snippet # 2
Talk
386 words
She listens to him as he talks about his plans, his dreams and his aspirations. He shares with her how he doesn't like to get stuck, how he thinks of going far away from here. You see, he has a lot of plans ahead of him, something she kind of envies but she doesn't admit.
He speaks a lot of things with her. From his family, to his phobia to dogs up to his trivial habits and she silently listens to him since she doesn't seem to get tired listening to him talk even if it's in three in the morning when the world is fast asleep.
It's a two-hour trip. She chooses the seat beside the window just because she likes the scenery. He then sits beside her.
Every now and then she brings in something random; asks an out of the blue question. He entertains her, pauses from talking and lends an ear.
It feels like no one, nothing exists while the two of them get into a conversation.
She laughs with all her heart when he talks about a funny story of him. He pays attentively when she tells about what she's thinking. She thinks she can tell everything to him, well almost.
It's perfect.
Almost except he's married to someone else.
And she pretends that it's okay, that she's fine when in fact it scares her to death when she discovers the small, growing feeling inside her one night while lying on her bed.
No, she doesn't tell, can't tell everything to him especially that the stakes are high.
So she keeps her mouth shut, puts on a cheerful face.
And as his stop nears he says,
"You have to continue the story next time."
For a moment, she wants to answer honestly that she won't, can't continue it but then again...
"Sure, next time."
With a smile on her face, she answers.
He stands up and begins to walk toward the door. She calls him out and tells him to take care. He raises his hands and waves to her.
The bus starts to move. She takes a breath first before she picks up her earphones and places to her ears. The song plays while she glances at the window and tries to focus outside instead to the emptiness she feels.