Chapter 34.
The next breezy morning, after last night’s long and tiring star-studded chat, I woke up with a slight headache.
I tripped over Mary as I walked to the washroom and like I needed no reminders of how early Cece usually wakes up, she surprised me with a yell.
“GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE!”
Great. I’m sunshine now?
“Good morning, Cece. Could you make me coffee and I’ll go down and drink it. Call Mary up, call Dame up, and let’s go.”
She did so, calling Mary up by her infamous yell of terror as I stepped into the bathroom to brush my teeth.
The mirror hung on top of the sink revealed a very ugly, worn out and tiresome girl, with weird stringy hair and droopy eyes.
That’s me, Sunshine.
Leaning over the sink, I rinsed my mouth, brushed it, washed my face with POWER ANTi-ACNE that doesn’t really do its job well, wiped my face and went out to dress.
“Looking good already.” Cece said as I opened the light orange plastic door. I poked a hole into that door when I was little, and come to tell you the truth, I was pretty proud. The door couldn’t even withstand me!
“Thanks,” I felt good after being cooled down with water splashing onto my face. “Let’s see. What do I wear?”
“Nice dinner last night…” Cece dropped onto my bed. Mary dragged herself up, wiping her eyes and trod into the bathroom after me.
“Yeah? Well, I didn’t get the beef.”
“I know.” She played with her hair, tied up in pleads. I never know how she could do it herself, it’s miraculous. Instead of her dream being a hairstylist, she had to choose to be a chef.
A chef, seriously.
I mean, her looks could probably even buy her fame and she could transform into a pop star. But no, she has to choose to become a cook. Which reminds me, what do I want to grow up to be?
“I liked the part those people sang for you. You looked so freaked out.” She laughed.
Yeah, TGIF really sings for you when it comes to your birthday. I had to stand on top of a chair, holding a thing and make an announcement. Here’s the thing: It wasn’t even my birthday.
I tried telling them, but they shushed and showered me with, “Happy Birthday, Girl!” and this and that. Man, it was…wow.
It’s not like I didn’t enjoy last night. That would make me downright ungrateful but, it was too over the top.
Kimora would probably liked that, or she could just needed some more fabulous. I laughed a lot, though. Dame’s jokes, Mary’s weird confessions with Adam, Cece’s promises to her Dad and Dad’s story of how he snored.
Mum looked so disgusted.
I laughed I thought I could roll on the floor, with potatoes still chewing in my mouth. But the food was good.
Cece got fired up after the meal, asking how they cook it and what ingredients they put in. Isn’t it enough we eat it already?
Adam and Mary were cute last night, Adam went home, looking all tired and stressed and boom! He saw Mary grabbing her bag to go along with us and he wore this smile my eyes had to shut because it was shining.
He had even chose an outfit to match with Mary’s, and she was wearing pink.
“Har-har, funny, Cece. Dame woke up yet?”
“Yeah, he’s in Adam’s room, chatting or something. I heard Adam used the word, ‘Pucker’. Wonder who he was talking about.” She gave me this weird one eyebrow up and one eyebrow down stare.
“Oh shut up! You know it already.”
“Yeah but who knew Dame could really talk about ‘Pucker’ that much.” She made quote marks in the air.
I pulled out a dress, tranquil blue with spaghetti strings. I shrugged at her words. Mary came out then, with her usual frizzy hair.
“Good Morning, Strawberry!” Cece shouted. I closed my ears.
“Strawberries?!” Mary shrieked. She had a big grin on her face. “I love em’!”
They laughed as I walked into the washroom once more to get dressed. Then I put on some gloss and opened the room’s door, not ready to be ambushed by a couple of big guys.
“HEY Y’ALL!” Dame greeted us, peering over the door. “Just about to knock.”
“Well, knockin’s over. I gotta get you people home. It’s getting so loud I don’t think I can handle it.”
Adam materialized beside him, holding the door frame. “Hey Pucker, what’s up?”
I turned to look behind at Cece, who skips beside me and whispers Pucker very loudly.
“Hey Adam!” Mary said, walking to him and giving him a big bear hug. “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving.”
I looked at her, “Right after you get changed.”
She looked down at her PJ’s and blushed. “Right.”
“Oh hubby, please, no more of that story. I got a nightmare last night, and I woke up and found out it wasn’t a nightmare. You were snoring.” Mum said, sweeping butter on her piece of toasted bread.
Dad was sitting with his newspaper in one hand, glasses on the bridge of his nose and is munching his crunchy toast. “Oh come on, a lot of men snore!”
“But not all of them have tales behind them.”
“So I’m considered special, right?”
Mum stopped trying and sat down beside him. All five of us – Mary, Cece, Dame, Adam and me – kept quiet the whole time. Listening to their conversation is really interesting, it’s like they don’t know we’re sitting right here, around the table.
“Are you mad now?” Dad queried, he places the newspaper down and his eyes go all squishy.
Mum smiled a little, “No, just not saying anything.”
“Okay.”
And then, like they really know we were there, sipping our drink and eating pancakes with honey, Dad turns to face us, “Where do you five want to go now?”
I exchanged glances with them. All four of them shrug. “Uhm, a theme park?”
Mary gasped. “Oh goody! THEME PARKS!”
Adam looked like he was afraid.
Dame looked unconcerned, continuing his pancakes.
Cece, well, she just looked at Mum while she’s eating her toast with her whole face scrunched up. Weird expression she wears when she’s eating.
I think that’s how I get my when-I’m-angry-I-look-horrifying-face from.
Dad picked up his newspaper again, “Sure. Hurry up then.”
Everyone swallowed their food fast, poked their forks in their pancakes faster and chew again.
Except for Adam.
He ate in an intolerable slow manner, slower than he was before I had spoken the words ‘Theme Park’. He’s always been afraid of clowns.
I touched his hand as he was sitting beside me, “There’ll be no clowns.” I whispered.
He stares at me from his plate. “Really?” he whines like a baby brother.
I nodded, “There will be Mary.” I said enthusiastically. He chews in a faster manner and I smiled.
I’m not sure if there are clowns, but I sure hope so.
*
“So you and Lynette seriously alright now?”
I nodded uncertainly.
“I don’t know. Sorta. Kinda. Sure?” I answered. We were sitting in Dad’s car, with mum in the front passenger seat and us all crammed behind.
Adam was chatting with Dame about some new game and the three of us girls were talking about –what more? - yesterday.
“I don’t know…I remember she’s mean.” Cece adds. I haven’t told her much about Lynette, but she gets it.
“Well yeah, but she’s not with Ian anymore. I think.”
Cece shakes her head like my statement was the most dangerous and wrong thing to hear. She tsked, “Oh so what? Breaking up with someone equally mean doesn’t mean she could…” she struggled with the words, “be unmean.”
That was, sensible. But I don’t know, I don’t really wanna think about this now.
“So, what about Ian?” Mary asked, “You never told me anything much after the you-kicking-the-chair-incident thing.”
I shrugged, “We talked.”
“You talked.” Mary said, waiting.
“And we apologized.”
“We?!”
“Yes, we. I apologized for my half, and he apologized for his half. I guess we’re cool, too. If I’m not mistaken, he said he wasn’t going to let me go.”
They stared wide-eyed at me.
“WHAT?!” It wasn’t Mary nor Cece. It was, drumroll, The Dame.
He turned backwards to face us with his shocked-stricken face. Cece and Mary bursts to laughter.
I blushed.
“Who what who? You? He?” He stuttered, blabbered, mumbled, looked over our heads, clearly pondering, cleared his throat and looked straight at me.
The next 5 minutes, I told them the whole story. From how he brought me cold stale – it was nonetheless, delicious – food to suddenly interested in me to how everything just got messed up and ugly to me kicking the chair at his house.
Adam rolled down his window and the sticky morning breeze let itself into the car and spread freely, blowing our hair wild.
Dad turned ballistic after a few seconds, “You what with a boy?!”
I guess I just forgot that he was hear, in the car, having the convenience to listen in, too.
