21st.
The 21st of December
I sat by my bed on the wee hours of the morning that 21st of December. It was doomsday they said, and the twisted idea of being wide awake if anything were to happen alerted my mind; with eccentric thoughts running in my head, I knew sleep would be impossible.
I slid into the comfort of my wool blanket, playing with its thick blisters. My phone beeped loudly, shattering whatever thoughts I have or if I have any, at the moment. Seeing who it was from automatically had me grinning.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 1:09 AM
Wolf, if the world will come to its end today, remember that I loved and treasured a wonderful person like you. If I were to live again, I would definitely want you to be my friend.
…for Pete’s sake please talk with me. The message above was just a façade. I’m scared as hell.
I smiled despite the tremor I feel inside.
I typed my curt message and hit send.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 1:11 AM
Eagle, I love you too. Now please, let this girl rest and wake me up when half of the world came to its end.
I waited for a few minutes, but she didn’t answer. I guess she took my joke seriously. Sleep crept into me, and as impossible as I thought it would be, I drifted off to slumberland. I woke up two hours after, the ear breaker noise of my alarm going off and dragging me from sleep. I guess I accidentally enabled my alarm, although I find it hard to imagine how I did so. Mentally cursing, I reached for my phone and saw a message from her again, sent an hour after I responded.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:02 AM
Do you think everything will end when the sun rise, Wolf?
Do you think we’ll ever get tired of calling each other by our animal endearments?
I wanted to send it to her, just to get her pretty mind out from worrying about the fear eating us because of Nostradamus’ prediction, but I erased it and composed a new message.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:07 AM
Are you still awake? I couldn’t sleep, let’s converse.
I was determined to sleep once more, resigned to the idea that she was already deep in sleep by now, but before I can ease myself comfortably on my pillow again, my phone beeped the familiar tone I saved just for her.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:09 AM
Sleep? You're even trying? Come on Woo.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:12 AM
I’m quite surprised that you’re still up this early, miss.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:16 AM
Who would sleep peacefully when there’s a foreboding catastrophe? I’m pissing in my pants now Woo, I felt… excited but scared at the same time. What if it’s true? That by morning we’d be facing our end and the end of earth itself?
I grinned at her response, but I knew full well where this is heading.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:18 AM
Now you’re leading me down the road of self pity and mental cryfest once more?
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:21 AM
Aren’t you scared, Woo? I mean, the idea of death itself is scary enough, but the world being wiped off? That’s scarier and morbid and crazy.
I stalled for a few minutes, debating whether I should really go down this road of deep conversation with her. She’s spooked enough without me, and I might just unconsciously terrify her more with my words. So I chose my response well.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:27 AM
Are you not ready?
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:30 AM
Who is? Wait…are you ready for something as surreal as this?
The tone in her message is slowly changing, and I can hear her voice as if we were directly talking, an underlying attempt to convince me to think like she does is evident.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:34 AM
Then let’s not talk about this. You’re spooked enough to last you a lifetime.
…if you’d still live up to that ‘lifetime’.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:35 AM
Okay, what should we talk about then?
How about us? Again, I wanted to tell her that, but I chose not to.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:38 AM
Since you woke me up from my sought-after slumber you think about our topic. Set Nostradamus’ prediction aside please?
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:41
Hmmm… Secrets? If in the most damned circumstance the world would indeed end tomorrow, what’s the most controversial skeleton in your closet are you willing to tell me?
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:44 AM
I thought I said something about not talking about that damned prediction?
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2:47 AM
Come on Woo. We’ve been friends for three years, and if not talking about other people or me, we talk about other interests.
What exactly should I tell her?
Oh, I do have something in mind, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. I might’ve stalled longer than usual, so before I have the chance to type in my response, she already sent me a new one.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 2: 56 AM
Tell me yours and I might just tell you mine.
I know her more than anyone else combined, so the tone shift in her message somehow intrigued me in a way, but I wasn’t going to be swayed easily. Not yet.
What other secrets does she possess that I don’t know anyway?
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:01 AM
I don’t see the fairness in that. The word ‘might’ isn’t promising.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:03 AM
Typical Woo. Okay, I’ll TELL you mine if you’d tell me yours.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:07 AM
What if the world won’t end? Is my secret still safe with you?
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:09 AM
Quit stalling Woo. Okay, let’s promise not to tell anyone. Now go on and say it before I trudged to your home and beat the crap outta you. I swear you’d wish for the apocalypse yourself then.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:12 AM
You’re impatient princess.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:13 AM
I swear Amber Josephine Liu A.K.A bad wolf. I swear.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:15 AM
I like you.
The little envelope was already on its way to Krystal’s phone, and it took me seconds to realize what I just sent her. A series of cursing filled my little room, but looking at the sent item, I felt relieved somehow.
Atleast I got to tell her before the world ends.
Now all I’d have to do is wait for the end to come around the corner and eat me up.
I should’ve told her it was a joke, but when she didn’t answer me right away, I know she knew all along.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3: 19 AM
Yeah, I like you too. Now I need that real secret of yours. Tell me.
She’s in a state of denial, although I doubt she’d still be in a few minutes.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:21 AM
I just did.
A couple of minutes after that message was sent, I decided to send another one.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:23 AM
I do. I really like you. Not platonic; this is something else.
It was really too late to backpedal now, but I know it wasn’t wise to keep these messages from reaching her, but my fingers couldn’t stop but type anything, just to get her to reply at that last message.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:26 AM
You asked for this.
It came out like I was blaming her, but in my mind I sounded helpless. After all, it wasn’t supposed to come out like that at all.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:30 AM
I guess it’s your turn now, Princess.
I was sure she was already asleep, if not crept out. I’d rather have her shift the topic altogether, just to make everything alright. I didn’t realize I was clutching my phone so hard until the familiar beep sounded weird because the speakers were covered by my sweating hand.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:36 AM
I don’t think the world will end.
I asked for a topic shift, but I suddenly found myself irritated when I got it.
To: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:40 AM
That’s not a topic, but it’s clearly a distraction. Damn I should’ve kept it within me. Forget I said anything.
From: Eagle
Dec 21, 2012 3:42 AM
Let’s just sleep now, shall we?
I shouldn’t have said anything. Now I really wish the world indeed end tomorrow just to hide my shame. I left her hanging, knowing full well that she didn’t and wouldn’t expect an answer after that subtle closure. I was awake than ever, eyes focused on the wallpaper of my phone.
A lady with piercing black eyes.
.
.
.
Eagle.
Re-reading this again didn't have the same effect it had on me two days before. Anyway, thank you for reading. ^^,
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