forget me not series 2 – The Romance of Ayin & Will
CHAPTER FIVE
One of the best things about living in Cebu City… is leaving it for a while to go to the beach.
Hailed as the Queen City of the South, Cebu at the heart of the Philippine archipelago, is always surrounded by a beautiful entourage of several island resort destinations, all eager to please her residents and visitors from beyond.
On the first day of her new work in the neighboring island of Mactan, Ayin couldn’t help but feel grateful. That morning, she was crossing the bridge to spend time at the beach and was getting paid for it. How cool was that?
What’s even cooler was, without her asking, Will woke up very early that day to drive her all the way to the island in support of this new life. It was the sweetest thing.
Him, “Do you want me to pick you up later?”
Her, “No need. I’m not sure what time they usually end work. In marketing, you never know. I don’t want you to wait. Or get stuck in traffic.”
He glanced at her, “You don’t want to have dinner together and celebrate your first day?”
Her, “Hm, not yet. Maybe when I’ve adjusted to the work flow, or get the hang of things on this island. Let’s celebrate then.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips as he drove. “Okay, just go get them. I’m sure it won’t take you long to adjust.”
She hoped so, too.
Soon, the resort’s big gates and blue water signage came into view.
Ayin felt a thrill run through her as she gave her name and department to the entrance guard and he easily let them in with a smile.
As Will stopped the car to let her out, he reminded her, “I’m just a phone call away. Update me. I miss you already.”
She hugged him, “Me too. I’ll be back before you know it.”
In this early phase of their relationship, the struggle to be apart was real.
To not be able to see each other everyday like they did the past month or be there in a matter of minutes when the mood strikes them — it would take some time getting used to.
But at least, they were just an island away compared to some long distance couples separated by regions or countries.
Ayin wondered though if she wasn’t being too confident juggling these two new worlds in her life.
A new man on one hand and her new work life on the other — both attractive, consuming and unpredictable. She was excited and nervous at the same time.
After she got out of the car and watched Will drive away, she lifted her eyes to the cloudless blue sky for a moment and prayed, “So help me, God.”
And with that short prayer, Ayin bravely took a step forward.
Because she’s always in her element by the sea, it didn’t take Ayin long to adjust and throw herself passionately to her work.
Her first project with her team was to launch the Blue Summer Escape, a series of beach events in the course of three months that would start with Easter Family Weekend and end with an Earth Day Festival.
And since they were rolling it out across all three resorts in the chain, she was all at once traveling to different islands — planning, promoting and organizing respective activities for families and travelers looking to relax away from the city.
She loved it.
To her, it felt like play especially with a fun all-boys marketing team who never ran out of creative ideas.
In less than a week, as a launch pad for the Blue Summer Escape, they were staging for the first time ever in the resort an ambitious Amazing Beach Adventure Race for Easter.
Armed with degrees in Fine Arts, Engineering, Business Management and Mass Communication, Ayin bet with some amusement that not one of them must have imagined that in their future dream workplace, they would be squatting for days on the floor – painting, sorting out toys, and creating children’s props – with the same, if not more, amount of passion and dedication as when they defended their college theses.
For days now, the marketing and communications office was a beautiful mess.
And for the nth time that month, the team was working way past sundown to polish props and test game mechanics that would work best for families.
Oblivious to the time, Ayin sat in front of her laptop, editing final copy for the game booklets.
“So after the swimming and kayak relays, they proceed to the giant chessboard to solve the puzzle, where they get the next clue to the Golden Egg Hunt. Is this sequence correct?”
Ayin was met with unusual silence. She reluctantly unglued her eyes from the screen to scan the room for the team’s Events Lead she’d been talking with just a few minutes ago.
“Hey, where did Rick go?”
Manny, their lead of creatives, who was at one end of a cluttered long table blissfully snipping and altering costumes by hand for the upcoming cosplay for the opening ceremony, replied without looking up, “In a serious call outside. Must be negotiating with the wife for missing dinner again.”
