Answers

I was very satisfied just lying there on the beach while the sun happily roasted my skin as if it’s having me for dinner. She was flat on her stomach looking at me intently, wrapped in silent innoncence. Together we formed an interesting L shape on the sand of observer and observee. I was warm, on a quiet beach and feeling content. It’s the only thing that I do on a beach nowadays. The water’s not as clean as I remembered in my childhood and I can never shake the slimy feeling off of me when my skin moves in the water. It felt oily. Yep, I prefer the clean and dry sand better.

Which explains why, I was completely caught off guard.

“Peter, if your girlfriend feels depressed, what would you do?” Not even pausing to let me respond to my name.

*Very well, I can play pretend

“Well…” I choked on my first word because my reflective response shocked me.

My mind raced for a better solution, but by then, she had already observed my reaction and deducted certain meaning. I know then that there’s no other choice but to tell her the truth. Knowing that she, like me, has perfected the art of behavior observance through dancing.

“First of all, I wouldn’t want to have to deal with a depressed girlfriend. She’d have the confidence and self motivation to get through that type of mood…” I took a breath.

“But not everyone can be confident like that.” She quickly interrupted.

“Oh?… I don’t know then, I never had to deal with that yet.” I replied finally.

She looked away and by that expression, which I’ve come to understand as my failure in some kind of test. That’s when the sudden realization came. Could she be? No way… But ever since I’ve known her, ever since the first time I saw her on stage, I’ve always thought of her as the most fun, random and crazy person out there. I realized then that I don’t know her at all.

“Wow, my opinion of you just changed.” I said sadly

“Me too.”

That was a fond memory and for some reason, the question came back to me today. Actually, it was the answer that came to me today, followed by the memory of this question: “What will I do if my girlfriend is depressed?”

I will show her a better existence.