DayDreams

Chapter IX - A Known Stranger

Chapter IX

A KNOWN STRANGER

It was New Year’s Day when Jay meets Charlie; they were having new Years celebration at Marj house. All their friends were there including Jay and Charlie…

On the corner of the pool, Charlie saw Gella listening to music alone so he approached her, “Want some??” offered Gella a soda and pizza. And there, they chatted, talked about different things, “Remember when we were still at the kindergarten, you fell at the pond because you slipped and instead of helping you, I laughed…” said Charlie. “And you fell from the tree because you thought you saw some snakes when it was only some rope!” teased Gella, then they laughed and laughed. While Jay, “Hey, Trix have you seen Gella?” asked him. “I thought I saw her at the pool.” And so Jay, hurried his way, bringing some food to eat, but as he was a few steps away, he saw Gella talking to somebody, he thought of going but Gella saw him and called him. Then Gella introduced Jay and Charlie to each other.

After she had introduced Jay and Charlie, she felt comfortable. She was laughing as she was telling stories of her childhood and as she tells everything that comes out her mouth. Even though how Jay and Charlie wanted to fell comfortable, there is that what we call tension. In the middle of Gella’s talked, Heart called her, and so Jay and Charlie were left alone… it was quiet for a while then Jay decided to break the ice, “So, how close are you?” asked him, “Who? With Gella?” answered Charlie. “Yah” “Well, we’ve been friends since 1 year old.” “So, maybe, you know her so much,” “Not so. She’s kind of mysterious. There’s something new about her every time.” “Is that so?” then Jay quiet for a while… “Do you like her?” asked Charlie frankly, “hmm… yah. Actually, I wanted to ask you some favor…” asked Jay. “What is it?” “Can you help me out with Gella?” Charlie was shocked, don’t know what to answer, a worried face, nervous and everything… then, “I can’t.” and stood up! Then after a while, Gella came, looked for Charlie then Jay answered, “I don’t know. I think he has to go…” but after saying those words, Gella said, “Okay. Maybe I’ll have to go too.” Then Jay knew it!

Gella really don’t have to go. She just wanted to find Charlie, she looked everywhere, and Charlie’s car was still there so she thought he’s just around, somewhere… and then after 10 minutes of searching, “Hey! There you are!” she found Charlie at one quiet place in the house, the garden. “I’m been looking all over for you, so what are you doing her alone?” asked Gella. Charlie remained quiet, looking at the tulip and thinking of something. “Hey! Are you okay?” asked Gella. Still Charlie didn’t answer, Gella decided to keep quiet then suddenly, “Do you like Jay?” asked Charlie. Gella was shocked, she didn’t see that coming, “What?? Jay??” said the confused Gella. “Yah, do you like him?” said Charlie but at that time, he was looking to Gella’s eyes.

So as Gella looks at Charlie’s eyes, she saw the seriousness in Charlie’s eyes so she tried to answer him seriously. As she answers Charlie’s questions, she looked at Charlie as if she wanted to tell something, “Yah, I like him… but I…” she wasn’t able to finish her words, because Charlie suddenly gave her the tulip, he has been staring at. And then Charlie went away… so Gella, who was left alone, has no choice to keep her words to herself,” if you only knew…” then went back to the crowd with the tulip in her right hand.

On the following day, Charlie talked to Jay… he agreed to help Jay with Gella. In one simple condition, “just be careful with her.” Then Charlie… (As usual, did his habit) walked away without any word. He gave Jay, every single detail he know about Gella – from the favorite food, color, music, and dance even up to her favorite dress and movie on TV series. But he doesn’t seem to be happy, there’s something wrong! Every time Jay asked something, Charlie just gave the answer without any questions. And before they knew it, Jay was already courting Gella. But things just didn’t work out! A day before Gella’s birthday, she decided to talked to Jay… she didn’t know were to start, but a sad, worried face can be seen in her face, then Jay spoke, “Hey! Tell it! I’ll be fine…” “What do you mean?” asked Gella. “I know you, we may not know each other that long but I know…” Gella remained quiet; don’t know what to say, Jay continued “I know you like Charlie, I was so selfish to court you and asked him to help me, and I just thought you would learn to like me just how you like him.” Gella still didn’t know what to say, but she was kinda shocked of what Jay just said… “I’ll be fine, I can accept it but I’ll be much better if you tell me, honestly…” said Jay, so Gella decided to tell it, “Yah, you’re right… I like him since I was 6… quiet funny right at first I didn’t know what’s that thing I feel but I as grow up, at 8, I realized I like him.. A lot! But I just don’t know how to let him see that ‘coz he only treats me as the friend that he meets when he was 1. His best friend and his sister…” Gella really wanted to cry but instead, she made a fake smile. Jay wanted to comfort her but he himself is hurt… instead, he just looked at Gella as she shed her tears…