“Dad, I’ve told you this. Remember?”
His posture still straight, his eyes still gazing out the front window, he began to breathe slowly again. “Yeah. You have. I just totally let it slipped outta my mind.. So you two okay already?”
“Okay with what, Dad?”
“You know, the whole awkwardness.” He had said the last word with a little bit more meaning.
“Uh, yeah? Duh.” I answered nonchalantly. If I wasn’t so-called cool with it, I wouldn’t probably be talking about it and all.
He nods.
“Wait." Dame said, “I can’t believe he bet on you!”
Cece sat up in her seat in a lightning, “I KNOW! And that was on her birthday! She didn’t say anything!” She said, her voice raising an octave higher.
“Yes I did!” I defended. I remembered I did tell them about it. How could two brains coincidentally have forgotten about it.
Cece and Dame give me the stare.
“WHAT?!”
“Oh come on, you said ‘Nothing, this guy just ditched me’ does not explain the whole picture.” She says, her brows furrowing adorably.
Dame kept quiet. I reached for his hand, as it was gripping the seat.
“Dame, come on. Please don’t be mad. I’ll get you cotton candy!” I smiled widely, but it slowly faded.
He stared at me again, no reactions. “Cotton candy? At least some Jawbreakers!”
My smile returned and Cece and Mary laughed. “Jawbreakers it is.”
*
We reached the theme park and climbed out the car. Okay, we jumped out.
“Oh look, roller coaster!”
Someone gasped, “Train!"
“No way! Look at that! What’s that called, anyway?!”
And then, the most shocking, Dad screamed, “I’m in a real theme park! WOW!”
“Yeah, Dad. Welcome to reality, where theme parks are just a small part of life and plays a role to make you scream like heavens know what.” I rolled my eyes.
Mary snickered.
“I did not appreciate that, Winnie.” Dad frowned.
“Never thought you would, Daddy.” I smacked his back before running into the theme park.
“Where should we go first?” Cece panted as she caught up with me. Dame’s hair was like a train wreck, but he looked good either way. His hair reminds me of Robbert Pattinson.
“Why you looking at my hair like that?” Dame asked, a little bewildered with a glint of flattered expression.
“Nothing.” I said quickly.
“Roller-coaster!” Dad enthusiasts.
“Dad, you’re actually gonna play with us?” I asked, pale-faced, scared, shocked, bemused, baffled, everything mixed into one gunk called, a NO WAY.
“Yes, now come on!”
Everyone ran after him except me, that trotted slowly behind. Who even thought of the idea of a theme park in the first place?!
The inside was dark and the doors were heavy. It closed slowly behind, and no hint of light was let in.
“Ooooh, darrrkkk…” Dame drags. I rolled my eyes in the dark, oblivious that he couldn’t see it. Not that it made a difference.
The sound was coming from a distance, a sound of real fast cars on a railway track. It was nearing us, and it got slower and slower until a yellow dim light coated the corner walls where we could only see, because it was so black, and stopped in front of our eyes.
There were only a few people as they shuffled out, their coats rustling in their seats. Neither of them said a word, they whispered softly to their own partners. We couldn’t see their expressions so we wouldn’t know if the ride was a joy whoo whoo, or plain scary.
“You ready?” Dad whispers after the people were gone, the light going with them.
“I heard they said that it was scary.” Cece whispers after that.
“Heard from where?”
“From one of the whispers.” I could hear her smile even in the darkness.
“Oh. What’d they say?”
“Bats.”
“WHAT?!” I shrieked. “WHAT THE HECK. BATS?!”
“Hey calm, Win.” Dad shushed me. I must be such an embarrassment, but who’s looking? Unless some unseen stuffs are lurking, waiting to prowl on us when they get the chance.
Wait, bats?!
“I’m with Cece.” Mary announces, not an ounce of fear in her voice.
“I wanna ride myself.” Dad announces next.
“Ditto.” Adam says to anyone that cares to listen.
“And I, will have to pair up, with Dame.” I exhaled. My heart was still unfailingly hammering my ribs, causing me to hyperventilate ever so slightly. “Or you prefer going solo in this because I wouldn’t.”
I couldn’t see him smiling. Heck, I didn’t even know if I was beside him, ahead of him or even on top of him.
“Nah, I’m cool with you.” His voice was near, so he was standing beside me. He chuckles a little under his breath and we all settled into our seats.
I trembled already, freaked out and I got cold all over my body.
Fine, I’m a coward.
Somewhere the voice of a man boomed above us, “Ready? Buckle up and have fun!”
Have fun?! HAVE FUN?!
“Are you okay, Winnie?” Dame asked, his voice brimmed with concern and something else I don’t recognize. I turn to see him, but failed, and replied him blindly, “Uh, yeah I’m alrite. I’m gonna be a meal for the bats, but yes, I’m good.”
Dame laughs harder, his voice echoing and bouncing off the walls. We strapped on our belt that I was fondling with because I couldn’t see and it was getting ridiculous.
A few seconds later, the thing trudged. At first it was slow, and my forehead was forming sweat, and the air-cond was drying it. And it went a little faster at the end, and the perspiration started forming again, and guess what? Yeah, there was still zilch to see.
I guess that was the point, because as the darkness got darker and it doomed inside my brain, I felt more terrified than before. “Dame.” I whispered, desperately wishing he would answer me.
“Yeah?” He leaned close to me. “Dude, this is boring.” He yawned to emphasize on it.
I smacked his arm, “No it isn’t. I’m going off.” I tried to unsure my belt, and failed miserably once more.
“What!? No way, you can’t just open your belt. You’ll just fall into the big dark deep pit under us.”
I gasped. “What is the big dark deep pit under us?”
I felt him shrug as he rubbed against my skin. “I don’t want you to be the one to explore.”
Me neither.
It was silent for a moment and the coaster got faster and faster.
“Hold my hand, if you’re really that scared.” He said louder now, because the wind was making loud whoosh sounds.
“What.” It wasn’t a question, but I was shocked. Okay, so we’ve hugged and all, but we’ve never held hands. Even if you count it as holding hands in such a life-threatening, crucial time.
I’m swearing I’d be suing this theme park after I’m done with this ride. If I make it out, that is.
“Come on.” He pushed. His tone was monotonous, and it bugs me how casual it’s doing him.
I grabbed his hand and he squeezed it lightly. “You go down, so do I.” he says.
I can’t help but smile. The coaster abruptly goes down, and I shouted my lungs out.
When it was on the straight path, I breathed with difficulties. My chest tightened. I’m alright…I’m alright…I BETTER BE ALRIGHT!
“You’re alright, Winnie.” Dame ensures me, as if he could read minds. I nodded vehemently, trying to tell him I knew that. I clutched his hand harder because I had this instinct that the bats are coming close.
Breathe.
The coaster was going down now, and I was screaming again, even though the others were, too, I was indeed the loudest.
My heart leaped over, and it hid under me and never came back to where it’s belonged. This would be the most thrilling moments of my life. Dame’s voice was – according to me, since he was sitting next to me – the second loudest. But his scream wasn’t that girly-scream, his was, well, manly.
And I just scowled sadly because I couldn’t see his big mouth opening wide, his voice coming out and his priceless hair-blown-by-wind action. Wait, I’m in the middle of something here and I’m thinking of Dame’s hair?
It went on lower and lower and for a moment, I thought I was going to drop dead. OH MY GOSH, I haven’t even had time to check if I was diagnosed with heart disease. It could be just a few more moments before I leave this world!
“Dame! I’m dying!” I screamed out, partly because of the ride and also the wish that he could hear me.
“THAT’S STUUUUPIIIIIDDDDDD!” He shouted along, except his words were dragging as we went lower.
I was guessing my lips were floating along, too. And I was glad no one could see that. Guess that’s what the dark is for.
And it stopped in the middle.
We thought it was over, and I was undoing my belt like everyone else when the light suddenly took the daylights out of us. It was fluorescent, red, blue, green, and it was ferociously blinding my pupils and damaging them forever.
This really is not a good ride.
