A Song without a Voice

The stars beginning to glisten above the sky, clouds forming a darker outline of blue, the moon shedding a light shadow of yellowish-white, and so it is twilight. A lady gazing above, her long, curly and brown silky hair twirls with the chilly wind, her black round eyes seems so light and her thin, glossy lips, sealed. She was a typical teenager who shares an ear in every music — Her name is GuiGui.
GuiGui has small cute nose, fair-skinned, has an average height and weight. She has a delightful Asian face.
It was presently six-fifteen in the afternoon at Canada. She is seventeen year old on her senior year in high school.
It was too early for her to go back to her school now; it’s still their break time. There she was, wandering around this tiny town, a place where she is unfamiliar. Little did she know, there was someone tagging along with her.

“Excuse me…” A low-pitched but innocent male voice engrossed her, snapping her out from her thoughts. She looked at him from the sky, a guy who wears their school uniform, too. “Your… guitar just fell off the ground.” Now, blankly staring at him, GuiGui picks up her guitar, emotionless. She waited for him to leave, as everyone else does. He sighed. He smiled and stated a lie, “I was just passing by and saw you here, just worried. Many dreadful accidents happen here.” He sat beside her, but keeping a distance. She was stunned; she felt unexplainable pleasure, which at least, someone stayed beside her

“Guess we’re in the same university. By the way I’m Aaron,” He said, finding a contact from her eyes, smirking. He has brown hair, straight nose, fair lips and high jaws that emphasized his dark brown eyes. GuiGui’s mood suddenly shifted and revealed her beautiful, amusing smile. She nodded. Aaron waited tolerantly, but she didn’t speak, “Can… I ask your name?” he said, tilting his head a little, prolonging the pronunciation of his sentence. GuiGui lifted her guitar, just enough for them to see a word engrave on it satisfactory. Aaron gulped, “GuiGui” He cleared his throat and asked her, guarded. “Can’t you speak?”

She just knew that he would leave her, alone. She bowed down, and yet again, nodded… a little. Then he trailed it with a question, “Do you know how to do body language?”
“Yes,” GuiGui nodded.
Aaron sighed again, a sigh of relief. “Good.” He smiled.
GuiGui tried testing it at him, *You still want to be friends with me?* she stated.
“Of course,” Aaron muttered. He continued before her, “First impressions are completely worthless most of the time, you know.” He mumbled, but loud enough for GuiGui to hear.
At that point, GuiGui tried to do it more swiftly, but he was able to grab on it. *Can you play guitar, too?* She acted, her eyes glittering.
Aaron responded, “Yeah… I used to sing too. But I can’t concentrate if I’m doing both.” He laughed, sarcastically.
“And you?”
GuiGui smiled. She got a paper from her school bag and handed it to him, “Sing.” she tried mouthing it. Aaron laughed once more and started getting over it. “It’s nice, you wrote it?” instead of nodding again, she smirked. Then she started playing it on her guitar.

The strings cried a sound of joy, her left hand’s fingers dancing through the strings, her right hand busy managing the cord, then a beatific voice filled the air, a song that was so pleasing to her ears…

“The endless circles of Merry-go-round,
Each step echoes a series of laughter,
Rapid turn of the roller coaster
Cause piercing screams all over.
I am just like a Ferris wheel,
Waiting silently for someone to come,
For him to come beside me for an empty seat
My heart started to beat a lonely sound,
One more spin, just one more spin,
The helpless expression in my eyes has not had support.
How I wish to stretch out my arm
To give someone a tight hug, but I cannot do it.
One more spin, to wait for another chance is good,
Who will be able to lift the frown on my mouth?
The one who’s not afraid of my tears making his heart rusty.
But what if no one came?
When the amusement park close… no one will know,
That I’ve been waiting all along.
Who will even know

“So… I can be your friend?” Aaron offered his hand for a shake while smiling. GuiGui stared at it, instead of shaking it; she locked her pinky with his and nodded vigorously. She smirked. “Okay… let me tell you something, a reason why I always wander at random places” he paused for a while to look at her reaction, but she was unreadable. Then he continued, “I lost my friends, and one thing they left me…” he pulled out a purple-colored paper from his school bag, GuiGui saw it ripped on top, *he might have torn it intentionally.* She thought.

