Just beneath the Moonlight

HE

I lay there…

I laid there with my back on the tree ‘til the moon came out from its hiding

The cold wind blew, but I was left paralyzed within.

I felt my heart bursting inside of me, longing to give her a comfort of embrace;

To tell her

“It’s okay…it’s okay”

I’ll hug her tight and feel and absorb her pain…if only I could.

If only I could.

O God. Help her.

SHE

I stared at the moon above my window that night. It shown brilliantly in the clear night sky; the roses on my side table glistened in its light.

Within me, my heart still grieved. But knowing he’s there…

Somewhere out there comforts me

“I know it was you. Where are you?” I whispered in the dark

Diiing Doong

The bell rang. For a moment there I felt my heart leap.

I rushed downstairs and hastily, yet nervously, swung open the door

There he stood looking back with those calm solemn eyes I saw before…

HE

I slowly moved towards her and wrapped my arms around her; the wooden floor beneath us creaked.

I held her tight.

I didn’t want to let go.

I felt her hands around my back. She clenched my shirt and buried her face in my bosom

…and sobbed.

I felt the heaviness of her heart.

Waters formed on my eyes, a lump in my throat…

SHE

I heard his heart beating heavily

And with a breaking tone he voiced out his heart…

“It’s okay. I’m here…”

Through the Window and the Yellow Roses

chapter 3

SHE

I went home.

My aunts and uncles were in the living room.

I could not bear to greet.

I rushed upstairs to my room.

I closed the door behind me, slid down the door to the floor.

The past haunted me. My heart weakened. I got angry again.

I brushed off the memory. The soreness it brings…

I closed my eyes in pain and felt my heart weeping.

I felt its heaviness. My heart ached.

This will be the last time. I covered my face with my hands and felt my wet eyes.

“No…don’t cry.” I told myself. I told myself a hundred times, yet a hundred times the tears fell.

HE

I walked past her house that late afternoon. I looked up the window of her room. The curtains veiled down.

For a moment there my foot froze on the ground. I miss you

I could see her shadow from where I stood—that familiar shadow that once placed happiness I could not describe.

Was she alright?

My hands were in my pocket. I felt the flower I had earlier.

I smiled.

She loves yellow flowers…

I stopped gazing at her window and left…

SHE

The bell rang

“Get the door, honey!” mom called.

My eyes still puffed up in redness. I hurriedly washed my face and went down.

I opened the door—no one was there, but then I looked down and saw a bouquet of yellow roses that lay on our wooden floor.

Delighted, I took it to my arms and smelled each one and forgot, for awhile, the pain that lingered within me.

HE

I secretly hid behind a tree to see her reaction.

She smiled. I smiled.

Happiness filled me.

She gazed at them, and smelled each one. Her faced looked like a little girl again; amused by simple things.

Her eyes twinkled brilliantly.

At least, even for just awhile, she felt happy.

Or so I thought.

The Shriveled Flower

chapter 2

HE

I walked down the sidewalk and followed the sequence of the bricked road; she stayed on my mind.

“Here, have some of my twin ice pops” Her words echoed in my memory.

Now she was gone…from my side.

The pain throbbed within me when I thought of it. We’re not the way we were before.

I miss her.

I kept walking. Then I took a glance at the park and saw a yellow flower. It was the only one left.

I smiled and reached for it. It swayed with the breeze and seemed to smile back…

I saw her smile with me, if ever she walked beside me.

She loves yellow flowers…

I sat down by the grass immersed in our memory as I stared at my yellow friend.

I saw her smile, recalled her happiness–our happiness. The friendship we shared. I treasured them all.

Each moment of it…

I later noticed a droplet that fell on my hand. It was my tear.

I could not contain it. My face grew hot. I took my handkerchief and covered my eyes. I clumped the flower in my hand as tears streamed out from my eyes. My heart cried with me.

I felt relieved. I unfolded my hand and saw the yellow flower shriveled in my hand.

SHE

I still stared at the words inscribed on the windshield. His brother stayed beside me.

“You know, we miss you. Really,” He said as he munched on his noodles. “You okay?”

I nodded. I wasn’t.

He shook his head. “No you’re not. Look at you. And he…” he withheld.

I looked at him in the eye, he didn’t look back.

“He what?” I urged.

“I don’t know.” He left.

The wind blew behind me. It was cold.

So was I.

The Windshield

chapter 1

SHE

In solitude I walked across a playground where no laughter echoed on the ground. By the swing I sat down and stared blankly on ground. My mind wondered off subtly in scattered visions…I got lost in my emotions.

My friend spotted me and came. I got disappointed to the ruin of such silent atmosphere where I am one with myself. He got behind me, smiled, and pushed me. We began swinging, the swing and I.

I closed my eyes and felt the wind caressing my skin delicately…until he stopped pushing. He quietly walked in front of me, sat down, and smiled again. His eyes twinkled, but then I noticed its sadness.

their was a long silence. He just looked at me for sometime.

“I’m sorry” he finally said, then he stood up and walked away.He looked at me from time to time; his pace becoming faster each minute.

He soon disappeared at the distance…

I resumed staring on the ground with scattered, layered thoughts.

Then I thought of him: the film of his last presence replayed on my mind, especially the scene he walked away.

I’m sorry.

The kids came and played in the playground. I decided to follow his direction from where I could remember. I failed, he was fast gone.

I sighed deeply while I catch my breath.

I then decided to go home. As I walked along the road, I passed his house and saw his car parked in front of his home–dusty and broken.

I stepped in his car’s driver’s seat for awhile and rubbed the stirring wheel. In the windshield I hardly noticed some strange words, then I realized it was inverted. I quickly ran out of the car to read the finger-marked words:

“It’s okay. I’m here…”

My heart grew weak. I restrained the tears that were pushing its way out of my eyes. Someone tapped my back. I thought it was him. I turned, it was his brother.

“He said he’ll be back”

HE

I saw her walk past my window. She did not turn nor greet, unlike the usual. I somehow felt the pain she never even told.

I secretly followed her out from my house. My eyes followed her as she settled on a swing in the playground, eyes fixed on the ground; in deep thought.

It’s been a long time since I last saw her like that.

I found myself walking towards her as she maintained her silence to herself on the swing. I trembled as I came nearer and nearer. She noticed me, but said nothing. She only saw me in the corner of her eye; didn’t mind to look. I walked slowly behind her and swung her gently.

Her soft hair flew freely with the wind with her eyes closed. I saw her smile with an emotion of sadness and delight.

I decided to stop pushing. I walked slowly in front of her and sat down on the grass to somehow try to understand and talk; or if not, make her smile and laugh…

Even for just awhile.

I failed. Her jewel eyes gazed at me with sorrow that I could not bear.

“I’m sorry…” I uttered.

I stood up and slowly marched away. She still looked, but each time she does, the pain stings me as well. I could not understand it.

I walked as fast as I could stay away and headed back home.

I didn’t realize how far I already went until I saw my old gray car parked in front of my house. I haven’t driven it since the day…

I sat down on the hood and sunk in my river of thoughts.

I sighed deeply.

“It’s okay. I’m here…” I wrote down on the dusty windshield.

My brother came, I didn’t want him with me.

“I’ll be back.” I told him. I jumped off my car and walked slowly down the road towards wherever my feet would take me.