A Cup of Fate

CHAPTER 19: Under The Willow Tree

CHAPTER 19

Tick tock. Tick tock.

The clock is ticking. All I hear are hushed tones of people rambling together in these huge white painted walls of the British Consulate in LA. I was so bored. We’ve been here for like 20 minutes and my butt hurts already from all this sitting I’ve been doing. I tried to shift myself from my seat. A while ago, I was facing the ground, my elbows on my thighs, chin in my hand while my finger tapped my cheeks gently waiting for the time to pass.

Now, I sat straight on my back, my head tilted to one side, my body bringing its weight to the direction my head was pointing. I just can’t find a peaceful and comfortable sitting position. I can hear the phones ringing simultaneously, papers clattering in the air and on the ground. I can hear the footsteps of people passing in front of me. There’s just so much silence.

“Ugh.” I grunted, banging my head on the back of my chair, looking at the plain cream ceiling.

I sluggishly took out my phone from my pocket. I pressed the unlock button and slid my screen open. I stared at my wallpaper for one second then hit the lock button again. I slid my phone back to my pocket and heaved an aggravated sigh.

“Patience, Maggie.” My mom said as she placed her hand on my thigh.

“But I don’t want to be patient.” I moaned. My mom gave me a perusing stare.

“I’m going to grab some coffee.” I blurted. It was more of a statement than asking for a permission because I suddenly rose from my seat. I collected my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

“You drink a lot of coffee these days, honey.” My mom said with a slight touch of worry with it.

“So?” I said in an undertone. My mom just sighed. She really can’t do anything about it already because I was ready to leave. I was dreading to leave this mortifying white room. It made me feel like I’m in a mental hospital or rehab.

“Come back when I text you, okay?” She whispered loud enough for me to hear. I just gave her a thumbs-up and stormed out of the office.

To be honest, I wasn’t planning to go grab some cup of coffee. I lied. I think I’ve had enough of those for the past few days which explain the dark circles under my eyes right now. I have been restless working on about different things: the immigration thing, my college application, my life.

I really don’t know where I’m going right now but I just wanted to be somewhere peaceful as of this moment. I wanted a place for me to think, to be myself, to be free of my own thoughts. I trusted my feet, my instincts, to bring me to the place where I wanted to be. I didn’t care how far; I just wanted to be there.

Not a moment longer, a luscious green landscape caught my eye. Not much people went there; mostly old people strolling and some joggers doing their morning routines. I sat to one of the benches on the terrain. I stared at the LA buildings towering over me. Memories keep flashing. Every word, every sound, I’m hearing everything right now. My mind goes back to that day when I and Gabby fought. It was our first and last argument. I never expected it to end that way. It was too painful.

I took out my stress ball from my bag and played with it, gripping onto it tightly then releasing it slowly as I breathe. I felt a stray of tear rolling down my cheek. A few more droplets of water fell from my eyes and not a moment longer, I realized I was crying. My grip on the ball tightens. It was so tense that the ball slipped from my hands and the ball came rolling downhill stopping as it touched a tree’s trunk. A willow tree to be exact. I sighed heavily as I stood up collecting my bag. I wiped the tears from my eyes and went walking to the tree to get the ball with my shoulders slumped.