~~~
'Korics likes you!'
As the bottle started spinning again, I read the words written inside the toilet paper rose Gaeb made. I smiled and looked back at him, he shot his brow up, and I replied. 'I know.'
This time, it landed on Nycho. We gave Vry the opportunity to ask him, he looks at her whilst waiting, holding canned beer on his left hand. He's the only one who's drinking, after what happened the first time, we refused to make the same mistake twice.
Vrylle smirks while moving closer to Nycho, he didn't backdown though, they just stared at each other.... "Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Are you scared of commitment?" She asked, and we all grew silent. It made me think too, it made us all think. Nycho was slowly taken aback, he drank the rest of his beer before answering.
"Scared? No. Yet even if I'm not scared of commitment, that doesn't mean I would actually jump to that. I just don't see myself putting a label on anything, I'm not that kind of person. I won't last long. For me, as long as we're happy, our mutual understandings and emotional set-up is enough. I just want someone who shares the same perception as me."
I just want someone who shares the same perception as me... It made me think about me and Korics. What are we anyway? We never talked about putting a label between us, and I'm certain that if I ask him about it, he would want to take things slow. And I, understood.
I scanned my eyes around the vicinity and as the fire lit up along with the light the bright moon brought, Korics sat beside me, listening to Nycho, maybe processing his opinions.
Nycho carried on... "And because of that, I don't trust myself with other people's feelings. Yes, I admit it, the longer you'd know me... I slowly turn into a huge jerk. I'm not scared of commitment, but I don't see myself committing."
"What the fuck man..." Kyve shook his head while looking at Nycho. "This is the first time I ever heard you talk like that, and it feels weird."
"It's because he's drunk." Gaeb says while shaking his head, while picking up the empty cans that Nycho left on the sand. "Let's play another game. Never have I ever?"
"Oh my gosh! Yes!" Amee says, I looked at her wondering where she gets this much energy. I mean, I already feel a little sleepy. "That's a great idea, Gaeb!"
"Hmm, never have I ever... fell in love with a best friend." Venylie giggles while saying 'I have never.' "I have." Korics and I said in sync, they all started teasing. "I have never." The others said, still teasing me and Kor.
After a few arounds of Never Have I Ever, Venylie and Amee lost the game. They had to drink one shot of beer, each. Then all of a sudden, Nycho stands up to go back in the hotel. When he came out, he's already holding a bottle of red wine.
A staff came out following him from behind, holding a wooden tray with wineglasses on it. She poured on each of the bottles and Theia helped her serve them to us. Nycho stood in front of us.
"Cheers, to the beginning of a wonderful friendship!" He starts off. "...In a few days, all of you would go home. I'll stay here in Siargao, since I live here. But, I would find a way to visit all of you there. Especially now that I met someone worth the effort." He stared at Vry.
"I second the motion..." Kyve says while raising his glass up. "Thank you for letting me in your group, kids. Nah, I'm just kidding. I hope our friendship continues to grow, despite our differences and well... the distance. Seeing y'all leave this Sunday will really make me cry." He even acted as if he's very hurt, we laughed.
"I also want to share my gratitude." I stood up, and they all looked up at me. "Thank you, everyone. For letting me experience a friendship as genuine and as pure as this. Kyve, Nycho, thank you for keeping up with us despite how childish we could possibly be. Gaeb, thank you for opening and stepping out of your comfort zone just to make us feel that you care."
"To sum up everything that has been stated, thank you for this wonderful vacation!" Theia stood up, and we all raised our wineglasses up, for a fruitful toast. "I love you friends! I love you Siargao!"
We all looked up at the stars, admiring them, witnessing the beauty of their light. Some glimmered, some stood out, and just like this moment, it's one to never forget. My heart swelled with joy, and as the time passed, I felt contented.
How could this feel so surreal? I wondered, if I ever learned a thing or two from this weeklong break, it's to never be scared of exploring. Because of this, I realized that I'm capable of reaching things, of reaching peaks, of learning more.
The waves clashed on the shore, the tides ever strong, the sand partly on my hair as the wind carried them, the only light coming from the fire, stars, and the moon. To add up, his smile. It stood out, it always does.
Yet, a little trip to memory lane, Nycho's words came flashing back. I know he's not the type to have that mindset, but I still felt afraid of the possibilities. And if something's for sure, it's him assuring me that things take time. Understanding takes time, and I'm... one to wait.
Siargao, I'm one thankful being, I'm one lucky person. He, showed me more than what I expected, he made me feel things I longed for, I became true, to myself and to what I feel for him. Korics, he's part of this beautiful vacation, he made it more memorable.
