Arcus Aureus

SIMULA

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents in this story are products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, or to actual events or locations is entirely coincidental.

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Arcus Aureus

And if there will ever be gold in the colors of  rainbow... someday it will be us.

I remember the moment I first learn how to write, I remember the first star that I drew, and I remember the first rainbow that I saw. I reminisce every single thing of it, I cherish every little magic that I feel. I see gold sparks whenever coins shines in wishing wells, I smell breeze of wind whenever it brings petals from a dandelion, I hear the tick as the clock moves closer to eleven-eleven, and I can feel the warmness of summer whenever I blow a candle out from a cupcake.

I watch myself admire the beauty of every little magic in my life.

For my every first, there's this memory that will always linger on me. But not the memory of when I first learned how to read. Was it through a subtitle when I was watching television through the window of our neighbor? Was it when my teacher wrote words from the board? Or was it when I started reading my name?

There's even this story that I first read when I was thirteen, I remember reading it whenever I have a bad day and will sometimes finish it for a day or two. The title is Scenery of a Golden Sunrise, I don't have any specific word to describe it but whenever I read it, I feel comforted. It was an escape from reality.

"Rafayel Allison Arceta." pagbasa ko sa pangalan ko nang isulat ko ito sa papel, sinusubukan ko ang tinta ng mamahalin na ballpen na kailangan sa pag-aaral ko. "Ang mahal naman nito, siguro noodles na lang ulit mamayang gabi."

I am never really the envious type, hindi ako madaling mainggit sa mga kagamitan ng tao na nakikita ko na mayroon sila at wala ako. But for a moment when I was on my lowest, I started to envy the other students who are priveleged. Nakaka-inggit pala yung mga studyanteng ang gagawin lang ay mag-aral at hindi kailangan isipin ang mga financial struggles.

I've been wishing for this since God knows when. I've prayed for God that if there's any chance that he can be a little gentler with my life.

The moment I stepped outside of the store, I looked up at the sky, watching it slowly darkens as it shows sign of a heavy rain coming. Sinuklay ko ang buhok ko gamit ang mga daliri ko at pumikit nang mariin. Malayo-layo pa ang kailangan ko takbuhin mula rito hangang sa building namin, wala pa akong dala na payong.

"It won't always stay this way." bulong ko sa sarili ko bago ako magsimulang tumakbo, hindi pa gaanong malakas ang ulan kaya mas binilisan ko pa ang takbo ko.

This too will pass, and it won't always be like this. The phrase that became my comfort through the years. I want to believe that there's an end to this, na hindi laging dapat mahirap. That maybe someday, tables will turn, and I want to be the one to turn it for me. I am studying Architecture in a prestigious University. I received a scholar making me afford my way to it.

"Allison? You're all wet." Dani stated looking so concern as she lends me her handkerchief, it smells like her perfume that she never stopped using after I complimented her during our freshmen year. "Baka magkasakit ka."

"I'm fine, Dani. You know I don't get sick easily." I said with a smile that assures her that I'm alright, I wiped her handkerchief on my forehead. She smiled then used her hand to support her chin as she watches every move I make. "Why? May basa pa ba?"

"Ang pogi mo." I chuckled after she said that. I muffled her hair then proceed to browse the inside of my bag looking for something. She continued speaking while fixing her hair. "Alam mo, freshmen pa lang tayo crush na kita tapos ngayon na Senior na tayo hindi mo pa rin ako gusto. Dinasal ko na nga sa mga bawat simbahan na makikita ko na magkagusto ka sa akin pero wala pa rin."