My First Kiss 2.

(Last of Two Parts)

He abruptly asked me to go with him to the coast. He ran so quickly that I had to hold on tightly on his hands. Because of his promptness, I wasn’t able to notice that my tsinelas went off my feet. It was then dazzling to feel the warmth of his hand blended with the chilly air that rushed toward us.

The two of us walked along the coast. Without flip-flops, we strolled on the coldness of the sand and stopped once to pick up shells. We paid attention to the music-like humps of every wave in our feet and didn’t care about the people on the plain. I smiled yet he didn’t smile in return. What’s happening with him, I thought. My focus was on the sea once more. I looked at him again; he was still staring at me!

“Don’t melt me!” I cried. He just grinned at last and I noticed his dimple. “Tell me, do you really have a crush with that Mark, your classmate?” he asked me. “No, how dare you say such?” I answered. “Why, who do you like?” There was a great pause.

On the view, I fairly know that his answer will hurt me a lot. I stared at him stupidly and made a gesture of waiting for an answer.

“Only one person made my heart beat like this,” he supposed. “Save for—I am too shy when it comes to her family. You know, she’s kind. She’s beautiful and smart.” At the same time of being keyed up on knowing who’s the girl she was referring is the pain I cannot close my eyes to. “I really love this girl but I am pretty bashful on telling her what I really feel since I know it must not be.” “What—” “You. It’s you.” he whispered. “I love you, Jennifer. I really love you.”

Ten irritated lightning knocked me. I didn’t know what to say.. “I—I love you, too, Bryan…” I told the thing I least expect to voice out, I couldn’t believe it.

Questions roared one by one in my mind. How could a person like Bryan fall for a simple girl like me? How could he like me if I am very quiet? How could he love me if I look stupid on being timid? He loves me?

The next thing that happened was not conspicuous at once. He moved toward me and kissed me! The world had stopped before I realized that he was kissing me. His kiss was full of esteem even after he finished. I embraced him and the deepness of his care for me bounced. Yet I was back on my mind. I moved backward losing his arms around me.

“It ain’t right, Bryan…” He looked forward on hugging me again but I refused. I stood up. He catched me and held me in his arms. “Please stop, Bryan!” I shouted.

A thin silence bothered the two of us. I was stunned on the scene. The Bryan I have known to be steadfast and courageous was netted by tears which fell gradually on his cheeks and thoroughly descended on the sand.

“Please let me hug you… even for the last time.” He cuddled me while I was still stupefied by his words.

“What do you mean for the last time?” I posed.

He was crying behind the tightness of his cuddles. He brought to a halt his weeping for a while to speak. “I need to leave, Jen… my Dad is totally unwell on the States so I really need to go there. He needs me… I miss him… Although I don’t want to go, it’s badly needed. Even if I don’t want to leave you, I can’t do anything. I love you so much.”

“We’ll still see each other then, right? You’ll spend only a few days there then you’ll come back and—”

“Jen!” He interrupted; I stopped for a second or two.

“Jen… I am… I am going to continue my studies there… with my Mom… business, you know. I really do not want to go.”

I hugged him firmly. That time, I didn’t care if the twister of the notion of his departure carries us. I did not care about my surrounding.

“Remember this, Jen, I love you very much. Even if I’m gone, even if I’m no longer by your side, bear in mind that I am always there inside your heart. And eternally, I am not blaming life for meeting you… I will treasure the times we were together forever…”

I will never forget the Bryan I knew. He was my first dance: the person who never insulted me on having no guts in dancing. He was my first kiss: which feeling I bore was least unexplainable save for the fact that that was truly bunched with so much devotion.
He was my first dance on the first party I have attended. He was my first kiss. He was my first love. But he is my first cousin.

The End.