Ray, another married team member, suddenly paused from printing posters and whipped out his phone. “Shit, I was supposed to bring takeout for dinner tonight.” He rushed outside to make a call, too.
She glanced at David, their events stylist, chuckling in one corner where he was busy arranging colored plastic eggs into native baskets he had bought earlier from Freedom Park.
He predicted in a singsong voice, “Somebody’s sleeping again in the sala tonight.”
Ayin, “Uh-oh. We’ve been doing too much overtime lately, huh? Which reminds me…”
She herself has yet to return a call. She unearthed her own phone from a pile of sheets and dialed Will’s number. She had rejected his calls earlier while she was in a meeting.
There was no answer. After several tries, he still didn’t pick up. Shrugging, she went back to the work at hand.
She ignored the tiny pricks of guilt and disappointment.
They had not properly dated nor talked long for weeks now.
Busy with the upcoming major events, Ayin barely had time in the city. Almost always, when she reached home, she was already too tired from the day’s work and traffic, that she had no more energy left for anything else but sleep.
So while she was out busy enjoying beach work under the sun, by and by, she was also being pulled into the shadows of what seemed to be a disappearing love life.
She’ll make it up to him after the event, she told herself. Will’s a patient man. He’d understand, wouldn’t he?
Or maybe not.
Inevitably, Ayin and Will’s first heated argument came during this particularly hot and busy summer season.
It was Easter Sunday, the day of her first major event. Ayin and her team had their hands full managing the overflow of families and groups who came to participate in their well-publicized Amazing Beach Adventure race.
They exceeded their projected numbers. Not wanting to disappoint walk-in guests, who traveled the long distance to the resort even without reservations to let their kids join the fun, they furiously tried to increase props and print more game passes so everyone could participate. With the limited time, it was quite a problem. But a good problem.
They had just barely managed to settle everything before the opening ceremony, when Ayin’s phone rang.
She ignored it for several minutes but the insistent vibrating phone began to mess up with the stage’s sound system.
She finally picked up, afraid the phone will keep ringing while the race was going on.
Her, “Hi, this is not a good time to call. I’m at the resort and we’re about to start the games.”
Him, “It’s a Sunday and you’re still busy?”
Her, “Yes, we’re doing a major Easter event. Can you call me later?”
Him, “There is never a good time to call you. All week, you were always in a meeting — morning, lunch, afternoon. And now, you’re busy playing games?”
There was no time to explain that these games were part of her work. Trying to put a lid on her temper, she decided to let him get to the point to save time. “Why are you calling?”
Him, “Let’s watch a movie tonight.”
Her, “You could just have texted this.”
He retorted, “It takes so long for you to reply to texts. I need your answer now so I can buy the tickets.”
She frowned as she remembered. “No, not tonight. I need to travel early in the morning to Panglao to check the resort’s activities there.”
Him, “Again? How long will you be gone this time?”
Her, “Just a couple of nights.”
Him, “I know you’re busy, but can you also add me to your to-do list? I need to be checked off, too. I hardly see you anymore.”
Her, “I know, I know. That’s why I invited you to an overnight trip last weekend but you said No.”
Him, “You know I can’t leave the school on a weekend. It’s our busiest days.”
That was part of the problem. Their days off didn’t match. She was working when he’s not, and he was sleeping when she’s awake.
Just then, Rick signaled to her that it was time to start the race. She nodded and lifted a finger to ask for a minute.
Her, “Look, I’ve got to go. The host is waiting for me. I’ll call you tonight.”
Will didn’t even bother to reply. He clicked off the phone before she could say goodbye.
Later that night, she called up Will repeatedly but there was no answer. She kept on it until an automated voice finally told her to puh-leez try her call again later, like she was too dense to understand that the phone couldn’t be reached.
She hardly slept that night as real worry began to seep in. Was she being unfair to him? Was he mad at her?