I blinked repeatedly, the image of those lights were still lingering under my eyelids. Staring down, I realized we weren’t there yet and we were hanging in the middle of the whole track. It was like an underground tunnel, minus the dirt and stuffs, and we had to climb back up and around and around –
I’m passing out by now.
Why aren’t I?
Faint, Winnie! FAINT!
“Wow.” I heard Cece and Mary from right up front. And then they squealed with joy.
“Unbelievable.” I muttered and angled at Dame’s direction. He hung his head at the seat, resting and trying to breathe.
I let go of his palm, clammy now.
“Are there bats up there?”
He shrugs while his eyelids are still not up. I glanced up, slowly, and stared. It seemed harmless. There were just these rods and those things that make a roller-coaster roll. And the view up front were blocked by more of those rusty wheels that looked old and heavy.
And there was no big dark deep pit under us. It was just sand and more sand. And in truth, the belts weren’t open-able when you’re on a ride. In case you fall over and land on the ground, never to be saved again, not to mention hit a lot of wheels and rods and rails along the way.
It will hurt.
The lights were off in a second and I felt Dame sit up. “Still need my physical support?” he snickered.
“Probably.”
I stretched my hands out so he could hold it and for a few moments I felt nothing. And Dame’s arm was draping on my shoulders in a few moments as he hugged me tight.
“You know…” he started as the coaster started off slow, “I don’t think there would be bats. They’re lying.”
“Huh. That’s a shocker.” I added sarcasm to my voice but it is not really a time to express that sort of things at the moment. His voice comforted me at the moment as the wheels rumbled below us loudly.
It was going faster again, aiming up. The wheels sounded tired, like it’s been taking loads of people up and down for dozens of times plus the weight we’re burdening on him. Poor guy.
I inhaled sharply, filling my lungs the adequate amount of air.
“Relaaaaax.” He singsongs.
I did, a little. And tried to smile. It’s a little hard to forget that I’m still cuddled up and warm around Dame’s built-up body.
My stomach starts squirming like my tapeworm’s struggling to wiggle out. Maybe it was breakfast. Dame’s heat that was radiating made me comfortable at the same time, nervous.
And that darn air-condition blowing around us. I’m sweating profusely and the next second, it gets sucked in by my pores again.
The wheels got louder, and we went all the way up. I thought I heard some bats as we approached closer to the exit or the same way we came up.
It turned a big round after that –don’t ask me how I know, I just feel- and after a while, the same old light voice boomed again. “Thanks for coming. I hope you enjoyed it! Please come again!”
He should really work at a fast food restaurant.
Dame immediately frees me as the others started unbuckling, the snap of the buckles audible.
Wait, no! Don’t free me just yet! Just…keep holding…I’m colldddd!
So they lied to me about the bats to set Dame and me up after all. I would say, that was impressive. Hehe.
I climbed out of the coaster and walked back a few steps, feeling dizzy. I gave one hard look at the seats and I still couldn’t see anything.
“Oh it wouldn’t hurt to turn on the lights here! Someone might drop into the undroppable land, you know?” I shouted at no one in particular, silently hoping the over-happy man would listen at my complaint.
And blink, the lights were on. “Thank you.” I said, rather harshly.
“Nice job.” Cece said, offering a hand at Mary, who is getting out of her seat.
I looked at the seats one more time and it was white, glittery, nice and safe. So not the way it should be.
We walked out, me suddenly forgetting my fears.
As Dad opens the door, the light leaked in and hurts my eyes again.
I close my eyes with my wrist and walked on to the colorful place, pink, more pink, and more pink.
Slowly opening my eyes, I saw – who else – a clown slowly approaching us. He saw us and looked away, thinking we were too old to be afraid or either entertained by him. His balloons were tucked under his arm, and his make-up was melting from the sun.
Clowns are sad.
They really are, so next time, be nice.
I cleared my throat, “Ohhhh clown!” I pointed in his direction, jumping up and down like an enthusiastic kid just can’t wait to see a clown blow a balloon. He heard me and turns his head to face us.
I have to admit, his nose is gigantuous.
I gave my best to pull the baby voice, going all girl and excited. “Yay! He’s coming!”
I ran around Adam and grabbed his arm. “Look, he’s here!”
Adam’s expression was shocked and scared at the same time. He was also trying as best as he could to keep a straight face, since his girlfriend is here and it’d blow his rep if he went all, “Oh my gosh, a clown! RUN!”
I gave him a dirty look with my back behind all the others – Cece, Mary, Dad and Dame – and he looks like he wanted to strangle me already. I giggled flirtatiously, “Yayy!”
The clown reached and looked at us with his eyes big and wide like he’s saying: They’re kids and they’re so tall? What do parents feed their children these days?
As Adam is being tortured – because no one really knows that he is afraid except me. And everyone thinks that he’s joining the childish fun – by the clown as he stared at his red nose, my cell phone vibrated inside my pocket. I fished it out using my index finger and thumb and turned it around. Unlocking it, I saw one unread message.
I walked to an open space and clicked on it.
Hey Winnie, I just have some news. Whether it’s a good or bad news, it’s really up to how you see it.
I’m moving. To this town named Winsontown today.
My dad found a job as a news reporter, and get this: He wants me to follow his footsteps in the future.
Anyway, I’m going to the plane right now.
I’ll miss you, and have a great life with your family and friends. (:
I won’t forget you, won’t be able to, anyway.
I may come back and visit, but till then, farewell, my dear friend.
Love,
your guy that brought you nice food once upon a time, - Ian.
P.S: Winnie, I’m sorry for whatever I’ve caused you.
Truly sorry.
It was automatic, the puddle of water that’s brimming my eyes. How could he text me goodbye?
I don’t love him, that I know. But I’ll miss him so much.
And he’s leaving? My body went weak after a while, rereading the text again and again until the puddle of water dripped down and wet my cheeks.
Bless Dame’s heart for noticing.
“Hey, what’s with the crying? Or is it just you and your occasional PMS outbursts?”
“No, Ian’s leaving forever.”
“Isn’t that good?”
“No.”
“Oh, okay. Not good.”
A smile slowly crept my face. “Yeah, I’m gonna miss him.”
He turned me around and dried my tears with the back of his hand. “Awh come on now, he’ll be around. I’m sure.”
I looked up at his face. “You’re sure?”
He smiled warmly, like a big brother protecting his little sister. “Winnie, did you know?”
“Oh no, another ‘Did You Know’ fact.” I groaned dramatically, resting my hands on my forehead like how the women do in classical movies.
“Did you know, you’re hard to forget?” he continued anyway.
“Dame, Did you know? You’ve been around me since we were like…one minute old.”
He laughs and it was like the whole world ceased to exist. I’m feeling hot all over again.
“Ah, same theory, dear.” He soothes me, raking his hand in his hair.
I gave him the ‘Whatever’ look.
A few minutes after I’ve received the news and begs myself to not cry, – not now, at least – I went over to see how Adam’s surviving.
He’s putting on the charade pretty well, according to me.
He saw me nearing him and Mary, and the clown whom is blowing up balloons in both of their faces, and frowned at me.
I sulked. Am I really that catastrophic or disastrous to look at?
“Hey guys, what you two doing?” I asked, enthusiastically. Mostly I was looking at Mary, but then my eyes flickered to Adam and he gave me a look that conveys, getting balloons blown in front of my face, duh.
I nodded at him solemnly and before time, I returned my smile. “Well you two look like you’re having tons of fun.”
Adam frowns deeper and Mary just giggles. “Yeah, look, he’s making me a dog!”
Pitiful, she is.
I angled at the clown and saw the same expression I was wearing. He probably thinks that Mary was either:
a) just a 7-year-old kid that has a 14-year-old figure hanging out with her sulking, unhappy, frowning, and prissy brother or,
b) she has never seen anything like this before or,
c) this is the default expression of every clown.
I tried smiling at him, but he turned away and wearingly twisted another balloon to form a circle. Poor clown, here he thought that this entertainment could only last for a few minutes of their time – not to mention getting paid – but Mary had gone overboard by really getting entertained.
