Oceans and Engines

Saturday sunset, 6:02 p.m.
 
"I can't believe that I'm already turning 16 this year. Plus, but actually a negative one, we'll be going to different schools. Can you imagine that? Me and you, separated from each other!" Mayi said as she chewed the apple she's holding.
 
"It's not that negative, you know. We can both explore, learn, and discover different things," Gio replied while fixing Mayi's long and wavy hair.
 
Gio and Mayi are both lying down on a cloth while watching the sun as it sets over the ocean.
 
Mayi continued to speak, ignoring Gio. "Do you really not want to pursue music with me? You know, we grow with the music surrounding us."
 
"You know the reason why I can't pursue it, right?" Mayi looked at him with those eyes again.
 
Gio looked up and stopped Mayi from giving him that look.
 
"Okay, sorry. I know, I know. Can I speak to them?” Mayi asked for permission.
 
“Go on, just don’t say anything stupid.”
 
Mayi stood up and walked towards the water.
 
“Hi to Gio’s parents,” Mayi said, waving at the ocean. “You were both gone too soon. I know you still watch Gio; you want to be by his side. Don’t worry, I’ll always be here. I’ll always be with Gio.”

After a week, they both go to separate schools. After 15 years, they were separated. Mayi pursued music until she was in her 3rd year of college. While Gio’s taking Aeronautical Science.

As the years passed without even noticing. There are changes in their relationship. They’re still close, but not like when they were both young; they set boundaries. Mayi and Gio tried dating other people and ended up going back to each other and laughing. They are both bad at having romantic relationships. Do they like each other? They both don’t know the answer.
 
“Will you please help me with this?” Mayi asked Gio, who’s currently reading a book.
 
Gio stood and got the guitar that Mayi was holding. “What do you want me to do? ”
 
“I need a tune and lyrics.” Gio nodded.
 
“For what?” He started strumming the guitar.
 
“I’m going to confess.” Gio stopped; he actually froze.
 
"Seriously, May, you never confessed through a song, and you even want me to help you. Do I know this guy?”

“Yeah,” Mayi answered. He put down the guitar and got back to his former position.
 
“Why? I like this guy. Is it bad if I confessed through a song?”
 
“For how long do you like this guy?” Gio investigated.
 
“He’s my first crush,” Mayi said slowly, knowing that Gio knows who that guy is.
 
“Do you mean Zj?” Mayi nodded like a sloth.
 
“Maybe you know the reason why your dad won’t allow you to go on a vacation without me every summer.”
 
“We both changed. We were just 18 back then, so we just tried new things.” Mayi and her reasons.
 
Mayi pleased Gio to help him; eventually, they wrote a love song together. “Every Summertime”

Gio opened his arms, waiting for Mayi, who looked pathetic, tears dropping while running.

“Shh, it’s fine. He’s not that handsome; he’s not worth your tears.” Gio comforted Mayi.
 
All you can hear is Mayi sobbing and the waves crashing into each other. After a while, “You can laugh now.” She can feel Gio trying to hold his laughs. Mayi stood up straight and hit Gio’s chest. “You’re so bad.”
 
Gio laughed and eventually stopped. They are both used to it. They sat down on the sand. Mayi hugged her knees, feeling the breeze of the night wind. Before even Mayi confessed, Zj introduced his girlfriend to her.
 
“I never noticed our height difference,” Gio said, reviving the atmosphere. He handed an apple to Mayi.
 
“You’re unfair. I stopped growing when we were 17,” Mayi said, still unclear because she just finished crying.
 
“Are you still counting?” Gio asked. Mayi gulped. “Yes, how about you?”
 
“Yes, 7. Rin was the last girl. Aren’t you tired?” Gio asked.
 
“I think Zj will be my last. And yes, I am indeed tired. I tried. 9 guys,” Mayi answered. “What if we try?” Mayi added, making Gio unable to speak.
 
“We are friends, May. We can’t do that,” Gio said.
 
“Why? You don’t like me, Gi?” Gio looked at him, confused by her questions.
 
“Stop that, May. You’re just sad because of Zj.”
 
“Even if Zj and I dated, I would still want to know if you ever liked me, not in a platonic way,” Mayi said, not breaking eye contact between her and Gio.

“How about you?” Gio asked, returning the question.
 
“I don’t know,” Mayi simply answered.
 
“Then, I don’t know either.” Gio again returned her answer.
 