**“It’s stupid to think you still live where as I think your life has no meaning at all, you left something very important behind ; God, friendship and most importantly, your brain. I, together with the group can’t be friends with you anymore, so there’s no point of doing anything now. Try to reflect, be good. Take care of yourself, Aaron.”**

She was actually, quite amazed with him being truthful on the first day. With this, GuiGui sighed through her nostrils; she stood up and crossed her arms across her chest. She tried to do her body language more swiftly than usual, *But at least they left you a letter. Don’t say you haven’t talk to them yet ever since? It has always been good to leave a loved one with caring words. We don’t know, it may also be the last time you’ll see them.*

“You thought I won’t understand? Well, for your info, I mastered sign language” he smirked.
“But I think you’re right. I’m just doing what they told me.” Despite of his problem, he tried to be happy that he finally found a new friend.
GuiGui didn’t know, behind all those I-have-problem-but-ignoring-it-and-being-just-contented attitude, there was a problem which had also affected her. Aaron stood up and looked at the sky like what she did earlier.
Little did he know, his little friend was expressing something behind his back, *You are too, my first friend Aaron. I am thankful I made new friends. God has always been too good, a family has adopted me when I’m lost and he has given me a friend, too.* It could actually be said to him, but he didn’t pay attention at all.

“It’s only quarter to seven, have you eaten yet? We still got an hour for school.” Aaron asked, standing up. GuiGui nodded, as if saying sure!

Another day has come; it’s been weeks by now, many memories were formed between them. They considered each other as best friends, though some facts about themselves are still ignorant to each other, or even their self. Aaron turned more sensitive, and he was right. Silence is what he needed for his problems. He needed GuiGui, too. But what he thought about almost each day is, ‘was he only befriending GuiGui because he needed her?’ He can’t think of anyway how she has helped her, even once.

It was around twelve o’clock in the afternoon, their break time. It was raining rigid, which made GuiGui hate the day. They were in at the same restaurant. By this time; they had already stood up from their seats and went out, having different shelter of umbrella. There they are, standing on the sidewalk, with an unfortunate kid marked on their eyes, a few meters away, at the other side of the road, playing guitar – either way to ask for alms. It seems so far and noisy but the music he plays settles exceedingly on their ears.

*I wonder what he’s playing, and why…* GuiGui didn’t even dare to finish her thoughts when she knew, a mind-reader is at her side. She nearly believes their telepathy. One look, Aaron knew she was wondering and was interested about this kid. The kid has curly hair, his skin-tone was dark but he’s kind of cute. “Maybe let’s try asking him…” but GuiGui shook her head at once. Ever since before, she was anxious of people, to talk with them, to socialize. She doesn’t even know why. Aaron then spoke, “If you never act, you’ll never know for sure. And that will lead to failure.” It was as if he pronounces it with glory, but she didn’t follow at all. “I know you want to, well, okay. I’m going first.” Aaron said without even hearing GuiGui’s response. He crossed the road… and one impossible but stunning thing could change his life forever, is coming right… now!

*Beep! Beep!* A car buzzed, chasing the frozen Aaron off the road. His umbrella fell, the panic made his body numb, not to be aware to his surroundings – even the rain. The car was on full speed. It didn’t stop, Aaron was too astonished to move. The vehicle could nearly kill him, but just when GuiGui was about to run to do a heroic act, the car stopped –- fully stopped just a feet before him that it bounced a little in front. Aaron thought he will fall on the ground, to be vulnerable to move, but when he saw who the person inside, he was, once again, thrilled. After the car stopped, it parked along the side, for a parking lot and Aaron followed blankly, almost recovering from the shock, not minding how hard the rain was.

The people occupying the car –Rainie, Jiro, Calvin, Ella, Selina– his old group of friends –who wrote that letter he showed GuiGui– went out, to face him. Aaron’s heart were pumping too madly that he was still panting. “What will they do? What will they say? How will they react?”Too many questions struck his mind.

At this point of time, the numbness faded then he became aware of the rain and realized, he’s all dripping wet. “Aaron,” his group of friend called, under their own umbrellas.

Rainie –-Having her skin-tone light, her long straight hair highlighted with red, straight tall nose, round brown eyes, with cute features–- said, “It’s not that we hate you because of what you did. We still care about you; we just like you to change… for the better. It’s not easy trying not to think about a childhood friend, you know. But we’ll never forget you.” she said truthfully, staring at him in spite the thing that he was still all wet. Then Ella –having short wavy hair and having all boyish but charming features–- interrupted with his tomboy voice, “When you try to catch raindrops…” she started, “The amount that you catch indicates how much we are important to you, but the ones you missed, means how you are important to us. You see–-“

Then Aaron interrupted her, having a firm voice. “But you still left.”