And they didn’t give him any tips.
I dug into my pocket and my hands blindly searched for a paper material and holding it in place, my hand came out of my pocket and I started counting.
10 bucks and 25 cents. Hey, it was only a couple of minutes, this is more than enough!
I opened his gloved palm unwillingly and gave him the money. He smiled immediately, sending me an appreciative smile and get back to the supposed-clown’s-look, retarded and giddy.
Gross.
I turned away when someone grabbed hold of my hand. Turning around, I saw Dad there, holding a cotton candy by one hand and an ice-cream by the other.
“I bought you two options.” He said, smiling smugly like he’d just donated a whole country to someone under privileged.
I tried to smile wide, ‘Oh thanks! But you could have both. I’m not that hungry.”
He shrugs and said, “Sure. After this, we’re going on a few more couple of rides and we’re heading back home. It’s getting late and your mum will nag.”
I nodded and he struts off, opening his packet of cotton candy and licking the ice-cream.
I stood there staring, amazed. I always knew my dad could multi-task, unlike my mum.
Turning around, I searched for a bench to sit on while watching everyone do their stuff. Like a story, me the reader, and them the tale.
I wondered idly where Dad went. My guess was that he was capturing pictures to upload on Facebook while eating and licking. He just recently found out that things like this –I meant Facebook- could work and is not a site made up on purpose to set blind and inefficient dates and contains pornographic material with ungrateful children and naïve adults and that people might come to know you through it, and you could flaunt your pictures.
As I was staring at Mary and Adam, and wondering where Cece went, that Dame slid beside me and he had this triumphant smile on his face. Cece walked behind him and now joined the Balloon Gang, squealing and screaming.
I swear she was Mary’s twin.
“Hey.” I greeted him with a smile I hope he would melt at.
“Hey.” He outsmiled me. If that’s a word, that is. I melted before his eyes as my mouth hung open for a few seconds before I snapped it close, scolding myself for misbehaving.
It was my first time ever that I notice his clear blue eyes, almost translucent to his heart. His eyes bore into mine, and left a mark so memorable and unbearable, I wanted to jump up and shout out loud.
It was searching, flittering from my face left and right. I suddenly gasped.
“What?!” he demanded, his face turning hard from his mellow expression and his eyes were wide.
I have zits! And he’s probably staring at it right now!
I turned away from facing him, “Nothing.”
He kept silent.
“Okay, I was afraid you were looking at my zit.” I sighed, his silence just killing me.
He chuckled lightly, spreading his arms behind me and laying his head on the bench neck.
“Oh Winnie, when are you going to realize, one of these days, I don’t really care what you look like anymore.”
Is that like, an insult?
Despite that, I relaxed at his casual tone and leaned back, the sun blocked by the willowing leaves from a tree behind us.
“What if I did plastic surgery?” I asked, challenging him. I wanted to see how far he could go before he collapsed into panic attack.
He was silent again.
And with that husky voice that was still changing of his, he spurted out a perfect sentence I would remember for the rest of my life. “I would still love you.”
My eyes popped open. “What did you say?” I think I heard the word LOVE.
Don’t get me wrong, LOVE is a really common word that people use and often, Dame and I would say that to each other.
But his tone didn’t interpret the same nonchalant LOVE I meant he was going to.
It was deeper, carved on stone instead of drawn with a twig on sand that would get swept away anytime.
It was…weird.
His eyes opened slowly, that blue iris glistening from the sparkle of the day, and he smiled his dimpled smile.
Yeah, he has dimples.
No, I don’t.
And I’m really envious of that.
EVEN if he was a boy.
“I said I would still love you. But I trust you should not, and you WILL not.”
“Oh, and why not?”
“Because you don’t believe in plastic shoved into your face with Botox injected for the rest of your life and you’re afraid if you were in a fire, your face will melt like wax and you would look terribly hideous.” I shuddered.
I was stunned. That was exactly my line. My line that I uttered 3 years ago.
And he remembered it, from top to toe.
“Wow, Dame.”
“You’re impressed.” That wasn’t a question.
“Okay, now that’s just plain stuck-up.” I rested my arm on the bench handle, too. He snickered.
I would still love you.
What does that mean?
*
I glanced at my clock on the table top in my bathroom. Brushing my arms as hard as I could with a scrub, I dropped my head down a little.
It’s 7.20 at night now?
I tilt my head up then, stare at the windows above me, and see light flowing in. It looks like it’s about 2 in the afternoon.
Oh right, the clock doesn’t work.
Looking back at the clock with a cursing glance, I began to reminisce some very random memories.
I remembered when I was 10, I had put braces on. The colorful ones - the kind with orange, green, pink- that strained my teeth.
Before putting it on, I had to pluck out four teeth and every time I came home with one tooth gone, I’d cover my whole mouth because that very single gone-tooth would be bleeding blood. Once, I had wrongly put the tissue at the position it was supposed to be on my mouth and the blood smeared all beside my mouth like I was playing with some strawberry syrup or tomato sauce.
I remembered I was in the car, then.
And I turned around to look at the window, since it gives me a hint of my reflection, and stopped wiping that smear. I guess that was stupid, because my uncle who was driving turned back and saw me looking out the window when part of my face was coated with blood and saliva.
Okay, too much of the past.
I turned on the tap and water rained down, washing me.
*
“Lynette.” The voice inside me whispers with a soft caress.
What’re you trying to tell me, inner being?
“That this is her name, outer being…”
I know, inner being…
“Good, outer being…”
I skipped into my school, feeling triggered with that unavoidable joy that comes with everything that’s going on well.
Except Ian’s farewell.
I still can’t believe he actually left, like that!
Jason Mraz’s song comes looping in my mind over and over again – Jason Mraz’s soundtracks can make you giddy, so beware – as I searched for Mary.
I found her leaning against her locker, talking to this guy I can faintly recognize. He’s cute.
“Heyyyyy!” I greeted her with an one-arm hug as my other hand reaches for my locker.
“Heyy.” She replies back, her eyes still on that guy.
I opened my locker with an exasperated sigh, and shove my books inside. “Mary, I’m here.” I waved my hands a little after slamming the locker shut, leaning beside her.
She turns around like I’ve just been there. “Oh hey, didn’t see you there.” She says to me.
I nods, “Ah, yeah, me too. Even though you’re right beside me!” I shouted with a forced smile plastered on my face and my eyes bulging dangerously.
“Okay, okay. Hey my other conscious is calling for me, I gotta go.” She turns back to her before-said friend.
He grins at me with that look that says, You’re funny.
I smile back with a look that says, You’re not.
He pecks Mary’s cheeks, yes CHEEKS, and walked off.
My jaws dropped and stamped my toes to the ground. Forever.
“He just…KISSED YOU!” I shrieked, not feeling very good.
“Nope, he pecked me.”
“Oh, wow, look, there is SUCH a big difference!” I beamed with sarcasm.
“Yes, there is. A kiss is when he kisses you on your lips or – “
“Mary, I don’t care. What I care is why you’re cheating on Adam.”
She looks at me with an insulted look. “You’re jumping to conclusions.”
I looked at her understandingly, my tongue licking my teeth inside my mouth as I looked at her for answers.
Nope. Nothing.
“Okay, fine. I’m not. Care to explain?”
“Yes. He’s my cousin.” She says.
I kept quiet. And bursts out laughing. “That guy is RELATED TO YOU?!”
She nods.
Righhhht…
“No offence, I trust you but my instincts are saying there’s something fishy going on here.” I said, giving her a sideway glance.
She tries hard to look away. “W-well…” she stammered, “he-uh-he-”
“WHAT?!”
“What what?”
“He’s your eloped husband, isn’t he?!” I screamed, jumping up and down with people looking at me.
She shushed me by covering my mouth with a powerful force. “Winnie, you’re soooo stupid. How could I be married?!”
“You’re not. You’re eloped.”
She lets me go, “He’s - ” she looks down, her feet making small circles, “he’s…my bangashedamian.”
