A Night to Remember (A Night Trilogy Part 1)

CHAPTER 1

Everything was blurry. From the truly calming blue sky to the eye-refreshing meadow, they were all blurry. I sent out a deep sigh before I completely removed my gaze outside the tinted window of our wheels and settled down on the backseat.

My father just made his pace fast for me to catch the first encounter of my first day of school. I am excited, yet nervous, which caused my hands to tremble inside of my tiny pockets.

I looked down to ease the intensified feeling, and I immediately brushed my white polo shirt carrying the honored name of our school because I just noticed it being wrinkled. I then gave my gaze back outside to witness how raindrops fell on the window, racing to slide down on its wet surface. The rain and fog just made everything blur outside, but it made me more comfortable to join the weather.

I missed going to school like this. Just settling myself on the warm seat and letting the raindrops pour as it seemed to embrace me from the outside. I really missed it. This kind of weather never fails to complement me.

"Would you mind telling me what's bothering you this early?" I came back to reality when I heard daddy spoke from nowhere. It startled me at first, but I managed to let out a smile.

"I was watching you from the mirror, you know," daddy followed, and he let out a slight laugh before turning the wheels to the left. We're about to reach my school.

"Nothing dad, I guess I just can't wait to see..." I said amusingly, and I stopped as an image flashed in my mind. I clenched my jaw and looked down to prevent myself from smiling. I just can't resist.

"Can't wait to see what?" I lifted my head, and I saw dad looking at me through the rear mirror. Without hesitations, I lied.

"Um... I just can't wait to see m-my room dad," I stuttered as I abruptly looked at him in the mirror.

Silence hit the moment as soon as dad entered the school gate with its precious name on an arch above it- Gremlin University.

I feel at home whenever I come to school. Though I don't have lots of friends, I still consider it as my home whenever teachers do their responsibility of being our second parents.

I saw my fellow grade school students playing at the field after dad stopped the car in front of the building where my new classroom is being located. I can't wait to join them. I can't wait to say hi to anyone I might meet there.

"And finally, we're here! I'll fetch you at exactly four," daddy said while doing something on his phone. Maybe he's busy reaching out to his colleagues again.

I then picked up my bag beside me together with my packed lunch, which was deliciously cooked by mom. I am still young, but I noticed how mom never wasted her time doing all her responsibilities amazingly for the whole family.

I opened and pushed the door back with all my might. I brushed my polo together with my black pants until I noticed the front seat's window being pulled down. Daddy let out his hands with his fist closed just to welcome me for a fist bomb. I am not that expressive towards dad, but I admit that we both like doing this little skit.

"Good luck on your first day! See you, little boy!" daddy exclaimed while I waited for him to go and disappear out of my sight.

Before I turned my back away from the bricked building of my school, I gave a smile to no one and started walking inside.

I could hear the noises from different classrooms, but these were immediately abated as I made my way through the hallway.

All eyes were consecutively thrown to me. I could only hear my footsteps, and it feels like I am being anticipated for such a fashion show. I am only wearing this cute school uniform, perfectly partnered with my bare face and my brushed-up hair, but my schoolmates always see me as if I am wearing a prom outfit getting ready to wear my cape and mask to make all their heads turn.

"Hey! Look at him. He's still our schoolmate!"

"Yeah, I would love to come to school, only to see him."

"No way! He's mine, you ugly brat!"

"He's still that attractive until now, my God!"

Those are the things I usually hear whenever I walk in the hallway.

I feel abashed sometimes, but I can't help myself not to continue walking across the hallway. I bet I am their ideal boy but little did they know that I only admire one ideal girl whom the reason of my existence here at school.

I bowed my head, and I didn't mind their gazes as what I always do to ease the abject awkwardness. I then stopped for a while and got something inside my bag. I loosened the way how my earphones were tied up and immediately plugged it on my phone to listen to my favorite vibe song.

The first day of school just passed as what people are expected to visualize. Students will recite their mantras of introducing themselves, having fun about getting to know their new teachers, and abusing their time to dally as there were no assignments given yet.

"Bring your mother's delicious food again tomorrow, Zach," Clyde requested as he bid goodbye because her mother was already here to fetch him.

"Sure! I will tell her you loved the food," I happily said while waving my hand to bid goodbye too.

I looked at my watch and continued to walk as I saw the time, 3:42 PM. As I continued to walk, I saw a familiar face, and I didn't notice that I stopped myself from walking. I immediately went to the playground where she was alone, hovering over the swing by her feet with her hands safely gripping the swing's chains.

"Hi!" I greeted her and decided to use the other swing. I then removed my earphones and tried to face her at my right.

I am looking at my right, where the right person is staying at the right time. Daddy isn't here yet, so I decided to talk to her.

"Why are you here alone?" I asked to break the silence between us. I then looked at my shoes dancing as I moved the swing.

"They got home already," she said coldly, still looking straight to nowhere.

"Then why are you still here? You must go home too," I asked wondering.

"Then why are you here too?" she asked, and it made me smile a little. She really makes me amused whenever she throws back to me those questions I ask.

"I am waiting for my dad," I said.

"Likewise," she then answered.

Awkwardness finally had the chance to interrupt. I wanna talk to her for so long, but I cannot think of something I wanna say. I started playing with my fingers, started stamping my feet on the ground, and started biting my lips because of being nervous.

She's such a perfect creature. No matter what she's wearing, she still looks the same as before she caught my attention. I wanna caress my palm on his hair as her leopard-print headband perfectly complements to it.

"C-can I um... ask you something?" I stuttered asking her, but she managed to turn her gaze to me.

"Vielka!"

We were taken aback when we heard an old lady with her grey hair organized in a bun, calling her precious name. She was walking towards us. I bet she's Vielka's guardian.