JUST SAYING GOODBYE – Part 3

By Remedios Dorio

 

 

ANITA could not believe and deny the truth, the dead beggar was Alex Montoya, her first love.

“Can I see him again?” Anita asked the woman.

“Of course, you seem surprise looking at the photo of my son in his ID, do you know him?” the woman asked Anita.

“No, I do not know your son,” Anita denied. “The photo in this ID looked different. Your son looked not the same in this photo.”

“If you want to look my son, you can,” the woman said. Anita then came inside the shanty, she looked good at the face of the dead person, then to the photo in the ID. The face in the ID was the same as she knew Alex Montoya but the dead man? Only that look connected Alex Montoya to who was he, now. The changed in look was so dramatic.

“ALEX MONTOYA,” good looking Alex said to her while she was sitting in the bench under the tree inside the campus of the university. He had a big smile in his face. She did not hear it first so Alex repeat what he said to hear a little louder. “I said Alex Montoya.”

Anita looked at him. “What?”

“Alex Montoya, I said.” Alex again repeated his name.

“Who is Alex Montoya?”

“Me.”

“Now, so what?” Anita was irritated because she was concentrating in her studying of the lesson that was given as home assignment. She used her vacant period in the school to study as she did not study last night at home.

“So what? You do not see how handsome I am and very charming too,” Alex laughingly said not minding that she was frowning.

“Very conceited! Go away from me!” Anita drove Alex away as he sat near her in the same bench where she’s sitting.

“Why you drove me away? This is not your private bench; the university owns all benches here. I am entitled also to sit her like you?” Alex answered.

“There are many benches. You can sit there, there’s nobody sitting,” Anita was upset.

“But I like to sit here next you, smell nice, very fresh air,” Alex said. The smile never leaved his face.

“You did not see that I am studying? Why are you disturbing me, go away,” Anita was already angry. But Alex did not move. Anita stood up angrily and with her things went to another bench and sit there after saying to Alex, “I will report you for sex harassment if you follow me!”

Alex shrugged his shoulder and laughingly said to Anita, “Okay, dear. See you!” and he went away. Anita took a deep breathe. When Alex was far away, she looked at him and a smile appeared in her face, she knew who Alex Montoya was.

Alex Montoya was popular in the campus. He was a basketball player and many girls were crazy about him.

THE loud voice of Aldo disturbed the flow of memory in Anita’s mind. Aldo was back with foods.

“I also bought some hamburger for you, Anita,” Aldo said.

“I will eat later. If you finish with eating, we go. Her son just cannot lay down there. Within twenty-four hours, dead that is not embalms must be buried,” Anita said.

“Don’t worry. My girlfriend work in the office of the mayor. I called her already and told the problem. We’ll wait here.” Aldo said to Anita that everything will be alright. “A funeral car will take the dead man and they will bury him directly from here.”

“Don’t miss to film everything,” Anita said to her cousin.

WHILE the woman and Aldo were eating, Anita was just silently sitting and again her mind travelled back to the past.

Her friends were jealous when they knew that Alex Montoya was chasing her.

“Hey, Alex, she does not want you, take me instead, I am prettier and nicer, I will do everything for you!”

“Why are you ignoring Alex, I do not understand you,” her friend Susan asked her.

“Anita is just playing hard to get but actually when Alex is around her heart is saying BONK, bonk, BONK, bonk,” and all her friends laughed.

One time, the weather was bad, the dark clouds was hanging above and it would rain at any moment. Not only that, there’s no transportation as the drivers' strike, so many of the students went home walking. Anita had no choice but to walk also, when she noticed Alex was following her.

“Anita, Anita, wait for me, please.” Alex was calling her name and was running to catch her up.

“Why are you following me?” Anita asked Alex.

“I only want to apologize.” Alex answered Anita.

“Apologize for what? For your playful and irritating arrogance?” Anita said.

“Yes, because I do not mean it really. It's only because I do not know how to approach you so I did it by joking, but to tell you frankly, I really like you. I am in love with you,” Alex was telling Anita that he was in love with her.

Anita did not answer Alex, she just looked at him.

“Peace?” Alex looked directly to Anita’s eyes and before Anita could answer, suddenly it rained. Anita as she always carries an umbrella take it out from her bag and opened it. Alex made a gesture he wanted to shelter together with Anita under the umbrella. Anita felt the warm from Alex body.

The heavy rain just kept pouring. Alex looked around and there’s nobody on the street. He suddenly put his arms around the shoulder of Anita, hugged and kissed her on the lips. Startled Anita at first tried to get loose from him but then, the kiss of Alex crept into her body and frozen her. She liked it, her first kiss. After the kiss, Alex looked at Anita calculating what would her reaction be, and seeing that there’s no anger in her face, he hugged Anita and they kissed again, fully giving up, they both enjoy the thrill of falling in love to each other, to both their first kiss, their first love. ****to be continued****