Michael and Cecilia

Michael and Cecilia

Michael: Hey I thought you were sick?

Cecilia: I am. I have colds and coughs. Don’t I look sick?

M (with a smile on his face): No. You look absolutely fine.
C: Thank you.

M (suddenly becoming serious): Look, I came here coz I wanted to talk to you.

Cecilia (hoping she could turn his serious look into a friendly one; with a smile she said): Talk? We can always talk on the phone.

M (still serious): I am fucking serious Cecilia.

C (scared of the look on his face): Ok, then talk.

M: I know things between us are not perfect as you wanted it to be. But I am trying hard to keep things fair.

C (trying hard not to be sarcastic): I know. And I wanna thank you for your effort.

M (as if he never heard anything she just said): I know I cannot give you the perfect dates and relationship that you want, but I am giving you everything the best way I can. I know you know about me and Toni. Cecilia, I realized I love you more than I think I do. And I just want to ask you a very simple question.

C: And that would be?

M (looking at Cecilia): I want an honest answer. Can you go on with "us"?

C (caught off guard by the question): Uhhmm…Are you okay with "us"?

M: Answer my question.

C (afraid of the look on his face and with his tone): I can go on with us. But spare me Toni’s drama. Michael, from the start, I know about you and Toni. And since then, I agreed on our set-up. I have to make a lot of sacrifices, including my grudge against mistresses. But everytime Toni calls me on my cellphone, it just makes my situation worst. He is telling me things that I know but cannot accept. Everytime I hear her speak ill of me, it makes me wonder if I am really the same Cecilia before.

M (smiling though you can see the hurt in his eyes): You still are.

C: I don’t know about that. You changed me Michael. Everything that I thought I cannot do, I did it for you. Now, about the question you asked me: I can go on. But can you spare me Toni’s drama? Can you control her the next time she had the urge to call me?

M: I am not sure about that.

C (trying hard not to sound hurt): Now, can you go on with us knowing that the person that I love is just hurting me with the things that he cannot do for me?

M: I can’t.

C: Then you answered your own question.

***long fucking silence***

C: Michael, are you okay?

M: No, I am not. I hate goodbyes.

C: Nobody likes goodbyes.

M (his voice croaking): I hate this goodbye, especially because you don’t even seem to be hurt.

C: I am hurt.

M: Why can’t I see a sad look on your face?

C: Because I am so messed up the first time we said goodbye. I think I wore myself down.

***another long silence***

C: So are we good?

M: Don’t I deserve a final goodbye kiss?

C (leaning towards Michael): You so do.

***long romantic kiss***

M: I’m gonna miss you, can we talk for awhile?

C: I will miss you too, but I have to go. The longer I stay, the harder this will be for the both of us. Plus, I am sick., remember? (ending her sentence with a smile.)

M: Before you leave, I just want to say sorry for the things that I never did for you.

C: No need. I completely understand.

M: And I wanna say something but I guess it is better left unsaid right now.

C: I know. I want to say that too.

M: I just want you to know that I do. I still do.

C: Me too.

M: You take care of yourself, ok?

C (trying to sound casual): Yeah, ako pa! You also take care of yourself, naughty boy!

M: Shall I take you home?

C: No need. I know my way back…

***with a smile and a touch on Michael’s cheeks, she opened the car door and left***

Now, who said love is sweeter the second time around?