When busy with work, ignored calls and absences were excused, right? It’s not like she’s cheating on him. So why the hell did she feel so guilty?
As soon as she returned from Panglao, Ayin wasted no time to make it up to Will. She took weekdays off to spend quality time with him. Moved by the gesture, she was forgiven.
However, the busy season wasn’t over, so their succeeding dates were still sporadic and few.
Will became busy, too, with an increasing number of students who found time to take up driving lessons during summer break.
For awhile, they seemed fine. They were trying to understand and accept the nature of each other’s job. They were not mad, nor were they fighting.
But then, time came when Ayin began to feel Will’s absence.
As days rolled into weeks then months, she noticed that Will no longer made any conscious effort to connect with her. He simply waited for her to make the call and set the plans for their dates.
By the time they were on their last blue summer leg, Ayin was already confused about how she was supposed to feel.
Grateful that he was giving her space to do her work?
Guilty that she didn’t pay him enough attention from the start?
Annoyed that he didn’t seem to miss her?
Or lonely and sad that they were slowly drifting apart?
One thing she knew – she missed him.
She figured they needed to bridge the gap as soon as possible before the distance between them grew worse.
At that time, Ayin was visiting Sumilon Island, to help the resort team there organize their last summer event, the Earth Day music festival.
She was supposed to go back to the city the next day, but decided to compress her meetings so she could leave the island earlier to visit Will.
From the port of Sumilon, it takes about 125 kilometers to reach Cebu City, roughly around four hours, taking into account rush hour traffic.
It was almost sundown and quite late to be driving back, but she just couldn’t wait another day.
As she drove, her mind wandered to the land of possible reasons why Will has suddenly gone incommunicado lately.
Given that he was also busy during the day and the island’s phone signal was quite weak and intermittent, still, not even a single phone call or text message for three days?
She could never seem to reach him especially at nights. Was he cheating on her?
Her gut told her no, not likely.
What if he got sick that’s why he’s not answering his phone?
Or worse, he got into an accident that’s why she couldn’t reach him?
She drove faster.
She was now desperate to see him.
Fueled by guilt and worry, she decided not to let another moment pass. She’s going to see him tonight, no matter how late it was.
Driving straight to his office, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the light was still on.
He’s alright, wasn’t he?
Wasting no time, she parked the car and burst through the door.
It was then she discovered why Will couldn’t be reached.
The very reason he couldn’t be bothered at night and was asleep most mornings.
No, it wasn’t another woman.
But rather, he had a secret vice that was just as consuming it made everything else disappear…
He was hooked to online games.
Particularly, the World of Tanks. He was busy blowing up enemies while she worried about him.
Hungry and exhausted from four hours of driving, she finally erupted.
Her, “What the hell! Is this why you’ve been off the grid for days? You’re not answering my calls because you were playing? I thought something bad happened to you!”
Him, still not taking his eyes off the computer. “Huh? I didn’t receive any calls from you.”
Her, “Where’s your phone?”
He didn’t move, still playing. She searched for it herself and found it buried below the mess on his desk. It was dead.
She let out a scream of frustration.
Will started to get mad as well. “What’s with you? I never yelled at you when I couldn’t reach you.”
Her, “You don’t get it, do you? I feel played finding out you’re ignoring me just because of a computer game!”
Him, “Look who’s talking. You’re also playing all the time at the beach and ignoring me.”
She shouted at him, “Well, unlike you, I was working! I wasn’t playing games on the computer purely for fun.”
He shouted back, “This is my stress reliever! Why are you so pissed off about it? Leave it alone!”
They glared at each other.
She was close to tears. She was hungry and angry. Because she was feeling weak, she decided to solve the former first.
So, she told him curtly, “Feed me.”
Then she stormed out of his office, went to her car and slid inside the passenger seat, slamming the door loudly in the process.
Poor new car, but that loud bang felt good.
She turned on the engine and aircon, and waited for him.
