"A Festival for the Broken-Heartedâ
 A quarter after six in the evening, a white sedan arrives at a waterfront. There, hundreds of families are milling around, enjoying the modest breeze of January. Child-friendly rides are in regular operation. Vendors are selling popcorn, balloons and an assortment of toys in vivid red and white stands. Game stalls are also found scattered in the open.Â
  Somewhere in the middle, a technical team is busy assembling a stage for some sort of band performance. It would certainly bring delight to anyone who would see such a boisterous place, overflowing with festive activities and untrammeled merriment.Â
  But for some, itâs the closest place to shun their thoughts with noise.
 âLate as usual.â A young lady named Sierra remarks dryly. Her eyes emotionless and static.
 âNot bad, isnât it? Ten minutes earlier than last time!â Beams a man as he wipes the sweat on his face with a handkerchief.
 Sierra turned sharply to the man, with a stare so piercing, it made him uneasy. Looking at her eyes, she mustâve been lost in sorrow for days.
 âIs it not always the case? Franco?â Her tears are threatening to flow any moment now.
 âI-Iâm sorry, Iâll try to make it up to you.â A fretful look flashes on Francoâs face.
 Unconvinced, Sierra goes back to amusing herself with the distant horizon. It has been a month since the two had spoken to each other.Â
  Around them, children are playing. Near an ice cream cart, a little girl of about 5 years buys a vanilla soft serve, along with a little boy, some inches taller than her. When they leave, the girl looks distractedly at a balloon stand. She doesnât notice her ice cream falling from its cone. Finding it splattered on the ground, she grabs it with her small hands and puts it back. But the boy takes the cone and throws it in the garbage bin. The girl cries pitifully but the boy gives her his ice cream and she stops sobbing.Â
  An impenetrable silence bridges the channel between Sierra and Franco. But with much concern, Franco revives the conversation.Â
  âDo you think Iâm boring?â He knows the answer might horrify him, but he needs to hear the words to find rest from his racing mind.
  Sierraâs eyes close, and her gaze found the concrete floor as she opens them.
  âHave you ever thought about the end of this tunnel?â Sierraâs eyes are weary.
  âIf you imagine a tunnel, you would only see darkness upon entering. Your senses will crave for some light, of course. But thereâs the sky, and weâre outside arenât we?â Franco lightens the mood.
  Thereâs no change of expression on Sierraâs face.
  âBut, on a serious note, no. Because endings donât exist as long as you live in the story.âÂ
  Somewhat inflamed, Sierra says, âAnd if thereâs only a few chapters left? What do you think will happen to the characters?âÂ
  âTheyâll find a way to begin a sequel.â
  Something behind Sierra catches Francoâs attention. âWait for me here. Donât leave.â Then he darts away.
  Her gaze follows him. He goes to a food stall to buy a pair of pink cotton candies, a tray of nachos and two bottles of soft drinks. From a gift shop, a stuffed bear holding a flaming red heart attracts him. He buys the toy before going back.
  Franco spots an unoccupied bench nearby and calls for her, âHey, my sweet Sierra! We can sit over there, come on!â
  They both sit quietly. Franco offers the food to Sierra but she only gives it with a cold stare. Heâs crunching loudly, as though to annoy her, for which he is quite successful. Sierra glowers at him but somehow manages a smile while her fingers are fishing some nachos.Â
 The sun nearly touches the edge of the ocean. But the crowd still thickens by the minute. At the center, more and more people are swarming as the stage is approaching complete erection.
  Franco pulls out the stuffed animal from the gift box, and he says to Sierra, âIf you wonât take my apology, would you perhaps, listen to my new friend here?â
  He changes his voice. Â
  âHello, miss! Can I take your hand, please?â He imitates a young girlâs irresistible voice. But Sierra looks at him incredulously. Franco frowns, so she holds the bearâs paw with her right hand, which he wraps around his left.Â
  âWould you please adopt me and take care of me? I swear Iâd be a good boy. I know this guy here is a jerk,â Franco yanks the bearâs hands toward himself, as if to fend him away. âthat is quite obvious with his impishness and lame jokes, but do you know he loves you very much? And I can love you as much as he does!âÂ
  Sierra bursts in laughter, revealing her smile and gleaming teeth, as beautiful as the moon, as sweet as honey, as tender as love itself.Â
  âWhy, of course, young one. Arenât you the most adorable bear out there?â She says in a gentle, earnest tone.
  âBut this, Iâm too certain to know, you are the most adorable person out there! Not to mention the most beautiful!â Franco accentuates with a glint of contentment in his eyes.
  A warm smile crosses Sierraâs face. For a short-lived breath in time, the electricity of their eyes recharges the connection they might have lost. A thousand words are being told through that stare, and, as it turns out, it is enough to understand that nothing could get any better than coming back to the arms of love.Â
  âAnd nobody knows you better than he does.â Franco continues.
  But the bitterness of truth invades the sweetness of the moment and breaches its veil.Â
  âYou do know, but I donât think you understand me.â Sierra mumbled.
