~Short Story~
He leaves tomorrow. His flight is at 9:30 in the morning. He will be gone far away from us-- probably forever. I don’t think I will see him again. He came from across the ocean and now he goes back home. Makes sense.
What doesn’t make sense is why we wait for so long. Why we don’t see what is right in front of us. He was my neighbor for the last two years and I never bothered to know him. He is good-looking and preppy, may be that is what turned me off in the first place. I automatically assumed that he must be cocky, arrogant and a ladies’ man. I have seen enough of those; I was not going to waste my time.
Did I waste my time regardless? Yes.
Here's how:
I did not dislike him but I never really bothered to take a second glance at him after I fully convinced myself that he is not worth it. For me, he was just another person in the crowd. We continued to say hi’s and bye’s (common courtesy, you know) whenever we saw each other on the street or during community meetings, until recently, when I had to work with him on a project. We started with talking about work—mundane paper work which soon led to long boring discussions. Before we knew it, we were talking and walking back home together almost everyday with an occasional stop at the coffee shop. I don't really know how we made the transition from working on the project to hanging around with friends, singing songs together, sharing long lost stories, and making drives out of the city to our mutual favorite restaurant. Somehow this all happened in only three weeks. And just when I realized how wonderful he actually was, I ran out of time. The project finished and the late nights came to an end. The bedtime came back to normal and there was no need left for coffee.
Sometimes two people come so close to that line which when you cross it, everything becomes oh-so good (at least for some time) but they just don’t cross it for reasons I can never comprehend. I suppose he knew he was going to leave and I did too. We both decided it was for the best if we just pretended to remain oblivious of what we really felt.
Sometimes some people make us so happy, it goes beyond words. The thought of how can a 20 year old guy be so decent and mature boggles my mind and I remain in awe, except that it doesn’t matter anymore. Sometimes life gives us a chance. If we screw it up, chances are we won’t get another.
Tonight I am filled with regret. I could have had so much more. If only I had given him a chance earlier. What I had been looking for all my life was just two doors down from me and I did not see it coming. If only…
He leaves tomorrow. I don’t know how to react to that. I sit here. Hoping, quietly that it is a mere infatuation that will not last.
