9:00 in the morning of Saturday. What good day to go to the mall or amusement park with your friends or stay in bed for the whole day, listen to music or read books. But I’m in the most unfortunate situation. I’ll rephrase, “unfortunate life situation”. Life hates me this past few days.

“So you’re not going to tell me why you are here?” this guy just keep on staring at me since I arrived in this ugliest and darkest room in the school.

“Why do you care?” I hissed

“Ok, but do you want to know why I’m here?”

“Not interested, sorry” I replied

We are sitting in opposite sides of the room. He looks so confuse. I steal glances at him every time he looks at the ceiling because of spiders. This dude have arachnophobia. But should I start talking to him? Should I ask why he is here?

“M-ark” I called him in a soft tone to make him feel comfortable. Even this is the most awkward moment of my life. I should withdraw my pride for cris sake! The guy wants a talk.

He is about to open his mouth when the door suddenly open. “So I believe you two have a pen. Here’s the sheet of papers. Mr. Tuan, this is not your first time in this classy room, you know what to do. Ms. Son, you have to write a 10 pages of essay, saying you will not do it again, kind ‘a apologizing, like that, for what you’ve done. This is to discipline the two of you. I understand why you’re here Mr. Tuan, but Ms. Son, you disappointed me. Well, if you’ll not follow all my rules this day, see you next Saturday, happy detention day kids!” then Mr. Wang left and closed the door.

The silence starts again. I feel uncomfortable again. I should start talking no matter what. “So, this is not your first time, I see”. In sarcasm tone. Yes I’m trying to , no mock him.

“I know you want me to feel embarrass here, but nah, nice try dude!” he snaps. I just rolled my eyes at him. I stand up and get the blank sheets. When I turn around Mark is already seating beside the chair that I’m sitting.

“Why are you there? OH! Don’t tell me you’re going to copy my essay. Oh my gosh Mark you’re so impossible!” He is just looking at me.

“Just sit.” He is really unpredictable. You don’t know what he is thinking. “Just sit Wendy and tell me why you are here so I can breathe now and feel relief!” He pull me close to him and force me to sit. He stand in front of me, he leans towards me and lock me with his arms and our faces are so close to each other.

“NOW, STOP IN AND TELL ME WHY YOU ARE HERE!?”

“ERIC AND I BROKE UP!” I answered him so fast so he could stop now. I feel like he is harassing me and I owe him an explanation. “When he asked a break from us last Monday, I ran so fast cause I don’t know how will I accept it. All I know that time was to get out of this place, away from him. But the gates were closed because it was still school hours. So what I did, I climbed into the fences of the school, but it turns out that Mr. Wang was having a room visiting that time. He caught me.”

“Who’s Eric? I couldn’t believe you have a boyfriend now!” he looks a bit shock and confuse.

“Yes, Eric Nam, the president of Glee Club! Can you move away from me now, it’s so hot!” He stands straight right now. He still just staring at me. “Can you stop staring at me like that, you’re creeping me out!” He sighs. He sits beside me. I’m trying to compose myself because my heart is beating, so fast and so loud. Seriously, I want to take my heart out of my chest for the meantime and throw it or hide, it so destructing!

“That Eric is gay Wendy”

“Shut up Mark! Don’t piss me off”! I’m starting to get mad at him.

“I’m telling you the truth. . .  but anyways you and him are over now, so let me guess he broke up with you because he is gay, am I right?” he is saying that with a flat affect face. He is the only person that I know who can do that. Emotionless rather.

“You don’t know nothing Mark” my voice is shaking right now. I can feel that anytime I will breakdown. I don’t want him to see me in this kind of situation and I admit, this is one of the things that I’m afraid of. But I’m trying to hold my tears. This is not the time to be look wimp and not in his front.