“Banga she what?!”
“Bangashedamian.”
“Bangashedey what?!”
“AHHH, HE’S MY COUSIN’S FRIEND’S BROTHER’S WIFE’S HUSBAND’S SON.”
“Cousin’s friend’s what?”
This is ticking me off faster than you can say: cookies.
“Excuse me while I breathe.” She says after a while, as I stood there remembering what is after the word ‘friend’. She sucked in a gulp of air and exhales it slowly, her face squirmed with a painful look. I love it when she looks so pained, it makes me laugh hard.
“No, wait! ARE YOU CHEATING?!” I shook her around. No time for breathing at this moment. She’s not feeling how serious it could turn out! I don’t care either, if she breaks his heart or not, but the sister’s job is to bust the brother’s girlfriend. Even if she turns out to be one of my best friends that have curly hair and small face with beautiful features and a petite, killer figure with nice designer shoes. She opens her eyes wide like she’s been caught red-handed for some big crime. Which is considered big if she did cheat on my brother, because nobody messes with the Winnie’s.
What am I saying!?
“Nooo! He really is my COUSIN’S FRIEND’S BROTHER’S WIFE’S HUSBAND’S SON.”
I smiled a little, “I got it! Lemmi say it, lemmi say it!”
She rolls her eyes and slumps a little. “Winnie, just say it.” She drags.
“FRIEND’S BROTHER’S WIFE’S HUSBAND’S SON!” I sang with my hands impersonating the orchestra leader or whatever you call him.
She claps dully. “Yay.”
“AREYOUCHEATINGONADAM?!” I breathed.
“No I AM NOT. He gives pecks because it’s part of what he is. Don’t ask.”
She started walking away with a few books hugged against her chest. I caught up with her after standing stiff at the same location, and poke her shoulder.
She whirls around with that frustrated expression she wears so well. “If you’re asking me one more time if I’m cheating on Adam-”
“No I’m not, I’m asking you if-”
“Or to repeat the whole cousin’s brother’s thing again…” she warns me in that motherly voice which I fear so little.
“I am not!” I tried to stop her from talking any further.
“then I will really behead you at this spot, Winnie. I mean it.” She ends with putting her fists in front of my face for display. Man, she grows muscles! Gross!
“I am asking, if a Bangashedamian is really a word.” I said soothingly, calming her down from her recent emotional outburst.
“I’m beheading you now,” she says in a matter-of-factly tone, her eyes sparkling with excitement, “bring me the stuff.”
This woman is cruel.
Like, reaaaaally cruel. She’s going to kill me, and she has sparks in her eyes.
*
“HEY WINNIE!”
I whirled around and my bagpack that was slung on my shoulder hit me on my shin.
I saw this blonde haired girl, petite looking with ultra-white teeth and amber eyes running towards me. Desperately, I tried to dig through all the names I’ve recognized so I could probably greet her with her name.
Bella.
Renee.
Janice.
Celine.
Stephanie.
STEPHANIE! I plastered a wide smile on my face, “Hey Steph, what’s up.”
She walked in front of me and glowered at me, “I hate people calling me that.”
Uhm…okay.
“Sorry.” I smiled sheepishly now, all traces of humor gone. “So what’s up, Stephanie.”
“We’re having this party tomorrow night, for Ian’s farewell. You wanna come?” She passed me an aqua blue-colored paper and I looked at it, and the realization hits me like a baseball.
“Ian’s not gone yet?!” I gasped, scrunching the paper a little too hard until it balled up.
She shook her head slowly, her eyes not moving an inch and her ponytail swishing behind her. “His flight got delayed. He’s leaving the day after tomorrow.” I know what she’s thinking now, she’s thinking that I’m ultimately in love with Ian that if I’ll never see him again I will drop dead at this spot.
WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
Well, not really.
I hugged her and apologized for being too tight, “Thank God!”
I tore through the hall with Steph hollering behind me going, ‘SO IS THAT A YES?’, looking past everyone’s confused faces until I found the back of a guy with a Tropicana cap, blue striped. He was grabbing some books from his locker and he had an orange in his palm.
That boy does love orange, he’s been eating it since Lynette and he had officially called it quit. The tanginess must really subsided his frustration and thus transform him to his sane old self.
I guess he had a sixth sense because he turned around without me needing to call him and saw my face and gasped, then enveloped me in a bear hug. “OH MY GOSH, WINNIE!”
I laughed, “OH MY GOSH, IAN, CAN’T. BREATHE.”
He pushed me away with a soft force and smiled shallowly at me. “I was searching for you.”
I shook my head, “No,” and then pointed at his orange and pouted, “you were too busy with your orange.”
He looked down at his orange and then stopped some girl walking to his right and gave her the orange, the girl looked at him blankly, walked forward and dumped it in a bin in case it was poisoned.
He choked out a laugh and then turns his attention back to me and arches his brow with this cute smile on his face, “What orange?”
“Haha! Nevermind, Ian. Hey dude, talk to me.” I pulled his arm as he closes his locker.
He shrugs, “FORTUNATELY, it was delayed and - ”
“Are you sure you’re not making an alibi to come meet me?” I smiled at him, unashamed.
His gaze turns to embarrassment, “Actually, I am.”
He is?
“You are?”
He laughed hard.
“No, it really was delayed. So I was texting you and everyone else and guess what?”
“I didn’t answer.” I responded dully. Well, fate has it that my phone had to be spoilt on that day and I received zilch messages. I’d try hammering it with a hammer, and now the edge’s dented.
How oblivious and dumb am I?
“Ohhh…” I drawled, “So it wasn’t for me…”
He pinches my arm, “Stop it.”
We walked to the next class as we were having English together. He turned to a corner and points at the same blue paper Steph had given me a few minutes ago. “You’re aware that I didn’t plan this farewell crap, right?”
I nodded, “Yeah, but it’s not crap.”
He smiled as he understood what I mean. “Will I see you?”
I laughed, “That’s not the question. Will I see you?”
*
My cell phone plays James Morrison’s ‘Broken Strings’ and I answer it. So Adam fixed my dented phone, big deal.
I don't care who fixes it, I care if it's fixed.
“Hey, yougamfyetoian’spfttye?”
“Yes.”
She meant, ‘are you going to Ian’s party.’
“How’d you know there was an Ian’s party?” I asked, incredulous how this could spread like wildfire.
I felt her shrug, “Don’t know. Hey look, I’m coming by your house to raid your closet, get you pick one out of five gowns I’ve got and no worries, I’ve chosen mine. And then,” I could hear her scratch on her write-on-me pads and am imagining her bulleting not vital and irrelevant stuffs, “aaaaaand, I would have to makeover you once more. You have to look regal like a princess.”
“Princess?!” I half-shrieked into my phone, cupping my mouth together with one palm.
“Okay, something princess-like. Not done talking! And then we’ll pick Mary and Dame up,” –scratch, jots, licks the pen and writes again- “and we’ll go to the ball.”
“One more thing.”
“Hmm?”
“Were you invited?”
“NOT YET!”
I’m glad I have a friend like her that has made me fall in love into the world of cosmetics and I’m excited about this party slash ball, we could spare her the information that my elation is caused by her expertise. It is partially true, though.
She keeps talking and talking as I lie on my back, tracing memories from freaking out as I have to change to a new school, not knowing the reason why, separating with my best peers, meeting Mary and Ian, and all the consequences following.
Okay, time to go to bed.
*
I’m strapped into a halter-neck silver gown with polka dots, looking very retro. I thanked Bebe for it endlessly, and she also let me put on make-up by myself.
I did put on eyeliner, brown contact lens and applied mascara. Forget about blush, I’m prone to blushing anyway.
All three of us were driven to the school’s gym, and as I opened my door, nostalgia hits me again.
My goodness, Ian’s going.
I guess we’re sort of unique, after going through so much of awkwardness, we’re still cool and it comes so naturally.
Slamming the door shut, I linked my arms with Bebe and Dame and walked into that door that would likely lead me to be one of my best nights.
