Excerpt

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by anlorainyyy

by anlorainyyy

Bracelet

By Anne Loraine L. Avelino

Green surroundings are very calming to the eyes and it's a good thing this is the venue that we're going to stay in. We are on a one-week retreat and only a few of my co-members are familiar to me since our department pushed the idea of grouping us without considering what year the student are in. They said the important part here is that we have the same course and we can improve our bonds and camaraderie with our upper classmen. Since I'm only in the second level, almost all of them are strangers to me. Unluckily, I'm the only second year student here. I just hope that this week will go along smoothly. I hope to know all of them.

First day. I am the one who is assigned to make the bracelet that will represent our group. This bracelet should be wear all the time and unable to fulfill that rule will cause the whole group a punishment. Since I am very fond of doing this things, decorating and such, I find it easy to do this task of mine. As I finished making 21 pieces of bracelet, I started giving it to my co-members and asks their names so that I'll get to know them. One by one, the number of bracelet in my hands are decreasing, until there's only two bracelets left. Well, one is for me, so who's the owner of the other one? I am sure that all members are inside the retreat house and I've given them their bracelet. To aid my confusion, I approached our team leader and ask her if there are really twenty-one members of this group, because maybe the bracelet I made is excess, but she said yes. "Ah. Maybe you have not yet given Ken. He's in the backyard, cooking our lunch," she said. I guess our leader's right. Maybe he was not yet given a bracelet since I'm not yet been to the backyard. So I went to the backyard to check if he was there.

If you're wondering, we'll be living in one house today. There are twelve houses in the retreat area that is exactly the total number of the groups. The house is large enough to accommodate twenty-five people and is properly furnished.

When I reached the backyard, I saw a guy standing in front of the grill, and fanning the barbeque on the grill. I bet he didn't notice me because he wasn't really facing the entrance of the backyard, so I cleared my throat and this cause him to look at me. I smiled and raised one of the bracelet so he can see it, then asked, "Do you have one of these already?" He smiled and shook his head. I knew it! I knew that there's no excess. I took the bracelet and was about to give it to him when I suddenly noticed that both of his hand are holding something, a fan and a brush. It would really be a hassle for him to put this bracelet on right now, so I've decided to put it on his arm. But before I do it, I looked at him and asked him, "Is it okay if I will place it in your arm?" It's good to be sure, right? I don't know if he will feel awkward if I placed it in his arm, after all, we've just met. But he didn't answer which is weird, so I took his silence as a yes. I gently placed the bracelet around his arm and carefully tie it. After the bracelet was properly tied, I was taken aback when he suddenly spoke. "Thank you." And my heart skip a beat, which is weird. I looked at him, only to see that he's smiling at me. And so, to hide my nervousness because of this weird feeling, I also just smiled at him. I was about to leave when he spoke again. "Do you have anything else to do?" I shook my head since the only task that was given to me was the bracelet. "Can you stay here and accompany me? It's lonely here being alone. Is it okay?" Upon hearing what he said, my heart automatically starts to beat fast. Why am I feeling this way? What is happening to me? Is this normal? I answered myself thinking that this might be a solution to change my heartbeat back to normal. Yes, Monique. This is normal. It's just that you've just met him, that's all. To hide this weird feeling from him again, I just smiled and nod. But is this feeling really a normal thing?

Second day. There have been various activities for the different groups. There's this activity where we will give a happy face and sad face to anyone in the group that we want to. The happy face is to the ones that you want to express your gratitude or to the one whom you wish to continue your friendship with. The sad face is for the ones whom you want to ask for forgiveness. He volunteered himself to come first and I was shocked when he come up to me and handed me a happy face then he said, "I'm happy to finally meet you." After hearing what he said, it's like I can't hear anything at all. I don't know why. All I know is that my heart beats faster. I'm experiencing the weird feeling again.

