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Falling under the pressure.

 

 

It had been a long day for him. It had been a long day for all of them. Jae sat near the balcony with his eyes closed. The cold breeze of the night played with his hair and the front flaps of his ed shirt. He was recalling that day again. There was no way he could forget it, the last time they were all together, all four of them.

 

It was a nice warm afternoon at the beach. The usual weekend. That day, he remembered Cyndi wore her hair up in a yellow headband that matched her bathing suit.

 

She was so human.

 

Nic and Wallace were chasing each other like little kids again. Earlier, Nic left to get some water. The group assumed he was thirsty but when he came back with a bucket filled with salt water… it was so typical of him. He splashed the water on Wallace and that was how the “boys chasing each other again” began. Anyone could have mistaken them for a couple. Anyone except Jae. He knew they had a secret “thing” for Cyndi. After all, she was the only girl they had time for. She was like a sister and yet deep inside, there was something more. Nic loved her spunk. Wallace loved her clever mind. Jae loved her strength and determination.

 

She never knew it… because she never understood it and they never showed it.

 

Cyndi was reading about particles while Jae drifted off to sleep under the beach umbrella. They both wore the same black stone ring on their finger except Cyndi had a smaller version. Suddenly, she heard one of the boys yell out. “Jae! Your twelve o’clock!” The next thing she knew, Jae was on top of her… apparently he was trying to shield her from something. That was when she saw the red light flash inside his ring. It flickered only for a second but that was enough to comfirm what she didn’t want confirmed. They didn’t trust her. They probably thought she would turn “bad.” That was what the ring was for… to track her… to control her… She was angry and hurt at the same time.

 

The boys came running back. Nic stood there laughing. “You lost the bet, Wallace. I told you he’d make a move on her.”

 

Wallace wasn’t amused. “You tricked him into it. You made it sound like we were targeted by snipers or something.”

 

“Hey! My plan worked wonders. Look at that.” He pointed his finger at the two. “They haven’t budged.”

 

Jae quickly got off of Cyndi and apologized. He glared at Nic and Wallace. His face was a bit red. It could have been from embarrassment or anger… or both?

 

Nic bent down to retrieve Cyndi’s fallen book. When he handed to her, she looked furious.

 

“Cyndi, it was just a joke. Please don’t be mad. I promise I’ll never do it again.” He looked at her with his puppy eyes.

 

She thought she understood but she didn’t until now. It wasn’t because they didn’t trust her, it was because they were trying to protect her. The boys spend so much time and effort on her, they barely had any time to themselves.

 

“It’s okay, Nic. Just don’t do it again. It is making Jae uncomfortable.” She glanced at Jae and he turned red again. “See what I mean?”

 

Nic laughed casually while Wallace tried hard not to.

 

“Guys, stop laughing at Jae. You know what? Maybe you should find girlfriends instead of watching me all the time. Isn’t it boring and a waste of time?”

 

“Not at all. I like going to the beach.” Wallace gave Cyndi a reassuring smile as he sat down on the beach towel.

 

Jae was still a little bit annoyed after the embarrassing incident. “Besides, we have to look after you, you’re like our burden.”

 

“Uhh.. a burden with nice wrapping paper and a bow… like a gift!” Nic piped in. He wanted to smack Jae’s head so badly.

 

“I’m taking up all of your time. You can’t do much with me around. Like enjoy life… finding true love…” Cyndi felt responsible for their poor social life.

 

Jae tried to comfort her and redeem himself for the “slip” before. “They already found true love, Cyndi. Just look at them. See how gay they are?”

 

Nic played along. He sat himself right next to his “lover”. Wrapping his arm around Wallace’s shoulder, he spoke in a semi-serious tone. “You found us out. We are indeed in love with each other.”

 

One shove from Wallace and Nic was on the ground laughing hysterically. Cyndi smiled. Nic was always so silly.

 

“Let’s go home, boys. I’ll cook something nice this time.”

 

Nic turned and whispered to Wallace. “Like no burnt salad?”

 

“I heard that.”

 

The end of happy times.

 

That night, Cyndi didn’t sleep. She stayed up thinking about them and about her. If she left, wouldn’t it only benefit all of them in the long run? She would have her freedom. She would have her last taste of the world. They would have their freedom as well, free from her, their burden.

 

Sneaking into their rooms, she gazed upon their peaceful, sleeping form one last time. Jae slept like a baby with his arms around his pillow. He looked like he was hugging a teddy bear. Wallace had his head under the pillow. He had kicked his blanket off the bed again. Gently, she pulled the blanket back over him.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered in his pillow. Cyndi was afraid he was still awake. She stayed by his side until she was sure he was fast asleep.

 

When she entered Nic’s room, he wasn’t on his bed. Cyndi looked around until she spotted a snoring pile of blanket on the floor. He must have rolled off the bed.

 

The next day came and she was gone. Cyndi left the black stone ring on the kitchen table along with a letter for each of them.

 

They looked at each other, grabbed a letter, and walked straight back to their room without saying a word. She was really gone.

 

 

 

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