Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

**Archie’s POV**

After I heard what Lisa told me about what happened to his previous boyfriend. I was bothered why his boyfriend just disappeared. I cannot fathom the depth of his reason why he disappeared. Maybe time will tell, but I am sure of myself that I wanted her to be my girlfriend. As I have already told her that I could wait for as long as she wanted me to wait. And just tell me directly if I could get her favorable approval regarding my intention to her. I am ready to accept whatever her decision be, even if it can break my heart but I wish it is the opposite.

That night, I took her home. Although she did not invite me to enter their house in the suburban area, I was happy that I knew where she lived and I safely took her home. Her safety is my main concern, that is why I insisted on taking her home since it was late when she left her office.

Next morning, our crewing manager informed me that I had already scheduled a departure. This is what I am waiting for. I will be boarding my ship anytime soon just waiting for my flight schedule. I don’t know what I feel, excited but sad. Excited, because I can already board a ship and I could start to save for my future and could help my family with our financial difficulties. But then sad, because I will be leaving Lisa and I don’t want to leave her. I need to tell this to Lisa and let her know that I would never disappear in her life, but always be there by her side. Just be patient and wait for my return.

I directly went to the sixth floor where she worked and asked her to have lunch out with me if she had nothing important to do. She agreed, so we went out to a nearby cafeteria.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I wanted to tell you something Lisa, I don’t know if it is good news to me or bad news at the same time since this would temporarily set us apart. I just wanted you to understand that this is my kind of work and it will be the start of me to save for the future. I know you don’t believe in empty promises, but I can only say that you need to trust me. I would be leaving soon, Lisa. I will be boarding a ship for a nine month contract. I just wish that you could wait for my return.” I immediately told her.

She just looked at me. I don’t know if she understands what I told her. I can see her eyes watered. Is it tears? I don’t know, I don’t want to speculate. But I see sadness in her eyes. She never spoke a word. She just looked at me.

I held her hands and kissed it. “I promised you that I would be back after my nine months contract. I hope that I will be seeing you by then, still available and with no boyfriend.”

“Alright then, I’ll wait for you in nine months and then I will decide to what extent we can be then. Will that be alright with you?” That’s all she could say and I am more than happy that she had given me a chance to be in her life. I don’t want to screw this up. I was holding her hands more tightly this time and she smiled brightly. Though there is no confirmation of my chances to her, I just feel I have already won the fight.

We left the cafeteria, walking hand in hand. Most of the seafarers that we came across were staring at us including her officemates. I have never been happy in my life, though I have gone through many relationships before which I was not proud of. With Lisa, she’s different. I just need to admit to her that she was not the first girlfriend I ever had but I am dead serious with her. I just hope she believed in me.

While waiting for my scheduled flight, my relationship with Lisa has been good considerably, every day we go out for lunch and I could take her home. My fellow seafarer has been asking me if she is already my girlfriend, because I am fencing her from anybody who wants to get close to her. I don’t want to lie about my real score to Lisa, but I don’t want anyone to hit on her, I don’t want that since I will be leaving soon. I wanted her to be mine alone. Call me selfish, but I am. When you are in love with someone you tend to be selfish.

**Lisa’s POV**

After the day I told Archie about my previous boyfriend who went MIA (missing in action), he was constantly roaming around my place of work. He already stated his intention to me though I have no definite answer to him. He could wait, he told me and I don’t want to rush things again. Though I feel something for him, I wanted my feeling to develop to whatever it would take me. Another heartache is not my option. Let’s wait and see. Nine months will be a good space to get to know if I would miss him or not. I am not a fan of LRD (Long Distance Relationship) because most of those that are into this kind of situation do not last long or always fail. I just don’t know if true love will test the relationship from a long distance. Sometimes they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. People most of the time like a tangible thing to fonder not air or absence. I can’t say I wanted it, but I would try to test myself from being away from Archie if I would miss him or not. For now, I would like to enjoy his presence.

The day of his departure has come and he requested me to send him off to the airport. Since we don’t have an urgent job to do, I asked for a half day leave. He told me that he would pass by the office to get his tickets and other papers, so we can proceed to the airport after he gets all his papers. After we arrived at the airport, his flight number was called.

“Be careful always.” He embraced me tightly and he released me of his hold, he held both of my hands and pressed it to his lips.

“Thank you for sending me off. I will always remember this memory in my mind.” I just look into his eyes. As I see, no one has sent him off, not even one of his relatives. Does no one care about him?

Next day at work, my officemates have been asking me if I am already in a relationship with Archie. I just told them we were just friends. I also asked myself, who am I fooling? There is no confirmation of our relationship but the action is much more an answer to their question. Denial is always what I do, because I don’t want to be caught up again to a web of frustration and heartache.

There are a lot of things that are still running through my mind. I haven’t introduced Archie to my parents and neither has he introduced me to his parents or relatives here in the city. He said that he grew up in the province and most of his relatives live in the province. He stayed with his aunties and uncle in a military camp which is allocated for the soldiers like his uncle who is a Coronel. Not knowing anything or very little about him made me worry about his intention. I don’t want another betrayal of trust. I already have a trust issue with man after what I have gone through with Leon. Though I don’t want to look at them as if they were all the same. I just wanted to make sure of my feelings too. What am I saying? I already had a feeling for Archie? I really don’t know, let’s wait and see.

I know starting tomorrow will be a different day for me since Archie has gone aboard his ship. Will that go with different feelings at the same time? I can’t answer as of now.