Limbo J.
Dumaual
Limbo
The kaleidoscope of peculiar lights varying in
shades in hues met his onyx eyes as he went out
the doors leading to the rooftop of the building. It
looked like an urban forest there with flowers of
various names and origins, sparkling intensely
under the sources of light from the unusual sky,
were primly placed in the garden pots. Colors
harmoniously mingled with one another, making
his surroundings an improvised version of an
earthly rainbow. A fragile whisper of the wind from
the east blew against his toned, russet locks and
gently kissed his tan complexion.
But even with all the hypertrophied flowers around
him, there’s this one specimen that he couldn’t
keep his eyes from, fragrant as a flower, illuminant
as the moon and fragile as the wind, a girl standing
in front of him observing the eternal wonders of the
sky and possibly even trying to count the stars
considering the playfulness and quirkiness the girl
possessed.
1
“There are approximately a gazillion stars up in the
sky.” She said, her gaze fixed upon the skies.
He let out a gentle laugh, admired the sky for a
second and then looked at her. “There’s no such
thing as a ‘gazillion’, you know.”
She glared at him for spoiling her imagination. “You
should lighten up. This is a perfect place to let go of
the stress of everyday life.”
He was sincerely happy to be there, with her. His
world is completely and utterly different from her
but for some unknown and magical reason, she
understood him the most. She said the right words,
straight forward but also kind. Her words touch his
heart which is in most of his life was impossible. He
described himself as a rock – unable to feel
emotion, not famished by anything, whatsoever.
She knew this wasn’t true, truthfully, she knew
how much suppression he did just to hide every
emotion that can be visible to others. She knew he
was hurting and that fact made him intensely
comfortable to be with her each passing second.
“So you bothered me, just for me to count the stars
with you?” He smirked at her.

“Yes.” She giggled. At that moment, he took both of
her hands in his and looked at her intently. She got
lost in his eyes for a moment but shrugged him off
after a few seconds. She silently gasped and gave
him a nervous and unsure look. She nervously
drifted her eyes from him and smiled. He stared at
the palm of his hand closely, like there was
something fascinating going on. He looked up at
her with confusion and remorse. The sight of her,
as innocent and pure as a child, gave him a
momentary feeling of security. She laughed
awkwardly and stood near the ledge to see the
different orbs of the urban jungle at night.
“Don’t you want to lighten up for second?
Furthermore, you agreed on this rooftop meet-up
thing.”
“What’s the point? And I never promised anything.”
He let out in an uninteresting way.
She swept past him, her back to him with her hair
on one side dancing after her in the fast winds.
“You know, you really are different, it’s like a charm
of yours.” She whispers.
“So can you”. He slickly replied.
2
Limbo J. Dumaual
“Me, charming? Seriously?” She let out
sarcastically.
“Enchanting is a better word.” He added to prove
what he meant. She shook her head and had this
look on her face like she disregarded what he said.
In truth, her heart skipped a beat. He sat down on
the chair near the ledge which was directly beside
her.
“You tired?” She asked.
“Not yet… just wanted to take a seat.” The minute
after he said that, a shooting star suddenly skidded
across the sky. In a quick glimpse of traveling light,
she felt the atmosphere suddenly became brighter
in her eyes.
“I’ve never really seen a shooting star before.” She
said, mystified.
“Whenever you see a shooting star, you sort of wish
on it… I don’t know if it comes true though.” He
kindly explained while sitting-up and gazing at the
night sky as well.
“Why don’t you know?” She inquired.
“I’ve never wished on one before… it’s just not me.”

She stared at him for a moment. “Can I make a
wish for you?” She whispered as she looked at him
tenderly.
He stared at her and blinked twice. He closed his
eyes and looked on the ground and chuckled. His
ebony bangs hung over his eyes. Tired by the sight
of the concrete, he spoke.
“You shouldn’t make a wish for others, that action
is too kind for me. Wish for yourself.”
“I want to make a wish for you… so you can be
happy.” She replied.
Her eyes met his. He had this tender smile on his
sweet face. He stood up and walked towards her.
“Why do you care about me that much?”
“You’re very important to me- not in a love way!”
She quickly added before he thought of something
else.
“You don’t have to explain.” He took his eyes off
her. Her cheeks became flushed as the sky during a
sunset.
“Alright.”
He suddenly smiled innocently. “You’re not just
enchanting… you’re also hopeless.”
3
Limbo J. Dumaual
“Hopeless? I’m not hopeless. And who asked you?”
She frowned at him and placed her hands on her
hips. He grinned lightly and slanted his eyes with a
hint of mischievous gleam.
“Are you going to admit it?” He asked. Her face
expressed confusion. She let her guard down. He
walked closely to her and he intertwined her right
hand with his. He placed his other hand on her
arched back and forced her upper body to be
millimeters away from his. At that moment her eyes
widened and her mind was completely blank. She
didn’t want it… just not yet. She wasn’t prepared
for her hands to be held by a strong grip like his
nor was she ready for her body to be held by a
gentle but firm embrace. His eyes were low under
his eyelids with his lips slightly parted and amused.
She was utterly under his will, trying to look away
from his eyes. Making sure he doesn’t see how
much her face was flushed.
He smiled devilishly. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in
love with me.”
Her breath and heart caught on hold. Small pink
marks lined her cheeks. His forehead was against
hers; his tender lips parted and were inches away
from her own. She could feel his hot breath against
her mouth. She was trying to stop him from
committing a mistake and forced her consciousness
 Limbo J. Dumaual

to move her left hand against his chest. At the “Why?” She was surprised. She doesn’t understand
minute her hand touched his chest he opened his what he said… she just couldn’t.
closed eyes- somehow surprised at what was
“What happened… meant nothing…” He forced
transpiring.
himself to say those terrible words to her.
She couldn’t keep her eyes off him and she was still
“I don’t understand it.” She said defensively.
breathing heavily. Instead of closing on her lips, he
moved closer to her ear. “I know you have feelings for me no matter how you
deny it but… just forget them.”
“When are you going to confess to yourself?” He
whispered. “Why are you saying this to me?” She asked, tears
threatening to fall from her eyes.
She shook her head lightly. “I just care about you
too much… because I want to help you. I felt bad “My heart… is still set up on someone else.”
for you.” She shut her eyes tight and clutched him
to a tender hug. “I want to take away your pain and Tears brimmed down her cheeks, twinkling as it
make sure you can be truly happy again. I don’t glided down her pale face.
want you to hurt anymore.”
“Why… didn’t you tell me in the first place? So I
He was taken a back at what he heard and hugged wouldn’t have bared false hopes?” She choked out.
her closely too. “I’d like that…”
“Because… I thought I loved you that much too.”
After a moment, she let go of the hug. He suddenly He replied.
became silent and his eyes were suddenly filled
The cool breeze flew across the place that one felt
with unexplainable sadness. As she saw this, her
utmost happiness but also experienced
heart became heavy, like she consumed some of the
incomparable despair.
burden he was carrying. He walked away a few
steps and faced her.

“Forget, everything that happened tonight, please.”