1 Chapter One: The Beginning

Jophiel

DAZED OFF FROM TIME THAT FEELS LIKE ETERNAL. There was nothing special about me, as I always tell that to myself. From being dazed off, to panicking, and finding my composure, there was nothing unique about me. Some people may call me a "strong person", but where is that strong person when I needed it the most? Where is that strong person when everything is just falling apart? I will be lying if I tell you that I am okay. It will be such a big joke if I told everyone that I'm completely fine, even when I'm not. Thoughts linger to me most of the time, when I'm alone. I must say, it's hard to be a Jack of all trades and a master of none. I don't realize that before, just now. Keeping these thoughts with me all the time, makes me want to just shut everything down. Everything was shutting down, finally... Slowly... It's getting dark, then becoming slower. Then, BOOM!!! Someone yelled at me, "Jophiel! Wake up! You're spacing out again." And I was back to where I am again. I'm still at school that sucks though.

Looking around, I've seen usual faces surrounding me. Doing their normal habits, talking out their usual gossips, and the rest would be just fine as a class. I've been searching the whole room to look at the person who called me. She's my dearest friend, one of the bestest friend I've ever had since my senior years in high school. It took me long enough to finally found her hiding behind the supplies cabinet.

"I saw you already, Mariella!" I shouted at her. Immediately, she ran off towards me while giggling around. Oh, here come the feverish gossips about boys, girls, and so on, whatsoever.

"You can always find me, whenever and wherever I go." she muttered to me. She always do that, muttering to herself. Her voice so low that I can't hear most of the things she's muttering.

"You keep muttering to yourself, it almost seems like a murmur." I replied. She then mimics what I've told her and for goodness sake, I just want to shut her up.

"Oh come on, Mariella! Just hush down for a bit." She then stopped. Finally!! "So here's the latest gossip that I've acquired." My goodness! Doesn't this woman get tired of what she's doing? I keep reminding of myself not to listen much, but she's talking too loud, clear, and fast.

While everyone is doing their own thing, I can't get enough of Mariella. I, then noticed that they're not speaking anymore. Later on, that I realized the professor was on his chair already.

"Good afternoon class, I will discuss among all of you the upcoming..." Here he goes again. Talking endlessly with some school matters. He's a great professor, but sometimes he's a little bit boring.

His class is so boring, for goodness' sake, I just want to go home already. Everytime I go to class, the only thing in my mind is about going home. My professor keeps blabbering about something, though here I am, drifting apart from the vast reality of my environment. Hoping that somewhere in this world can cater the sadness that I've felt within me.

Little did I know, time has passed by. The ringing of the school bell shattered every inch of daydream that I'm having just of the moment.

Everybody started to leave already, so fast as if they're being chased by someone. As I managed to get up and fix my things, I suddenly got tired and stayed there for a bit. This day doesn't get any better and it's getting me so frustrated at nothing.

"Seems like the usual habit?" I was shook enough to heard someone talking behind me. I know it's just Mariella as I always hear that voice, but it gives me the chills when she do that to me. It's as if someone was talking to me that even I can't see.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Mariella?!" I shouted back at her. I was so scared all of the sudden, making all my arm hair stand. I've felt goosebumps all around my body. The hell is wrong with her.

She laughed hard. Hard enough that her face suddenly turned into a red tone like a ripening tomato. Goodness gracious! Why is she laughing that hard? Am I that much of a scaredy cat?

"The look on your face is so hilarious, Jophiel." She stated while composing herself. Then laughter burst out to her mouth again. Oh boy, please make her stop.

Needless to say, I felt myself smiling like an idiot. She never failed to make me smile or laugh, even when the subject being laugh at, is myself.

"So what are you still doing here?" She questioned me, cutting the mood. What should I tell her? That I suddenly got tired? Or I just want to stay for a bit and daydream again? Or just shut my mouth and don't answer her?

"Odd enough that you're asking me a question that I should be asking you." I told her. Looking amused as she was caught off-guard.

Though I'm having fun teasing her, it's time to go home already. Peeking at the sky through our glass windows, it's getting dark already. It seems like it's going to rain, as dark clouds were building up already and the glass from our window is getting moist.

"I'll go ahead, Mariella. It's going to rain soon. You should go home too." I implied to her. She's already fixing her things up, before I left her.

Getting out of that classroom seems like a relief and a burden was lifted from my shoulders. Walking down the aisle of the corridors, freshmen students were scattered at the hallway.

As I'm walking along the corridors, someone shouted at my name from afar. As the moment I heard it, I looked back and searched for the person who called me. It was Mariella, and she's with our friend, Casper.

Both of them running along from the far end of the hallways. It didn't took them much time to where I'm standing right now. "What are you both up to? Shouting my name at the hallway, both of you're insane!" I panicky told them.

To my dismay, they just answered me with giggles and laughter, afterwards. They don't understand me, I just don't want much attention given to me by so many people. Even when they didn't care at me that much, I just don't want to be embarrassed to all of them.

Calming myself, I just dismissed the idea of being the center of attraction and asked them their matter. Crossing my hands, stamping my foot, and waiting for them to answer me properly seems like will do it.

"Alright, we just want to go home with you." Casper answered. Finally! Someone told me the reason why they're screaming my name like children getting out of their cribs.

