CATHastrophic Mediocrity

This is the first ever short story I’ve written in my whole life. This was published in ROOTS - the official university folio of UIC. This was written at midnight when I was bored doing school stuff. hehehe.. Here goes…

Stranger in the Dark

(A Beginning to the Prologue, Part I)

The rain was falling heavily on my umbrella. I promised to be there by five in the afternoon. Whether I’ll get soaked or I’ll manage to keep dry, I just have to be there. You might be waiting for endless hours already. Our project is due tomorrow and we’ve got lots to finish before evening invades the light – or otherwise, I’ll let momma nag me for coming home late again.

You opened the door for me, and teased me for coming five minutes late. As you handed me a rag for my wet feet, I wondered what’s going on in your mind, behind those snickers and stares that seem to creep down into my soul. Before I could even take my seat in the edge of your bed, lights went out, and I had no choice but to wait until electricity comes back and we can do what I came for.

My day then was so tiring, and I thought a thirty-minute nap won’t hurt. I tried to close my eyes, and doze off, even though I know you’re stealing glances at me. You grabbed my phone, read all my stored SMS, and teased me for keeping silly quotes. Before I know it, you were asking me silly questions. Are you afraid of the dark that you were trying to keep me awake? Or are there things you want to know straight from me that you can only ask when there’s no one else around but me and you?

It’s so irresistible to find someone as carefree as you asking me things so seriously. You became another person I don’t know. The happy-go-lucky carefree best friend I have just turned out to be a stranger who I’ve never known. Laughter stopped. And your voice seemed so near that I can almost hear both of our hearts beating fast.

“Who’s your love? And since when?” I turned my back, closed my eyes, and tried to catch my breath when you asked me. I answered in the most convincing voice I have, “You’ll know sometime. Not now.” “Don’t I deserve to know? I’m your best friend. I’ll help you whoever he is.” You persisted as you turned against me.

“It’s next to impossible. You? Haven’t you found what you are looking for?” I asked him as we both stared into the blackness trying to avoid looking into each other’s eyes. “I found her but we lost it”. As he answered, memories flooded down to my mind when we were once lovers a couple of years ago, not just best friends. I wonder who you’re talking about. Was it the girl who left you or the one you left? Would it even matter now? I asked myself silently.

Dead silence must have been there if not of the pounding rain on the roof. I tried to close my eyes again, as if it would make a difference to a room filled with darkness in that moment. And you started to talk about anything you can think of. It amused me when you started making plans for us. You even made me promise to look for you whatever may happen. You talked about our friendship, our companionship as if there’s no end to us.

It was weird listening to you saying all those things. The usual jokes turned into dreams, as both of our sighs drowned in thunder. You were not the funny friend I usually spend my time with in the daylight, earlier that day. You became somebody else that night.

Three hours passed. There was still no light. And the rain was still pouring hard. I wouldn’t mind getting soaked again. I just have to go before I can’t contain it any longer. And before any from the two of us could ruin everything we have now.

I guess the darkness made it easy for us to hide our secrets between the lines we’re saying. Thanks to the darkness. It was much easy to deny even though best friends are supposed to tell truths.

I wonder who I’ll see tomorrow morning. Will it be the best friend in the daylight or the stranger in the dark? Which mask are you wearing now, my love? I’ll again be wearing mine tomorrow.