To Catch a Gust of Wind [COMPLETE]

Chapter 3 - Silay after Dark [#11]

Rafael opened the unlocked metal gate and stood under the ancient stone arch, the entrance to the ruins of the old church. The light from the convent shed enough illumination on the area that was used to be the interior of the church which was first constructed beginning in 1841, though the original church was built of light materials like bamboo and cogon grass more than a generation earlier, in the second half of the 18th century. A cobbled path led from the entrance under the arch to a small single-storey structure which served as the prayer room. Beside it to the right was a nondescript altar made of two slabs of concrete, one slab placed horizontally on top of the other. The altar stood on a raised concrete platform at the center of a shallow, artificial stone cavern obviously built in recent times and on the wall of the artificial cave a cross was hung. And next to the cavern was the grotto where a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was delicately placed.

The place brought back memories better left connected to the past, to Rafael's past, spending his student days at Silay Institute. As he stood under the stone arch memories came alive, begging him to play out once more, especially the one that happened here in the ruins of the old church many years ago...

John, his buddy ever since first year, handed him a letter. It was written on a pink, scented stationery, popular among the girls in those days.

"What's this?" Rafael asked John. They were walking down past the plaza one afternoon after school. They stopped near the side entrance gate of the church.

"Just open it," John said nonchalantly, as if this was no big deal. "She requested me to give it to you."

"S-She?" Rafael stuttered. Opening the letter, he confirmed it came from a girl alright. "W-Why?" he turned to John. "I thought she's forgotten it already."

"I don't know, Bro," John replied. "Honest, I'm just the messenger."

"She says here she'll be waiting for me at the old church...on May 24...That's today, right?" Rafael asked John. "But it's dated May 14."

"She does?" John said, unbelieving what he had just heard. "Rica is waiting for you?" John repeated. "Then scoot, Bro. What are you waiting for?"

"When did she give this to you, Bro?" Rafael asked John.

"Mmmm, last week," John said, his voice sounded strained and subdued. "Sorry, Raff...It got lost for a while. I looked for it for a week. I thought I might have dropped it somewhere."

"And where did you find this?" Rafael asked.

"Fortunately, I found it inserted in the pages of one of my notebooks, Bro. I forgot I inserted it," John explained. "Don't let Rica wait, Bro. See you tomorrow..."

Maria Erica Suarez. If a name does possess a bell, this one would surely ring with a thousand. Rica Suarez was a sophomore and Rafael was in senior year at SI. She's at the top of her class, intelligent to the point of being arrogant, like she was used to getting everything her own way and averse to anyone getting in the way of her interests.

When did the first time they meet in school? Rafael could not remember now. He was attracted to her in a way that could be considered as being charmed. He couldn't quite get it but for Rafael, Rica was exuding something, a beguiling aura that if you're not aware, you'd fall into a trap from which you wouldn't be able to get out. But it was worth one's while if you do know how to handle it. For a while he satisfied himself with looking at her at a distance. I'm falling for her from a distance...

John teased him no end about it. "She did smile at you once, didn't she? Why don't you write her a letter?"

"About what?" Rafael replied, trying to hide everything.

"Come on, Bro, I know that look. I know how you feel deep inside. You're dying to talk to her. Don't be coy about your feelings towards her," John insisted.

"Since when you 've become an expert on love, John?" Rafael said.

"Write about love like in Romeo and Juliet. I'll give it to her," John said.

Rafael just smiled. "Nope, their love was a tragic one. They both died in the end."

"I know that, Bro. Give it a twist. Pretty sure you can do it," John said, trying hard to boost Rafael's ego.

Rafael could not think straight. If he couldn't find the courage to say something in person to Rica, perhaps he could just write to her. Or maybe he could just forget the whole thing. But he just couldn't let go of the thought. He kept on thinking about her. Her face was one that would not be easily forgotten by someone who had glanced at her long enough to want another look. If he wouldn't tell Rica what he felt, he would never know her answer. And that was something he would regret forever. How can I fall in love and be stupid at the same time? What did Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote that fit his predicament? "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"? And regret is a negative thing...

Rafael's mind was full of a thousand things of what Rica might say to him as he hurriedly traced the path to the ruins of the old church...