After that night, they became distant from each other. It’s kind of sad, but it gave them time to think about their feelings for each other.

A week has passed, and everything is back to normal. The sad part is that they both hide their true feelings. They both don’t know if they like each other, so they chose to avoid the topic.
 
Gio and Mayi are both now adults. Both are done with their studies and have jobs. Gio is now a pilot, while Mayi is a producer for a famous company. They moved from their hometown to explore more.
 
“Where are you? I’m almost done here at the studio.” Mayi was talking to a phone while fixing her music sheets.
 
“I’m almost there. There was just a bit of traffic down the avenue,” Gio explained.
 
Before going down to open the car door for Mayi, Gio hid something in the compartment of his car.
 
Mayi and Gio went to a restaurant to celebrate their 26 years of friendship.
 
“I’m planning to go to London,” Mayi said while eating their dessert.
 
Gio nodded. He knows that it’s Mayi’s biggest dream. He can visit her anytime he wants. He just wants to confess his true feelings to her.
 
“I’ll be leaving.” Mayi stopped eating and opened her purse, showing him the plane ticket. “Later.” Gio stared at her. He was hiding something in his pocket.
 
“Are your things packed? ”Mayi nodded.
 
It’s now time for Mayi’s departure. Gio’s still holding something, hesitating if he will give it.
 
“Bye, Gi. Wish me luck!” Gio saw something in Mayi’s eyes. It’s not just happiness, but something that he can’t explain.
 
Gio finally decided. He can’t give it to Mayi yet. He will stop Mayi from reaching her dreams. But he wished he had stopped Mayi from leaving.
 
Gio was found lying on the sand in their hometown, holding a ring and dried flowers. He stayed there for three days when the news was released. The plane Mayi’s on crashed and fell into the ocean.
 
Gio was lost. He stopped working. He wrote music; he stayed at Mayi’s house, Mayi’s studio, and Mayi’s room. Her parents were both devastated, but they took care of Gio. Gio, who’s always sad, is crying and holding a bunch of letters from Mayi, expressing her feelings for the guy and how much she loves him.

After 4 years, Gio went to the ocean with a letter on a bottle.
 
Dear Mayi,

The ocean took everyone I love. My parents drowned when the ship sank. You, my Mayi, were found floating in the ocean. But I never blame the water. I am, for some reason, attached to the ocean. Maybe because my parents taught me how important the ocean is to people. I actually want to be a pilot because, somehow, I still want to see the ocean. I don’t know why, but I blamed myself for the past few years. You and my parents shouldn't have died too soon. I hesitated; that was the reason they died and the reason you’re not here with me. I hesitated to swim; that's why my parents didn’t get to the boat. I hesitated to confess to you, and I hesitated to stop you from leaving. But that’s all in the past. I don’t blame anything or anyone anymore because what matters is that I know that through this letter and through this song, you, Mayi, will know how much I love you.
 
You were like a bee to me, noisy and always around me like I had your queen. You said I was a flower that lacks pollen, and you are ready to give me some. The first time you shut your mouth was when you heard the story of my parents. You cried, but I did not. As you followed me, I appreciated your presence. I appreciated young Mayi. We became best of friends, inseparable. When we were 14, I knew that something inside me was screaming that I loved you as a girl and that I had a crush on you. When we went to different schools, you and I changed. I can’t believe that we will try to date someone. When you cried because of ZJ, you asked me if I ever liked you. I wanted to say that I loved you, but I did not; I hesitated. I love you the way you are. I love you, Mayi. That’s why I want to hurt Zj. How can someone reject a woman like you? And why can’t I admit that I like you? And why didn’t you confess to me too? Why are we so afraid? Why do we hesitate? Why do we hate taking risks? Yes, I am afraid of rejection. I am afraid that our friendship might vanish. I hate it. I decided to hide my feelings; I can’t live with this situation of ignoring each other, no way! Fast forward: we are now officially adults. We bid goodbye to our favorite ocean and hometown. We live near each other, and you said you were leaving. I supported your decision; it was your dream. I didn’t get to confess, but I said there were other times. Next time, when we meet again, Next time, when you go home, Next time, when we are together again, And those next times turned into the next life. I hope you’ll listen to this song that I wrote, even though you’re not here with me anymore.

Love, Gio

And for the last time, he played the song he wrote. Gio kissed the bottle before throwing it into the ocean. “My great lost love.”