20 A Man

Samantha, lying on her bed, was currently in a state of deep thinking. She can't let Ezekiel and Caleb court her at the same time anymore. Sooner or later, she has to choose between the two of them.

She has to do it while it was still early.

"What do you think of the both of them Sammy? Who makes you feel more confused?" she asked herself.

Ezekiel is a sweet guy, he's very caring and kind. He was a person Samantha felt comfortable being with. She doesn't have to pretend in front of him. Ezekiel was more of a bestfriend to her.

But can she see herself being with him? As his girlfriend?

On the other hand, Caleb, he's also a very sweet and caring guy. Although his kindness record in Samantha's head wasn't clean because of him being a bully, he never once treated her like that. Samantha once thought that Caleb wasn't serious about her, but after the confession he made, her perspective about him changed. She can't say that she doesn't like him either but she can't say that she liked him already.

Can her mom really be right? Caleb, could it really be Caleb?

Lost in her thoughts, Samantha finally snapped out when she heard a knock on her door.

"You asleep honey?" she heard her mom outside.

"No, come in Mom," she responded.

Gently, her mom twisted the knob and walked inside her room.

"Do you need anything mom?"

"No honey, I'm just checking on you. Why are you still awake?" her mom asked then sat beside her.

"I just thinking about a few things mom," she answered then sat up. She faced her mom and asked, "Mom can you tell me how you and dad started? Tell me how you knew that he was already the one."

Her mom thought for a moment before started to talk, "You know honey, I also had a lot of suitors back in the day. They were all really handsome and sweet, made it hard for me to choose. But out of all those men, one really stood out and it was of course, your dad. He was the complete opposite of those men, he was handsome but arrogant," her mom laughed at the memory of her youth. It was a sweet memory of hers.

"Tell me more mom," Samantha leaned forward with twinkling eyes. She wanted to hear the love story of her parents.

"He was probably one of the most conceited man I have ever met in my entire life. He was so full of himself, so confident and arrogant. When he was courting me, he was very confident that he's the one who'll win my heart. Well of course, that time I thought of him as a conceited jerk and swore to myseld that I'll never ever pay attention to him."

"And then?" Samantha was enjoying herself. It was her first time to hear this story.

"And then a day came where I, myself, didn't realize that my attention was already caught by him. Before, I found his character really irritating and really annoying, but as time went by I didn't notice that I was already used to it, like I don't find it irritating and annoying anymore."

Samantha suddenly thought, why does this sound really familiar to her?

"Although he was a big jerk, he was gentle and soft towards me, well plus the conceitedness of course," both Samantha and her mom chuckled.

"So how did you know that he was the one mom?" Samantha asked.

"It's when I looked into his eyes honey. I saw my reflection on his eyes and I looked really really happy," her mom answered while smiling. She really missed her husband.

"Was that all?"

Samantha's mom reached for her face and cupped it gently, rubbing her thumb on her cheeks, she spoke, "When you close your eyes and see your future with him, he's definitely the one honey. I know it sounds too cliché and absurd, but that's what happened to me and your dad."

"You think it will also happen to me?"

"Of course honey, the right time will come for you and when it does," her mom pointed her finger to Samantha's heart, "You listen to what your heart says," she said.

Samantha raised her arms and hugged her mom tightly, "Thanks mom," she said.

Her mom rubbed her back gently, "Always welcomw honey," she said then pulled away from the hug, "I probably should go down now, it's already pretty late. You need to sleep now honey," her mom stood up and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"Good night mom,"

"Good night honey,"

Samantha's dad died when she was still a baby. She had never seen him, bit even in pictures. Although they never met, she still missed him. Her heart still longs for him.

Samantha stood up from her bed and walked to her window. It was nighg and the skies were clear. The surroundings was beautifully lighted up by the light of the full moon.

She looked up and stared at the stars.

"Hi dad, can you see me up there?" she spoke, "I hope you're happy and well. Don't worry about me and mom because we're doing well here. If given a chance, I'd love to meet you dad. My heart will always miss and love you," she said as a single tear fell from her eye.

Then suddenly, Samantha heard a loud howling sound.

Her gaze moved down and saw a man standing in front of their house. He was wearing a black cloak and a hood. He was smiling widely while looking at Samantha.

Samantha instantly felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She immediately closed her window and curtains. She stepped back from the window and held her chest.

Who the hell was that?

Samantha leaned forward and peeped through her curtain to see if the man was still there. She sighed in relief when she saw that the man was already gone.

That was so weird!