Ambiguous Confession

Day

Last week, I was just having the time of my life.

Spending time with my friends and driving around the city, dancing with lights. By this time of the day, I would have been laying in my bed and updating my social media accounts. By the next few hours of that same day, I would have gotten dressed for the day's appointments and commitments. By a few hours after that, I would be in front of the camera and enjoying myself. And at the end of the day, I would be back home where I live alone and contemplate on all the things I have done right and wrong for the day's schedule before heading to bed.

That would have been my day; instead, I am here in a tight-fitting bus filled with different people and their scents.

I kept on tugging my cap and hoodie in order to conceal my identity. I wouldn't want to be recognized in such a horrible situation. That would greatly affect my image and reputation.

I started to question my cousin and his wife's decision to let me travel on a public transportation when I could have just gotten a van for myself. As much as I want to conceal my identity, it seems like these people doesn't seem to recognize me as a top celebrity. Instead, I was treated like a normal person on a public transportation.

Giving up on my attempts, I let go of the hoodie and just let it flow on my back as I repositioned my cap backwards like how some kids do in an attempt to look cool and swag. It kinda felt nice to do fashion in my own way without thinking of anybody's opinions. I finally feel like a normal teenager. As a 'commoner', I had to face through the struggles of a person in a tight-fitting public transportation.

I struggled to stay sitted on my seat as the people around me continuously squish me. The movement of the bus is not helping at all, because it keeps on swerving at every curve and bounces at the bumpy state of the road.

The fat lady at my right doesn't seem to be very considerate at all, as she gets herself carried by the movement of the bus. I always end up muttering an apology to the grumpy old man at my left whose hair seems to be almost bald. He scoffs at me whenever I apologize which almost ticked me off. The smell of body odour and the scent of fragrances mixing in the air together, makes me sick.

I wanna thank Christine for constantly nagging on me to take a shower everyday and take care of my appearance. Now I know why.

I have been on this bus for about an hour now. I wanted to take a nap, but the situation is not that great for napping. I still have 3 more hours before I reach my destination.

As people get on and off the bus, I managed to scoot over to the seat beside the window. Gone are the people who have continuously squished me out of my mind.

Thankfully, the guy beside me is bearable. He doesn't stink and not annoying, but he is on my previous situation which is getting squished. He was considerate enough to prevent himself from squishing me. I shot him a grateful look before turning my head to what's outside the window.

As we get farther and farther from the city, the number of establishments and well-built houses decreases as the number of trees increases. I have never seen so much trees in my entire lifetime.

My eyes have come across different types of trees, shrubs, and flowers.As much as I want to reminisce memories from Science and Biology classes, I remember that I may have fallen asleep or not been at school at all for those times. A sad smile appears on my face.  I should not have taken school for granted.

My eyes have grown accustomed to the wondrous sight of natural beauty that when a random house pops in the picture, my lips form a frown.

I sat there watching the scene transition from a forest of trees to some houses and back to a forest of trees again. The gust of wind softly slaps onto my face as I stuck my head further out the window, inhaling the fresh air way opposite to the city's polluted air. This feels nice.

I watched how the trees swayed and quickly disappeared from my sight. For the past half an hour or so, I have only seen more or less a dozen of houses. I should probably get myself one after this hiatus.

People gets on and off this suffocating bus, but the number of people inside has decreased. Most of these people have gotten off in the town halfway through my destination. The bus I'm taking stops by at every town's central, but this particular town had many people get off; so I got to observe the surroundings longer than the usual from the inside.

Compared to the big city in which people walk with their eyes on their phones and ears plugged in, the people in this town have fresh produce in their hands plus they actually talk to each other -- like face to face.

This place is so much different than my home. Instead of flashy vehicles and taxis, I see motorcycles as transportation -- some of them wear helmets, most of them don't. Don't they need to ensure their passengers' safety first? Well, I'm no different though. I started to reminisce those times when I don't wear seatbelt whenever my friends and I go on late night drives.

I watched how the people outside talk and laugh at each other's statements. They seem genuinely happy and I envy them for that.

I was startled when a man pops out from outside the window to sell us, the passengers, some bottles of water. I planned on kindly rejecting and ignoring him after, but the guy beside me bought 2 bottles. He smiled at the man as he paid, in which the man returned it with his change and a smile-- exchanging thank-you's in between. I felt a sudden surge of mixed emotions as the scene unfolds before my eyes. When was the last time I genuinely smiled at someone?

As I searched for an answer to my question, the guy beside me offered a bottle of water to me with an encouraging smile on his face; like encouraging me to trust him and take the bottle. Hesitation and doubt still written on my face, I took the bottle and slightly bowed at his direction as a sign of gratitude. It may seem rude, but I was taught not to trust or even talk to strangers. I am hesitant to drink, but I felt thirsty so I did.

The bus started moving again but this time, there are only 20 passengers compared to the hundred people at the start. The guy beside me decided to move two seats away from me. What surprised me the most is that he left me a couple of snacks beside me. I took a glance at him before muttering a soft 'thank you' , loud enough for him to hear and smile at those simple words. I put the snacks on my lap and plugged my earbuds in. Shortly enough, I finally managed to drift to sleep.

***
I woke up at the sound of the conductor of the bus shouting,

"Last call for the people getting off in Pandora Town! Pandora Town!"

I hurriedly packed my belongings and checking my phone and wallet's location. I immediately slung my backpack on one shoulder and got off the bus, informing the conductor along the way that I have a luggage in the trunk.

After I got my luggage, the bus speeds off as I look questioningly at the surroundings around me. There are much less people in here, probably at 35. I heard my name being called so I swung my head at its direction. There stood a man with his motorcycle; probably taking me to my destination.

"You are Sirius, aren't you? Ms. Christine's cousin-in-law?"

I nodded at every question he asked me. Trying not to return the exact amount of smugness on his face, I held my head low and stood still. He gestured for me to ride on his motorcycle in which I did before he sped off dangerously, with my luggage in front and my body dragged back by the heavy backpack I have.

After the long, bumpy and bouncy ride, I carefully got off his motorcycle and hurriedly grabbed my luggage from the front. I bowed at him as a sign of gratitude as he sped off again, leaving a trail of smoke blowing unto my face. I heaved a sigh before looking up at the sign above.

Welcome to Celeste Village!

30/04/18