*
The gym was hung with straps of blue crepe paper, ringlets of manila card, and other decorations that weren’t very professional.
The light was dimmed though, and that made the environment calm and serene. My eyes ran themselves, searching for the best man tonight.
Ian was standing in a corner, sipping a Coke in a tuxedo, looking imposing and odd at the same time. Is it just me, or is it that every time I take a look at him, he seems a bit more matured?
“Go on, we’ll wait here.” Dame whispers, gently pushing me. A slow song (Footprints in the Sand) was playing as I tugged my dress up and slowly walked to him.
It seemed like everyone made way for me, and not so long after, Ian noticed me and yeah, his Coke slipped from his hand but he caught it in time.
“You came.” He exclaimed, his arms hugging my body in a split second later, and my smile broke across my face.
“Well, obviously.”
He let me go for a while to breathe but his gaze was still glued on my face, “Gosh, you look freakin’ good.”
Remember that time when I went to his house wearing that hoodie and all he said about it was, ‘Whatever’?
He’s come a long way then, because ‘freakin’ good’ in my dictionary meant I looked pretty dang hot.
“Thank you, Ian.” I laughed, I wanted to state he didn’t look so bad himself, but I was enjoying that he looked a little self-conscious.
“So you’re really leaving, then?” I asked, slowly swaying to the music, my gown fluttering gracefully below me.
He nodded gravely, “Sadly, yes.”
I nodded slowly. Everyone else in the gym were dancing now, too. I looked towards the ceiling pitifully.
It was so obvious they had strained to find and put on something real magical for Ian’s farewell, but it didn’t turn out that well.
He grabbed my waist a little tighter, “I will seriously miss you. And even though I know that you’ve forgiven me, I’d never forgive myself. I couldn’t believe, I would do the bet just to prove to someone who didn’t last.”
“No, it’s okay - ”
“No, it’s not. And I haven’t had time to prove to you how sorry I am because I’m leaving today and probably, we’ll never meet each other again.”
“Ian, I - ”
“This is crazy, I forgot WHY I even did the bet for. I was so blinded, I was even blinded to take notice how nice you are.”
Maybe he just wanted to let it all out, so I’m not going to stop him. As he talked some more, I laid my head and rested on his shoulder.
I’m getting tired, of everything life has laid out to me.
I haven’t made lemonade out of lemons. I never made the best of anything.
Look, I didn’t even get anything after winning the netball competition.
“Winnie? Are you dazing off? Am I boring you? I should - ”
“Honestly, I didn’t hear anything you said.” I smiled softly, “and I don’t care. I’m done with your apologies,” I lightly pulled away from him, “and I’m done with all these unhappy crap. I get it, you’re forgiven. But if you wanna spend the rest of your night feeling sorry for either me or yourself, then let’s call it a day.”
His face turned panicked as he realized that if he didn’t stop it, I’ll be leaving him. “I am so sorry!”
“There we go again.” I rolled my eyes.
“I just feel so bad…” he trailed off, his voice mild now. “I wanna make it up to you.”
“You do?”
He nodded vigorously, “Yeah.”
“Fine, wait here.” I walked away from him and walked to the refreshers table, grabbed a napkin, desperately asked for a pen from the canteen woman, and jot down something.
Running back, I could hear the thread of my hem made a breaaak and hurriedly started walking back. Opening the door, I spotted my other friends, Bebe and Dame, dancing together to Miley Cyrus’ Fly On The Wall.
I scanned for him, and finally saw him talking to Lynette.
Which reminds me, I didn’t even see her come in here.
His mouth was moving rapidly, and his brows were furrowed. It looked horrendously awful as Lynette, with her long flowing hazel hair, blue streaked eyes, and gloss coated lips, started stamping her 3-inch tall high heeled shoes on the floor.
Too little too late, her heels broke from beneath her and her mouth opened into shock and dread.
I ran towards them, now surrounded by the few netball players I’ve seen the other day. Except they didn’t look like netball players now (muscular, breathy, not-so-attractive) but they looked drop-dead gorgeous.
Just like Lynette, I frowned.
“What did you say?!” I demanded from Ian when I reached him. His eyebrows shot up, “What?”
I turned to face Lynette, whom is turning to walk away. “You okay?”
She dismissed me.
I hand over the napkin to him and he held it close to his face, his eyes going from left to right.
“Number one: Forget about it. Number 2: Start living. Number 3: Seriously, forget about it. Number 4,” he read aloud, “You’re forgiven. Number 5,”
He kept quiet, his voice getting softer and softer.
“You silly dufus, number 5 is crap.”
I blushed. Okay, I could FEEL me blushing, with that heat rising and accumulating at my cheeks. “Well I was hoping you wouldn’t.”
“Number 5: Forget me not.” He hugged me for the last time.
*
“Oh and what happened with Lynette just now?”
“I apologized and she threw tantrums and stuffs. What the heck. Who cares.” We were walking side by side now, walking out of the room after the last event, the farewell part.
The part he took a million pictures with his friends, the part where he cut the cursed blackberry cake, and the part that he was smothered with kisses and hugs from.
The part that I hated.
“Well, I gotta rush home now.” He announces, sighed and walked a little slower. “I’ll see you soon.” He pecks my cheek.
“Yeah, real soon.”
And with that, he disappeared.
*
“So did you have a good time tonight?” Dame asked me. We were sitting on the porch of Bebe’s house, waiting for her to bring me back my clothes that she’d ‘stolen’ and claimed that she wanted to fix it.
I know it wouldn’t just be ‘fixing’ it. Enough said, you get my drift.
Under the moonlight, he was sitting on the banister with the wind blowing over his magical hair and she (me) was sitting on that wooden rocking chair, looking daintily exquisite with HER hair blowing MORE magically.
Yeah you’re right, in my dreams.
“Yes, except for the farewell part.”
He hesitated for a while before speaking, “Uhm babe?”
“Yes, babe?”
He chuckled under his breath. My hands got a little tingly when he called me babe. Why is Bebe taking so long?
“D-do you like him?”
I deliberated that as his eyes bore into mine, one leg up the banister and the other one barely touching the ground. His hands were behind his head and for one second there, I wondered what the reason was that he was here for. I was the one waiting for my clothes to be snatched back from the evil-fixer.
But then again, it’s so crystal clear why he’s here, isn’t it?
“Maybe.” I drawled. Man, I am bad. Real bad.
“O-oh.”
I’ve never seen him stutter before. This is priceless, and I am just plain mean, playing a guy like this.
But as the saying goes, Play Hard To Get.
There’s no fault in testing his courage and loyalty, is there?
The atmosphere was tensed for a while.
Then again, he started talking, his eyes away from my face, like he was emotionally distant away from him though we’re only inches apart.
The night was starry, it was 9 already. My eyes were heavy with the make-up, my lips were getting sticky, my underarms were getting itchy.
Overall, I felt uncomfortable.
I laid sideways, and placed both my palms under the side of my head, my hair getting curled and tangled in between. Seriously, my hair has grown so fast my bangs aren’t going to stay as bangs for long. It would become, THE FOREST.
Anyway, back to where Dame was speaking.
“Life is such a complicated abstract…thing.” He struggled, his eyes twitched closed for a while. I didn’t need to attempt to keep my eyes off of him, as the banister was beside the rocking chair and his face was lit up.
“And I’m trying to make a lot out of it. Because choice is in your hands, and,”
“Mhhm…” I coaxed him to elaborate further.
“Sometimes you have to choose the right one so you wouldn’t be led astray. And sometimes, you don’t get the result you want. Which could be, frustrating. I can make life as I want it to be, but…”
“What?”
“I’m just afraid that it’d all go wrong.”
This is what I want to do: Go up to him and ask him what’s wrong.
But I was so drained, I had no gas to even walk. Which again reminds me, what is taking Bebe so long?
Above the porch was Bebe’s balcony, and it might just be me, but I think I heard someone snicker as quietly as they can.
“Believe that everything happens for a reason, Dame.” My eyes closed for a while, and I spread out a smile like peanut butter was spread on a piece of bread. “And that God knows what he’s dealing with. You.”
