Fleeting Summer Breeze

Wistful

It was summer when I met him three years ago. I had just graduated from high school and I was trying to earn some money before starting my university's life. So, I worked part-time selling ice cream on a beach. That day was my last day of summer part time work and I was sitting idly behind my ice cream stall. I looked at the time on my watch on my right wrist and sighed in boredom while waiting for the sun to set which mark the end of my working hour. A man passed not far from my ice cream stall. He wore white T-shirt and dark sweatpants like the other tourists but his appearance was way too neat and he was quite good looking. As I was immersed in my own thought, three teenage punk boys came to my ice cream stall.

"Give us three chocolate ice creams, please." One of the boys said.

"With cups or cones?" I asked automatically without really paying attention to them.

"Cups." Another boy answered.

I prepared three ice cream cups then put them on the table while waiting for the boy before me to hand me some money. His other two friends suddenly snatched the ice creams then ran.

"Hey! Pay for the ice creams first!!!" I shouted angrily at them.

"Shut up!" The burly punk boys snapped while slapping my face. I fell down sitting on the beach sand. As I froze because of the stinging pain, the boy rudely pulled my right wrist to steal my watch. The watch was a gift from my mother so I would not easily give it up. I forcefully tried to pull my right wrist free from his tight grip. But, the burly boy was stronger than me. He insisted on pulling the watch, tearing its leather strap.

"Help!!!" I shouted desperately as the boy turned around after snatching my watch, preparing to escape.

The boy ran and bumped into a person in white T-shirt and dark sweatpants.

"Sorry." The boy muttered incoherently and hurriedly tried to runaway but the man hit the back of the boy's head and grabbed his collar.

"Give the watch back, Francis!" He ordered coldly while clutching the back of the boy's collar.

"Uncle John?" The burly boy, Francis, widened his eyes in disbelief and stammered, "What- what watch?" He looked around and gulped since the two of them were now being surrounded by people who watched them curiously.

"That girl's watch." The man who was called 'Uncle John' gestured towards me. A few passerby finally noticed my swollen face and my messy shirt as I was sitting helplessly beside my ice cream stall, looking pitiful. The people around them began to murmur angrily, a few man even started to move forward towards Francis.

"Alright. Alright... the watch..." Francis whimpered and gave my watch to his uncle.

Uncle John accepted my watched and rebuked him, "You also have to pay for the ice cream." He said while opening his palm in front of Francis.

"Yes... Yes... Uncle." Francis searched on his pants pocket and gave the money only for one ice cream.

Uncle John glared at him and said coldly, "If I remember correctly, Paul and Leo were also buying ice cream, right?"

Francis then reluctantly paid the ice creams for his already escaped friends. Uncle John nodded and let go Francis' collar. The previous bully immediately ran in panic, leaving all the crowd scolding his back. Uncle John apologized to everyone for causing a scene and politely discharged the gathering crowd before offering a hand to help me getting up.

"Are you okay, Girl?" Uncle John asked in concern while helping compressing my swollen cheek and wrist with ice.

"I'm fine, thank you." I nodded as my hand grabbing the ice bag from his hand, compressing my own cheek.

"My name is John Smith. I would like to apologize on behalf of my nephew and his friends." He smiled embarrassedly but his smile was brighter than the scorching sun.

I stared at him dumbfounded. Although John Smith was already in his early forties, he was much more good- looking when I closely looked at him than from far away.

"What's your name? Where do you live? I should drive you home and personally apologizing to your parents." John Smith continued inquiring due to my lack of response.

"My name is Cherish. I live alone near Carl University." I replied with small voice.

"What a coincidence!" John Smith exclaimed. "Are you going to be Carl University's student? I happen to work at Carl University as lecturer." He then smirked, "I won't brag off but Carl University has the best art faculty in this town."

I could only nodded my approval. John Smith then helped me to close down my ice cream stall, help me explaining to my employer and even paid for the minor damage on the ice cream stall. Afterwards, John Smith really gave me a ride to my small apartment with his spotlessly white car.

***

"Cherish! Cherish!" My best friend, Hana elbowed me, returning my conscience.

"What?" I raised one of my eyebrows to the girl who was sitting beside me with a mocking smile.

"Are you paying attention to Professor Smith's words?" Hana asked teasingly.

"Of course!" I protested. "He was the best lecturer in our art faculty!"

Hana clicked her tongue a few times, "Look at you, having a crush to your own professor for three years. His eldest son will be entering Junior High School next semester and rumors says his wife is now carrying their second child."

"Oh... I just like his lectures. I don't like him more than that." I said expressionlessly.

Hana rolled her eyes at me.

John Smith. He had the most common name a man could have. But, his name was like a fleeting summer breeze that cooled down my arid heart.