ADY
"Dad, we're going to sink! What are we going to do? Dad!"
I sat up in bed in shock, sweating and gasping for air. Since the night of the accident, I have repeatedly had that dream. Suddenly, I feel like I'm reliving that night all over again.
"It's just a dream."
"I've missed them. I've missed you, Mom and Dad." I whispered as my tears flowed down my cheeks.
***
Friday night is the big bash! The first party I've ever been to with my friends is tonight. I wouldn't say I liked how my dress fit so well. My neck and shoulders have been bare since I pulled my hair back. There were clothes on me, but I didn't feel good. On that night, there were a lot of students there, and everyone seemed to be having fun—except me. Social events aren't my thing because I'm a loner.
Substantial sound systems around the party's hall made a lot of noise and got people to sing and dance by mixing up the music. A large food table also has many tasty snacks and drinks.
Someone from my class saw me walking toward the group and said, "Ady, you look beautiful tonight."
I somewhat smiled at him and then turned away. A student gave me wine and made me drink it. I wouldn't say I like wine or other boozy drinks very much, but my friends made me try some bottles they brought in for us to try. After two more sips, I liked it. At first, the taste was so bad that it made me gag. Sweet and sour flavors were wrapping around my mouth like a warm blanket. It tastes like a fruity wine, for sure. I kept drinking it because it was just as addicting as pop. Suddenly, it became my favorite drink.
I exited our table to get more wine when I ran out. I went to the big food table. As soon as I saw what was on the table, I thought everything looked good. This cupcake caught my eye, so I took a bite.
"Hmm," and nodding kept coming out of my mouth. "All things considered, this tastes good."
I reached the end of the long table, where the drinks were kept. Each glass of wine was filled with wine, and I tasted each one. I was looking for the wine juice another student had given me earlier but couldn't find it. Unfortunately, I only grabbed a juice and walked to the closest table. While I was sitting up, I put the juice glass on the table and rubbed my lower thigh. Walking in high shoes is hard because I don't wear them often.
"Great! Now it has blisters!" I complained. "I already told Elsa that I'd be wearing rubber shoes. Damn it. It's going to hurt."
I waited for the party to end while everyone else had fun. After thirty minutes, it was dead midnight, and I was ready to go home. Ice was running up and down my back as I drank the juice. When I felt someone was watching me, it gave me the creeps. My unease wasn't just my imagination, so I turned around to make sure.
Behind the blinds, I could see a guy in casual clothes. I didn't feel comfortable in the dark parts of the auditorium, but his look got to me. I drank juice, which went up my nose instead of my throat. I coughed nonstop and felt like my throat and nose were tickled. Along with my free hand, I covered my lips and nose.
'Damn..'
"Take this."
I heard a man's voice, and a handkerchief appeared before me. The hanky in front of me, his arm, and his face caught my eye. When I saw a good-looking guy, I felt very embarrassed all over. After I turned down his hanky offer, he sat before me. My hand was covering my nose and mouth, so he took it off and wiped it. Shortly after calming down, I stopped what the man was doing.
"Hey, what're you doing?" I asked him as I took the handkerchief from him. My skin, ears, and lips felt like blood on fire.
'God, that's so embarrassing!'
"I'm sorry," he said. "Miss, are you okay?"
I looked at him with interest and surprise. It was like I knew something about his voice.
"Have we met before?" I asked. "I seem to remember hearing your voice somewhere."
He looked at me and said, "Yes, on the train."
Instant jitters came over me when I thought about that day on the train. It was one of the most fantastic days of my life.
"I am sorry about that day." He said, "I was in a hurry, so I couldn't properly introduce myself. My name is Damon."
His words were carried out when Damon extended his hand to me. I looked first at his hand and then at mine. Before shaking his hand, I quickly dried my hand and sprayed alcohol on it.
"You can call me Ady, but my name is Adira." It shocked me how warm his hand was. It feels like I have cotton gloves on my hands. "Oh, your hand feels warm." Damon took his hand off of me. "Are you all right? You may have had a fever."
He said, "I'm fine."
"I'm going to wash your handkerchief and return it to you." Hurriedly, I put the hanky in my bag.