Before anyone could say anything, Aaron felt the rain stop. He looked up, and saw an umbrella sheltering him. Then he looked at GuiGui, who is currently holding it. She looked apologetic, maybe for interrupting their conversation but she simply cannot stand Aaron standing under the rain. However, Aaron seemed to calm to see that he still has a friend –- a great friend, to be exact.

“Let’s go.” He stated, actually shouting.
Then they turned around, no one could ever explain the pain in his friend’s faces, especially the wound on their hearts, to, actually see a best friend turn around from you, to seal their relationship. Before they could walk away, Selina yelled, having her high-pitched voice, hoping that Aaron can hear it regardless with the noise of the rain, “Friendship is like a door, we may open one for new friends, but we will NEVER close what we’ve started. We’re always here!” Aaron could only roll his eyes, not minding what she just said.

After some while, Aaron spoke breaking the common silence, “Mind if you go with me to my house? Just to change my clothes… then we may go back to school. We can go back at three.” GuiGui nodded, not showing any expression at all.
Time travels so fast, they have already parked in front of his house. A second-floored house with moderate size painted in white. Then they stepped in, only for GuiGui to see the living room, painted in white, with high ceiling, having huge windows with the sofas arranged neatly in front of a brick fireplace. “Err… you may sit anywhere. I’ll go up to my room. My parents is not here, so you can relax.” He said with frustration evident in his voice. Aaron stumbled to the stairs up to his room.

The rain faded little by little as GuiGui waited for him. It got him fifteen minutes before he appeared. It merely took him five minutes to change, but what took time was what happened earlier. He was having difficulty processing everything what happened. Just then, when he went down the stairs, he acts as if he doesn’t care. Actually, he wishes that he would not care at all; he thinks that he must not care.

They were going back to school now, but as they walk through, something seemed to interest them. Their eyes glittered as they see the banner hung on the hallway.

“Singing & Instrumental Competition Next Week!”
Saturday, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Sign up now! Anyone can join!

And just right when GuiGui arrived at her classroom, she dragged out a diary which was just given by her parents the past week. She told her self that she would give importance to this book as much as possible. Then she started writing…

Major exams had ended, and so I was just relaxing. I didn’t know if Aaron has seen the banner hung at the hallway previously, I wish he hadn’t. Because if he does, I didn’t like arguing him because of this. I do not want to face people. I’m just scared. Although I want them to know what my talents is –-for them to not look down on me, not to step on me anymore–- I’m just uneasy.

Just a little while, our teacher came wearing her sweet smile as always –-Mrs.Toloza–- having her long hair highlighted with a little reddish-brown, average height and weight, fair pink lips, tan skin tone, big cute round eyes, and beautiful features. She brought nothing but bunch of papers and books. Then she announced cheerfully having a soft British accent, “Okay, since everyone in this class did a great job at the exam… guess we’ll have our free time today, shall we?” she started while entering our classroom. Everyone smiled, but no immature cheering like in elementary days.

Finally, after walking through the aisle, she faced us and stood daringly. “But” she added having a solemn expression. And continued, “I was just kidding.” everyone reacted glumly.
Somehow, what she added contented us…
“Okay, I was just kidding… again. This really is meant for a free time.” she smiled and now, everyone cheered.

I rested my head on the desk, preparing to nap.
But just then, someone tapped my shoulders making me shudder. When I lift up my head, I felt safer, I didn’t know who the person standing right in front of me. But I was sure, he’s sparkling and shimmering and dazzling; even his eyes and teeth seemed to glitter, too! Until I realized, it was Aaron. His astounding smile seemed to brighten my day.
But not for long, “We’ll join the singing competition!” he told me, whispering.

I felt my eyebrows pulled together as I presume what he was to say next.
“Please?” He glued his hands together, a universal sign for begging.
I disagreed.
Once again, he pleaded, now kneeling.
He did all kinds of pleading, but shook my head repeatedly that I almost got wobbly. I almost cried, but his last words somewhat enlightened me,
“I thought you want to play guitar? I thought you love it? I thought you want to be popular. I always see you pray and just so, I thought that is what you’re praying for. Well, I got something to tell you…” He sounded angry, frustrated. However, it appears as if he was finding a way to calm his self.

