If there is one word to describe how our story went, it is the word 'almost.'
I looked at the wall clock adjacent to my bed and read 3:54 am. It was a Sunday morning, the first day of September. I felt the cold breeze of air on my skin despite of the closed window panes. It was indeed the start of the Christmas season.
Though shivering, I managed to grab my phone and typed a message for him.
"Hi James! How are you?" I started.
I deleted the first words and realized how the distance ate all that we had. From the memories down to the smiles, these vanished on a blink of an eye.
*
James Patterson was a wallflower-- a wallflower that sprung out of the blue in the middle of our junior year. He was not the kind of boy girls drool over about. He was not like that. He was just an invisible junior student who found courage-- I did not know where, and ran for an office in the school council.
He had no one with him during the campaign period. All by himself, he independently asked a couple of minutes from my Geometry teacher to campaign himself between classes. Together with his paraphernalia, he walked into my room and introduced his self.
Half of the class thanked him silently. Because of him, the quiz was postponed for the next meeting. I would never know he was good in public speaking if he did not come. His platforms were undeniably remarkable. They were realistic and achievable. Unlike with the other candidates who have gone to our class to campaign, he was well-prepared and had presented his facts straight to the point without stutters and blinks.
I would lie if I would say I wasn't pleased by him.
*
"I am sorry James for staying away. Can we start over again?" I started typing again and deleted everything again.
I slumped my back on my bed and thought of the right words to say. Right words. Would these right words bring back everything? Or may at least revive anything?
*
The political campaign wasn't that easy. Especially for him who had no one to lean on but himself.
I was crossing the bridge connecting the grade school and high school building when my eyes caught this brown-headed boy indulging himself with the first book of the Game of Thrones. He sat under a big shade of a mango tree-- alone. Step by step, I took the stairs down to reach him.
It took a while before he recognized my presence. Unlike the other candidates, he did not smile nor entertain me. It was still clear in my memory-- what he told me on the first day.
"Do I know you?"
I was taken aback. I did not expect him to say those words. To compose myself, I irritably answered him. "You do not know me, but I know you. You badly need my vote."
His brow raised when I said the word vote. I felt uneasy when he stood up and faced me. I knew my face turned red, but I managed to raise my left brow.
I was expecting for a counter attack, but he just stood there.
"You will help me campaign, won't you?" I startled as I heard his question.
"I am not! Who told you I would?" I said defensively.
"You won't be here, if you don't want to," he said as he sternly look into my eyes.
*
"James... Why did you end something that haven't started yet? How could you be that cruel?" I typed again, and deleted the words for the nth time again.
I grabbed my pillow and started punching. When I got tired, I looked at the ceiling and realized that no matter how beautiful the words I say, nothing would make him stay.
*
I started campaigning with him the day after our encounter under the mango tree. He was fun to be with, I must say. His words are beautiful and full of sense.
I would lie if I would say he didn't get me on the first day.
The two weeks campaign period ended after two days. And the votes were already cast. James and I were on our way to the school's auditorium for the proclamation when I held his shaky hand.
He turned to me with a faint smile. I smiled at him as I said, "It's going to be all right."
*
He won. He was proclaimed. I was the happiest girl when he did. I was proud of him, truly.
James was the best student council our school ever had. He was active and supportive. He was responsible and smart too. His wise decisions made the studentry sympathetic. All his decisions were perfectly made for the students' welfare.
And I thought we would jump into the next level, for he was sweeter and romantic to me after winning. He would hold my hand for no apparent reason. He would treat me to lunch and sometimes dinner. He even got me a rose on Valentine's. He made me feel special all along.
The people around us would tease, but all we could give was a symbolic smile.
I expected. I expected for us to happen, but we never did. We never did because he found someone a way better than I am. A girl as beautiful as he was.
*
I was staring blankly at the surface when I heard my phone beeped. Unconsciously, I opened the message and read, "Hello."
I dropped the phone after reading, but a smile formed on my lips when I realized that the message came from a familiar unregistered number.