When he didn’t follow for several minutes, she growled and rashly promised herself, “If he doesn’t come out in the next five minutes, I’m gonna break up with him.”
Just as she contemplated the thought, she saw the shadow of Will as he turned off the lights and locked up the office door.
He’s certainly taking his damn time going to the driver’s seat, she snarled.
Without a word, Will drove and took her to the nearest 24-hour Jollibee, possibly the only restaurant left open at that hour in the area.
After a large meal of burger steak, chicken and fries, she was feeling a bit better. Nothing like a jolly meal.
But then, he had to go and ruin whatever light mood she recovered. He said, “I don’t like you throwing tantrums. You’re getting spoiled.”
She almost choked on her pineapple juice.
He continued, “It wasn’t on purpose that I missed your calls. I didn’t realize the phone was dead.”
She snapped back at him, “I don’t like this, either. I’m tired of juggling work and you. I don’t like feeling guilty. And it annoys me when you’re not even making an effort to see me. Then I find you — all focused and good with your game, like it doesn’t even matter that we haven’t talked for days.”
He frowned. “Hey, don’t blame the game. You’re the one who’s always not here. You said you didn’t like me calling you at work, so I didn’t.”
“But why not answer or return my calls either? Sure, there are times I also miss your calls but I always make it a point to get back to you. I couldn’t reach you for days.”
“I don’t always have my phone with me. What do you want me to do? Guard it 24/7, just waiting for you to call me?”
If she were to be honest, yes. It was unreasonable but, yes.
Him, “I have my own thing, too. Sometimes, I lose track of time.”
Yeah, because of your game, she thought bitterly.
Still him, “You can’t expect me to wait for you all the time.”
That hurt.
Her, “I can’t be here all the time, either.”
They looked at each other, knowing they were putting more distance with their harsh words, but frozen to do anything about it.
There were many things they wanted to say, to clarify, but in the end, chose not to, for fear of straying too far.
The words “Let’s break up” hung heavily in the air.
To their credit, neither of them dared to voice it out first for they knew, once spoken, it would be game over. That was akin to burning the shaky bridge for good.
You never ever play around with words like “Let’s Break Up”. That’s one hard lesson you learn from past relationships. You never utter these unless you mean it. Saying it just to be coy or pursued is bound to backfire on you.
And the first one to light the match by saying these words will be haunted forever.
The Earth Day Festival was the culmination of their Blue Summer Escape events.
Ayin’s team were in high spirits after a successful summer run which tripled the warm bodies visiting the resort chain, especially on weekends. Top management was pleased.
So everyone was in a celebratory mood, as they laid out beach mats on the sand and gathered round the music stage.
All the local bands who played at their Sunset Sessions by the Beach the past three summer months congregated on this day for one big music festival.
It was still early afternoon but the lineup ensured that music would continue through sunset and dinner time.
The Food and Beverage team were having a grand time serving their special pica-pica menu with summer cocktails to the guests scattered around the low tables.
The usually stiff F&B manager gave Ayin a big smile and an enthusiastic thumbs up sign.
One can afford easy smiles when sales are good. Thanks to the marketing team for a job well done.
Ayin’s smile, however, couldn’t quite reach her eyes, despite the happy vibe.
She was feeling the weight of her unclear relationship with Will.
To keep from dragging her team down to her low spirits, she stationed herself at the all-day kite making booth designed to keep children occupied, slightly away from the partying crowd.
There, along with the arts and crafts associate in-charge, Joy, she helped kids glue pieces of sticks and strings on Japanese paper cut into animal patterns, as they created their own kites to fly later around sunset.
She also helped write special messages to Mother Earth on the kites.
Meanwhile, the reggae band on stage featuring Bob Marley was torturing her with songs like “No Woman No Cry” and “Waiting in Vain”.
Was this how he felt? It sure sounded like what he said the last time they spoke at Jollibee, which was a long week ago.
