Letters to Aiah

Chapter 1: Carpie Damn (diem)

It was the break of dawn. The sun had just emerged through the clouds over the horizon where the sky and sea met, casting a golden hue on the land of the living and awake.

The birds were chirping their melodious songs in the distance — of chicks begging their mothers for food, pigeons greeting each other, or perhaps debating on who gets the early worm, its hard to tell when you don't speak fluent bird. The bats were returning home from their nightly patrol of the skies, eager to hang themselves for the day. Bees were out in droves like a well-coordinated squadron, visiting as many flowers as they could in the early morn. Butterflies danced through the air to the tune of their mating waltz, unbothered by the world. It was the end of the monsoon season. Summer had truly come.

She was awoken by the alarm of her phone. It had been screaming for almost an hour, growing angrier with each passing minute.

"Five more minutes," she whispered under her breath, snoozing off her alarm. "Just five more minutes."

Her phone rang again. Thinking that it was just the alarm, she unknowingly answered the incoming call.

"Ate Aiah!" Jhoana called out. "You better wake up, Ate! Diba may exam ka today? Sayang yung pinag-aralan mo if you're going to be late!" she shouted from the other side of the screen.

"What time is it?" Aiah responded.

"It's a quarter before 7!" Mikha joined in the call.

Reluctantly, Aiah opened her eyes, unready for the brightness of the morning. Squinting, she started with her left eye and then her right, her head still cradled in her pillow, which was a little wet and had clear traces of the night's short rest. Laying on her bed, she stared at her ceiling, tracing imaginary constellations formed by the imperfections in the wood grain that had been painted over.

Slowly, she sat up, rubbing her neck with her right hand, feeling the aftereffects of her brief nap. The struggle of juggling her career and studies weighed heavily on her shoulders. As she rubbed her neck, she tried to recall the vivid dream she'd had. It was a recurring dream, filled with anxiety and a sense of familiarity. She longed to remember more, but the details were elusive.

"Ahhh! This is all my Literature class's fault! Why did we have to have a test on Greek mythology? Even in my sleep, I'm dreaming about these characters. I'm going insane!" She let out a deep sigh, kicking her pillows off her bed. "I'm pretty sure I'll forget all of this when the semester ends anyway. I don't understand why I even bother!" Feeling defeated, she stood up and began preparing for the day.

When she turned on the shower, the remnants of last night's coldness gushed out, landing on her chest, trickling down, and following the contours of her body. Some droplets gathered on her collarbone, forming a puddle; some were caught on the ridge from by her arm as she washed her hair, and some found their way to her navel. The droplets danced across her skin before landing on the tiled floor of her shower.

"I must really be going insane," she mumbled, sitting in front of the mirror to comb her hair. Aiah had a peculiar beauty that was somehow both striking and endearing. Her almond-shaped eyes with their soothing brown-hazel hue, seemed to draw you in like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyelids complemented her eyes perfectly, making it difficult to look away. Her cute nose led your gaze down to her lips, where you could trace the subtle curve of her jawline, accentuating her charmingly full cheeks. Whenever she smiled, dimples appeared, adding to her friendly and mischievous aura. Her skin was a soft, light brown reminiscent of cinnamon. She was, without a doubt, effortlessly beautiful.

Her phone rang once again. She had no choice but to pick it up, otherwise she would not hear the end of Jhoana's nagging.

"Ate Aiah, are you not done yet?! If you don't hurry, you'll be late!" Jho pointed out.