Love Unfolding

KAILEEN ANDY LEWIS

Everyone gathered near our department"s faculty room, glancing every second on the bulletin board outside.

The posting of the list of students who made it for graduation is at hand.

I was sighing all the while.

I want to get out of the place and breath some fresh air but I can"t "cause Rina and Erika were also among others who"s waiting.

"ugh"

The air around was thick; heavy— suffocating.

Most were anxious, fidgeting, trembling, looking pale in antic.i.p.ating that piece of paper.

The waiting— it was torture.

Then one of the professors walked gracefully, holding the list in her hand.

All eyes were on her as she pinned that piece of paper on the bulletin…

Then… Then like ants—

…like ants, everyone lounged to have a look of their names.

It was a horrible site.

Then the sound of crying, sobbing, shouting and cursing were heard.

Others cried in joy while others were of pain for not making it.

Then there was my Erika—

A tear fell down from her cheek and I smiled.

I knew that it was a tear of joy.

I didn"t made a move to have a look for my name. I just stood at a distance waiting for the news from my girlfriend or Rina as they looked for theirs.

And for a moment, time seemed to stop as Erika ran towards me and jumped, wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck, nuzzling as she cried in joy.

"G.o.d"

"Tell me I"m not dreaming"

Erika was hugging me around so many people—

… and mind you, that was not just an ordinary hug.

"G.o.d"

I was so shocked that my hands held her thighs to keep her not to fall.

I was so shocked that I just stood still when I should be spinning her around.

I was so d.a.m.ned shock.

My heart raced in d.a.m.n minute per hour like it would soon burst out from so much happiness.

"Is this it?" I thought.

She"s finally showing me off…

She"s finally letting everyone know…

She"s finally coming out…

Then my world crumbled in a snap of a finger; in a drop of a hat.

Erika—

Erika jumped down looking pale.

She looked around, anxious of what she did.

She couldn"t even look me in the eyes and when she did, her expression held regret.

… like what happened was a mistake—

… and it tore my already broken self into dust—

… and from dust to ashes.

I felt lifeless.

I longed for the ground to swallow me up.

All was just wishful thinking.

It vanished like a bubble in thin air.

Yeah— a false hope.

[**************]

When evening came, Donna was able to gather everyone around for dinner in a restaurant nearby.

Present were: Rina, Erika, Alex and Mei, and of course, yours truly.

But... But I was like a sitting empty sh.e.l.l while everybody was so lively congratulating and talking about future plans.

Well, I did give my best to sound happy too but I think I did a terrible job at it but they just chose to ignore it as they already knew about Erika going to Kanada.

Giving attention to my sulkiness would just ruin the mood around.

"Hey Donna, you"re a political science major right?" Rina asked my bestfriend.

"Are you planning to be lawyer?"

"Her father is a big shot lawyer in Green City," I answered for my bestfriend which earned me a kick under the table.

"What about you Rina?" Donna turned to asked.

"What"s your plans after graduation?"

A smile from ear to ear plastered on Rina"s face.

"I decided to take a break— a vacation for a year," she answered with so much joy in her voice.

"I"ll be staying with my cousin in a small town called Verona."

"It"s really really far, guess I"ll be an hermit there."

"Hope we could still recognize you when you become an hermit then," Donna joked which earned a laugh from everyone.

"What about you Alex, any plans?"

I imaginary clapped my hands of how brilliant my bestfriend was.

She kicked me again under the table.

Alex smiled and threw me a knowing look.

"There"s an opportunity for me to study culinary in Franz," she eyed me.

"… and I"m taking it."

I smiled for my victory.

I have spent quiet a time thinking of how could I help Alex.

She"s a woman of so much pride—I know that.

She didn"t even swallow it and crawl back to her family all these years. She wants to prove herself but reality just sucks.

When I met her grandparents, I thought of handling her to them but I know Alex won"t like the idea.

Hence, this is the help I came up with and everything went as planned.

Well, it always did.

"hehehe"

So, the dinner went well.

I noticed Mei kept on eying her sister. Guess, the two would have a really serious talk after this and I was confident that Alex won"t tell Mei about me helping her.

I stated clearly not tell a soul.

And about Erika and I, my friends were really considerate. They didn"t dare ask about us. They knew the weight of the matter and talking about it over dinner surely isn"t a good idea.

Hence, I was so thankful for that and we went our separate ways after that.

... and I felt terrible than eve before...

"tsk"