Third day. Our group was assigned to decorate the grand hall for the event that will take place tomorrow. According to Jane, our team leader, there will be a wedding and the reception will be here at the grand hall. She assigned me to be the temporary leader of the group because this was my thing, designing and all art there is. We spent our whole day here at the grand hall and helped each other to finish this task that was given to us. This served as the opportunity for us to get to know each other while working, and so my knowledge about them was increased and I've gained new friends. We finished designing the hall at around five o'clock in the afternoon. I will be the last one to leave because I'm going to double check the decorations. After checking, I was now heading to the front door of the hall when I noticed someone standing before it. You're good at this, Monique. When I get married, I will hire you as the official decorator. The weird feeling came again but this time, it beats faster compared last time. It has only been three days since we've met but I memorized that voice of his'. "Let's go home," he said and then smiled. Unconsciously, I smiled back.

Fourth day. Unfortunately, the singers of the wedding cannot attend on time so I became their substitute. I am here in front of the piano, near the altar, when suddenly someone touched my shoulder. I looked behind me and saw him smiling. Ken. It turns out that we're going to sing together, and so we did. When we're singing, I can't help but look at him. I don't know what's gotten into me for being like this. Why am I feeling this? It's not possible, right? It's only ben four days. It can't be.

Fifth day. Our activity for today is treasure hunting. The goal of the game is to find the treasure box inside the forest and the group should return complete or else, they will not consider it winning. I don't know why I ended up being alone and lost here. It's getting dark now and maybe fifteen minutes have passed, and still, I don't know where they are. When it turned completely dark, I lose hope in finding them. I sit on the ground and put my back against the tree and hugged my knees. I started to cry silently. I'm scared. What if they don't find me? What's going to happen to me? I'm scared of the dark. I'm scared of being alone here. Suddenly, I felt warm arms around me and a fast breathing. I stopped crying and saw him. Don't cry. I'm here. You're not alone now. I'm here.

Sixth day. I didn't expect that it will be this cold tonight. Good thing that they're going to set a campfire but I'm getting cold right now and they're going to lit the campfire for about ten more minutes. I controlled myself not to shiver, but I can't. It's so cold. Ken approached me and put his jacket around my shoulder. "There. That will warm you for a little bit," he said and smiled at me. I'm getting used to this feeling around him. Even though my heart still beats fast whenever he's around, I feel comfortable.

Seventh day. This is the last day of our retreat. We will return to our school now and go back to studying again. I'll confess that I now have feeling for Ken but I will not say it to him. He's in third year and I know that he only sees me as a little sister. We rode in the jeep and, well, I'm quite surprised when he's right next to me. But I'm much more surprise when he said, "Monique, if you want to sleep, feel free to lean on my shoulder," then the feeling comes back again. Faster, and faster.

One week had passed and up until now, I still can't forget about the retreat, about Ken. I don't see him anymore because I've heard that they're busy with their subjects but I wish to see him even just in the corridor. I miss him already.

I am here at the corridor and currently waiting for my best friend because we planned to have lunch together. A moment later, the speakers of the school made a screeching sound followed by a voice, a very familiar voice.

It's just only a week when we're together but I already fell for her. It's been quite a while since I noticed her wandering around the campus and I was delighted that we belong in the same group during retreat. I've known many things about her that result in falling for her even deeper. I am a year older than she was and I'm afraid that she might see me for only a brother. But today, I will not be a coward, I have every courage to say my feelings for you.

Suddenly, someone held my hand and I saw him. The reason for my heart to beat faster than it ever was. He was holding a microphone and as his mouth flew open, it was heard in the speaker, "I love you, Monique. And please allow me to show it to you."

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PS. Sorry for the wrong grammars. ^_^

PPS. Kung gusto nyo po ng tagalog version, pumunta lang kayo sa blog ko, classifiedinformationinvisible.wordpress.com tapos isearch nyo nalang dun. :)

PPPS. Thank you! <3