Salvage my Broken Heart

Vince hurriedly took the bus. When seated, he took a deep sigh to relieve the excitement that he felt. He looked at the mountains as if they were following him. He reminisced about the last time he had been with Sonia.

They were on the grass in the school plaza, his head over her lap. She was playing with his nose like he was her baby boy. They clutched their hands as they strolled down the road to their houses in town. The school was two miles away from town.

Vince smiled like he was crazy. The passenger across the aisle lifted her eyebrows. Vince looked up into the blue sky, where clouds swam like cotton candy. It was a fine day. He saw Sonia’s face, superimposed in the sky. Her brown, china-eyes glimmered. Her slightly black and straight hair fluttered back over the shoulders, as though blown by the wind. He imagined her perfect smile, like Catherine Zeta-Jones’s. How he yearns of kissing her again.

It was already late in the afternoon when Vince arrived home. His surprised mother stopped sweeping around the backyard. “Vince, why are you here? It’s not yet semestral break,” said her mother.

“I missed home, mom,” he said. He rushed upstairs. His mother wondered why he didn’t even hug her, as he would usually do.

In his bedroom, Vince prepared his new jeans and t-shirt with a picture of Westlife on the front. He had bought them from the money his mother had sent in the City for his tuition fee. He hadn’t told his mother that he didn’t have to pay his tuition, because he passed a scholarship program. He had saved and bought them for the very first time.

He came out of his bedroom. His mother smelled a fragrance of Axe cologne. The smell went around the house. He descended the stairs and left his mother without a word, but he kissed her on the cheek.

“Where are you going, Vince?” her mother asked. It was too late because Vince was already out under the fog.

The disco music Dr. Jones from Aqua jolted the roof of the auditorium inside the school campus. The bass rhymed to Vince’s heartbeat. He looked around, seeing familiar faces. They were his schoolmates. He walked to the gates.

“It’s been a long time, Vince,” said the school guard. “You come to visit us or you come to visit Sonia?” The guard teased him.

“I just missed my school,” said Vince. “Can I come in?”

“Of course. You were one of the brilliant students here.” The school guard opened the gates. “Come on in and enjoy the Intramural Celebration.”

Vince nodded gladly. He walked over to the pathway connecting to the auditorium. He could see the colorful disco lights flashing at the Eucalyptus trees and rose mallow on either side of the pathway. Along with him were excited party-goers-students. He felt the excitement they were feeling right at the moment.

Vince gave way to the teens behind him. He knew they were students. When the auditorium entrance was clear, he went in. The usherettes recognized him. They ushered him in and offered a seat. He got a sniff of various perfumes. Overhead were disco lights blinking. That made him difficult to look for Sonia. He tried hard to look for her in every corner of the auditorium.

When Dr. Jones by Aqua finished playing on-air, party-goers moved to the sides of the auditorium. A love song from the Irish boy band Westlife was played. Puzzle of My Heart. Vince’s heart jumped. It was one of his favorite songs. He would grab that opportunity to dance with Sonia. He rose and looked for Sonia across the dance floor. But he didn’t see her. He moved to the back of the spectators behind him and went around the auditorium, staring at every pretty girl he would see. He thought one of them was Sonia.

After a short time, the dance floor was filled. He lingered by the pillar near the entrance. He saw Sonia with another guy holding her waist. They were being swayed by the lovely song, by his favorite song. He felt something block his throat. He swallowed down, and a little pool of tears flowed out from his eyes. He waited for the song to finish. Someone tapped him on the arm. It was Sheryn, Sonia’s cousin.

“Vince, how are you?” she said, her eyes seemed full of surprises.

“I’m fine,” he responded plainly.

“Have you already seen each other?” she asked.

Sheryn was always excited to see Vince. She had thought Vince and Sonia were meant for each other and compatible, except for social status. Vince was a son of a municipal employee while Sonia was a daughter of a prominent and rich family in town.

Vince looked towards the dance floor. Sheryn’s eyes followed. She saw Sonia. “That’s Vaughn, her classmate,” she commented. “I will call her for you.”

“Not now. Maybe later,” Vince said.

