Being Impatient is a Blessing

The campfire continues to burn brightly. The night skies grew darker, but the moon shone brighter. The mountains stood still in their places. The leaves from the trees sway in the cold breeze. It was a night to remember for the group. They returned to their spots and are about to partake in the main event of the campfire. Denise gets chopped wood that can be written on with a marker, which she brought along.

“We are gonna do a ritual we do here in this villa.” Everyone gathered around Denise, who would introduce the main event. The ritual is actually simple. She gives them wood, they whisper their honest feelings to the wood, and they throw it into the flames. Sounds easy enough. Everyone receives their wood and spreads out, surrounding the campfire.

“Okay, I will go first, then go clockwise.” Denise wishes.

“I hope to see more of these groups in our villa.” She throws the wood into the everlasting fire. Next to throw is Trinity. “Please state your wish before throwing.”

She gets close to the fire. The smoke kissed her face, but she didn’t mind. She presses the wood to her forehead. Seemingly wanting her wish to come true.

“I wish for people to stay by my side.” 

She threw her wood into the fire, wishing for that to be true as little bits of ash crumbled to the pit. The next was Gregory. He looks into the fire pit, ignoring everyone else, seemingly waiting for the perfect moment. The campfire is about to slowly die out. The wood at his side.

“I wish to be more patient with everything.” 

He tosses the wood into the firepit. Next to him was Oliver. He stares at the fire, but right through the big flames is her. She glances at her, standing still, looking at the flames. Her eyes looked towards his direction, to which he stared back at the flames. He makes a wish.

“I wish to be with everyone, even if they’re far away…” 

He tosses the wood into the dying fire. Next was Eugenio. He was straightforward with his wish that he tosses the fire seconds after Oliver did.

“To protect and help everyone to the best of my abilities.…”

It was Kelly’s turn. She had a hard time composing her wish. However, the sentence from the night at the passageway still echoed through her mind. Still, the ever-same sweet words resonated under her breath,

“I wish that I could have you already, Gregory…” 

She throws the wood. That was her only wish, even though the waiting game is played between them; her feelings grew impatient. Even if she tries, her thoughts always win. Last was Aka. She actually took the longest to throw the wood into the fire. Her thoughts clouded with one person. She tries to brush it off, yet her mind always finds another path. Every second, she could feel her arms quiver. She takes a deep breath, but her arms still tremble. Kelly, who was beside her, held her hand once more. Looking again at the campfire, waiting for her to do it. She finally decides to do so.

“I wish… to be honest, not just to everyone… but also to myself.” 

She throws in, and everyone offers a small prayer. As they let the fire die out, Denise gathers them once more before heading home.

“Thank you for making this a memorable night.”
“Thank you, Denise, for inviting us!”

Everyone gives their thanks to Denise, who had a very accommodating place and host via her parents. She smiles, knowing she may have made new acquaintances. She leaves for her home, leaving the rest of the group with the flame almost dying. The group decides to stay, except for Aka. She wanted to leave. However, the villa was at least a 5-8 minute walk, but she wanted to be alone. Oliver, noticing she had left already, decided to follow her from behind.

“Oliver really is a gentleman,” Gregory commended his efforts to be with Aka, even if she had an internal conflict. He sits beside Eugenio, watching Oliver’s figure disappear. Meanwhile, at the other end of the campfire,

“Did something happen to Aka?”

“Trinity,” She leans towards her ear. “Do you think…?”

“I see, she’s in that phase. She should be fine sooner or later.” They knew what it was, but for Trinity, even though she is confident that she can be okay after, she will need to look out for her more. Back to the boys' side,

“Greg, I’m gonna stretch my back somewhere.”
“Did you get old all of a sudden?”
“Then crack my back—” 

Gregory knows how to crack a back with his chiropractic skills.

“Vetoed, just go!” 

Gregory laughs at it, but Eugenio may have taken it seriously with that. He heads for the trees to stretch, somewhere one couldn’t see clearly. At the same time that was happening, on the route going back to the villa, Aka was walking slowly, climbing upward from the cemented stairs.

“Why wasn’t I being honest earlier? Oh, Aka, you dummy…”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself now…”
“I’m… not…” Oliver was behind her. She looked back, and there he was in long sleeves and joggers, the same outfit as hers, but different colors and patterns. “Ah, Oliver…”

“Are you okay?” He didn’t waste his time asking her because he had noticed the actions she had earlier.