I couldn't even wait to go home, go back to Sapient University, and start a new chapter; Specifically a new chapter of my book, and a new chapter of my life. Now more bold, and brave.
That's a great plot.
He inspired me. Again.
Under the gorgeous display of bright stars, we stayed more longer. Despite feeling a bit sleepy, I couldn't bring my legs to stand up and walk... even if I wanted to.
"If given the chance..." I trailed off when Korics started speaking. "...I'd come back here, I will do all of this all over again. With you."
With me...
"If I'm not able to go back here, with you..." I started, he stared at me waiting for me to finish. "...Will you still go back?"
"Yes, but... if you're busy at that time. Or, things won't go as how I plotted them in my mind, I would still come back here." He says. "With the memories of you being here with me the first time I ever stepped foot in this island. That, I will treasure..."
"I... I really hope, I could still come back here." I said, feeling a sting on my chest for some reason. "And how I wish, that time... it's still with you."
"Are you okay?" He asks, I know he's worried based on his tone. "Stop talking like that, it's as if you're bidding... goodbye."
I just laughed and looked back at him. I stared at him for so long, thinking about how lucky I am for having someone like him in my life. Hoping, he's thinking the same thing.
This man doesn't know how much he matters to me, he has no idea how much I care for him, he has no clue that he affects me so much. He's not beyond my reach, we feel the feels mutually, but there's something in him that convinces me we're merely as close as how we assume.
As if he's a star, shining bright, looking close, but far... away from my reach. The boundaries between us, are still evident. Or it's like, I'm the only one who sets my own boundaries. The limitations of our love, as clear as daylight. I needed to knock some senses to myself, I knew I had to tell him.
"Korics?" I asked him, hesitant but at the same time... curious. "What... what are we?"
"We... are the sea and the shore." He says, starting to gather up his thoughts. "We will always clash, we will always meet. Yet, we will meet at our own pace, we'll only clash if the time is for us. For me, we need time, but never doubt what I feel for you, because you... you're more than what you think you are. You're, a part of me. Always, a part of me."
"So... just like the sea and shore, we're nothing without each other?" I asked. He nodded. "Nothing without each other, less without each other, incomplete without the other one. Sea and shore, if we clash, we'd look more mesmerizing. If we meet, it's more breathtaking."
"Yes, just like that. Exactly, like that." He kept nodding, while I... was busy calculating my thoughts. As if there's a lot of them. "But, I'm certain, this time. The waves are strong enough to reach the shore, we... we just need to wait. I don't want you to rush your decisions just because you think I'd settle not putting a label between us."
He's right, it all takes time.
"Then again, Savelle. Never doubt what I feel for you, alright?" He says, reassuringly. Because of his words, I felt at ease. He's not like the others. "They're... all true. I would never lie to you, I can't hurt you. I won't."
"If I'd ask you to stay, would you?" I said, looking up at the stars as some glimmered. "If I'd ask you to stay beside me always, would you?"
"Why not?" He giggles a bit. "I will, I would love that too. And even if the time comes that instead of asking me to stay... you'd ask me to leave? I'll still stay. Because I want to."
"Funny how I used to convince myself that you're just a friend..." I laughed, he nodded while listening to me. "But look at us now. I guess, I could never have enough power to defeat the heart. No matter how hard I try to stop it, to spare our friendship, it really likes you."
"Don't worry." He says. "Nothing bad will happen, I assure you. You made the right decision, because if you didn't tell me about what you feel, I could've been left thinking I don't have a chance on you..."
"You thought of that too?" I asked, he nodded. "I did... most of the time."
"Yes, of course. I mean, I thought you only saw me as a friend and nothing more." He laughs, I laughed too because I've thought of that too. "I was scared you might grow apart from me if I confessed that I like you."
"We really are mutuals." I said, smiling at him.
"Yes, we really are...." He smiles back at me, and after that, we looked up to admire the stars. Watching them shine, just like this man's smile.
I guess worrying didn't do anything, after all I was reassured for many times today. With everything he has said, I'm contented. And he is in fact right, we really do need to wait. No point of rushing things.
"Sav?" He asks me again, I looked at him. Our eyes locked, he catches my gaze. "If I told you that I love you, would you say you love me as well?"
"Of course." I laughed a bit, he sets back down his shoulders, and tried to stifle a smile. "I'm very vocal... Mister Villaverde, what do you expect? I love..."
"Hmm?" He asks. I looked at him intently.
"I love the moon." I said, with a teasing smile on my face. He looked serious though, and with that he narrowed the gap between our faces, he moved closer and my heart was pumping quickly. He stared into my eyes.
"I love the moon, too."
~~~