DAYEdalera

I can no longer recall the succession of events, but three (3) nights were vivid in my memory.

The first night I already recounted in Chapter 5, the Brentwood - Burnham walk.

Second, we attended a Human Rights Rally at the Plaza (other side of Burnham Park), on our walk from the hotel to Session road, this Mae girl keeps on walking with us, trying to be noticed by Mr. Simpatiko, and she is shouting the advocacy of the Human Rights Youth Action Network at the top of her lungs at my left side. I considered her a ‘nuisance’ as she continually doing a catwalk in front of me and Mr. Simpatiko.

Mr. Simpatiko told me that this Mae girl is courting him. I was shocked; it was my first time to hear a story of a girl courting a guy. To my heart’s content, Mr. Simpatiko offered me a bottle of water in front of her and assisted me as we go down the road. I saw her face grimaced and she gave me a sarcastic look as if saying – “get lost.”

The rally was fun but what made it enjoyable was I am sharing a bench with Mr. Simpatiko while he was singing silently “Longer” by Dan F. and though his voice was not amazing, I am amazed, as the lyrics lingered in my mind and gave me some pounding in the heart – “Longer than…. I’ve been in love with you…”

Third night of walking, we spent at Teacher’s Camp; we were ghost hunting, passing through Hyatt ruins and the White Mansion. The coldness of the night gave me shivers that seem to stimulate my cough in its worst sound.

He lends me his scarf saying – “you should cover your head, babies aren’t supposed to go out at night.”

“thank you.” I replied.

“Walk by two-s!” Kuya Jan shouted. “We have to be three meters apart from each pair.”

I randomly counted – “We’re eleven, one pair should be by three-s”

Pet, being my PSS crony joined me and Mr. Simpatiko in the walk. While we were passing Hyatt, somebody made a creepy sound of a horse – “Hiyyaaaa….”

Instinctively, I held the arms of Pet and Mr. Simpatiko. I was in the middle and so coward, I continued walking with my eyes almost closed, both of them guiding me as if I am blind.

“Let’s go back to the hotel.” Kuya Jan shouted.

Pet removed his arms and proceeded to the pair ahead of us. I was left alone with Mr. Simpatiko. My conservative side tried to remove my arms locked in his but to no avail, he kept the lock tighter leaving me with no choice but to allow our arms locked as if I am a debutante. We remained in-two-s until we reached the Teacher’s Camp gate. Finally he let go of my arm and pull something out of his jacket, it was dried petals of a rose, and the one he kept from the ceremony we had on the first day and gave it to me.

My heart pounded faster, as he handed it to me while saying – “red roses would fit your red blouse, but I only have petals.”

We were one kilometer away from the hotel, I never said a thing. He never mentioned a word. We walked in serenity.

We reached the hotel and at the stairs we separated ways still saying ‘nothing’.

Kuya Jan told me and Doris – “let’s play cards later in our room.”

Doris answered in the affirmative saying – “Ok po, we’ll be there later.”

To be continued…

Labels: dawn, dusk, love, love story