During the night, Gella relaxed herself at the garden… But as she wanders her mind, one particular thought about one particular person made her cry, Charlie. She didn’t know what made her cry, but one thing is certain in her mind, she wanted Charlie to treat her more than how he treats her now. Think of her as Gella who has a 16-years old mind and not the Gella he met when he was 1 and the Gella who likes him a lot and not just a best friend. During Gella’s emotional moments, she didn’t know, Charlie was at the entrance door to the garden. Charlie saw her crying, he thought Gella was crying because of Jay but he didn’t know why. He wanted to ask but he can’t! So he went back… and decided to confront Jay the following day.

After that day, it seems that everything is fine! Jay isn’t sad or something and he is still friends with Gella, in his thought all he want and what’s important is that Gella is happy, he even greeted her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and gave her a one important, special gift, HER FREEDOM, in some way. Everything that day was just going fine, but suddenly Charlie showed up… Gella smiled, she thought Charlie was there to greet her happy birthday but Charlie’s face was mad! “Hey! What’s----” then Charlie exclaimed suddenly, “Why did you dump Jay?!?” “Why are you shouting?” Gella asked calmly scared. “I thought you like Jay then why did you dump him? Have you gone mad?!” “What’s wrong with you?? And why are you shouting?! It’s not even your business!” “Yah, it’s none of my business! Well, I’m sorry! I’m just concern! ‘Coz I thought you like Jay!” “Concern?!? Yah, I said I like Jay but I didn’t say “I love him” if you only just looked at my eyes and if you only understand! And listen!” “What do I need to see in your eyes huh?! And what do I need to understand?! You don’t love Jay? Then why the heck are you crying yesterday?!” “So? I wasn’t crying about Jay, I was crying about you… Because I like you, but you didn’t see that because you always see me as the girl you meet when you were 1. A girl who’s always there when you need something and JUST YOUR BEST FRIEND!” Charlie didn’t know what to say… while Gella was shocked, she didn’t expect she could say that, it has been 10 years and she wasn’t able to tell Charlie until now in an extra – ordinary unexpected moment… she waited for Charlie to speak but Charlie was speechless… and so Gella felt shy and walked away but she felt relieved, she thought “at last!” at last she’s free from that feeling he has been hiding since she was 6. After that confrontation, nobody knows what will happen next, especially with Gella and Charlie’s relationship.

The next day, Gella wasn’t able to avoid Charlie she didn’t know how to approach him but before she knew what to do? Charlie ignored her. She thought Charlie doesn’t like her and Charlie doesn’t like what she did. She felt bad for herself, but she was absolutely wrong. Charlie just feels the exact opposite! He likes Gella he just doesn’t know what to say and how to say it… would it be, “Gell, I like you!” or “Gell, I like you too! So are we??” or “Gell, since then I already like you and I know were a match made in heaven.” He didn’t know what the right one is. He needs time to rehearse?? But as he was rehearsing what to do, days passed and prom is now approaching. So he came with an idea… he’s going to confess to her at the prom. He planned every single detail on what he would do or what he should say… he even tried to wrote his confession speech… “You told me that I treat you as the girl I met when I was 1 and that I only treat you as my BESTFRINDS, that is because I thought you wanted me to treat you as one but I wanted you to know that since then you’re special, that you’re more than that and if I would be given a chance to choose between having you as a friend, best friend or more than best friend I would choose the 3rd…” and done… Charlie was prepared and is just only waiting for his MOMENT!

If you thought Charlie is just the only one planning for something during the prom, well he’s not... Fred also wanted to do something romantic during the prom, for whom?? For Heart??