Intertwined

Chapter Two

It was the first day of school and Charles was nowhere near me. I thought we were going to school together. I mean I assumed we were already friends. He said so himself. And he helped me unpack my stuff. I still didn't know what to do around him. I was going to the library when I bumped into a girl. But she was in a hurry so I only caught a glimpse of her features.

I sat down at one of the tables. I got out my pen and notebook and started writing. First assignment was poetry. Thou shall unleash thy Shakespeare's wrath. Or I could be a sober Edgar Allan Poe. I was staring into void thinking of an interesting subject when I heard a click. And on my left side I saw Charles had taken a picture of me. I raised both my hand and eyebrow and said, "What was that for?" He put down his camera and sat down in front of me. He just sat there for ten seconds looking and smiling at me. I was bothered and so I said, "You are creepy. No wonder you have no friends." I looked down my notebook and looked back at him. Even though I was just joking, I thought it came out pretty harsh and I expected him to get hurt and go away. But he just stayed there and continued smiling.

"Well I have you," he responded. I let out a smile. I guess we were friends.

"I am sorry." I was pretty embarrassed.

"It's okay. I mean it would've been really annoying if someone takes a picture of you all of a sudden when you're in a middle of doing something." He paused and then continued, "But the sun, trees, and sea never complain even though a lot of people are taking pictures of them. And they are even busy – sustaining life."

I cut him off, "So you're saying I should aspire to be more like the sun?"

"No. You are a human being!" He added, "But you'll never know. You might be a human but you might already be someone's sun."

I laughed. "Ohh, is it because I light up their world?"

Charles also laughed. "Or you could be just someone's interesting view. And they can't wait to capture you."

"But you can't look directly at the sun," I said.

"Which makes it more interesting," he continued.

"Wait, are you calling me ugly?"

"What? No! The point is I'd like to capture you."

Wait what? Did I hear that just right? He wanted to capture me?

"For real? Why me?" I couldn't hide my doubt and disbelief.

"Well the assignment is beautiful view and I thought of you." He answered with a smile plastered on his face.

I still couldn't believe he would deem me to be beautiful. "Of all the wonderful sceneries in San Francisco, you decided on a human who would complain if you take pictures of her."

"Well I thought she would let me if I ask her. So may I take pictures of you?" He asked. "We're not even friends!" I teased him.

"Sure we are! We are bestfriends!"

"Bestfriends?"

"Mega bestfriends!" He had a huge smile on his face and I couldn't stop laughing. This was absurd. I looked awkward and totally not photogenic. Besides, I still had an assignment to finish. But Charles was begging me. He was pouting his lips so he could get me to agree. How could I resist this family? I let out a deep sigh and agreed. He was so happy that his smile almost reached his eyes. I looked down my empty notebook and thought of what Charles said.

"What are you planning to write?" He asked.

I answered him, "A poem. But what about, I still don't know."

"You could write about me and we'd be even!" he said with such enthusiasm.

I laughed so hard and then said, "You'd be a boring subject." He jokingly acted as if he was hurt and I just laughed at him. Then we just stared at each other.

"I think I already know what to write," I said.

He asked, "What?"

"The sun," I replied.

And then he told me, "Well then, you need to see it for yourself."

We rode to the Golden Gate Bridge using Charles' car in order to see the majestic sunset. And we were just in time.

"Wow," I said with great awe. And just as I was about to look at Charles, his camera had already clicked.

"Are you seriously going to take stolen pictures of me all the time?" I asked.

"What's wrong with that? You agreed to it." A grin crept on his face.

I let out a deep sigh, "And I am starting to regret it."

We both sat down and stared at the sunset. We were silent for a minute. Charles broke the silence when he said, "So Shakespeare, already inspired?" I smiled at him and looked back at the sunset. After a few more minutes of silence, I thought it was my turn to ask.

"I'd take I'm not the first girl you brought here."

"No." That was all he said. He was just looking straight ahead and he didn't glance at me. It seemed as though he had a flashback. Great. I am not that special after all.

"Ohh. What's her name?" I continued.

"Amanda Summers. And she was my first love," he answered with a weak smile. I didn't know what just happened back there but I felt a pang in my chest. Okay I might have a bit of a crush on Charles and listening to him talk about Amanda stings a little. I continued, "What happened?"

"She didn't love me."

"But do you still love her? Until now?

There was a long pause. I could see he's hurt. But all he just said was, "I don't know."

"I'm sorry I brought that up," I said as I folded my knees to my chest.

It was his turn to ask. "Well, what about you?"

"Me? First love? I still hadn't met him yet," I replied.

He was shocked. "No way!"

"Yes way. I mean for all I know no one wanted me anyway."

He protested, "That is stupid! You look beautiful!" I just laughed it off and thought to myself, would Charles want me?

We all went back to looking at the sunset. It was breathtaking. I just wanted to breathe in the moment and remember it. Charles took pictures of the view and I was looking at him while he was doing it. Whatever I was feeling for Charles, especially the small crush feeling, it had to stop. He still probably loved Amanda and I could not love him more than a friend or else I would only get hurt. I closed my eyes and tried to feel the last warmth of the sun. I opened my eyes again so I could marvel at the sun for one last time.

"The view is beautiful," I said.

"Yes, indeed." Charles agreed as he took another picture of me.