"I want to go to the arcade next, Lou" Aaron announced, packing his things. Another day, another place to go to, another time reduced.
325 days before he dies. It felt like time was moving so fast, leaving him only a few months left.
"Lou?" he called again. "Yeah?..Uh—sure. Let's go there. When?"
"Now? Or we can go tomorrow, if you're busy" I just stared at him, thinking. My mom has scolded me before for prioritizing Aaron instead of music, which I think is not true for I equalize everything. She has calmed down after a few days so I think it will be alright.
"I'm free anytime. What about you?"
"Then let's go tomorrow. You rest today" he pats my head. "Got it?"
"Why do I need to rest? I'm obviously in top shape, Aaron" showing him my "muscles" and he laughs.
"Seriously, you need to rest Lou. You've been out of it since we went to the movies..which was 3 days ago, might I add" he sounded worried. I inhaled deeply,
"Okay, fine. Whatever"
"Let's go home"
I nodded.
"You know..Life's not always about music" he began, tucking his hands onto his side pockets. "I can't imagine life without music" I answered. I really can't, my life has always evolve in music and piano. I know there's more to it but what else can I do? This is the way for my Mom to be happy.
With his chin down, he said "I know life well enough to know you can't count on things staying around, no matter how much you want them to. You can't stop people from dying. You can't stop them from going away. You can't stop yourself from going away either. I know myself well enough to know that no one else can keep you awake or keep you from sleeping"
I was speechless for a while. Is he talking about himself?
"So.." he continues, standing in front of me. "You wonder..different kind of things. Not just music no, also about other people. About animals. Why we live on Earth..And.." he smiles. "Death" he turns around and continued walking.
"You have to be curious, Lou. You have to enjoy your life because not all can live long like you will..And some long for that" with his arms holding each other on his back.
He keeps talking about death, making me sad even more.
So I asked, "Are you afraid to die?" it seemed to caught him by surprise because he suddenly stopped walking.
A pause.
He all of the sudden turned my way. He took a good long look at me. And I can see the pain in his eyes. Yet he smiled at me, but it never reached his eyes. "...Let's go" as he continues to walk, with my question unanswered. I thought I knew lots of things about him already, I thought wrong. I don't know anything about him. He's a mystery yet to be solve. He's so joyful yet there's always this wall between us. How do I reach out to him? to let him know that I'm here. I swore to be with him until the end.
I let out a sigh and catched up to him for he's getting further and further away.
"You need to stop doing that" catching my breath. "Doing what?" with his brows furrowed. "Leaving me behind". It just felt like I can never be equal with him. Not in music or life. He's like telling me he'll go somewhere and I'll be left alone. "You need to catch up with those little legs of yours" he laughed as he runs aways from me.
"Aaron!!" I shouted, catching up to him. He had gone back from his normal self. I smiled, running fast as I could.
"That was quite some exercise, wasn't it?" giving me water he bought from a convenience store. "You made me run like hell. And you're not even tired?!" I complained, obviously drained. I drank my water and gulped it all.
"I jog" he explains with a smile on his face. Was he really not tired from the run? I don't even know what illness he has. I also don't know if he'll tell me. Seeing him at the hospital was pure coincidence.
"Come on. We need to go home now" pulling my arms to make me stand up. I nodded in response. We live in the same subdivision so we would always walk home together. I don't know anyone in our subdivision for I don't like going outside the house aside from concerts or recital or anything related to music.
We were near our home when we decided to part. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lou" he smiles.
"Lou?" i asked, he started calling me Lou all of a sudden. I didn't even realized it until now.
"Louella's too long so I'll call you Lou instead" he explains to which I nodded.
"See you..Goodnight" I waved at him and he waves back, "Goodnight"
I turned my back and walked until I reached my house.
Another day has past and another day to spend with Aaron. He came to pick me up and my Mom unexpectedly opened the door for him which left me by surprise. I think she's still mad after I went to the movies with him. I quickly went downstairs and I overheard what they were talking about.
"It's rare to see El out of the house. Where do you take her, young man?" with her arms crossed. My mom was like interrogating Aaron. And he was shaking as hell.
"I'm here to take her on a date, Ma'am" as he smiles, shaking.
"What?"
I was shocked. A date?! Does he like me or something!? I can feel my face burning up so I got down. I coughed to attract their attention. The both of them looked at me. Aaron being shy suddenly and my Mom obviously not happy about what she heard.
"What is the meaning of this, El?!" she shouted. I froze for a moment. But today's not really that scary, unlike before. Maybe it's because Aaron's here that I feel relieved.
"Mom. I'm going out with Aaron...'to the arcades'.." I emphasize "to the arcades" so Mom won't misunderstand anything.
She pointed her finger at me as she glares, "No. You are not going out of this house" she ordered.
My brows furrowed, getting frustrated. Aaron was just standing there in silence. I went to him, grabbing his hand. I know I'm going to lectured later and all but I didn't care. I took a deep breath and with all my courage I shouted, "I am going out of this house and I'm going to hang with Aaron!" grabbing his wrist. We ran. I still heard my Mom shouting but I didn't mind them. My heart was beating so fast, it could burst any moment. But it was not fear, no. It was excitement.
I smiled as big as I could, looking at Aaron. We burst out of laughter, not minding the surroundings. It felt like I can only see him in this world filled with people. For a moment, I was happy.