Example of novel.

The Magnet

By: Leslie B. Calibay

              One of the streets in Juna Subdivision is the Carlos Avenue Street. It is a side road of Philippine Women’s College of Davao. Though, the street isn’t that glamour since it is just a plain soil and if you will pass here during rainy day, you wouldn’t dare to walk because of its appearance.

               It was 5:00 o’clock in the evening.  The street was almost covered with darkness. You only recognize it was a street because of few vehicles kept on passing by and a few lamp posts along the way. Few people walked in the street since the time entailed for going home especially those who are from whole day worked.

               “Vel, before you go, eat first. Your food is already prepared.” It was the words that cut my heart within. Since everytime I heard those words, specially the word “go”, some feeling innate in me arose that I couldn’t even explained what was it. Without words, everytime our eyes met something was spoken.

                “Thanks ma’am, Ja.” But we have to go now, since our individual households await us to bring our dinner for tonight.” One of his companions dared to refuse the offer and nobody object the said notion. So, they got their things and headed home. But before they went out the gate Kuya Ian said something to me that I never aware of. “ Ba-bye Ai. You gonna miss me!” but upon saying it, his eyes landed to someone else wherein my eyes went there as well.

                 He caught me watching him. Wait! Is it really me he caught or is he the one that I caught? That was uncertain. The thing I am sure of was that, our eyes met again. And I was like an ice drop starting to melt. To resist the feeling, I just smiled at him. And out of nowhere, the words were released. “Okay bye guys, see you…..tomorrow I guess.” I knew my voice was shaken but I disregard it. And happiness had drawn to my face maybe because he smiled back at me.

               For how many months I soaked myself in tears. But in that moment, I knew that was over and I had been recovered from that pain. Although  my feelings with my ex had gone, so many questions up on my head. A lot of what ifs were registered to my brain. And one of that “what ifs” is that, what if I cry again? Aside from what ifs, answers had been there in my mind. “But I have to be brave. And there is nothing to do with fear. Instead, to hope, to hope that one day I will have ended up happy.”

               My previous relationships weren’t perfect. It wasn’t even colorful and worth to remember. Only thing I knew about is that, they cannot love me for who I am, who im not, what I am and I’m not. They were always ask something, something I know I cannot give yet. Something I can’t sacrifice and do willingly. Since I was abide by my principle, principle on how to know who really truly loves me. And that whoever the one who never asks anything in return, the one who never put me in a situation of hardship, and the one who never cheat on me.

              “Rise and shine, beautiful.” My friend at the house greeted me. Jen was my co-worker whom I lived with for almost 3 years. We had been like sisters. I can share to her my thoughts and she can do the same. Our attachment to one another was like a comforter. Her sorrows was my sorrows and her happiness was mine too and vice versa. “Your joyful presence what makes my day more beautiful”.  Then as early as that, the house filled with laughter.

                 “Ai, according to kuya Ian, he has a crush on you.” “Who?” I interrupted her, as if I never had a hint. “They told me that, Novel is a good guy. He is a hardworking and responsible. Ops! You have a crush on him right?” she continued. “Nope” I automatically replied. “Don’t deny. Your face says it all. If you do not notice, you’re blushing!”  I liked to debate with her. But my mouth glued with silence. After the tremendous conversation, the gate opened.

                  I automatically ran to the window to see who was there. But before I saw who opened the gate, I already had expected them. So as I looked into it, I knew I am right. “Do maam Ja here?” he asked. I never noticed his coming. “Yes, she is in their room. Wait, I waill call her.” I went straight there.

                  Everytime the scenario repeated, I did the same thing. For how many months we had been seeing each other, we never had a real conversation. Instead, me with Kuya Ian, Jo, Mark, and others have a deep talks and laughs. And he do the same. He, Jen, Apple, Ate Judith have a usual talks, and they jokes each other. For almost 7 months we were acting weird.

                  One afternoon, I am tasked to bake one recipe of fruit cake. They all encircled me to watch me while preparing everything. So for the first time ever, he had been joining his team. They asked me about baking, until they reached to the point of asking me as a woman. They asked me if I have a boyfriend. So I answered them with the truth, including all the details of my life.