“Mr. Wang thought that I’m smoking weeds” he said without looking at me. “The last day, Jackson and I were talking about some rap songs in our classroom I mentioned one of its line, “I roll the best weed” (he said with a quoting gesture). I didn’t said it in a rap way but in a natural way. I didn’t know that Mr. Wang was in the outside of our room because he is looking for Jackson to give allowance and he overheard what I was saying to his son. He also thought that I’m a bad influence to his son. You know me, I’m good in messing things but not in that way” he still not looking at me.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA” I didn’t control myself and burst into laugh. I’m still laughing so hard when, I started to feel wrong. I look at him and here we go again the flat affect face.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered

“It’s ok, but why are you laughing? Do you think I deserve to be in here?

“No, it’s not like that, it’s just Mr. Wang is so stupid!” my defense

“Ahh, you’re right! How come he assumed that I’m smoking weeds just because I said the one line of a song” he smiled. At last he smiled. “Yeah. I got your point! He’s stupid!” he added.

***

It’s already 12:00 p.m. now. I’m starving and shoot I forgot my lunch. Mark gets his bag and take some chips and cookies out of it. He hand over some chips to me. “Wow, chips! Really?” I’m teasing him. “That’s the food that I only have so stop being picky.” I started opening the chips when he said something but I could barely hear it. “Excuse me?” I asked. “Nothing, I said just eat those chips” and he is from back being so cold. What’s with this young man? Grr.

“Isn’t fate bring us here Wendy” I almost choked.

“What?!”

“You know what I’m trying to say” he bites his lips. He only do that when he feel tense around people.

“Mark, can you just say it straight” I said in a pissed tone

“Why did we stop hanging out?”

. . . I should be the one asking this to him. Two years. It’s been two years since we stop hanging out with each other. He was my best mate for eight years. Then all of sudden it’s just ended and we stop talking. And now, he is here in my front, asking those questions that I’m keeping for a long time because I don’t have the nerve to ask him. Should I thank fate? There’s no way that this is a serendipity. This is not a movie. I take my very deep breathe so I can face him.

“You moved in different house, perhaps?” This is the safest answer that I can give to him

“That’s it? That’s lame! Come on Wendy we’re adults now, let’s be honest here”

“What do you want me to say??” I stand up and the chips fall in the floor. “Mark! You were my best mate!”

“And you were my best mate too! So can we just drop all this pride and be honest because I’ve had enough. We both know that you’re the first one who stop talking to me and avoiding me like I did something really bad. And to be honest there were no nights that I’m not thinking what happened to us. Wendy we were so good together. We even made a pact that we will be for each other no matter what, but what happened? Did I really let you down? Please, just please tell me. I want some peace.” He comes so close and he is looking in my hands like he wants to hold it but I step backward from him.

 I’m now shaking. My heart doubled its beats like anytime I will explode because I can really feel that it pumps so many blood in my body.

We heard the sound of the door. “Free food kids! God. You two are lucky! Imagine, you have free foods? Only Mr. Wang” he smirked and left.

I can’t feel the awkwardness anymore. I will break the silence. I want an answers and I think this is the day that I’m praying for.

“M-ark, do . . . you ... really want to know?” he is just looking at me again. I breathe first before I continue talking.

“You got a girlfriend . . .  and that’s changed what we had. You know when your best mate got a boyfriend/girlfriend things between you starts to change cause there’s new people in your lives. Some things are really inevitable and it really comes to the point where you have to add people in your life. I tried accepting that Mark, but I felt left out. What can I do? I’m just your best mate. When I saw you with Irene that time, you seemed happy. She’s your girlfriend and I thought it will be fine if you just have a girlfriend. I hate interfering in someone’s life Mark and you know that. I could still remember that I cried all night cause I felt like I’m going to say goodbye to everything.  What hurts the most Mark was I thought you were contended having a best mate and I’m too dumb for not looking at the bigger picture and not thinking that maybe, maybe you need a partner for real and not just a partner in crime. So that’s it. Glad I’m still alive and still kicking even I felt like I’ve lost the half of me.” and my tears starts to fall down after those words that I’ve been holding on for two years.

