Signed, Gaius

Chapter 6

Six

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That night, Ophelia lay awake in her bed, the soft glow of the moonlight casting a gentle shadow across her room. Her roommate, Warney, a senior, was fast asleep on the other bed in the room. In her hand, Ophelia held the little spaceship keychain. It had been a small toy, but she'd made it into a keychain some years ago, a warm reminder of an old memory. Her window was slightly ajar, letting in the summer breeze that rustled the curtains. Her thoughts raced as she relived her first day at the new school, her mind dwelling on the tall boy who introduced himself as Gaius Ronglo from Bethel village.

She watched the little spaceship dangle in her fingers. It was old and time-worn. She'd saved it for nearly ten years now, but suddenly it seemed just as new and just as exciting as the day she got it. It had arrived in a large box, adorned with shimmering gold paper and a vibrant red ribbon, and every ounce of joy her little body could bottle at that time went over the roof. She still remembered that day like a picture, like a movie she'd memorized. It was the eve of Christmas. She was just six and a half years old at that time. It was the day she received a properly packed gift for the first time. She remembered wishing she didn't have to tear the wrapping to see what was inside the big box. And she did preserve the golden foil under her mattress for quite some time.

She shifted her gaze toward the wall and reached for the Bible that always rested beside her pillow. Opening it gently, she retrieved a picture she had saved for years. In the photograph, the seven-year-old boy who had given her a wonderful memory to cherish for years smiled back at her, his innocence captured in the frame. Turning the photo, she traced her fingers over the handwritten words on the back, which read, "Gaius Ronglo from Bethel village."

Miss Lungsuiliu, a caregiver from the orphanage with whom Ophelia had formed quite an intimate bond, had suggested she write down the name for future reference. "Maybe someday, when you've grown," she had said, "you could meet him and say 'thank you'."

The day Ophelia was finally allowed to create a Facebook account, she searched for him. A certain Gaius Ronglo, who remarkably resembled the boy in the picture, appeared on her screen two years ago. After much thought and anxiousness, she sent a friend request but received no response. Just when she least expected it, there he was in her classroom, welcoming her to the new school with a warm and friendly smile that she recognized instantly.

"He still smiles the same," she'd thought. "Just as in the picture, he attached.

Ophelia had hoped to thank him for the gifts and the joy he had given her, but now, faced with the opportunity, the prospect of expressing her gratitude suddenly felt daunting.

"You're being silly, Ophelia," she scolded herself inwardly. "What's there to be so embarrassed about?"

She drifted off to sleep, thinking that if the moment felt right, she would let him know and thank him.

Early next morning, as she was getting ready for the morning mass, she suddenly heard shrill screams of girls echo through the hallway, interrupting Ophelia's peaceful routine.

Confused, she pulled her door open and peeked out, "What's going on?"

Two enthusiastic tenth-grade girls barged into her room, apologizing as they did, their excitement palpable. "Can you see them? Oh my god! They're here!" one of them exclaimed, gripping the other's arm as if needing support to contain her excitement.