CHAPTER 20: Good Stories To Hear

EREVELL’s P.O.V.

I never thought that my bicycle is still alive. I mean, when I bid my final goodbye to this house, I’m pretty sure that I already surrendered this bike of mine to fate. I mean, if someone will stole it and then use it for a purpose, then I would be glad knowing that someone will take care of it for me. But they didn’t. It stayed right here after all this time.

Looking at Gabriel trying to fix some of its parts for me, my heart almost melted in awe. It’s been over a year since they left... And it’s been a year since my lung transplant. The doctors said that my new pair of lungs could only last five to six years of functioning. But I guess that was way better than nothing. And besides, having five years of life extension is pretty much a lucky thing for me. They also advised me that if I stay healthy, this new pair of lungs could last more than what they’ve been expected.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Gabriel asked, blushing.

“Nothing. It’s just that. You’re really cute when you look so serious.”

He laughed, before he stood up. He then picked up my bicycle, before giving it to me.

“I think it will run now. Try it.”

I smiled, getting it from his grasped. I pulled it along side of me until we finally came outside of our old garage, me being excited and ready at the same time to try my old bicycle.

“Just watch and learn, Gab,” I stated, before riding the bicycle myself.

The wind fanned on my face as I started driving slowly, until I reached the hill where I could finally speed up. After I climbed up, I let go of the wheels and let my arms be as freely as a bird’s wings. I closed my eyes, cherishing every single moments of my life. Time will fly so fast... And before I even knew it, I maybe already gone in this world.

“Erevell, watch out!”

I instantly came back to my senses as I heard his voice. When I opened my eyes to hit the brakes, I was already too late. I bumped into a garbage can nearby, causing me to flew and landed miserably on the road. I felt my head hurts, before I slightly give it a touch, feeling the warm liquid on my hand. It was blood.

“Shit! You’re bleeding!” Gabriel run towards my direction, looking worried. “Are you alright?”

I laughed, and he glared at me.

“That’s a pretty much stupid question to ask, Gab.” I laughed even more. Have I gone crazy because of what just happened?

“I think that’s enough for today. We need to head home now, Erevell. I’m going to fix you... Shit,” he cursed. “You’re still bleeding... Do you want me to bring you to the nearest hospital?”

I instantly shook my head, before standing up.

“No way! Look! I’m fine!” But I almost fall down on the ground again. Thankfully, Gabriel catches me before I could even fall.

“See?” he asked, still worried.

“Come on! I’m really fine. Besides, I still wanted to be with you.”

I felt him stiffened, before letting me go. Finally, I could stood up now without my knees wiggling.

“Fine. I’ll dress your wound up in our house then. After that I’ll take you to the train station.”

“But first...” I looked at him, and he raised one of his brows as if asking me what is it.

“What?”

“Let’s grabbed some ice cream together.”

He groaned, before rolling his eyes on me. He then took out his handkerchief, before placing it at the top of my head. We walked towards the nearest ice cream shop, before he bought two cookies and cream flavored ice cream scoop. One for him, and one for me.

“Thanks.” I smiled at him before giving him a quick kiss on his cheeks. He blushed before grabbing my hand.

“Just eat before we go home to fix your wound.”

I just nodded, and as he stated, after we finished eating our ice cream, we gone to his home, his Mom looking very worried at me and even wanted to dress my wound up. But Gabriel stopped her and pulled me into his room before she could even nag us about it.

“Mom will surely take you to the hospital if she finds out what really happened to you.”

I laughed, before he started to clean up my wounds. It sting, but I couldn’t complain either way for I was the one to be blame for this. I’m lucky that I haven’t received more damage than these wounds.

Gabriel’s forehead creased as he seriously started to put on some medicines onto my wound. I just stare at his handsome face, amused by the fact that he hasn’t found anyone yet when he was still in the Philippines. I mean, any girl would be called lucky for having someone like my bestfriend.

I love him... Not just as friends, but more than that. I just couldn’t confess for I was afraid that it will ruined our friendship. And even if he somehow miraculously likes me back, someone still has to leave. It’s either him being tired of me when he finds out about the inevitable truth, or me leaving in this world forever. Gabriel doesn’t deserved that kind of pain and suffering so I guess I better keep my mouth shut. Maybe I’ll just take this opportunity to ask him if he has a girlfriend now.

“Gab?”

“Hmm?” he asked, not bothering to look at me in the eye. He is still busy fixing my wounds up.

“Do you have a girlfriend or something?” I asked, straightforwardly, making him stop to finally looked at me.

“Why do you even bother to ask about that kind of stuff? Are you interested about that?”

“Of course, I am. I’m your bestfriend, remember?”

“Sure, sure. But no, the answer to your question is none. I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“But... Do you have a special someone right now?”

He gulped, before scratching his nape, looking very nervous at my question. He then sighed, before looking at me straight in the eyes.

“I do have a special someone right now... But I’m not sure if she feels the same way about me as well.” That answer of him gives me chills down to my spine. I felt nervous, regretting the fact that I asked him that question in the first place.

“W-Who?” I asked, stammering.

“Her name is Claire. She live in the Philippines.”

I felt a pang of pain in my chest. I thought... I thought that it was me. But I was wrong. Why would I even expect him to say that it is me? I’m nothing but a friend to him. A special friend, to be fair. But it was nothing more than that. He won’t fall in love with a sick and dying person like me. Not in a million years.

“Are you okay?” he asked, worried.

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to hear about it? Actually, it’s been a while and I really wanted to talk to someone about this.”

I took a deep breath, before gulping as I try to suppress myself from bursting out into tears. I flashed the sweetest smile on my face before nodding at him. Thankfully, I’m a great pretender.

“Sure. You can tell me anything. Just make sure that it was a good story to hear.”

He chuckled, before he started telling me the whole truth. He told me about the girl named Claire, and her bestfriend Kate. He told me everything that happened to him in the Philippines. And I’m not gonna lie, it was a pretty interesting and a good stories to hear. Until he finished talking, and after a long time of listening to his random stories, I finally got a chance to open my mouth and speak up again.

“Do you love her?”

“I guess so. I wouldn’t be hurt if I don’t, right?”

“Then why did you came back here? I mean, if you really love her, you should’ve chased her.”

“I guess I’ll leave it all up to fate. If fate gives us a way and allows us to meet each other again some other time in the near future, where the both of us are ready to have a serious relationship, then I would go for it. I wouldn’t let her get away from me again. But for now, I guess I’ll just have to wait even just for a simple sign from fate.”

I looked at him. He looked and sounded like very in love. Whoever this Claire person is, I wanted to meet her someday. I wanted to tell her how lucky she is for having my bestfriend.

“You shouldn’t leave it all up to fate, Gab. It can be cruel sometimes, you know. If you really love her, then you should be the one to find a way.”

“I guess we all have our own opinion, then.”

He smiled at me, and I couldn’t do anything but to return the favor. Until he finished fixing up my wound, before he decided to bring me to the train station. When we arrived there, the train was already lodging up some passengers. Gabriel and I finally bid our farewells to each other, before I entered inside.

“Take care of yourself, Erevell. We will see each other again,” he stated, waving his hands on me.

I just smiled, before the train doors finally closed, slowly covering his face until I couldn’t see even just a single glimpse of his shadow. The train started to move away, and that’s when my tears started to stream down on my face as well.