“Okay. I must go now, Vince. I’m one of the usherettes.” She smiled a thoughtful smile. “I’m actually late.”

Vince looked at her and realized how beautiful she was in her pink blouse and tulip skirt.

“I will tell her you’re here,” she said.

Vince knew that someone had told Sonia he was there, even before Sheryn came. Many had seen him from the gates to the entrance of the auditorium. Many younger students recognized him and Sonia as good puppy lovers. Even the teachers.

Vince had waited in the same place for almost two hours. His eyes were fixed on Sonia wherever she would go. He had seen her dance with her friends and classmates. He knew most of them. He had seen her waltzed with Vaughn every time a piece of lovely slow music was played. He looked down regretfully. He thought it might be wise to go home. He should have gone away, but Sheryn was coming to him.

“I’m sorry, Vince, she keeps you waiting.” The corner of her mouth dropped slightly.

“It’s fine. I think I should go now,” said Vince.

Sheryn didn’t say a word. She thought of why he didn’t dare show up with Sonia. But it was Vince, a bit of a shy guy and with pride. Although she knew how it feels to be abandoned, to be denied, and to be oblivious to the one you love.

Vince walked away, out of the auditorium, and into the night that drizzled. His tears trickled down his cheeks. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs or hit something hard, but a few teens he came across might think he was crazy. As he passed through the Eucalyptus and rose mallows, he remembered several things with Sonia. They used to walk here, hand in hand, or he would put his arm over her shoulder while holding her bag with the other hand. They had talked about so many things in here, things about their dreams, about their future. The Eucalyptus trees and rose mallows had witnessed all of it. They had smelled Vince’s breath, full of love and happiness, and it had made them bloom.

When Vince reached the gates, he noticed the guard snoring and slumped on a chair inside the guardhouse. He ambled to the sidewall of the guardhouse and sat down on a wooden stool. He looked up into the dark sky, which was now showing off its beautiful stars. He saw Sonia’s youthful face smiling at him. The same smile he had thought of before he would take his midterm and final examinations. The same smile that had made him study hard to achieve his dreams for her. He blinked and rubbed his eyes in his hands. He glanced at the auditorium. Someone emerged on the pathway. It was Sheryn. She saw him. Did she follow him?

When Sheryn got near the guardhouse, Vince rose and offered the stool to her.

“It’s okay, Vince.” She shook her head. “Will you go home now?”

Vince nodded reluctantly.

“Forget about Sonia, Vince.” Sheryn’s tone trembled. It was an advice from a girl who had nothing to do with his life. “You want to go there on the benches?” She pointed to the lit benches across the football court.

Vince nodded.

Sheryn walked, and Vince heeled behind her.

They sat, a foot apart, on a bench.

“I need to tell you this, Vince,” Sheryn said. She was hesitant to continue, but thought of him. “Sonia has forgotten you.”

A hammer struck Vince’s heart. He had to feel the pain, for what she said was the truth.

“Vaughn has been her boyfriend since you left town.”

Vince burst into tears. He remembered the time when he was a kid. Lost among the crowd in a mall in the city when his mother unintentionally let go of him. He sobbed discreetly. He was a teenager, not a kid anymore.

Sheryn drew close to him. She tapped his shoulder and rubbed his back. Her heart told her to do so. Vince felt the warmth and softness of her palm. It waned the pain inside. He faced her. It was uncontrollable. He hugged her. Her heart pounded. She hugged him back.

“It’s alright, Vince,” she whispered shakily. “Let it go.” She smiled to herself.

Vince smelled the fragrance of Sheryn’s curly hair. She felt her shoulder soaked with tears, and she liked it. The breeze blew gently at them, the hair on their arms swept up. Warm blood crawled through their youthful bodies. The embrace lasted about a minute or two.

Vince let her go. He couldn’t look into her eyes. “Sorry,” he said.

“That’s alright, Vince. I’m always here for you.”

There was a silence that trapped their words for a moment. Vince looked across the football court. Sheryn wriggled her head, seemed worried that someone might watch them. And then she spoke up. “Would you like to go back inside and dance with me?”

