frozen in time

I went to the mall this morning to meet my friend and to accompany her in buying some stuffs. But before I left the house I had a gut feeling that something strange would happen. The day run out smoothly but when we wrapped up to drop by to a church because we were both feeling low about ourselves, the ambivalence burgeoned.

I had a pizza slice on my hand and a chiller drink on the other. While the heavy plastic bags hanging on my forearm. They usual scenario if you’re with a woman, taga-bitbit. We were walking on the side street and when we’re about to cross the road, we saw our high school friend with her boyfriend crossing the way. I got shocked and the time had stop before my eyes. My mouth dried up as a bone and I couldn’t even clear my throat.

“Maria”, greeted my friend on a waiving hand. I remained at a halt on my place. Maria and her boyfriend went to our place. She gave her faint smile to us and kissed Rosh. Rosh and Maria are my few high school friends and they have the constant female bonding. However, on my part, it’s very seldom that we correspond to each other for I kept myself distant to her. I just don’t know what happened why I was having an odd feeling about her.
Hi Sunny, Maria greeted me gladly. I just gave her my soft smile.
Sunny, this Mike, said Maria, and then Mike gave his full-size smile. I absently took out my hand for the ritualistic shake hands. But I offered it first to Maria as if I just met her before making the acquaintance with her boyfriend.
Then I got speechless. Maria, Rosh and Mike were chatting while I was just looking at them as if I was on the other world observing, the third person.
I couldn’t find the right word to say. The words were dribbling on my head and I was having a hard time to coin a perfect statement.
I missed you a bit, I told her in a weak voice. She smiled and then grabbed the chiller on my hand. But I didn’t let it go, I kept it on one of the bags instead.
She talked to me but I wasn’t able to understand her, I was just looking to her jaws and mouth as she uttered the words. We were inch apart but I felt that we’re poles apart.
She’s different…she’s different, something’s wrong…
Then she said, we’ll go now. It brought to my consciousness. And I absently said, I Missed you a lot. Then I offered a hug on her. I warm hug.