CHAPTER TEN: A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.

19TH AUGUST 2018

It was the final few days of summer just before I went into 11th grade.

I was staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on Aaliyah's bedroom ceiling. I've been staring at them for the past 24 minutes. There were baby pink fairy lights put up around the room, so the room wasn't entirely dark. It felt weird being in a girl's room, alone. Usually, I would've been totally okay with being in Aaliyah's room because I was with Aaliyah and the guys. But it's just me. Before the new school year began, we were supposed to have our last hangout, so Aaliyah had told me to invite the guys over to her place. But coincidentally, everyone had turned me down at the last minute. And so, I'm here.

Even though I figured this might've been their plan from the get-go, and I benefited from it, I was this big ball of unease and nerves that the strings had become twisted and tangled with each other. I heard the room door open and close – I willed my heart to be quiet – there was soft shuffling on the carpeted floor, and then I felt the hair on my skin stand up as Aaliyah had come and laid down beside me. I felt the warmth from her body seep into mine. Somehow, the bundle of unease and nerves slowly unravelled itself loose. She lets out a loud sigh. Aaliyah curls her body close to me. I didn't mind. I put my hand on top of hers.

"Sorry about that. My mum called." She mumbles, her voice making my body vibrate.

"Oh, yeah?" I was distracted by the scent of her. She smelt like coffee and daisies with a hint of ocean water. "What did she say?"

"Oh, you know ... the usual."

I wrap my hands around the curve of her body. This physical touch between us is Platonic, or so Aaliyah says. And honestly? It drives me crazy. But I can't keep my hands away from her. "They're not coming home tomorrow, are they?"

Aaliyah shakes her head. But then she takes my hand, interlocks our fingers together, and raises it high for the two of us to see. "It's okay. I know everything will be fine, regardless if they're not here." I feel her looking up at me. My heart beats like a wild jungle drum. I hope she can't hear it. "I feel safe. And that's because you're here."

I looked down at her, our hands coming down; still joined. I didn't know how to answer her. So, I gave her a sheepish smile and said, "I think your stars are a little crooked."

"Wait – what – " She shoots up, quickly. She looked up at her ceiling to search for her error. "Oh, gosh, you're right."

I stared at her beauty, awestruck. She looked so irresistible with her hair tied up, her perfect brown hair curling at the edge, and the way her red lips make her sun-kissed skin glow even under the pink neon lights.

"Ugh, I think I put too much space in between each star of the Orion – "

I didn't let her finish. I pulled her back down. Except this time, I kept a hold of Aaliyah in my arms. We were staring into each other's eyes. Her pretty brown eyes always drove me crazy. "You kept me bored, you know. How are you going to make it up to me?" I say this as a half-ass joke, but it made Aaliyah laugh.

"Well ... Mr Yeonjun Choi, I might have something you may like?" Her teasing tone makes my heart do backflips.

I quirk a brow, playing along with her. "Oh, yeah? Please enlighten me then, Miss – "

published! MARCH 27TH, 2022