“Why did you keep it for two years? You can slap me or punch me because I made you feel like I replaced you! You should do that so we can settle it earlier and not reach this point where. . . “

“That’s the sad thing Mark” I cut him out while wiping my tears that don’t know how to stop. “You’ve replaced me without even warning me. HAH! I hope that there’s a relationship forecaster. So they can warn us, or at least remind me that I will be replace.”

Silence is here again. No one tries to talk again. Maybe Mark was blown on my revelations. He’s just bowing his head and staring at the floor. “So, what are you thinking?” I just want to know. “I think, I think I want a pizza.” he said. (The door suddenly opened). “I’m sorry bro I’m late, here’s the pizza” Jackson suddenly appeared with a pizza in his hands like he is Mark’s doraemon. I was shocked and felt hungry. “Here’s the key, I’ve already talk to my dad and he said you two can go now but yeah you can eat the pizza first and bro you are winning this life!” They high-fived. “I have to go, Irene and I have date bye bro bye Wendy!”

“You are winning?” I automatically glared at him. But he keeps on eating the pizza. “Wait, Jackson and Irene? So, you and Irene are already over? Since when? What the Mark answer me?!” but he just keep on eating and eating. “Ok I’m going to take off now cause I feel like someone is fooling me around here” I said while packing my things but Mark hold my hand and stopped me from packing. “Don’t. Please don’t leave.” You can see in his eyes the sincerity but it’s so hot in this room, I just want to go.

“Don’t go. I’ll tell you everything, but I’m afraid. . “

“Spill it Mark! This is the good time to tell all the things, what happened to you? To us? I’m no longer afraid to the words that will come out in your mouth” I said in a very loud voice

“OK. Ok. Calm down! Wendy my dad left us that’s why we moved in to different house. It turns out that we were just his second family. Bummer right? You were busy that time cause you have a singing class. And Irene? Don’t worry about her cause were just dated for two weeks and that’s not relationship to be honest. She likes funny guy, another thing. So that’s it.”

“And why you didn’t”

“Why I didn’t tell you? Do you think I can afford to see you putting a sad face just because of me? Your smile makes me feel I’m not alone. It gives me life and you don’t know how important that to me. But I’m so so so stupid, for not thinking that hiding those things would break us. Look what happened. It just broke us. But I’m grateful to Mr. Wang and Jackson because they help me hahaha”

I can’t move. Damn. I never thought that this will happen again. We will talk again.

“Mark, so the ‘I roll the best weeds’, you just made it up”? I don’t know what to say cause I’m feeling overwhelm

“Yeah. But that’s really a song! Do you like it?” he asked in a silly way

“No. But let’s get out of here.” I held his hands and pulled him out to this room.

“Wendy, wait! You’re hurting me! Wait are you mad? Are you still mad? I’m so sorry for all the crappy things but please. . Ouch! Ouch! My fingers!

“You put yourself in a detention?!! I squeeze his hands.

“Yes, because I can’t let you to be alone there and I really want to talk to you” He answered so fast

I suddenly dropped his hands and hug him. I hug him so tight like I don’t want to lose him again. My heart is so happy. He’s still astonish but I can feel his arms wrapping to my body and he is hugging me back.

“Let’s start again. Let’s be there again for each other. You can count on me again. I’ve got your back again. I won’t leave you no more. I’ll be rational and will understand you. My shoulders are for your heads again, you can lean on it every time you feel like you messed up. Let’s, let’s be partners again.”

“Wendy, is that a wedding vow?” he spoiled my dramatic lines

“I hate you!” I push him. “And. . . Mark, Eric is gay he is in love with Kevin.” He holds my two hands.

“Wendy do you know why I have chips. Because they are the only things that reminds me the good ‘ol days. Every time we succeed in messing things before, we ate chips. I always have chips in my bag by the way “he chuckled.

“Well, from this time bring more chips.” I smiled at him. We walked away from the school holding each other’s hands.

 

 

xxxx

Thankyou. Thankyou for supporting "FLY". Let's support Home Run it will be release on April 12. Oh my god! That's tomorrow! Thank you again. SAWADICUP. 

(Use Wendy's cover song of Hold my hand by Jess Glynne as bgm)