“So don’t treat me like a puppet on a string
‘Cause I know how to do my thing
Don’t talk to me as if you think I’m dumb
I wanna know when you’re gonna come
See, I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love
I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love
I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love”
So don’t wait, just come see me, she sent the thought to him in her mind.
She was tempted to write it in one of the kites for added measure. Perhaps, Mother Earth would help them.
She missed him.
She missed the way they were – honest, within easy reach, and can’t get enough of each other.
But then again, nothing ever stays the same.
Would it still work between them despite the changes in their lives?
Since their last talk, neither of them seemed to know what next move to make. They were just a couple of players in a wait-and-see game.
They were at a stage where they’re not broken up, but not really together either.
Where do they go from here?
Would it be easier to just go their different ways? Aside from liking each other, what did they really have in common, anyway?
It seemed like their lives were running in parallel lines, with neither of them wanting to bend, so there was no point of intersection in sight.
Would it be less painful to acknowledge they’re not right for each other now, while it was still early and they haven’t said their I-love-yous and invested so much into the relationship yet?
But then, at the thought of letting him go, Ayin felt the tears in her eyes burn.
She found no relief in saying goodbye.
Thankfully, she was distracted by Joy, who announced it was time to go test the kites.
They gathered near the water’s edge.
To her chagrin, she realized she didn’t know how to fly one. The kite she had on hand wouldn’t even take off.
So she left it to Joy and the kids, who never seemed to run out of energy, to run across the beach, to disturb and tease the wind into dancing more.
Finally in a group effort, their biggest kite soared when the wind kicked in. Everyone cheered.
Quickly, they released more string for it to climb higher.
Ayin saw Manny and David rush to the beach to take pictures to update the resort’s Kid’s Club Facebook page. She took a few ones herself.
The butterfly kite was grand and colorful, graciously dancing in the wind.
It was exciting, strong and beautiful.
But to her, it looked lonely, too.
She stared for a moment at the photo she’d taken, then back up to the sky where the single kite was.
It was then she realized – she didn’t want to fly alone.
She wanted to make it work with him.
Rather than question if they should be together or not, she could try being more positive and think of ways on how they could accommodate each other’s needs instead.
As she contemplated their options, an F&B service associate approached her and said, “Ma’am, there’s someone looking for you.”
He pointed at the picnic grove near the music stage.
Her heart started to beat faster.
There was Will, with his unmistakable black cap and shades, facing the beach, looking at her but not moving.
She had invited him to join the music festival about a month ago, but considering their cold situation and that it was usually a busy weekend for the school, she didn’t expect him to show up.
But here he was. He remembered.
Filled with joy, her face broke into a big smile as she said her thanks to the waiter and briskly walked towards Will.
Not expecting a warm reception from her after their last talk, Will was silent as he considered her expression.
She couldn’t stop smiling. “You’re here.”
She took his hands from his pockets and squeezed them, as if to assure herself that he was real.
Will finally relaxed and greeted her with a big hug.
Then in his usual straightforward manner, he told her, “I don’t want to lose you. Let’s fix this.”
She nodded vigorously, then pulled back slightly from his embrace to look him in the eye. “I missed you. Let’s work this out.”
And so, in under 10 seconds, with their simple declaration, they managed to bridge the distance in their relationship that had taken all of summer to drift apart.
Maybe sometimes, that’s all it takes – the will to be together. As he always liked telling her — when there’s a will, there’s a way. She believed they’ll figure it out.
Then, she asked him, “Do you know how to fly a kite?”
Taken aback by the unexpected question, it took him a moment to answer. “Of course.”
She led him to the beach and picked up one of the kites on the sand, the one she had trouble with earlier.
“Come on, let it fly near that butterfly,” she told him.
Hence, after several tries, two different kites — a butterfly and an eagle — played in the wind.
Diving, soaring and dreaming together of finding a better place in the ivory sky just before nightfall.
Hope.
That was Mother Earth’s last message right before the sun set on what was quite a fiery, yet cool blue summer.
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