“Yeah… yeah…”

“Aka,” He steps closer towards her, she steps back. “If you feel like there’s something wrong, please don’t hesitate…” His words were genuine, that it reached her the way he intended to. “To be truthful to you, I was worried sick for you…” 

 He continues to step forward, one at a time, the same for her. Her back foot hit the edge of the steps and fell back. His hand catches hers, and he pulls it towards him. She bumps into his chest. Her ear hears his heart beating at a pace. He gently tries to make her stand upright, yet she wraps one of her arms around his chest, which Oliver wasn’t expecting.

“Aka?” He didn’t wrap his arms this time. Yet, it felt warmer, the cold didn’t shiver them. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem rather quiet now?”

“Just a little longer…” She says under her breath, however, that was just a layer of what she felt. Oliver wanted her to let go, continuing to call her out, yet Aka’s ears were closed.

“I want this to last longer...” 

She eventually lets go. She steps back and continues to walk back; however, she looks back at him.

“May you walk back with me?”
“Of course…” 

He says softly, walking beside her. It was slow, but somehow it was intentional by Aka.

“God, if you’re listening, please make the path longer…”

Meanwhile, somewhere in an open area just near the campfire, Eugenio lightly stretches his back. It cracked a bit.

“Looks like Greggy doesn’t need to crack my back…” 

What he didn’t expect was a warm embrace from behind. Familiar touch, the hair that passes through his eye was a no-brainer, and the scent is unmistakable. He held her gripped hands.

“It’s still cold…”
“But you’re warming me up.” Trinity silently giggles at her words. Good thing he didn’t hear it.
“Say, when you applied to B.I.U., did you really mean to follow me?”
“I’m scared of losing someone who was there for me all the time…” 

He turns around as he lets out a big sigh. Their eyes met. The cold breeze wasn’t felt. It was warm.

“You may not know this, but you applying and passing B.I.U. made me happy.”
“Re-really?” His hands didn’t let go of hers.
“It made college much better with you by my side.” Tears of happiness flowed through her face, and Eugenio was startled. He didn’t have any tissue or a napkin. She attempts to wipe her tears, but he does it with his sweater. It soaked her tears. She will definitely remember it, not because of him, but because of his words of comfort. 

“Stop crying, you dummy.”
“Huh? I-I’m not crying…”
“Pfft. Then what is this on my sweater cuffs?”
“That’s—” 

She couldn’t even answer that she started a best friend argument. It lasted for a minute. The mountains didn’t mind. The clouds drifted farther away from them and away from them, near the dying campfire, were Kelly and Gregory, sitting so near to each other.

“Kelly,”
“Gregory?”
“Thank you…” He smiles, watching the fire burn away.
“For?”
“Everything…” He scoots closer to her side.
“Come on, I didn’t do that much…” 

She brushes it off, yet it makes her happy in more ways than one.

“No, if it weren’t for you, outside of Papa and Uncle Henry, this would not be possible.”
“Stop… you’re gonna make me emotional…” 

Gregory giggles at the statement. He didn’t mean to make her be that, but it may be since he has a way with words. He scoots again closer to her, at least a foot away.

“I’ve said this many times, Kelly,” He scoots again, this time his hand beside hers, on the dirt. “...but I’m blessed to have met you. You’re a very important person to me, and I couldn’t trade anyone for you.” 

She continues to admire the dying flame and his words. Her head rests on his shoulder, her hands slowly touching his fingers, slightly covered in dirt.

“Can I be honest, Greg?”
“Mhmm?”
“I’m growing impatient…” 

Gregory giggles at that statement; he knew what it meant. Time has been slow since the passageway. He lets out a big sigh.

“If I said, I grew impatient, too?” 

He leans his head against hers, who has leaned against his shoulders.

“Why?”
“Because I can’t wait to spend the rest of my time, my life with you.” 

The fire’s glow was no more. The ashes and the burnt wood from the wishing ritual were left. However, one’s wish may come true early.

“I love you, Kelly…” 

He finally says the words, the assurance that she longed for. The once-rejected, misunderstood feelings turn into a spark that could play out. She pulls her head out of his shoulders. Eyes meeting each other again. She reaches for his face, feels its warmth under her winter gloves.

“I love you, more, Greg…” 

Their foreheads met, his hazelnut eyes met her brown eyes. It was intimate. Their lips slowly met under the bathing moonlight. It didn’t matter who was there for them. It didn’t matter if the breeze became cooler. They set the time for their own tomorrow, but fate moved their time forward.

The fire completely burned out, and the campfire was no more. The broken and hurtful memories of the past burn as it becomes a fuel for their tomorrows. The ashes stood still for some, but others flew high into the moonlight. 

What one cannot speak out of their mind is yet to let it out. What one’s history of hurt becomes the new motivation for one to stay by their side. And what one’s history of time becomes a fast-forward of their promise. Sagada is one for the books.