“What? You mean you just trust in everything you do?”
“Take me as an example, I’ve gone through so much this year. And I’ve learnt more than what I could even imagine. Really, it might take you a day to curse your life and complain why it’s so wrong and all, but it takes you a long time to actually realize, there’s something out of it.”
“Aaaah. Look who’s talking.”
“I am. And I’m not done. So be patient, because you don’t wanna break it before it’s being done. You don’t eat raw eggs, do ya?”
“How is this related to food?”
“It was an example!”
“Yeah well, I don’t eat raw eggs and who does?”
“I know some people that do but we’re out of point. Your instincts can either shout at you to do something that’s right or wrong, but your heart is certain of the answer. So don’t just be so boxed but run your own life. Like you said, you make it, create it, shape it, mold it and most importantly, live it.”
“What if it’s wrong?”
“What if it’s right?”
“What if…someone got hurt along the way if your decisions ever included someone.”
“You do what you have to do, he or she just has to solve their issue.”
He didn’t speak so my eyes slowly opened, my heart wishing that the conversation that took place was not only a dream and that his undeniable figure was still lurking there, his prominent shadow and his sharp features all carved in the darkness.
Seriously, when I said he acted like a girl, I didn’t mean it.
He’s grown more gorgeous – wait, I mean handsome – over the months.
He was still there, thank God.
That means that whatever he said was really opaque and was really what I heard.
“In that case then, Winnie, I just have to tell you, that I like you, or love you, and have been since we were one minute old. Not like you, but like LIKE you.” He said that all in one breath. “And if you can’t deal with it, then I’m sorry.”
Wait no no no no no, I’m dreaming. Someone pinch me!
But wait, I do like him. I know it, it’s not just a mere feeling.
It’s that surge that makes you feel like you could do anything when he’s around, and you’re not pretentious and you’re grateful that he likes you just because, you are you.
That he knows every single detail of your dream and never made fun of them, and had always wanting me to succeed and never thinking of himself.
He was genuine to me, and he’s never really lied to me. He’s treated me like I’m his kid-sister when we were younger, and now that I’m capable of growing up, he trusts that I choose the right choices, and is always pushing me on. He confides in me when he needs it, and that he isn’t afraid to show me he means what he means, that I’m beautiful no matter what other people said behind my back.
That’s because he knows me, from inside out, and is driven that he cares for me. He’s happy for me, he’s sad for me, he cries with me, he smiles with me, and he’s never ever embarrassed to state that I’m his best friend.
He’s a gentleman and has never whacked a girl before (that’s one of my criteria, okay?) and has always taken care of me like I was this fragile little thing.
I was his babe.
I stood up , don’t ask me how I did it, it was the ‘surge’.
“You don’t have to be sorry, I could deal with that.”
His face slowly angled back towards me, and winks at me.
That’s when Bebe’s laughter echoed from up there and Dame almost toppled down from the banister.
“You guys are getting’ married!” she singsongs while we hear her voice drifting away and coming down from the stairs.
Pfft, this girl is crazy!
So that night, I got back my ‘fixed’ shirt that Bebe made for me, a cowboy leather jacket, and had told Dame I didn’t like like Ian but he really seemed special to me, I went home and that night, too, I really dreamt about something pretty amazing.
*
I hears a knock on the door and turns to look at it with my ponytail that is tied back slaps at my face for a swift second.
He was there leaning against the doorframe wearing that nice V-necked shirt and baggy jeans, his hair becoming blacker over the years and his muscles barely able to cover themselves anymore.
“Hey.” He greets, “what are you doing?”
I snap the old leathery purple book that I was reading close. “My diary that I had written 3 years ago.”
One of his eyebrow shot up, “Am I in it?”
I begin to stand up, straighten my beaded spaghetti-strapped summer dress and walks towards him. “What do you think?”
When I reach him, I press his nose for a second as he close his eyes to think. “Yeah, I’ll bet I’m in every single page.”
“Awhh,” I groan, “You are so right!”
He wraps his hands around my waist, and whispers in my ears as I tiptoe (since I’m still that short) to hear him more clearly, “Happy 17th birthday.”
I grab his face lightly, my mouth beside his ear and shouts, “THANK YOU!”
He almost bounce away from me, “Hey Winnie!”, he rubs his ears vehemently, “that is so…ingenious!”
I smiled smugly, “One of the reasons why you’re still keeping me.”
I held my hands in his and we walked down the stairs, round the corner and to the kitchen counter that has been renovated when I was 15, and it still looked sleek and brand new.
As we were walking, I caught sight of a framed article and remembered when I was 14 that I had written something about Mary and how inspirational she was in the school. I pulled it off by adding loads of nice adjectives about her, and it was published in my school from then on, and all the boys on the block lined up for her then. Adam was fuming and got all overprotective, and yet, the blind Mary still chooses him over the other million cute boys in the school.
Dad framed it up and I still remember clearly he had a tear in his eyes when he hammered it to the wall and faked that it was just dust.
Dad and Mum are out on their 15th honeymoon in their whole entire marriage, and are having a great time at Japan.
It was the 15th and guess what, I’M TURNING 17!
Once more, I got a shock as someone blew a horn and everyone shouted ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WOMAN!’ to me and I cried out laughing at Bebe, Mack, Mary , Dame who had then joined the crowd and Adam, whose eyes are lingering for that strawberry cake on that table.
He’s 100 years old this year.
You wouldn’t BELIEVE how much he nags about food and nutrition and stuff. And he’s craving for that cake, that faker.
Mack who has grown taller, handsomer and manlier leaned down to kiss Bebe on the cheeks as Bebe tried to comb her hair back to no avail.
“Leave it down, it’s nice.” He said, and I almost gagged.
She smiled, and I almost wanted to vomit blood.
But I guess that’s how Dame and I act sometimes.
I walked behind the counter and saw that there was a Caeser salad, ice-cream with Oreos, marshmallows, cheeseburgers and loads more that I know Adam wouldn’t approve.
“Thanks honey, for making this.” I hugged both Mary and Bebe. We’ve grown closer over the years and Mary’s still sticky for Adam, though almost the whole country is chasing after her. I don’t know what she sees in him. Okay, so I might have grown taller and hotter (hah!), but my pleasure is still mocking Adam. So there.
Bebe, on the other hand, has given up on guys of her age, and when she knew about Mack, she totally had it in him.
They’ve been going out since then. Long story.
I was still the Editor of my school, which has then been upgraded with real food and with nicer paint, and had also replaced Steph’s scraped-up and banged-down locker, and is also the Captain of the Netball Team. Lynette had transferred school but we still keep in touch. We’re not nemesis anymore, we’ve grown out of it, and now I’ve felt more ecstatic than ever.
This is our last year at school, and we’re all going to different colleges after this to chase our own dreams.
Dame and I believe we can still make it even if we don’t see each other everyday, and Mack and Bebe are agreeing on that, too.
Mary can’t even wait for graduating from high school, and has never stopped talking about it. One of the reasons are that she can see Adam everyday, since Adam would be finding for a job soon, too, and probably will be going with her and find a job there.
The plan, I think, is notoriously stupid.
But then we’re talking about Adam, aren’t we?
Mary’s really my best friend now, and we talk about everything together.
She has also adopted sense of fashion from my other best friend, Bebe.
Mack, on the other hand, is going to find for a job, preferably something related to engineering and business.
“Hey, you’re wearing the girly watch I gave you during your 14th!” Bebe exclaimed, her eyes popping out of their sockets.
“And so are you!” I imitated her.
She pouted and then went back to smiling, “Thanks, I appreciate that you still keep it and still is in good condition.” She went back to her salad.
The thing that she doesn’t know is, the watch isn’t working anymore.
I just didn’t want her to feel like she’s been buying me useless gifts so far. She has, though. Last year, she bought me a plush toy.
Uhm, reality check? I was 16!