Not looking directly at me, he spoke, calmly… slowly, “Do not ask the Lord to guide your steps if you’re not willing to move your feet.” Then he continued, “Please? I really want to join the contest.” He pleaded, for the last time. Shockingly, I nodded… not in myself.

Before I could even resist and take back what I just did, I was astonished to see him disappearing into thin air. Turning blurred… spinning… then now, nothing. I heard people screaming, shrieking. I don’t know what for… but the next thing I knew, I woke up from my fearful dream.

A gasp was the first thing I heard when I lifted up my head from the desk fiercely. Then I realized, it was me. It was only a dream, but it left me a message. *Do not ask the Lord to guide your steps if you’re not willing to move your feet.* Aaron’s voice from my dream echoes through my head.
I gulped, and the bell rang. I hooked my bag on my shoulder and left, preparing to go to my next class. As I was walking through the corridors, someone tapped me at my back. The same tap as it was on my dream. I turned around and saw Aaron. I smiled.

…That was the only things that she was able to write on her diary. Nothing else but nonsense paragraphs. She already was in her class now, feeling drowsy from her professor. GuiGui has nothing to think about, she was bored. But not until a flashback reminded her of the fear, the fright that just happened earlier…

“GuiGui e left the classroom, not conscious of someone tagging along with her again, at her back. Aaron tapped her with the same sentiment in her dream, and so she seemed clam rather than thrilled. She smiled at him while remembering what happened in her dreams, *Do not ask the Lord to guide your steps if you’re not willing to move your feet.* She pointed something that made Aaron’s face distorted. He was neither afraid nor shocked. Then slowly, very gently, his distorted face altered into a grin. ‘Sure, I will start composing the lyrics now. It is your promise, okay? If you failed to come, I would not let you go easily, I won’t be friends with you then’ His grin widened. Then she felt the fear, and like in her dreams; before she could take back what she just meant, Aaron disappeared.’

After some hours of waiting, the bell finally rang.
She saw Aaron, a few meters away and she darted towards him. She was stunned to hear the first sentence from him, “I have already made some parts of the song” he smirked. She sighed, “Looks like he was really serious about this” GuiGui thought.

It was not that long as she waited to hear the lyrics

“Eyes show no Explanation,
Heart like needles under the sea
Just be guessing, when I’m with you
I can’t eat well
because of your grin.
A little bit annoying
And a little bit attractive

Your smile, no matter how beautiful and how sweet,
If it’s not yours, it’s not special at all.
My tears, no matter how bitter or how salty,
If you’re the one consoling, it’s still a bright day.
No matter how close you are to me,
Without hugs, it’s still far away
I only have feelings for you in this world.”

Before anyone of them could even react, Aaron’s cell phone rang. He stood up, and answered the call, keeping a distance from GuiGui in where she couldn’t hear anything of it. Hebe remained sited, and again, gazed above the sunset.

“Hello?” Aaron answered.
“Oh well, the son of the Criminal.” A deep, creepy voice replied. Aaron’s voice suddenly became intense, uncomfortable “What do you want?”
But the man didn’t seem to answer him, “I see you got a new friend here. May I guess... your old friends left you again?” The man laughed; a devil laugh that lasted quite long.
Aaron didn’t reply, he wishes he didn’t pick up the call at all. Then the Man continued, “Your father seemed scared now, uneasy. Boy, you might want to save your father from the crime he just did.” His voice was calm, friendly,,, until it turned mad, a terrifying low, rusty voice. “Your father is currently in the Emergency room— “ Aaron cut him off midway, having the same tone as what the man had, “So what? You don’t have any business with us! You bring bad lucks and nothing else!”

“Remember, you killed my daughter.”
What the man said made him glance over GuiGui,
“I… I am with your daughter.” With that, Aaron hung off.

The man was the Mastermind of the crimes, just when a time came that he Black mailed Aaron’s father and lead to deaths of people. *The police is looking for you* that made his father faint in shock. Aaron knew all about this, and he was fearful of what will happen to his father, until he decided to tell it to his friends. What he told his friends was different “I killed people”. And that caused him being lonely.

“A stranger may change your life forever... as what father have told me.” Aaron whispered, heading back to GuiGui. Feet from her, Aaron stated, “Uhm... Let’s practice.” He said before her. Tears formed in his eyes, but he tried to pull it back in, if GuiGui were not just watching. He was in his dilemma; will he use his best friend, GuiGui to save his father? Or just continue with his revenge, to make the man suffer from losing his daughter? However, neither of that was his choice.

