A new semester. A new start for most students. For Peniel, it was more of a continuation. Sure, he got new classes and everything. But there was one thing that became his habit. Passing by the veranda to see the most spectacular view in the whole university. He stopped and marvel at the view. At first, he just passed by to feel the cool breeze always blowing through this open space. Now, someone changed the meaning of this spot – Tracy.

He was passing through this veranda to see if this girl named Tracy would be there. Her notes gave meaning to his semester. If it wasn’t because of her notes, he wouldn’t have known that his smile could brighten up someone’s day. So from that day on, he made sure he smiled. Even though he couldn’t see her, he wanted to make sure that he was smiling when he did.

He was actually hoping that Tracy would be in that spot, hoping that he could talk to her more, get to know her. Three days have now gone, but still no sign of Tracy. He wanted to meet her again, or even see her, and her face. He couldn’t forget that face, so bright and innocent. That face that he wanted to see again.

Peniel waited for the whole semestral break, and three days, to see her again, and it was such a long time now. ‘I certainly cannot see her if this goes on’, he thought, ‘I need a plan’.

He walked in his apartment, the usual smile on his face gone because of thinking deeply. He lay down on his bed, hoping that this would help him focus. But he just let out a deep sigh when he couldn’t think of a plan.

He couldn’t stay still. He faced right, faced left, sat down, and eventually lay down again. This time, he stopped. Amongst all the blankets and other clutters in his bed, he heard the sound of paper under his pillow. He took the pieces of paper and immediately brightened up when he saw what they were – Tracy’s notes.

At that moment, he knew he had to reply to her notes. He didn’t want his answer to be long; he just wanted them to be as honest as possible.

November 12, 2012

I know this would be too random, but I wanted to tell you a secret.

During the first day of classes, I was walking in front of a building, the building where my, or should I say your veranda was located. I looked up seeing someone standing on my favourite spot. Seeing how that person felt the breeze blow through that veranda made me smile. It made me look up the sky and at that moment, I just thought about how great this semester could be.

After sometime, I was about to stop and go to the veranda, when someone else stopped me and gave me a note, saying ‘HELLO’. I walked away seeing her hide behind a post due to her nervousness. I looked back and smiled realizing that a person made me smile twice.

I thought that would be the last time I’d ever see her again. But no, I saw her for the third time. And again, she gave me another note, saying I danced well. I thought for a second that she was following me wherever I went, and even went to the dance recital to watch me dance. But then I thought she wouldn’t have an idea that I was part of a group that was going to perform. Plus the fact that someone complemented me for my dancing, made me happy.

The last time I saw her, though, was on the last day of classes last semester. She gave me the note that made me smile the most. It made me smile because I didn’t know that my smile brightened up somebody’s day. And it also made me smile, since through that note, I knew that person’s name.

This has been a long note, even longer than her last one. So I just hope I get to see her again, looking out through that veranda. ‘Cause that would surely make me smile.

Peniel reread his note, trying to see if he missed out on important details. He wanted Tracy to know that it was him who wrote the note even though he didn’t indicate his name on it.

He knew nobody else comes to look out this veranda but him, and now Tracy. He also knew that it would be hard for him to see her. So he just taped his note onto the post that Tracy used for hiding when she gave him her first note. He thought that this was somehow stupid. But he wants to take his chance.

He would pass by the veranda every day, checking the note behind the post, checking whether someone would take it. But it has been over a week now, and he was almost losing his hopes of seeing Tracy again.

However, one day, while Peniel was about to go home, something made the view on the veranda complete. Something made it more beautiful. Along with the sun almost setting, and the blowing of the breeze, was a girl, looking out the veranda. She was smiling from ear to ear while reading something on a piece of paper. Like what he said on his letter, this sight, made him smile too.

Without hesitation, he went up to her. And when he finally got to her, he covered her eyes with his hands.

“Guess who,” he said, smiling.

“Peniel” Tracy replied, knowing certainly that it was him. Peniel loosened his grip around her eyes so she could turn around.

Peniel smiled while rubbing the back of his head, nervous from what he just did.

“How did you know it was me?”, he asked her.

“Uhmm, I really don’t know” she answered, “Maybe it was because I knew you were smiling from the way you talked”

He smiled because of her answer.

“And oh,” she added, “This is from you, right?”

He nodded, happy to know that she got his hints.

‘All I wanted was to see his smile,’ Tracy thought. ‘I never thought he’d reply.’

Both of them never expected for this day to happen. They’ve got what they wanted and more.  And they both knew that their days would never be the same as before.

Hello there. :) Sorry for not updating for such a loooong time. :) But anyway, hope you liked this chapter. :)

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