"Did you know there's a superstition that says handkerchiefs are bad luck because they bring on tears?"
"Huh? That is an old belief. Not true."
"I'm sure it's real. You should believe me because I've seen it many times."
He pulled his handkerchief out of my bag and put it in the wine glass he was holding. I was shocked. I didn't say anything; I just looked at him.
'Wow, he is superstitious,' I thought.
Suddenly, I saw him looking at me. He pulled my hair out of my ponytail before I could say anything. It fell over my shoulders. Damon brushed the hairs behind my ear that were falling into my eyes.
'Geez, what is he doing?' I thought.
"You look lovely with your hair down," Damon told me.
I couldn't say anything about his surprise. I couldn't get the words out of my mouth.
"Did I offend you?" he suddenly asked me.
"What? "
Moving closer, he smiled and whispered in my ear.
"I'm being honest. It looks great on you when your hair is down."
Soon after, a repair worker with an industrial electric fan plugged it in. The fan's wind blew my hair around and hit Damon in the face. I fixed my hair quickly and told Damon I apologized for the mess.
"Damon, I'm sorry, I meant to..."
But Damon ran out in front of me. He left so fast that I don't know if he was mad at me.
'What did I do?'
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ADY"It looks like you overslept."My grandmother was already making us breakfast in the kitchen. I haven't had much sleep since the party. I drew until late at night. It's been over a week since I pulled at the last minute, and I still haven't had a chance to unwind. I also thought about Damon, someone I met at the party who suddenly left. I haven't seen him since that night, even though Elsa says I have. I thought he was trying to avoid me.I stayed up late to tell my grandma what had been bugging me for a few days and nights. Because I didn't want her to worry more, I didn't tell her about my dream. She knew I was having a nightmare, but I stopped telling her that I was pretending that it was gone. There was no way I would say to her it came back. Grandma made me coffee and sat it beside my plate while I ate."Ady, how are you?" Granny asked. "It's been difficult to have a proper conversation since we relocated to the city, even during meals.""Sorry, granny, for being unable to spe
ADYJasper checked his wristwatch. It was rush hour. Because of this, many people will be on the train, buses, and jeepneys. Together, we went up the stairs to get to the ticket window. Though the line was long, people moved quickly through it.We chatted to pass the time. I talked to Jasper as if I were a TV talk show host."Will you be traveling overseas?"Jasper gave a confirming nod. "I'd love to explore different parts of the globe.""Huh? Maybe aviation would have been better for you than engineering.""Engineering tuition is more affordable," Jasper chuckled, scratching his head.After a bit of a wait, we finally reached the ticket window. Jasper quickly covered the expenses for both of us. We quickly made our way to the platform after getting our tickets, eager to wait for the train. Jasper faced the crowd, who patiently awaited the train's arrival."It looks like I'll have to put in some effort," Jasper remarked, playfully flexing his muscles. That made me chuckle. "Are you mo
ADY“Hey there, granny! Good morning!”After finishing my breakfast the following morning, my grandma heard a knock at the door. As I was getting ready for school and brushing my teeth, I suddenly heard Jasper’s voice coming from the living room.Jasper told Granny, “Yes, Granny, we’re both going to school.”“It’s good. Your kindness will help me worry less about my granddaughter,” said Granny.Jasper grinned and rubbed his head. “I just want to clarify, granny, that if your granddaughter were to develop feelings for me, it wouldn’t be my fault, right?”Granny laughed at what Jasper said, but I frowned.“Shhh, what are you saying? Who could fall for you?”The sight of my hair falling over my shoulder startled Jasper. I like how this hairstyle suits me. He couldn’t help but flash a mischievous smile.“Hey, are you trying to get my attention?” Jasper said it cheerfully and kept a smile on his face.I raised an eyebrow curiously. “Um, sorry to bother you, but I wondered why I should get y
