=MIA=
He offered to paint my nails after I finished painting his, but I declined. I started removing my lenses after washing my hands as soon as I entered the bathroom. When I was removing the second contact lens after putting my right one in the contact lens holder, it suddenly fell. "Shoot!" I'm blind without my contacts.
"Beni!" I yelled.
"Benito Martinez! I need your help!" I stayed still. I don't want to move because I might step on my contacts. I didn't even bring my spare eyeglasses. Not long after, I heard the door open. I looked to my side and saw him enter. I mean, it's blurry, but there's no one else in this house other than us, unless it's a thief or something.
"Wait! Be careful, you might step on my contact lens." I told him.
"You're wearing contact lenses?" he asked and I nodded.
"Yes, I am blind without them. I can't even see your face right now, it's all blurry." I can see his figure but I can't really see him clearly.
"That's one thing we have in common. No te muevas. (Don't move.)" I heard him say.
"You also wear contacts?" I ask. Even though it's all blurry right now, I can still see him squatting to look for my contacts on the floor.
"I can't see without my contacts." he said. This is the first time I'm hearing this. I didn't know he's also wearing contact lens until now.
"Did you find it?" I ask.
"Not yet... here it is." I heard him say.
"Put it on the case." I said.
"Do you still need my help?" he asked.
"No, thank you."
"Hurry up, tengo hambre. (I'm hungry)" he said.
"Okay." I finished what I wanted to do in the bathroom, and I cleaned the lenses before using them. I went down, and then we went to a Japanese restaurant.
"When are you leaving?" I asked. He is right, this sushi is really good. Other than sushi, we also ordered ramen, which is really, really good. I loooove ramen. I love trying different cuisines from different cultures.
"Tomorrow." He said. I look at him in disbelief.
"What? Nooooo. Are you serious?" Is he serious? Is he going home tomorrow? I don't want him to go. I won't have anyone to hang out with aside from my cousin, of course. Kayla is also busy so she can't always accompany me going around the city. My aunt is old and I don't want to bother her plus my little cousin goes to school. I don't really want to roam around the city on my own because I'm afraid of getting lost. I just have this weird imagination that I might get lost when I travel alone.
He stood up and sat on the vacant chair beside me. He gestured for me to turn around, so I did. I felt his hand grab my hair. "I have some stuff I need to do at home." He said while helping me tie my hair. He must've been bothered when I kept on fixing my hair because it keeps dipping in my ramen soup when I eat. He even used his bandana to tie my hair.
"How about you? When are you going home?" he ask after tying my hair into a ponytail.
"I don't know." I'm not really in a hurry to go home. I might stay here longer and return before my visa expires.
"No tienes trabajo que hacer?" he said.
"Are you asking if I have a job or something?" I ask and he nodded. Wow, is it safe to say that I know Spanish? My guess is just on point.
"I own a boarding house that I rent to people, so that's my main source of income. I don't know. I'm still figuring things out." I also have a bubble tea business that is doing quite well. My cousin in the Philippines is helping me manage it. They don't really need me back home.
"How about you?" I never really ask what he does.
"Trabajo en la industria de la música." I began processing what he just said. I understand the words, trabajo, industria and musica. Is he saying he works in the music industry."
"You work in the music industry?" I asked him to make sure.
"Si." He answered.
"Really? Do you like write songs and stuff for people and produce?" I asked.
"Something like that." I didn't know he has such a cool job. That explains the big ass house he owns. I remember him telling me that he recently bought his house.
"So, when are you coming back?" I asked.
He shrugs, "I don't know. Una semana or a month."
I leaned back to my chair dejectedly, "My one and only friend is leaving. I'm sad."
"Bonita, don't be sad. I will still call you." he said.
"You better. I'll get bored once you leave."
"I will see you as soon as I return." He said. I nodded. I'm still sad, we've been spending so much time together, and he suddenly has to go home. I don't even know when I could see him again.
"So, where is your permanent address? Is it here or in Puerto Rico?" I asked to change the subject. I don't want to dampen the mood, so let's not think about it.
"I prefer staying in PR because it's close to mi familia. Right now, I'm here to rest and get away from the toxicity of mi trabajo. I want to focus on my mental and physical health." I agree to what he is saying.
"Everybody needs a break. We can't always work all the time. We also have to prioritize our health." I told him.
After we ate, he drove me back to my aunt's house. Technically, he is not the one driving the car. He has a driver, but it is his car. I thanked him and hugged him before getting down.
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