Bebe’s brother, Chuck, rang the bell after a few minutes later and I opened the door only to be greeted by him, his wife and his child, Stephen. Yes, Chuck may be fat and ugly, but he’s got a great career (he’s not the pizza guy anymore)and a loving wife and thankfully, a son that doesn’t insult his dad’s looks.
I’m just hoping he wouldn’t in the future, when he learns how to talk.
They walk in with their smiles and hug me with one arm each. “Hey Stephen,” I ruffled his hair, and he claps softly with his mouth agape and his eyes big and bright.
“Isn’t he just so adore-able?!” I drawl out, my eyes still on him.
The parents laugh, and we walked into the counter again as my friends are kidding about some joke that I had missed out.
“Hey bro,” Bebe called out, “and Miriam and Stephen.” I could hear the pan sizzling, and since Bebe was good in her culinary (she wanted to be a chef, remember?), I let her handle it.
It smelled like …something really nice.
Remember Oscar? Mary's brother? He's doing well now, and their parents recently found this great doctor that have given them more hope than beyond imaginable. He said that Oscar would be normal in no time at all, but before that, he had to sit for an operation.
Oscar's in Australia now, until the operation takes place and after he's allowed to come back.
Mary would visit once in a fortnight, and then bring back news to us.
He once, I think two years back, had also cleared it up that Adam wasn't held guilty. Well, Adam was in the scene but he didn't exactly meant to do it.
Agh, I forgot.
But he said part of it was his fault, going to some party that he's not really invited just to fit in.
The confirmation that Adam was guiltless made Mary crazier about him, and had cleared her doubt if Adam was really the person who had just ruin her brother's life.
“Hey sis. We’re just dropping by to see how you guys are doing without any adults’ supervision around here and also to wish this pretty lady a happy birthday.” He turned to me, along with his wife and son – they do everything together, really – and grins at me.
“Thanks. For coming by, too.” I said.
“No problem. Well since we’re at it, we’re staying for dinner.” His eyes twinkle, “that thing she’s cooking smells good.”
Everyone laughed and as I went to grab a seat since everyone’s doing everything and had banned me from doing any work, like today’s a Sabbath, I saw a tape on that wooden little sofa.
Oh, yes, we had also replaced that ant-prone pink sofa with a wooden, durable and anti-ant one.
I wonder what the tape is.
As I wanted to put it into the player, someone’s hand stopped me. “It’s for later,” Adam warned.
“Hey guys! Dinner’s ready.”
*
After we’ve eaten, (it was really good, and the ‘thing’ was actually lobsters!)and that the parents and Stephen had gone, we watched the tape that I had discovered earlier.
Guess what?
It was Dame’s 14th birthday, which we had recorded so we watch it every year. I remembered vaguely now, and it brought so much laughter to everyone in the room.
And after that, we watched Bebe blush as her video of her confession about her really old-time crush, Benjamin, begin to roll after that.
“OH MY GOSH! WHO TOOK THIS?!”
Dame and I went quiet.
Bebe feign strangling Dame, and he laughed that boyish laugh I love to hear.
“Bilbury! You liked a guy named Benjamin?!” Mack demanded. Let me remind you how he looks like now. His hair is usually messy, his style is usually casual, and he has nice cheekbones, really brown and mysterious eyes and a funny personality.
Like Ian.
Ian and I haven’t seen each other for a long time, 3 years to be exact.
We still talk on the phone but it’s costly so we stopped doing that. If he still remembers me, which I doubt.
“It was eons ago!” Bebe whined and gave the puppy eye look to her boyfriend, “and don’t you dare call me Bilbury. I sound like a wolf.”
It was quiet again as everyone was soaked at the new video that I had completely forgotten we had taken.
“Oh!” Mack suddenly cried out, “Winnie, I have something for you.”
He digs into his pocket and fish out 3 lucky stars packed in a small plastic bag and a card neatly tucked into it.
“It’s from Ian. He posted it yesterday.”
“Oh my gosh, lemmi see!” I snatched it from him and leaned against Dame -whom is lying against the sofa and is looking preposterously handsome- as I opened the letter.
Happy birthday, Winnie!
I’m okay here, and can you believe we’re 17?
I mean, YOU are 17.
Anyway, have a great birthday and I just received great news that I'll be coming back next month to visit you guys.
The first person I would wanna see would be you. :D
I'll call you then.
Missin' you guys like crazaay.
Tell your boyfriend and your other peers I said HI.
Oh PS: Forget me not.
Love; I.
Closing it, I held the letter close to my heart. Thanks.
“At least he remembers.” Dame smiles.
“Yeah.”
And out of the blues, the video of Dame confessing his love to me was shown! You know, the part where we were idiotically waiting for none other than BEBE and Dame was talking about life and when it ends with his confession to me? Yeah, THAT video. I was so shocked, as I got out of my seat and started chasing Bebe around. That explains the snicker from her balcony because she was taping it! That wolf!
“BIL-BU-RYYYY!”
She laughs out loud and we ended up a pile on the ground. It was nice hearing those words from that video again, because it seemed so long ago.
As we sat back down to that sofa and me cuddled up with Dame whom is still laughing his head off and going all walk-down-the-memory-lane, I switched off the videos because it was showing all kinds of food we ate during second grade and switched to channel 7 where Ian’s face appeared.
“And just today morning, an accident occurred -”
I forgot to tell you this, but he really is a news reporter now, following his dad’s footsteps. I could see him on the TV almost every weekend and I also heard from Mack he’ll be venturing the Hollywood business pretty soon. Even though he’s in somewhere else than Hollywood itself, it still counts, I guess.
He was born for it, I smile.
“Oh and if you’re watching this Winnie, Happy 17th birthday.” He smiles before signing out. “Thanks, Ian!” I shouted really loud.
He looks identical to his brother, Mack, which isn’t a bad thing, actually.
But he has a different kind of personality and I think he’s grown more matured over the years. He’s got a real big job and is making loads of ka-ching nowadays.
He really should come back and bring me to Hollywood or something. With Dame, of course. And Bebe. And Mack. And Mary. Yes, and Adam.
Mary walks away for a while and comes back with chocolate fondue and marshmallows on her hands.
“Bon Appetit!” she says and places the fondue on the floor, as us girls laid the mats down and the guys switching to another channel.
“Let’s make another video.” Mary suggests, “with me in it!”
“Oh yeah! Hey don’t be offended; even if you’re not in the video, we still love you.”
Bebe nods her head and we all lie down on the mat, a camera on Bebe’s hand and the guys come and join us.
I switched off the television and we dug our marshmallows into the chocolate, drop it in our mouth, coat our mouth with chocolate, with the camera rolling, and I kiss Dame’s cheek while he’s still chewing, Bebe kisses Mack’s cheek when his mouth is a small ‘O’ as he’s trying to balance the marshmallow on the pick, and Mary kisses Adam’s cheek while he is mumbling like a 100-year-old man about how unhealthy chocolate is.
Let me just tell you a hint how he got the whole addicted-to-healthy-eating-thing from: He went to this EAT HEALTHY camp.
And before long, Bebe and I kiss both Mary's cheeks with chocolate, too, and we laugh out loud while Mary looks irritated with her curly hair (she’s never changed it) bouncing on her head.
We’ve all grown up, but deep down, we’re still the same. *smiles*
As the party closes and as we have the last funky dance in the living room, Dame kisses me on my lips gently, like he’s afraid to break me.
MY LIPS, OMG!
I'll describe how it felt: There WERE these fireworks playing under my lids, there was that warm sensation, there was the soft and gentleness and also, there was the part of me that didn't want to let him go after this.
I'm glad because he's never kissed me on my lips before, and he chose today, which turned out to be so perfect.
He's a good kisser, actually.
As he pulls away, his eyes were wary and cautious, “Are you okay with that?”
We stopped dancing, and I whispered, “Very.”
*
There’s one thing that I’m sure of,
That my life is beautiful, I’m beautiful, people around me are beautiful and that it’s not the end.
Thanks for invading my diary. I appreciated it. ;D
15th of Sept,
The day I turned 17.