I was about to agree to them, but then I remembered that they lived on the other side of our district. "We don't live at the same district." I explained to them.

But still, they insisted to go home with me. I just rode along with them as I know for a fact, that they won't stop asking me until I'm annoyed and agreed to their wants. For goodness' sake, how am I friends with these two?

"Anyways, Casper, how did you ganged up with Mariella today? Don't you have classes?" I was so curious on why and how they met up that fast. Feels weird enough for me.

"Oh.. I don't have classes anymore and Mariella texted me." Hence, I was so sure that he still have classes because I know their schedules. Something's up between these two people who's standing in front of me.

I continue to walk along by myself, but these two keeps following me, like puppies following their parents. As we get near the main gate, small droplets of rain were already falling off from the sky.

Sometimes, it felt like the sky was a reflection of human emotions. When you're happy, the sky is so bright. When you're gloomy, the sky is cloudy. When you're tired and sad, the sky is making some rain. Like it's crying on its own. Though Science can explain that thing, I just somehow believe to that matter.

We ran off at the nearest shed outside the main gate of our school. I really am unlucky when it comes to this. My clothes are wet, damped hair, and shoes soaked with mud. Isn't this day getting any better? Though it might be a tragic happening, I'm too glad my things didn't get wet by the rain.

"Do you have umbrellas with you?" I asked the both of them. They nodded and brought out their umbrellas with them. Cool! They have one and I don't have any.

"The both of you can go home already, I'll just wait here for awhile." Oh goodness gracious, I want to lie to them that I'm meeting someone. I'll just wait here until the rain stops falling.

I don't want to burden them anymore. They've been such good friends to me these past two years. Both of them gave me warmth and love, I appreciate that. So just this once, I don't want to be a man in distress towards them.

"How about you, Jophiel? Do you have an umbrella?" Casper then questioned me. He's been giving me that concerned look. On the other side, Mariella is waiting for my reply.

"I'm just waiting for someone to arrive. I'm so sorry, but I can't go home with the both of you." I lied. Goodness, I hate this feeling. I lied to them because I don't want to be a burden anymore. "Both of you needs to go home already, you're soaking wet! You'll get sick if you don't." I added.

Even though having some doubts. I finally convinced them to go home without me. I'm also worried about their health.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay here?" Mariella asked me. Concern can be seen through her facial features. I just nodded at them and smiled.

"Go home now. Take some rest first, then take a bath after. If needed, take some medicine or drink some tea." I reminded the both of them. They smiled and just nodded.

I still heard the two of them fighting about something while murmuring. These two, I'm hoping that our friendships will last for a life time.

The two of them already left me alone at this shed. The rain is still flowing as hard as it can be. Continuously wishing this rain to stop now. Badly want to go home already. It's getting chilly as I'm also soaked with water and it doesn't seem that this rain will stop, sooner or later.

Checking from time to time, one and a half hour have passed by. The rain seems to stopped already. Great, I can now go home.

After I prepared myself, I got up then started to walk along the pavements. The streets were silent. It's already six in the evening and I'm also hungry as of now. Why can't I have any luck in me?

While thinking on what should I eat after I got home, I heard a bark near the post. Being the curious one, I walked through it and saw a little box with a puppy on it.

I looked around the vicinity of the area to search for the person who left it here. That's a living creature! Not just a toy that they can throw away. This one seems like a new born pup.

I gazed into it and hesitate whether I should take it or not. "You poor little pup, it's cold out here. Would you want to come with me?" I said to myself while petting its head.

Holding the puppy into my hands and then brought it into my arm. It's a little bit chilly since it rained earlier and the puppy is shaking. He got soaked as well from the rain.

"What should I call you then?" I'm an idiot to ask a puppy that question. Looking around, searching for anything that might be familiar with him and I.

A strong cold wind blew to us, I then thought of "Breeze" as his name. His fur is as white as snow and his eyes are a combination of blue and hazelnut color. "Starting today, I'll call you Breeze. Is that okay with you?" I pet him as he started to lick my hand.

Good thing, our house is just a few more steps away from where I found Breeze. While carrying Breeze, I hold him tightly as I ran fast towards our home.

Opening the gate as quickly as I can. I panicked because Breeze might felt too cold from being soaked with water. My grandmother is waiting for me outside the door of our house. I run towards her, then kissed her cheeks.

"Who's that little puppy? Where did you get it?" She asked me quickly as she noticed Breeze on my arms.

"I'll answer you later, Mama. Breeze needs to be warm right now. He's soaked from the rain earlier." I answered her, then run towards the living room.

"Mama, can you keep him warm for a bit? I'll just change my clothes in my room." She immediately rolled up a blanket to Breeze. Woah! That's so fast. "What are you still standing there? Go change, now. I'll take care of your puppy right now. Just take a rest, first." She scolded me so soon.

I immediately went upstairs and entered my room. It's clean now, as long as I can remember, it's so messy earlier before I left to school. Mama should've cleaned it. I couldn't live without anyone helping me with my things.

After I changed my clothes, laying on the bed was the first option. All the tiredness comes to me now. I thought this day won't get any better, but I found a puppy and he's so cute.

There might be chance for me to be lucky as I've felt that today. It's been quite a rough day at the beginning though, little did I know that my eyes were slowly closing, and I already drifted myself to sleep.