Dreams and Dreamlings

Chapter 1- Reality As I Knew It

   The air was cold as it sliced across both my cheeks. The moisture in the air seemed to stick to my skin as I trudged along one of the many streets of my neighborhood. It’s strange how late it’s gotten since I walked out of my condominium door. I checked my watch and discovered that it’s already half past twelve. The repeated scene of my long-time crush, Olivia Young, rejecting my straightforward confession still seemed to be seared onto my brain. Remorse was a feeling that I didn’t know too well. It felt like someone just etched a deep gash into my heart with something blunt like a spoon. It was weird feeling this way. It was weird feeling… stupid.

                I’m not the type to brood over something as simple as a rejection. I guess it was because I kind of assumed she felt the same way. In my defense, she gave me signals that made me think that way. The way she giggled at the jokes I threw every time we saw each other. The way she used to play with her dark brown bangs that fell perfectly in place every time she fidgeted as we talked. And it’s not like I was ugly or anything. So yeah, I was shocked when I was downright rejected. 

                As I walked down the wet streets, I couldn’t help but imagine the faces of my friends as they say: “I told you so!” God, I hated it when their faces got all smug. I was so in shock that I totally forgot that I still had class the next day. I didn’t know what kind of face to wear when I walk through my classroom door tomorrow. Should I just smile and seem like nothing happened at all? Should I try to keep to myself and just collapse on my desk and pretend to fall asleep because of a long night of studying my Physics notes? Or should I just keep myself from going to school and pretend to be sick? In my mind, all these options seemed to play catch with the ball that was my decision as I made my way home.

                I heard my phone alarm five hours later. I groggily sat up and switched the alarm off. I wiped the sleep off my eyes and asked myself: “So, what now, Remy?”

                 Unfortunately, I came to my senses and got ready for school. I got into the cold shower and woke up instantly as the cold water touched the back of my neck. I hastily got dressed for school with my white buttoned shirt and gray and black plaid slacks, yeah, the generic type of school uniform. The only thing making it distinct from other uniforms was the logo of my school embroidered on the upper left portion of the shirt just over my left chest. I said goodbye to my parents and sister as I shoved my breakfast down my throat with one fell swoop. With a final push of courage, I walked out the door.

                My name is Remy Ortega. I’m 17 years old and I go to a private school thirty minutes away from our condo called St. Louis Academy in Metro Manila. I’ll be graduating next week and I’ll be off to college after summer.

               The day before, I made the biggest mistake of my life (Or so I thought at the time). I decided to go and confess my love to the prettiest girl in my class. Olivia Young. You could describe her with one word: Breathtaking. You could tell she had foreign blood without knowing her last name because of the way she looked. Olivia was of average height with an hourglass figure. She had dark brown hair the color of cocoa and deep brown eyes that could swallow you up the moment you stared too long. She had fair skin that had this pinkish glow about it. She also had a smile that had the clear capabilities of lighting up a cave deep in the mountains. I had asked her if we could talk for a minute after class yesterday. She just gave me a sweet smile and nodded.

                After class, I led her to the gymnasium located behind the High School building and we sat on the concrete bleachers. She played with her fingers while we sat and I had hoped to break the silence when she decided to break it for me.