conversation

They sat on the roof. Each was busy with their wandering minds.

“Aren’t you tired?” he suddenly asked.
“Tired of what?” she asked him back.
“Of being alone.”
She inhaled her cigarette, thinking. “I’m pretty much content with being invisible,” she finally said.
“Don’t you ever get lonely?”
“Sometimes,” she answered, shrugging. “Though not so much lately.”
He glanced sideways at her with a searching look but didn’t say anything else.

“While we’re on that subject,” she said after a momentarily silence, “I just wanna say thanks,” her eyes staring intently at the flare of a burning cigarette in her hand. “Thanks for being my friend.”
“Aww,” he said jokingly as he warmly wrapped his arms around and gave her a little friendly shake.
“And now I’m crying,” she said, laughing while reaching out to wipe the tears from her eyes.
“It’s okay,” he said, “We all need to vent sometimes.”

Then they sat there quietly with each other, gazing at the dark blue sky.

broken

BANG!
She wakes with a start.

BANG!
She jumps out of the bed.

BANG! BANG! BANG!
Somebody is at her door, banging it with an almighty force as if trying to break it.

She unlocks the keys and opens the door to find an agitated face stands before her at the wee time of the morning.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asks worryingly.
“Karen,” he says anxiously, “Mac and I…” He stops, looking more and more agitated, “Mackenzie and I are no longer.” Then he breaks down into tiny painful, little sobs.

rain (alternate version)

The secluded coffee shop was almost empty except for a few people. It was almost eleven and despite the rain that’s been pouring in a steady drizzle, the weather was humid. She reached for her cigarette in her bag while he played around with his drink. For a moment they sat in silence busy with their own thoughts.

“It was just a dream,” he said, breaking the silence. “I’m sure it didn’t mean anything.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said, a cloud of white smoke floated away from her mouth.

“So why are you so upset?” he asked.

Her cigarette crackled as she inhaled it. “He was in it.”

“It’s been a year, Karen”

She flicked the ashes from her cigarette onto the ashtray, “I know. It’s just that…” she didn’t finish her sentence.

“It’s just what?” he asked.

She didn’t answer. She took another breath of her cigarette and stared into space.

“It’s just what?” he asked again.

She looked at him. Trying to get the word out.

He stared deeply at his friend. Comprehension was dawning on him. He knew what was coming.

“I miss my best friend,” she said again, sighing.

Kevin said nothing.

Outside, the rain had stopped.

birthday

A yellow glow filled up the room as I turned the lights on. I threw my bags and keys onto the bed, kicked off my shoes and started for the bathroom.

I put on a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt, my body warmed from the hot shower. The opened window had let a cool soft breeze in. I pulled open a chest of drawers and took out a square, plastic CD case. I put the disc in the stereo and sat down on the middle of the carpeted floor of my room.

I lit a cigarette and pushed the play button on the remote control I held in my hand. Seconds later a crackling and whooshing noise flowed from the speaker. Then, came a voice.

Hi Karen, it said. Happy birthday! I’m, uh, sorry I can’t think of anything better to give you. But I guess it’s the thought that counts. So, yeah, happy birthday. And, um, hope you’ll enjoy this.

The voice faded and replaced by the strumming guitar keys from one of my favorite song. “And anything to make you smile, It is a better side of you to admire,” I hummed along, smiling at the words.

I stared at the case I held in my hand, an abstract, hand-drawn picture on its cover. “Happy birthday, Karen,” I whispered to myself. A cold wave of sadness hit me as I realized that the CD was the last gift he'd ever gave me.

letters

From: Miss Modular
Subject: some things and others
To: The Postman

Hey,
I went out with the two M earlier. We went to see the movie you and I talked about yesterday as per your recommendation. I gave it thousands thumbs up. Well, except maybe for that scene at the end. But maybe it was necessary.

I like the way they created a whole new different plot so the movie itself can stand on its own and not as a part of an instalment but yet still has a correlation with the previous ones. And I finally understand why it brings out your sentimental side. It was that scene right? The one with the man. Yeah, I cried on that one.

Anyway, I better get some rest. I’m planning to get up early tomorrow.

Take care!

-K-


From: The Postman
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: Miss Modular

I knew you'd like the movie. I told you so, didn’t I? I agree about the plot. It will not confuse people who didn’t follow the instalment but satisfying enough for the die-hard fans—like me, who even felt very sentimental, didn’t cry at that particular scene (you wuss!).

How are the Ms? Haven’t heard from them in quite a while. Say hi to them from me.

By the way, you okay?


From: Miss Modular
Subject: Re: some things and other
To: The Postman

Yeah, I’m okay. Why?

-K-
ps: It’s perfectly alright for me to cry at movies. I’m a girl!


From: The Postman
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: Miss Modular

Your last text—It sounded strange. You also told me there is something you’d like to talk about. And I know what you had in mind wasn't the movie.


From: Miss Modular
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: The Postman

Oh yeah, about that text message. Yeah, it’s not the movie I wanted to talk to you about. It’s some other thing. But let’s just drop it.

-K-


From: The Postman
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: Miss Modular

Are you sure?


From: Miss Modular
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: The Postman

Absolutely!

-K-


From: The Postman
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: Miss Modular

Alright, then. If you say so. I’ll be around if you change your mind.


From: Miss Modular
Subject: Re: some things and others
To: The Postman

I know you will.
Thanks!

-K-

slight return

“I’ll be right there,” she said before hanging up the phone. Karen stared at the receiver for a moment, then without any hesitation she jumped out of her bed.

The digital watch on her wrist showed it was already past midnight. Karen placed the gear to drive and hit the accelerator. Soon she was cruising along the highway, her car moving at a steady speed. It wasn’t long before she arrived at the empty parking lot of the two-storey motel. Karen got out of the car and hurried for the stairs.

He opened the door after one knock. She smiled at the sight of him in plaited boxer shorts and white t-shirt, his short hair in its usual state of messiness. “That was fast,” he said, stepping aside to let her in. Karen just shrugged, “what do you expect?” she said.

He took out two beers from a small fridge. Karen watch quietly as she lay down on the bed, beaming lights from the TV set filled the room. He passed her a can and slumped down next to her. “So, what brings you back?” she asked.
“I’ve got some things to do,” he said.
“What things?”
“This and that."

There was a tone of sadness in his voice. Karen glanced at him, searching for an answer but he just turned the TV volume up instead. Taking it as sign not to probe, Karen drank her beer and turned her gaze to the television set.

“You should quit, you know,” he suddenly said when Karen lit a cigarette. Karen stared at the cigarette she was holding. “I’ll think about it,” she said, shrugging. They said nothing else to each other as they sat there side by side, watching images from a movie flashed before their eyes for the rest of the night.

The silence was broken only when tiny glints of orange burst slowly from behind the closed curtain. Dawn had come. He turned the TV off. “Breakfast?” he asked to Karen. “Yeah, okay,” she said.

They got up, put on their jackets and walked out to the stillness of the morning.

mend

She held the piece of paper tightly in her hand. A neatly written message was scribbled across it, a sincere, simple message.

I’m sorry.

That was all he said.