  Confused at most, Franco asked, âI donât?â
  She stands upright and said, âI just donât see the point of it all. There are better things that deserve our time, better than something aimless, vague and immensely variable.â
  âVariable? But isnât everything variable? We can never be sure of what unfolds next as we the turn the pages of our book. We can never figure out where things will lead no matter how keen and measured we are in observing the roads weâre taking. All we have to do is to believe it will work out.â
  âTell me how am I supposed to do that? If we keep fighting over things that should have consolidated our relationship? And Iâm not sure anymore if we should call this a relationship, because even that is purely existential!â
  Downright bewildered, a surge of anger begins to stir inside of Franco. He swings his head sideways in disbelief. Â
  âSo what are you asking for?â He speaks as calmly as he could.
  âWhat am I asking for? Oh god!â
  âSounds to me like you want us to be in a legal relationship with a nice emblazoned label on our foreheads to mark us boyfriend and girlfriend when you said it yourself that it is impossible to tell your family right now!â
  âThat is absolutely the reason why I think itâs pointless! Our parents donât recognize what we have! â
  âBut you know we could be patient to wait a few more years until we tell them, right? Unless you get so infested with your pet-peeves you forgot that I was one of them?â
  âNo! Thatâs not it! Weâre going against the current here, and I donât think I could ever bear to go any further if weâll never figure out what to do with the rest of our time!â
  They are beginning to draw attention to themselves as their voices grow into moderate screams.Â
  âNo! But you promised me! And it was only a few months before!â
  âOh god! You and your childish whims!â
  âChildish? I believe that promises should be kept! And it was you who made it in the first place! Everything you say matters the most to me!â
  âThatâs barely a promise! Oh god! Why canât you just give it up so we can both move along?â
  âWait, what do you mean give it up? No, I-â
  âJUST GIVE IT ALL UP!â
  A long, uncomfortable silence drowns their conversation. Only after a few minutes passed does Franco makes sense of Sierraâs last words.
  âSo, do you really want to end it?â
  Both upset, their eyes loses contact with each other. The question remains unanswered in midair. They try to settle their gaze on something else to relieve themselves of discomposure.Â
  Near the promenadeâs edge, a pair of mischievous boys are frolicking around. Having seen a stray puppy, they hold their toy swords in battle position and starts to brandish those at the poor animal. The puppy, trembling in fear, attempts to escape them, but gets hit in the head for each try. Meanwhile, a woman of about thirty walks nearby and seems to have been looking for someone. She spots the boys and sees what theyâre up to. She couldâve been their mother or guardian because she pinches their ears and scolds them but it is already impossible to hear with all the noise in place.Â
  Franco holds Sierraâs hands with much passion and sincerity, âIâm trying the best I could, Sierra. And if that isnât enough still, I swear I would do anything you ask of me. I never wanted someone as much as I wanted you in my life. I have no other words to explain this, but, I love you. Please, I really do. Please be a permanent part of my life.â
  âBut I donât want to be a part of this. Not anymore. Iâm sorry, Franco.â
  âBut I love you. Give me this one chance.â Franco catches her gaze, and, without hesitance nor any concern of people watching them, kneels on the ground and closes his eyes as though he is about to recite the most solemn prayer he has ever made.Â
  âStand up, donât make a scene.âÂ
  At the central plaza, music starts to wind its way from the large speakers to the wide unmasked sky. The crowd has grown larger since the last half-hour.
  A subtle risk for Franco, he invites Sierra to come closer to the stage. The emcee introduces the sponsors, the organizers and the line-up of the bands.Â
 The first band opens the concert with a full-blown pop song which energized the crowd and got everyone jumping to their feet.
  Franco shouts and nudges Sierra. âItâs fun, isnât it?â
  Sierra stands there wearing a frown.Â
  âFeel this moment, let the music fill you up.â
  The first band plays a couple of electro-pop songs before the second one comes to the stage. The following band is set to perform indie music.
  During one of the slow-tempo songs, Franco faces Sierra and takes both of her hands. Gradually, his eyes fall to a distant universe as his lips are sensing herâs in the sporadic darkness. Until, at last, they met in the momentâs most intimate second. There is no music playing, but only one that their hearts has written and engraved into each otherâs stars.
  Love, beyond any circumstances, is still love.
  When the daze left their eyes, they both wake in the sound of the band playing an emotionally-touching song.Â
  Sierra manages a genuine smile that can melt hearts. True as it can be, but her eyes are screaming freedom. She wants to leave. But Franco holds her tight, never wanting to let go. She shrugs and finally, her tears fill the emptiness of her words.Â
  âI loved you. But, Iâm sorry.â
  The noise booming everywhere softens to a dead, impregnable silence to Francoâs ears as he watch Sierra squeeze her way through the crowd, occasionally getting bumped by someone whoâs lost in the concertâs pleasure.Â
  When he makes it out of the last line of concert-goers, Franco sees Sierra scurrying towards the parking area. He initially thought that sheâs after his car, but, shockingly, she enters the car next to his. A black, glossy sedan, looking fresh from the showroom, perhaps. Wondering who drives the car, he sees a man with a smoke on his mouth.Â
  Sierra, on the other hand, is oblivious of Francoâs presence and kisses the man as if to tell him to bring the engines back to life. He stares at them right until the windows closed and the car speeds away.Â
  Lost in thought, Franco looks back at the live performance. The current artist sings a ballad fit for his shattered heart. Mingling back to the crowd, he loses himself in the midst of several other souls resonating in the musicâs pure emotion.Â
  âAnd if this is the end... Then there is no beginning to wait.â