

* * *

I obediently followed what my mom said without asking, and after a few minutes, I went downstairs and found Eric walking back and forth in our living room. He was looking so terrified and frantic, that I had a feeling that he’ll go crazy if I make him wait any longer.

“Eric? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

“Sky." He said as he suddenly stopped walking and looked at me. "He’s what’s wrong.”

My heart stopped.

Okay, something is absolutely going on.

“What…what do you mean?”

Eric walked the room towards me and gripped my shoulder, and his eyes bored into mine with a serious emotion bursting inside them.

“Sky. He’s at the airport. He’s leaving. Right now.”

His words tried to reach my heart and mind for them to sink in, but it didn’t.

"He called me today. He told me to..." He tried to smile. "...he told me to take care of you. And said that if I break your heart like he did, he'll come after me, break my face, and throw my dying body deep into the ocean."

"Oh."

It was all I could say.

He looked at me sternly, and sighed, defeated.

"You know, Symmery...in these past weeks, I've been noticing something about you."

I puzzlingly looked at him, surprised by his sudden change of subject.

"Huh?"

"Your eyes."

"What about my eyes?"

"Everytime I gaze into them...they don't look truely happy..." he explained. "...unless you're with him."

"Eric..." My eyes stung as his words struck me hard on the chest. "What are you saying...?"

He gripped my shoulder and smiled. "I'm setting you free, Symmery."

I smiled at him....

...but he scowled. "But if he breaks you're heart again, I'll be the one to throw his body deep into the ocean. I'm sure about that."

"Eric...thank you."

''For what?"

"Everything."

He smiled wider.

"Now what are you waiting for? Go after him before it's too late."

* * *

As soon as Eric parked the car, I thanked him for everything again, gave him a gentle peck on the cheek, and ran inside the airport as fast as my feet could handle.

The airport was packed as usual, filled with people meeting and crying and stuff, making my search even harder for me. The screen thingy with the flight schedule indicated that the next flight to Jersey will be at 12:00 PM, and I felt my chest heave as I gave a frantic look at the clock hanging against the wide snow-colored wall of the place as it ticked my heart away.

11: 30 AM.

I urged my feet to run faster.

I won't just let him leave me like this.

I won't let him leave me again, like he did when we were young.

There's just too much secrets left unsaid. Too many feelings left hidden. Too much events happening when they shouldn't be...

I reached the assigned area after getting a bit lost, despite the fact that I'd been here many times—maybe the thickness of the crowd overflowed my sense of direction. And to my greatest sorrow, there wasn't any sign of Sky anywhere.

I walked around for minutes, until I felt that I practically scanned the whole airport.

Still couldn't find him.

I checked the other sites, and my legs were starting to give, and there's still no sign of Sky.

Maybe... ...he had already left earlier?

Harsh tears came streaming down my cheeks as I came to that conclusion, and flames of hope started to burn out inside me.

Finally, I decided to sit on one of the chairs in the waiting area...

...and I started crying my eyes out. I felt like a kid lost in a crowded place, but I didn't care. I looked at the clock again.

11:50 AM.

The clock ticked as seconds passed...

...and little by little...

...my hopes started to completely fade out.

I can't find him...

...because he's not here anymore.

That's when I started crying like crazy, and my tears were almost completely blinding my view...

...when...to my uttermost surprise...

...I finally saw him.

Embers of hope suddenly started flaring inside me as I saw his delicate frame, standing all alone with his hands in his pocket, his luggage beside him, and was expressing no emotion his features at all. For some reason Lauren wasn't anywhere in sight, and I'm glad she wasn't.

He's still here.

"Sky!" I shouted.

He turned and looked around, and when he finally saw me, his cold eyes widened as they expressed overflowing emotions—surprise, confusion, guilt...and for some reason, a twinge of pain.

"Symmery?"

My feet ached as I sprinted until I reached where he was, as tears continued to fall violently from my weary eyes.

I looked at him.

"So you're just gonna leave without even saying goodbye?! Is it your hobby to break my heart or something?"

"Symmery, I..."

His electric-blue eyes grew wider as he tried to utter what he wanted to say, but shock overtook his words.

I ignored his senseless babble and wrapped my arms around him, planning on never letting him go.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I yelled, sobbing hard. "Please...don't leave..."

His body suddenly froze.

"You don't...want me to leave...?" he muttered puzzlingly as his tone expressed his confusion. "Why...?"

Seriously? He's even asking this?!

