Can We Make It Right?

CHAPTER 9: Coby

CHAPTER 9 (Coby)

"Sorry pala kanina" I say to break the silence inside the car.

I am now driving Chase home. Though he kept on insisting not to, he got no choice when mom spoke her words. It's too risky to let Chase wander the empty streets alone at midnight.

"Hah!? Bakit?" He asks.

"Sa nakita kanina ni Max" I answer, still looking on the unlit road we are passing by. "Baka kasi—"

"Ayos lang" He says, not looking to me, but seriously roaming his eyes outside the window.

"Ayos lang sa'yo?"

"Ah....ang ibig kong sabihin....hindi mo kailangan mag sorry" He answers back, defending his statement. Now, his eyes are on me. "Saka wala namang may gusto mangyari 'yon" He continues, visibly panicking and stares back outside the window right away.

"Chase?" I ask, looking at him while waiting for the stoplight to turn green.

"Bakit?"

"Pwede bang kausapin mo 'ko?"

"Ah...bakit?...may nagawa ba ko?" He answers, still in his cute panic face. "Sorry kung nabibigatan ka na sakin. Okay lang kung—"

He finally stop speaking as he find me laughing.

"Kausapin mo lang ako para hindi ako makatulog." I explain. "Pero talaga bang yan 'yung iniisip mo?"

I look at him, he's again mortified, looking straight down to his lap.

"Hindi ko alam pero natutuwa kasi ako kapag nakikita kitang masaya" I throw, hoping to lift him up trying to pull a smile out of his face. "Pero nalulungkot rin kasi ako kapag nakikita kitang malungkot. Ewan! Basta masaya ako kapag tinutulungan kita. I can honestly say that, with you, things get to be lighter."

We catches each other eyes, and slowly, finally the smile I'm trying to see comes out from his endearing face. That smile is somehow addicting and I don't know why.

They say that when driving, it's above important to keep an eye on the road. But in this case, staring at his lovely face feels like more. I sense like I have an angel by my side, safe and sound with his presence.

But we are in reality after all, I have to practice safe driving. I have to break the stare before it goes too far. Life never like that. It's not as magical as we wish. And reality, sometimes, can be too deadly to enjoy.

The silence takes it's place and it's unexpectedly deafening. Wait. What should I do? Okay. Music. Ahhh. Okay. Ben&Ben, I have to summon you and please do your job as to fill the breeze. I need you to calm our hearts and purify what's going on.

Dami pang gustong sabihin
Ngunit 'wag na lang muna
Hintayin na lang ang hanging
Tangayin ang salita

After that view of dark yet lighted streets and quite long drive, we finally arrived, right infront of their gate.

A moment struck between that kept us both on silence. No one's looking. No one's speaking.

"Thank you, Chase"
"Thank you, Coby"

We say simultaneously, finally with our eyes meeting each other. But then, he withraws.

He gestures his hands, still avoiding a look, saying he needs to go. He opens the door and exit the car.

"Love you!" I say, loud enough for him to hear even he's facing the opposite direction.

He's slowly turning around, suppressing a smile.

"Brother?" He responds

"Of course, Brother!" I say lively, trying to speak my concern and that he got a friend who can be like a real brother to him.

I can feel a hint of trouble in him. He's silent but it feels different this time.

All I want is to show my gratitude for finally having a friend that makes me feel this way. That was long years of having just myself and I'm sick of living that way.

Now that I found a friend that escaped me from my dreary life, I want to make him feel that he really mean to me. That people who give so much happiness has a special place in my heart. That he's not just being there doing nothing, but he's there reminding me that life is better with companion. He filled what I'm seeking and it's the right thing to do the same for him as well.