Chapter 2 A spam of time
Does love required time?
WIL'S (P.O.V)
The time had come for me to depart, to leave her behind.
Despite Kiea's desire for me to be cheerful as we boarded the plane, I couldn't summon any sense of joy. Too many traumatic memories weighed heavily on my mind. Looking around, I realized that my current expression and the sadness in my eyes were palpable. The absence of Kiea, her absence from this farewell, filled me with an unsettling dissatisfaction.
With a mocking tone, my mother pushed my elbow, urging me onto the plane. "Come on, son, the plane won't wait for you."
Searching for Kiea's image among the crowd, I wondered aloud, "Why didn't she come to see me off?" My mother laughed sarcastically, an unmistakable sign that she had indeed heard my question.
She laughed, a mirthless sound that only served to amplify my turmoil. "Of course she wouldn't come. Who would willingly watch someone they hold dear depart, knowing there's a seventy percent chance they may never return?" Rolling her eyes, she even contemplated a scenario she despised: "If this were happening to me and your father, I wouldn't see him off either." It was as if she were enacting that very scene, playing the role of a woman bidding farewell to her son.
As I turned to step onto the plane, I couldn't help but voice my doubts. "Are you truly content with being miserable, alone, and empty?" I knew she didn't actually want me to stay, so I relinquished my hope.
"Well, if I were at the airport, I'd have to drag him away," she muttered, a shudder passing through her.
A heavy silence followed my response. "Then perhaps you would understand what Kiea is feeling right now." She always seemed to believe she was in the right, an unchangeable aspect of her character that I found difficult to accept. Asking, "How could a mother who has a daughter treat a girl without a mother this way?" I stepped onto the aircraft. I continued to strive to be the son she envisioned, but it felt impossible under her constant meddling. If she truly wanted the best version of me, she needed to allow me to navigate my own triumphs, failures, and treasured memories.
My eyes were scanning every angle outside the window as I sat next to the window, mesmerized by the beauty of the sky and sun in a distant corner that seemed to merge with the land. At the same time, I could see the image of a girl I wanted to see standing 20 meters in front of the window. I immediately got to my feet when I spotted her. My parents, sister, and I all expressed shock. I desperately wanted to leave this place and rush to where she is to give her a warm embrace.
Sitting beside my mother, my voice trembled as I whispered Kiea's name under my breath. The sound caught my mother's attention, triggering her anger as she forcefully pulled me back into my seat. Looking over at Kiea, her eyes scanning the plane in search of me, I longed to stay by her side.
"I want to go out," I pleaded, my eyes welling up with tears, desperate for my mother's understanding.
Her voice carried a stern tone as she replied, "Sit back down."
I implored Kiea with a nod, silently begging her to let me stay, but her head shook, resigned to the circumstances.
Resolute in her decision, my mother reiterated, "Stay in your seat, Wil." Despite the conflicting emotions swirling within me about her actions towards me and Kiea, I knew I had to obey. She was my mother, and her words held a weight I couldn't ignore.
A tear threatened to escape as I glanced at my father, seated nearby. I had hoped for his support, but all I received was a remorseful look, his silent plea for forgiveness. My gaze then shifted to my sister, who understood my struggle but remained loyal to our mother.
Avoiding my eyes, she sighed, "I'm sorry, brother, but you should do what Mom wants." Both my sister and father carried the weight of their own powerlessness. In some families, the father would hold authority, but in ours, we were all bound to follow our mother's lead when she issued a commanding decree.
Locking eyes with the girl I was leaving behind, I clenched my teeth, biting down on my lower lip. Emotions surged within me, no longer containable. Gripping the window as if embracing Kiea's face, a tear escaped, tracing a path down my cheek.
In a moment of raw vulnerability, I reached for my phone, capturing a recording of myself. It was a testament to the depth of my emotions, an acknowledgment of the weight of this heart-wrenching departure.
Tears streamed down my face, despite my best efforts to hold them back. "I'm so sorry for leaving you like this," my voice cracked with sorrow. "I'm a fool for allowing myself to get closer to you, for making you rely on me, for developing feelings for you, only to leave you all alone in the end." Kiea, I'll send you my recording when I arrive. I promise to come back and never let you go. So please, find the strength to move on. Time will pass swiftly, just like days blending into years.
I quickly pressed the pause button on my phone, not wanting Kiea to hear my sobs.Once again, my mother's voice cut through the emotional turmoil, "Wil, stop daydreaming. It ends today."
Gripping the seatbelt tightened around my waist by my mother, I asserted, "I won't give up just because you say so. Whether it's right or wrong, the decision lies solely with me." And for everyone's sake, including Kiea's, I assure you that my feelings are genuine. This isn't some fleeting infatuation.
My mother was on the brink of shouting, her voice filled with frustration. "Can't you listen to me for once, Luke William?" she snapped, her tone sour.
"Why? Did you ever listen to me? To my feelings?" I stared back at her, my eyes devoid of any emotion. It stunned her, rendering her momentarily speechless. Meeting her gaze, I confronted her with unwavering determination, as tears welled up in her eyes. "You never gave me a chance to express myself, to have a real conversation. You always have something to say without truly understanding. You control people according to your whims. Do you know what's wrong with you, Mother?"
She stared at me intently, as if I had uttered the most blasphemous words. "If you were in my shoes, if you truly put yourself in my position, then you would understand why I'm doing this. I want you to be happy without enduring hardships. As your mother, I will fight to ensure that you can have that happiness without suffering for it."