"Because I need you here with me!" I practically screamed. "I love you!”

He looked more stunned than before. "You...do?"

"O-of course I do, stupid!" I was stuttering, because I was crying so hard. "It's impossible for me not to!"

"What do you mean—"

I didn't let him speak anymore. My arms around him gripped tighter, and my lips zealously collided with his, letting my hopes burn at it's highest peak. After a while, he embraced me back just as tight, and let me sink into him as his lips corresponded to mine. I don't care if he has a girlfriend. She could bitchslap me all she wants for this, but I'd still be willing to do it over again. When we had pulled away, we continued to hug each other so tight, while I was still sobbing uncontrollably.

“God, Symmery! Why are you telling me all this now?! And what about that guy?"

Despite everything that's happening, I still find it cute whenever Sky couldn't remember Eric's name.

"He...let me go." I tried to stop my sobbing. "So I could be with you."

"Oh."

"But I guess it was for nothing, since you're going away and you love Lauren—"

"I could break up with her right now if you want."

Um...REALLY?!

...oops, I meant...WHAT?!

"Sky...that's mean! You can't just let her off just like that!"

"Yeah, sorry...I'll tell her my true feelings when we get to Jersey."

I rested my lips on his shoulder.

"Besides...I'll never love anyone more than you."

I was so shocked by this, that I had to grip on his shirt to stop my knees from giving.

Suddenly, I felt his arms began to slowly release me.

"Don't let go yet!" I ordered, and I started crying so loud again, that I felt like I could seriously drown everyone in the airport if this keeps going.

He smiled.

"Okay."

His arms gripped me tighter.

"Sky?"

"Yeah?"

"Just...DON'T GO PLEASE!" I cried out, louder than I ever did.

"Symmery...I can't just—"

"You really like hurting me, don't you?!"

"Of course not!"

I felt like I was almost crushing him with my grip.

"Then don't go..."

"Symmery. I want to stay. I do. I do." He held my face, and began sprinkling my eyes and cheeks with soft kisses. "But I realized that I really need this, you know...I need to fix some stuff with my dad and..."

That's when I realized what he's been going through.

His family.

His only family.

About his dad.

His life.

I realized...

...I'm not the only one who need him right now.

And this time...

..as much as it hurts...

..I'll support him. Our love can wait...

...I hope.

And that's the moment when I heard loud steps as someone came nearer. I looked around, and I found Lauren standing a few feet away from us with her luggage beside her, looking away, as she said, "Sky, we need to go now." I was still hugging him, and I don't know why she's just letting me do it. Maybe she knows he'll be all hers after this anyways.

After I had managed to stop my sobbing, Sky stepped back and lowered his head, and held my jaw with his fingertips. "You be good, okay?"

I just looked at him.

“You won't forget me, will you?" I asked, closing my eyes and clutching the sleeve of his shirt.

"I've been trying to do that in the past few days, actually. Turns out I can't."

"Good then."

"Let's go, Sky." Lauren said as she walked past us and awkwardly nodded goodbye to me. She headed towards the door, leading to the other side of the airport, until she disappeared from my view in the sea of people.

Teardrops streamed down like waterfall against my cheeks, knowing that he'll be gone after this very moment.

"Don't cry. I'll leave my heart with you. Besides, I'll come back, I promise." He smiled as he grabbed my hand, and tenderly put it in his chest. "And when that day comes, I swear...I won't let you go."

I bit my lip.

"So...there's no need for goodbyes, right?"

"Yeah."

He smiled.

"No need for goodbyes."

He was about to follow Lauren, when he suddenly stopped.

"Oh, and by the way..." He held me by the waist and kissed my forehead. After a while, he leaned down, until I could feel his breath sprinkling beneath my lips, and whispered, "...I love you."

And gave his one last, quick, heartfelt kiss.

"I love you too," I whispered back. He let go of me and walked away with the crowd, where Lauren had walked to, leaving me in the middle of the room. Several people were moving around me, but the view of Sky's fading frame left me feeling so...alone. I was still watching him, when he turned around...

...and gave me a smile I will never forget.

I tried to smile back, despite the fact that my eyes continued to release my tears, completely blurring my vision, as I watched him slowly fade from my sight....

...leaving only memories of our yesterday.

But I shouldn't be sad.

He left me something. His heart. And little strings of hope that he'll come back.

I shouldn't be sad, because...

...I still believe in him.

I believe in what he said.

We'll meet again.

Someday.