                 “You and Novel are meant with each other. You’re single and his single as well.” Kuya Ian said. The others agree to it. But we, like a love team in my favorite TV drama, “Ina, Kapatid, Anak” na sina Kim Chiu at Xian Lim, looked at each other. Just like our eyes agreeing to their idea. “ Hahahaha.. Don’t mind them. They’re just making fun of us.” “Yeah. You are right.”

                    Time for work, and I left alone in the table. But their presence remained in my brain.  It was hard to work having so many thoughts in my mind. So I stop for a while to eat snacks and then I drank plenty of water. When I got back to my work, I concentrated to it so I cannot commit any mistake. And there, I finished it having them temporarily out of my mind, including the time.

                     After the work done, I picked up my phone and I opened YouTube application and search for my favorite Tagalog song with lyrics. Since I included the lyrics, what I supposed to do. Of course, I sang with the singer. “Kinikilig naman ako sa shy na lalake. Tipong ligaw-tingin huwag mong kausapin,Napipipi….” And I stopped when I am aware of their presence. So I looked outside and I noticed the sun is nowhere to be found. I know it was time for them to go. But I’m confused because they weren’t prepared.

                   “Are you done?” I was surprised by the voice. When I looked up it was him.

“Can I disturb you for a while? Can we chat? It’s been a long time since I’m here but you never know about me and I do not know you personally. And based on my observation you are a good girl. And Jen, apple, Ate Judith confirmed this assumption. So, it is my time now to know you personally.” He added. “Wow! Really? You observed me! Why? Do you think im a bad person? or else a killer?” the words I abruptly uttered. I didn’t know anything to say.

                   We chatted the rest of the time that night. We did exchanging numbers.   And that how we started. Until one time he texted me. And the message enabled me to sing. “Ngunit nang isang araw ay tumunog ang beeper ko. Hinimatay ako sa message mo na ‘I love you’..” and to make it short, I say “ yes” to him.

                     Each day passes by, the awkwardness wrapped the house with silence. in short among all people in the house I am the most noisy and talkative one. But during that moment it felt like I wasn’t here. Just like a magnet, similar poles repel and opposite poles attract. So then, as we managed our relationship secretly, I felt emptiness. I longed for something. Something I ever wanted ever since- the love and care. And since we had hidden our relationship for days, we act as if nothing. And I hate it. I want to show care for him so he would do the same.

                     So we decided to announce our relationship. How? Well, we said it silently. We just sit and talked publicly. And we finished till midnight. Then morning came, they asked us. So we told them no lies. It just that, I did not wanted to hide our relationship. It because some of the partners having secret love didn’t survive since they were easily tempted. I wanted open so I can know him better and he could know me better, too.

                     He invited me to their house at Tibungko to introduce me to his family. And that day was the day I am confident and sure that all of my risks were right. I knew him more, his good and bad sides, his strengths and weaknesses, his happiness and sorrows, including his past experiences. But how about knowing me? How could he know me as a whole? So I invited him to come with me when I return home but he refused.

                     My short tempered-trait burst on. I wanted to fight and battle him with words. I was like a torch which been lighted up in that instance. In which the flame was trying to scattered to burn him. Despites the attitude I had shown him, he was like a rain, soaked me then the flame inside of me turned off. “Okay, I will go with you but, not now. I have to earned money first. I don’t want to go there with nothing. I don’t want to cause anything that will return to my own humiliation. Hope you understand that.” In silence I got his purpose. Since I had told him about my family, the situation, the culture there, it wasn’t easy for him.

                     In our almost 4 years in relationship, we’d been through different struggles. But through our magnetic characteristics, we know we can overcome whatever barriers cross our path. Just like a magnet, either one of us is the North or the South Pole. We may repel each other but at the end, we attracted and fall in love to each other again, and we decide as one. http://ellise25.blogspot.com/

                   

                   

lesliecalibay@gmail.com