One Night Love

I stepped out for a bit for some fresh air. It was a well-deserved year end trip for my class. “Finally it was all over.” As i strolled about the beautiful garden, joggers flew past me. They seemed tired but kept pushing on. I took in what was in front of me, it slightly reflected my whole year’s experience... It was a race i had struggled through out.

What allowed me to push through and strive for the finishing line, was the accompaniment of my family. But that wasn’t all.

What was it... ah yes, a figure. It made me feel confused, anxious and nervous. As these thoughts raced through my mind, my heart almost skipped a beat.

Before i knew it, sweat was dripping down my forehead, similar to those runners who had just skedaddled past me.

Then, the figure that i felt so mystified about reappeared in my peripheral vision. It was trotting along the path i was taking...

Mustering the courage, i turned around. There she was, taking after my sudden pause, she stopped as well. Her smile faded as she noticed the worried look on my face.

This was the moment.

“Do I like her?” My heart questioned, as another drop of sweat drooled down along my crooked eyebrows.

This was it.

Out came a soft voice, mixed with a tinge of accent as her hand deftly reached towards her neck, amidst the subtle strands of untied hair.

“Are you okay?” She asked shyly.

“Yes, How about you?” I quickly replied.

Then, before anything else, her moist pink lips widened, forming an arch, with its crests pointing towards the sky. Another voice was heard. Similar to a ringtone, it was repetitive and catchy. Consisting of a single syllable “ha”, I could not help but jump to a conclusion:

She is happy.

We stood under the cool breeze and picked up the rustling of pastel-green leaves through our glowing peached ears.

We were both shy.

Rays of sunlight gently poured onto our skin, tingling each and every cell that hid beneath.

Our feets were paralleled and faced each other, indicating a sense of physical exclusiveness. Our eyes wandered and eventually, locked upon contact. Her brown eyes bewitched mine as the visual interaction persisted. She was st-

“Woah. It’s him and _____” exclaimed few familiar voices.

A primitive instinct was felt , my feet longed to break parallel and escape. It felt as if I was being preyed on, by laughter and rumours that would soon spread. I was afraid. The bitterness of this self-proclaimed, impromptu rendezvous was sinking in...

I decided to run away.

Turning my back, I prepped my legs. I could only wish, that we meet next time in somewhere else, where no one will be, a place that no one knows of. As these thoughts crept into my mind, my vision blurred and my heart wrenched. Tears were on the verge of falling.

Then, I felt a soft and firm grip on my wrist. It was strong, reassuring and courageous. I was rooted to the ground.

“Lets not h... anym-“

was what she seem to say.

I could not hear her. Her voice was muffled. It was dying out and becoming normal suddenly. She, was also starting to tear up but was smiling doing so.

Once again, she mouthed a few words, this time with tears cascading down her face.

“I ...”

and what followed was silence. I can’t hear anything!

What is happening? It was unbearable, frustrating and peculiar. Despite being unable to hear her, the chirping of birds was pristine clear, so was the gentle whoosh of a light, morning breeze.

Then, as if this was not enough, my eyesight also started to worsen. Patches of darkness swarmed around the corners of my eyes. The thought of never being able to see her again, her live images buried into oblivion, worsened my sobbing .

It didn’t feel like the world was crumbling, the universe was.

Were we never meant to be? We were so close, to being freed from the talks and ridicule. Of the almost(s) and so close(s), a never appeared.

After what seemed to be eons, my eyes gradually opened, once again.. greeted by an unkind brightness.

This whole time, it was pleasant yet fleeting, as with every dream.