On a hot summer afternoon, the sparrows were twittering up the trees in the park while on the path beneath an acacia tree, a child impatiently pulls his parents to the ice cream shop across the street, and a young couple were busily taking their pictures at the gazebo surrounded by wooden benches. A zephyr blew and it soothed the young lady who was sitting at a bench shadowed by a mango tree. The lady, named Kristie and who was in her late 20s, was rummaging in her bag for a book. Accidentally, an old pen fell to the ground so she bent to pick it up. While she looked at the pen she remembered about something and
it wasn’t about the pen’s history but the story that lies with it five years before.
It started on Kristie’s senior year when the class were busy doing their projects.
“Psst! Kris.” called somebody from behind Kristie.
“What is it Rick?” she replied.
“I-I just want to… I mean, can you help me with my project?” asked Rick shyly.
“Yeah, sure,” gladly replied Kristie.
Rick quickly sat beside her and they began working on his project. Kristie is a smart girl, that is why she is the best student in the class --and she has a pretty face-- while Rick is a transferee who doesn’t have a mind superior in academics but in athletics and who never fails to charm girls at their school. It has been long since Rick became attracted to Kristie at first sight. There are times during class when Rick would daydream about Kristie, or gaze intently at her using his notebook as cover and its holes as peephole then make a long sigh.
“Rick,” called the teacher. “Rick!” repeated the teacher loudly. “Why aren’t you paying attention? And what are you doing?”
At this point, Rick would just reason out “Watching -- I-I mean reading, Ma’am” then the class would laugh. Kristie would chuckle and Rick would wink at her.
For Kristie, Rick is a funny guy. He would make her laugh and take away her sadness. This made her like Rick and she developed a longing to make him her bestfriend. Kristie do not have bestfriends because of her drunkard father who is ill-tempered and strict. She would not be allowed to attend parties nor hang out with friends and if she will do so, whips and spanks are her punishment. Added to this, being the only child of the family and her mother’s death on childbirth is the root of her sorrow.
One Christmas Eve, when her father got drunk, Kristie had her chance to go out. She strolled around town hoping to find something fun to do or see. She went to the park and sat on a bench. The cold air blew and she started her usual soliloquy. Her eyes became misty but before a drop
of tear had shed a voice called her.
“Kris! How are you?” It was Rick and he is with his parents.
Kristie stood quickly, blinked back her tears and smiled to them “Oh, Hi Rick.”
“Ma, Pa, this is Kristie my friend,” said Rick to his parents. Rick nestled his hand on her shoulder and pinched her on the cheek.
“Hello, Kristie. Nice to meet you,” greeted Rick’s mother and shook her hands.
“Hi, call me Uncle Rene and call her Aunt ‘Phia,” said Rick’s father.
“Hi Ma’am and to you Sir. Merry Christmas!” she replied.
“Merry Christmas too!” greeted back the parents.
