9 His Meaning

"Professor Cruz quoted that - love that lives blossoms, I derived this chords from it…"

My classmate was explainng about his guitar piece to the professor as I breathed in and out at the corner because I was the next one to present my work.

We were at the theatre hall where students would perform dramas but obviously, this isn't a drama - this was a life and death situation were your grades depended on your performance. Professor Cruz said that he would be taking 50% of our performance for the final grades in midterms in the first semester.

Like what am I supposed to explain with this? Maybe I should pick the other one than this? I was thinking twice at my painting when a voice snapped me back to reality.

"Ms. Rain Cabreza! You're next," Professor Cruz called from his seat.

I arranged my beret on the top of my head as I lifted my painting that was covered with a white cloth to have an element of surprise.

With his poker face, Professor Cruz stated, "Start."

I cleared my throat and opened, "I will tell you first a story - a story about a boy who suffered from a short -term memory loss and a girl who was an aspiring painter. They met one day at an art gallery as it was the girl's first exhibit…a-and."

Because I was so nervous, I started to stutter infront of our art professor when suddenly the door of the theatre hall opened, it was Nilan.

He waved at me as he seated himself at the last row of the chairs. Not knowing why, I gained my confidence while looking at him.

"The girl was fixing her only painting that she was able to include into one of the gallery's exhibit. The boy helped her with it as he saw that she was struggling on the big canvas of painting. After they secured it, the girl was very grateful to the boy, they smiled at each other as they introduced themselves with one another."

I was kept staring at Nilan as he smiled at me with encouragement. I continued my story until the end of it.

"But when they met again, three months passed by already. They met again when the boy helped her with her big canvas, again as she struggled on carrying it on her own. The girl was surprised by the coincidence but the boy just smiled at her with unfamiliarity on his eyes."

I breathed in as I continued my final sentence, "It was supposed to be a start of their fate entanglement but destiny did not permitted it to happen so it remained in memory."

The white clothe was removed as I pulled it to reveal my work of art. It displayed to them my oil painted art where the girl and the boy was standing side by side as they gazed together at a painting of spring.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Professor Cruz stood up as he wiped away small hint of tears at the corner of his eyes. He clapped at me as I bowed my head at the audience which was my classmates and Nilan.

Nilan? Where was he?

After I performed, I looked around for him as he suddenly disappeared. I went out of the theatre hall when I was grabbed by my hand and someone suddenly pushed me to the wall with both of his hands were in the either side of my head.

It was the jerk! That hurts, though. He was never gentle.

"What are you doing?"

"Having you for myself."

Even though, I felt my cheeks was hot, I frowned at his strangeness. What is he planning again?

"What was that painting's name?"

"Memorabilia."

"Hmm."

Nilan grabbed my arm as he dragged me to some location as we left the hallway. We were nearing the forest which was located at the back of the university, when I stopped and asked him, "Where are you bringing me?"

The jerk smirked as he unexpectedly carried me like a sack while I struggled from his hold.

"Nilan, you jerk! Where are we going?! Put me down!"

"Give me a kiss and I'll put you down," he responded as he continued to travel by the forest while he tightly held me on his gripped.

Was he scared that I would accidentally fall?

"Kiss my ass!"

"Was that a suggestion?" Without warning, he playfully kissed the side of my butt as he chuckled. I was hyperventilating as my cheeks totally reddened. Even though I knew that he was joking, I could not help but react.

"You jerk! I'll report you for molesting me!" As I punched his back that made no pain to the jerk.

"Well, I only do this to you because you're my girlfriend," he nonchalantly replied as he trudged through the bushes. My face was eating leaves now, is this intentional?

"So you do that to your past girlfriends, too?"

He stopped momentarily and I could pictured out that he was grinning as he uttered, "What? Like kissing their asses? No, not my type. Your butt is my only type."

"You jerk!" I grumbled as I tried to punched hard at his back and unknowingly targetted his rounded buttocks. I slammed my hands on it that made the jerk yelped in pain.

Revenge it is, sucker!

He was in pain but his mouth was not as it spoke the opposite, "So this was a mutual liking of butts now?"

Nilan then chuckled as he harshly let go off me that made me fell face straight on the leafy ground. I estimated that we travelled almost a hour and it must be the end of classes now. Aria would take care of my things, though.

"Hurry up! You won't able to see this!" He shouted as he went again.

Due to my curiosity and being unfamiliar to this forest, I followed him. Then I noticed that we were at a cliff that was able to see the sunset. The orange light of the sun scattered through the sky as it slowly set down.

"Beautiful," I whispered.

"Yes, it's so beautiful," I unconsciously turned my head to Nilan as our eyes met. He smiled to me as a only one dimple by the left side of his cheek showed up and a very small mole on the top of his right eyebrow was easily seen by me.

He was unexpectedly not irritating at this moment.

Nilan caressed my cheeks with his hands as he said, "I will sincerely confess that I like you. Will you allow me to court you?"

Even though, I felt that this was wrong yet it felt so right. Wrong because I promised to myself that I would not involve myself with any kind of romantic relationship, if I wasn't sure about it and right because I felt it… that this was a right feeling that I was looking for and I was dreading to experience. To experience to like someone.

I smiled at him in responds.

------

I buried my face on my pillow as I squealed my feelings out in fervor.

My door suddenly opened as my older brother with a bat on hand started to looked around my room, "Is there any thief here? Why are you yelling?"

"Is my squeal too loud?"

"No. I just heard it in my room as I was trying to test the hearing gadget that my classmate made. And it was awesome! It can hear a radius of five kilometers. The prototype that he was testing it in---"

I stood up of my bed as I pushed out Storm out of my room as he started to blabber things that I don't want to hear about.

"Maybe you should try it---"

"Yes, yes, maybe next time," I closed my door and locked it. My brother just messed my moment.

But should I asked Aria's opinion about this?

I took my phone out the drawer and texted my bestfriend.

To: Aria

I wanted to inform you that your cousin had guts now to court me.

The message was sent for seconds when Aria replied in an instant as if she was holding her phone like waiting for someone to text her.

From: Aria

I know. I was waiting for you to inform me. So how was it being swooned upon by a handsome cousin of mine?

I rolled my eyes at her text and typed.

To: Aria

How did you know? Let's just talk tomorrow and I hope your cousin will be nicer to me as he will be courting me.

Ting!

From: Aria

You wish. Okay! Let's talk tomorrow.

I put my phone back to the drawer as I arrived to dreamland.