Vince thought it would be the right time to make Sonia jealous. He nodded in approval.

“Just forget about her,” she muttered in the air. She didn’t mean it to be heard. “Why don’t you just look around and see someone who likes you? Someone who cares for you. Someone who wants to spend a life with you.”

“What’s that?” Vince didn’t hear it.

“Nothing.”

They strolled back to the auditorium. When they got in, Sheryn ran to the music room where her friend Rossel, the DJ, was operating the music console.

“Can you play me Westlife’s Swear it Again?”

Aqua’s Cartoon Heroes cross faded to Westlife’s Swear it Again. Vince’s heart jumped with excitement. It was his most favorite song. He had imagined in his solitude in the city so many times that he and Sonia dance with it. The crowd cleared the dance floor, giving way to those who want to dance with the slow music. Then, he saw Sonia and her boyfriend went to the center.

Suddenly, someone grabbed him by the arm. It was Sheryn. “Let’s dance. Come.” Instead of him leading the dance as the custom says, it was Sheryn who led them. They swing lightly. She fancied she was floating in the firmament as her prince held her. It preoccupied him with taking glances at Sonia.

“Hey,” Sheryn interrupted him. “I told you, forget about her. She doesn’t even glance at you.”

He looked into her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right.” He tossed Sonia out of his mind and then he smiled.

“You’re really handsome when you smile,” she whispered to herself.

He did not hear it, of course.

“I love this song. How did you know it’s my favorite?” Vince asked.

“I’ve just guessed it,” she replied. She had known it since the day she saw Vince. She had seen her friend’s slum notebook many times. Vince had signed on to it. She had looked over it anxiously to know who was his crush, but only disappointed to learn that it was Sonia. She had believed that someday he would like her the way he liked Sonia. Or would love her.

Throughout the party, Vince and Sheryn had been together, dancing and exchanging glances and experiences and talking nonsense. He forgot Sonia because of her. Sometimes when he took a glance at Sonia, she would distract him. And he was thankful for that, because it only pained him for seeing them. He thought he liked her.

It was two in the morning when the party ended. Vince and Sheryn were still together. Along with the party-goers, they walked down the road under the moonlight, not realizing they had been holding each other’s hand. Vince walked her to her house. Their hands hadn’t parted until they arrived at Sheryn’s door. They seemed like a newlywed couple sauntering on the beach on their honeymoon. They faced each other in front of Sheryn’s house.

“Thanks for the night,” Vince said.

“You’re always welcome, Vince.” Her eyes shimmered. She looked around. She was waiting for him to move forward and kiss her.

“I was really sad when I saw Sonia with her new boyfriend. Thanks, you took it away.”

She smiled an inviting smile.

“May I go now?” Vince smiled back.

Sheryn nodded.

Vince took his steps backward, his eyes locked on hers. “Good morning,” he chuckled.

“Likewise.” She was still in her position.

When Vince turned away, she called him. “Just think of the chorus. That’s what I feel for you.”

Vince looked back. “Huh.”

“Swear it Again by Westlife.”

He smiled.

Vince was lying on the bed, arm beneath his head, looking straight to the dark ceiling. He thought about Sonia. Would he let her go? If she loved him, she would have talked to him, danced with him, and be with him all night. But she didn’t. He had become oblivion to her, as though he didn’t exist at all. That was pretty simple to him. Of course, she didn’t love him anymore. Vince knew what to do. Sheryn was right, forget her. Forget someone who is hurting you. Forget someone who doesn’t deserve your love.

Gladly, he couldn’t help thinking about Sheryn. The night they’d been together, the salvation of his broken heart. He imagined her eyes, the way she smiled, not like Sonia’s, truthful and enticing. Her curly hair blown away by the wind to expose her smooth, tanned face. Her warmth when they hugged. Her soft hands pressing upon him. He heard her voice in his head, full of hope of something he had probably known and felt. Hope of them become lovers. She had thought of it ever since they met. He remembered what she’d said, “That’s what I feel for you.” He thought of the lyrics of his favorite song. He hummed silently. He hummed again. He smiled and closed his eyes.