ADY “Good morning!” As I entered the main building, I was surprised by a voice suddenly speaking up beside me. I was taken aback when I caught sight of Damon standing there. He had a big smile, clearly happy with how I responded. I immediately tapped him on the arm. “You’re quite annoying!” I said to Damon with frustration. Damon let out a light laugh. I couldn’t help but notice that nearly every student who walked by was giving us curious glances. We can hear a gentle humming as they discuss our being together. I exhaled. “Don’t worry about them,” Damon reassured me. “Do you believe it’s as simple as you make it sound?” I asked as I turned the T-square into a face shield. Damon let out a light laugh before reaching out and holding my hand. Once more, his voice resonated with me, and the touch of his warm skin sent a powerful shiver down my spine. He seemed to be running a temperature. He’s pretty attractive, with a great appearance and smooth skin. “No need to do that,” Damon
ADY ‘Aah, geez, I have goosebumps...’ I felt a cool breeze on my back and absentmindedly scratched my neck. I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my hair, causing me to quickly turn around in search of what was causing it. The air conditioner sprang to life as soon as we entered the room. It’s interesting to note how impeccably tidy and well-arranged that room is, giving the impression that it belongs to someone with a meticulous personality. “Waah!” I heard Elsa’s voice coming from the bathroom, causing me to look in that direction quickly. I casually dropped my backpack and made a beeline for the restroom. “Oh my goodness!” Elsa let out another scream. “Wow, just take a look at this amazing bathroom and...” I let out a small breath. I felt a sinking feeling in my chest at that moment. I never expected Elsa to be so fascinated by the bathroom. I turned away from Elsa and made my way over to a couch. ‘Why isn’t there a bed here? Isn’t he sleeping?’ I thought. I glanced at the
ADY“Good heavens!” Something warm suddenly grabbed my arm, digging into my forearm and causing me to jump back in astonishment. I quickly pulled my hand back and moved away, startled.Elsa took a step back from the man when she noticed my fear.“Sorry if I startled you.”It seems like my body temperature has returned to normal after feeling scared and having it drop unusually low. Damon stood before us. The black polo shirt he wore had a distinctive dark green collar. While he may not have the same level of muscularity as Jasper, something about his physique brings to mind the Korean idols I look up to.“I hate to rain on your parade, Ady, but the person you’re afraid of is beautiful,” Elsa remarked.I casually glanced at Elsa and then shifted my gaze to Damon. “I’m sorry, Damon; I was taken aback. Wow, your hand feels warm.”“I’m sorry you feel that way, too,” Damon replied casually, slipping his hand into his pocket.We stepped out of the car and started walking. Damon strolls along
ADY “Where on earth is he?” I kept searching for Damon, but I always returned to the Ruins. I casually hopped over the fence and entered. The ruins are shrouded in an eerie silence, with darkness enveloping everything. I heard some unusual sounds coming from above. Out of nowhere, a hand landed on my shoulder, instantly sending a wave of warmth through my body. Damon casually stood in front of me and effortlessly switched places with me. I witnessed the boulder narrowly miss Damon’s back, causing a surge of shock to course through me. The boulder shattered upon impact, yet he remained utterly composed. How did Damon manage to surprise me and enter without my knowledge? How was he supposed to anticipate the rock falling in the darkness? “Uh, h-how’d y-you do that?” I stutter. Damon glanced at the boulder, then again shifted his gaze towards me. “We should probably go before something falls on us.” Damon gently grasped my hand and suggested, “Shall we go?” He guided me to a differen
ADY“If you continue to gaze at me, you might just find yourself captivated,” Damon said, his eyes gently shut. His biceps are noticeable as he casually rests his hands under his armpits.Damon decided to sit beside me on the journey back to the city, and I couldn’t quite figure out why. He guided the man to the seat, and Elsa followed suit. Despite Elsa's claim of seeing Damon running, I was confused about what I had witnessed earlier. I don’t think Elsa grasped the situation, either. It was surprising how Damon managed to get so close to me in such a short amount of time. It felt like he appeared out of nowhere and suddenly embraced me. Earlier, I noticed the distance between Damon and myself.“Don’t fret. I won’t develop romantic feelings for you.” I continued speaking, but he responded with laughter, indicating his disbelief in what I was saying.Damon lazily cracked open one eye and posed a question to me. “Hey, I was just wondering, what’s your favorite color?”I couldn’t help bu