There was no time anymore. Anytime, the police can arrest his father… who is currently at the hospital.
It was the day of the competition; Aaron was waiting for GuiGui to arrive. Even at least for a minute, he can leave her peacefully, to explain everything on the way, before he’ll waste the time allotted. He waited, and he waited... until it’s their time to perform, but GuiGui didn’t show up. “She was still scared of the competition” That was how Aaron thought of it.

The curtains suddenly opened and revealed an empty stage, with just Aaron and his guitar, facing the big audience. This caused him to have his dilemma, he was deciding whether to sing or to play, because he can’t seem to concentrate if he’s doing both. If he were just to sing, it wouldn’t be nice as there wasn’t any instrument to support a all. If he were just to play, he thought it would be better... though it will only be a piece because it is missing a voice.
Therefore, he chose playing... and that particular performance became a song without a voice.

As he was playing, tears flowed hysterically. He was very frustrated why GuiGui didn’t come. His throat tightening because of his anger, his face turning red because of the heat he’s releasing. Everything was to pressure him now.
Right after the song, he felt the same anguish. He reminded himself about the time given. He reached for the microphone... opened his mouth that waits for his big announcement... a second passed and his hands were trembling. To release the agony he was feeling, he shouted the lie, “I... admit... that I was the mastermind of the crimes ...occurred at the park. My conscience was bothering me all the time... so I can’t take it anymore.” The microphone dropped.
Little did he know, there was a reason for GuiGui’s absentee.

GuiGui woke up at the park, having the same memory as she had yesterday;
“People screaming and going through different directions, the feeling of being lost, gunshots, then someone held her through her shirt. “Don’t move” An identical creepy, rusty and low voice commanded. GuiGui struggled, and she felt a knife slithers swiftly at her neck. She groaned in agony, in pain. She can feel the blood oozing, but she didn’t care. Her body became numb, and she heard a very loud gunshot, she followed where it is and saw her mother... bathing with blood, crying in agony. She stumbled once more, and got out of the man’s grip. She ran and ran, wherever her feet could take her. But to her surprise, it only hid her through the bushes, watching her mother die, frozen and afraid to help her mom. She kneeled down, and soon, she became vulnerable to speak, to move. The next thing she knew, she can’t speak no more, and no memories were treasured in her mind.”

As GuiGui touches her dried-wound behind her neck, she continues to remember what she had discovered that day before; why she is here, who her family is… everything. She was standing at the middle of the park like a dumb. She looked around, and surprised when she saw a newspaper, having Aaron as the front page.

“Aaron Yan, Admits his own crimes happened at a Park”

GuiGui scanned through that page where the whole news was. She was bewildered; she can’t believe that sort of news. But before anything, herself is her priority more.
Then she went home, surf the net and checked her mails. Indeed, there were a lot from her brother. As fast as she could, she wrote back and told him everything – together with her muteness.
And there, without even seeing Aaron at once, and not having any replies from his brother, she left to America and promised to come back.

Beyond Aaron’s expectation, Jiro, Calvin, Celina, Ella and Rainie were already in act to save him. They just know what the truth is.

One week passed, their plan worked. “Thanks” said Aaron, smiling. “What are friends for? Besides, we already knew the truth that you didn’t kill anyone, there’s nothing wrong anymore.” But something else seemed to bother him, “But… the man. He just did it because of revenge, because of his daughter. And the worst, I know who his daughter was.”

The day of Graduation came, about almost a year, GuiGui still left a mark on his mind. He never saw her again, it was like a fairy tale… a magic — a magic of friendship.
Aaron thought of going to the park, to fetch back the memories. It was still the same park, which had its cold breeze, but there was a difference — more people are coming to visit. The park was almost full, and at the bench, he saw a lady sited. He went towards her, and as she felt his presence, he turned around. Aaron was astonished but happy to see GuiGui there. She had change her hair style, it was shorter then, it was layered that reach up to her neck and her own choice of clothes changed, too! She has grown into a more elegant woman.

After seeing him, GuiGui stood up, went nearer, and hugged him.
“I understand the truth. Thank you for the lessons and memories I have learned from you. No need to worry about the past.” GuiGui pulled back from the welcome-hug.
Then she continued, speaking “Merry Christmas, Congrats for your graduation and… happy birthday, Aaron.” She smiled, her teeth shimmer more than the shinning stars above.

—The End—