“Well, it’s because I learned that time is gold.”
“What?” I stopped in my tracks and turned to him when I heard his answer.
“It’s true,” he shrugged.
“Seriously?” I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress the giggle but since it was slowly escaping so, I let it out anyway. “Don’t you think it’s too old for a grown up and a successful man like you? I don’t know how many times I wrote it in my slam books during elementary days.” I added, with a chuckle at the end of my sentence.
“Yeah, I know it’s an old saying — a classic saying that I know everybody has heard about a thousand times already, but that was what I’ve realized lately,” He even stopped walking as he began to explain. “Imagine, how old I am when I realized that it’s true… that time is really gold, that it is precious and limited. You won’t have it forever or anytime you want, so you have to make your day — your everyday progressive and unforgettable.” He sighed, his expression changed from playful to suddenly being serious.
And as for me, hearing what he said made me gulp the silly giggle back into my throat. I kinda felt embarrassed for laughing at him without hearing his explanation first. But I was just… you know, I was just kidding earlier… I didn’t know he was that serious. (laughing and embarrassed emoji)
“I realized that I have wasted a lot of time in the past few years. I missed a lot of opportunities in my life because I was too busy with my profession. I was too busy every day seeking attention, for promotion that there were already so many good things happening around me, but I didn’t notice any of them because at that time, nothing else mattered to me but being promoted and being successful in this profession.”
“Oh, but isn’t it a good thing? You strived so hard to achieve what you have right now, you got promoted, and you made your dreams come true.”
I heard him sigh before answering.
“Yeah, I became successful, but I also took a lot of things and people around me for granted.”
“What do you mean by that?” I suddenly turned confused.
“I didn’t enjoy my youth. I didn’t experience the things a teenager should experience… like parties, dates, hanging out with friends and even simple things like mountain climbing, I denied myself doing it. All I thought back then was that if one day I become successful, everything will be fine, everything would be the way I want because I already got what I wanted, but I was wrong. I realized that true success cannot be measured only by being successful in your chosen profession or career.”
I don’t know, but my thoughts were suddenly taken back to when I was a teenager, when I had nothing else on my mind but Luke noticing me to the point that I didn’t even realize I’d wasted so many opportunities in life.
And in regard to this, I understand David.
“So, do you regret being where you are now?”
“No, I don’t,” he shook his head with a half-hearted smile. “I have no regrets about what I have achieved in life, but I just wish I had learned to balance my time and learned to have fun somehow.”
“Why? You can still do those things now. You’re only in your thirties so, it’s not that late.”
“Yeah, I can still do it now, but not the young me anymore,”
“Then just think you were still the teenage David or imagine you were still in your twenties.” My quick suggestion. But as quickly as I said those words with a smile on my face, it disappeared just as quickly with what he said next.
“Why, can I still do it now as a young David with a young Samantha?”
I was left speechless. Did I hear him right or was I just being played by my own ears? But before I could form any words in my head…
“Just kidding!” he blurted out and I suddenly felt disappointed that I couldn’t explain. “But you know what, there is this one thing that I regret the most until now.”
“What is it?” I asked him, but all he gave me was a mischievous smile. “What is it that you regret until now?”
“I’ll tell you someday, but not now,” And once again, he just flashed me a wicked grin.
I decided not to push it so, I just changed the topic.
“Do you want to experience mountain climbing?” I asked him and his eyes immediately lit up.
“Yes, of course!” he replied enthusiastically.
“I know a group of professional mountaineers, I can introduce you to them if you want.”
“Aren’t you coming with me?”
“Uhm… wouldn’t it be awkward if I came with you knowing that I’m your ex-girlfriend and you’re already in a relationship?” He was momentarily stunned with my question.
“Sam…” He stared at me for a few seconds, maybe he wanted to say something but was interrupted by a phone call. He slowly took his phone out of his pocket and I didn’t miss the way he let out a sigh the moment he saw who the caller was, so I simply glanced at his phone. But then my heart sank when I saw the familiar name written on it and the image on the screen. Tanya.
When I thought he was going to answer the call, I gulped in surprise because he simply swiped the end call button and put it back in his pocket before facing me again.
“I have something to tell you —” but just like earlier, he was interrupted again by the same caller.
But then again, he ended the call even without knowing why his girlfriend was calling him.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized… maybe for keeping me waiting. But I smiled at him and shook my head so he wouldn’t notice the confusion that had built up in me.
“No, it’s fine,”
“Sam, I’ve been wanting to tell you this,” He paused as he took a deep breath. “It’s just that—” It’s just that… he was again interrupted for the third time.
I observed his expression. He closed his eyes tightly. He was kinda annoyed but I don’t know what for… whether it was for the caller who kept calling him every second or for wasn’t able to continue what he wanted to tell me … or maybe both.
“Why don’t you take it first?”
“But —”
“Go ahead, take it. What if it’s something important?” I held my breath when he slowly took his phone out of his pocket again and finally answered the call. He even motioned for me to wait for him as he was just going to talk to her… he was going to talk to his girlfriend.
-‘Whew! Ouch!’- My heart screamed deep inside as I watched him slowly walk away to talk to Tanya.
And I … I turned my back to start walking again.
I just wonder what they were talking about at that moment. What if she’s asking him to go back because there’s an emergency? What if one of his patients needed him or asked for him? Or what if she just wanted him to come back… for herself?
-‘Haist!’- I shook my head, letting out a long, annoyed sigh. “What the hell am I thinking? Why do I care, duh?’-
And since I was busy thinking about those things that weren’t yet certain, I didn’t notice that my steps were getting faster and faster and I was already far from where I had left him.
A few minutes later, I heard him call my name but I intentionally didn’t turn to look at him.
“Sam!”
I continued walking, pretending not to hear his call until I felt someone grab my arm.
“Sam!”
“Huh…!” It’s David. “So, are you done with the phone call?” The only thing I asked… or should I say, the only thing my mind could ask because I don’t know how I would feel if he said the exact thing I was afraid of at that moment.
“Yes,” he nodded, still holding my arm. “I told you to wait for me,”
“Oops! I’m sorry, I was amazed by the view and the kids running around.” I lied. A few seconds later, he finally let my arm free. “By the way, what was it that you’re going to say earlier? You said you had something to tell me.”
“Oh, uhm… it’s not really important,” he said shaking his head and waving his hand in the air.
I frowned. His face was serious earlier when he told me he had something to tell me before the phone call.
“Are you sure it’s not important?” I asked with a frown.
“Y – Yeah, don’t mind it,”
I raised an eyebrow when I noticed how he took his gaze away when I looked at him closely.
“Come on, let’s keep walking. This is a good cardio exercise.” He then started walking with me frowning next to him.
-‘What the heck was he going to tell me earlier? He said he had been wanting to tell me whatever that thing was, but after getting the call, he suddenly didn’t want to talk about it!’-