“He stands out in the eyes of many, but I started seeing more of him than what the crowd can see.”
The sun rays touching my skin from the glass window woke me up panicking on being late! I preferred to stay at this comfy apartment near the University campus. My stomach growls impatient so I hurried up for sandwiches at La Petit Café.
I walked through the door with my loose messy buns, pink pair of pajamas and pink slippers humming with excitement as I smelled the aroma of hot chocolate and sandwich in their café. I immediately greeted aunt Belle only to hear baritone voice responding behind the counter.
The guy carefully showed himself ahead the counter while I watch him placing down the kettle with dripping waters from his hand then took a towel from his khaki apron to dry his hands so he could properly present himself as the cashier. He has drop-dead looks, face features and physique. He was wearing white tight shirt covered with apron and a khaki sweatband worn on his forehead with his slightly damp hair. He is tall so my head lifted up for our gazes. He got a smile while attentively waiting.
And I am in my woke-up-like-this look! I still smiled even though I am already planning to walk away, until my stomach growls again. I'm so hungry! I shook the embarrassment off and let the eagerness for food surface in me.
"Torta sandwich and hot chocolate for takeout, please?" I smiled remembering the crusty roll of bolillo with steak, veggies, and creamy fillings. It's salivating!
He nods and I was left smiling, amused by his positive demeanor.
He placed a cup of hot chocolate and a paper plate of torta, he packed them together and gave it to me. My brows went up from amusement. "Thank you."
I couldn't mind my looks at all. His smile can light up the whole town that I can forget everything but the goodness of breathing and the excitement of embracing this day.
Walking on my way out the campus to go home, I heard gossips around the park with the name I've been hearing since morning in the entire campus. So according to what I heard, there's this new transferee who made these girls obsessed? It's not bad to find out what's happening and wander my eyes around.
"Why are you sneaking here?" I jumped from startle when a broad physique emerged in front of me. He is tall that I first glanced at his chest on my eye level. He slightly lowered in bend knees with his hands on them to level on my height. "Are you looking for someone?" That face, that figure, that drop-dead eyes and lips startled me tenfold!
He took his time watching me recover from surprise and let this moment sink in to me. He is calm that I think I am the only one overwhelmed here. Aside from the café, we will also see each other in this campus by chances. A happiness, excitement and surprise is all bursting inside me. I hid the intense feelings and let calmness surface in me with a smile.
"No." I shook my head and smiled. "The entire park is just so refreshing to look at and it feels so good to breathe whenever I see it." I made that thing an excuse. This park is a breathe of fresh air truly, this is the first spot I loved from the entire campus.
"We're on the same page then." He looked away with an intense expression. His thick natural eyebrows are slightly scrunched, his brown eyes being hit by rays of sunset are so deep and mysterious. "I just transferred in this campus but I already found my favourite spot in here." He gasped an air, sighed and smiled when he turned his gaze to me. I nodded the whole time he talked and I smiled too.
"Do you mind if I walk you home?" He asked, owning the breathe of fresh air title. "No, it's okay, I don't mind." We walked home together with small talks and sunsets. Every time he shows his intense demeanor side, it is giving me an untold mystery about him, it feels like there is so much more about him beyond what he is. It makes me want to know more about his thoughts, and his life.
Kai is getting known in the entire campus. He is a jack of all trades. He is skilled and hotshot in almost everything. People loved him and admired his picture perfect life.
I can't deny that I love him like how the crowd does, but I don't see his life that way. All I know is that, nobody in this world has a picture perfect life. Even the brightest surface can hide untold struggles.
Months have passed when our paths cross at the park every break times. He is always hanging around then joins me when I go out of the campus for barbecue snack. I am glad that he initiates to bond with me. It became comfortable for me to open myself for friendship with him. We've been hanging around for food session, I let him help me with my homeworks, I tell him about how my days went, and we engage in conversations about our life takeaways and aspirations because we are both passionate to listen and hear each other's story out.
Until one day, I accidentally pushed his limit. It is a scorching hot sunny day at the beach with Kai. His car parked at the shade of the tree near the shore while he went nearby to buy drinks. I started a fire for grilling the barbecues under this shady tree. It was scorching hot plus the heat coming from the burning charcoals are just making me feel the summer. My heart thumped when Kai ran towards me aggressively to stop me from fanning the burning charcoals.
He lifted me to throw me a bit farther and immediately removed his t-shirt, he used it with his handkerchief to protect his hands from putting the grills away.
"Never ever start a fire near the car, Rose! What if the gasoline is leaking, what's gonna happen!?" I saw intensity and rage in his eyes. I am still recovering from shock when he threw me and I fell sunk in the sand. He was panting while his hands placed on his waist.
"I really had no idea about the dangers cuz... my mind is preoccupied by fun." I looked at him intently. "Safety first before fun, Rose!" He got mad at me. I couldn't say anything, he is right after all.
I wiped my elbow with my hand and tried to get up. "Are you okay? I'm sorry." He helped me get up.
"You're fast, and strong." I smiled and looked away, still recovering from his rage. That's all I can say. "I don't mean to hurt you. I'm just paranoid and I felt triggered, I'm sorry."
Kai explained that he had a haunting history in his life. He started to suffer in his younger age, carrying the struggle of losing his loved ones, their livelihood, and their home from a fire accident that has something to do with his innocent negligence. From then on, he feared fire and flammables. He was horrified seeing people die from fire accidents. He was traumatized. But all that he thought about was to strive and survive, and get over it. All his skills in many things was earned for his survival from downfalls. His life isn't picture perfect because he lost his loved ones, he blames himself for it. The world brought him scars and yet, he exchanged sparkling stars to the world, and the crowd loves him. He stands out in the eyes of many, but I started seeing more of him than what the crowd can see.
"I always search for the meaning of life aside from getting through it all, the pain, the struggles and the unending flashbacks that I couldn't escape." He confessed. "I like to exist not to survive but to feel alive."
"You didn't wish for what happened, and you don't deserve the blame and burden. You have all the freedom to feel alive, dear. Don't let anything withhold it from you because after all, you deserve it." I gave him a smile, a comforting smile that says I will be here for him. "I couldn't feel that I deserve it." he said. "You deserve it, you are a good person, I believe in you."
His arms reached my petite body to hug me. He squeezed me. "Thank you, Rose. Maybe it takes one eye that sees me through so I can believe that I deserve happiness too." He said genuinely, brushing his chin on my shoulder.
"You have given enough brightness to the world. It's time that you will also take brightness for your own. Your loved ones wants the good for a kind person like you." I tapped his back for comfort. "I'm always here for you because you're my ally." I added. He hugs me tighter as I talk. "Thank you." He said genuinely.
We became our ride or die throughout all the time, we always got each other's back. Being with him felt like life has more to offer. We maintained a friendship that gradually turned deep, a feeling that is more than what is shown, and what is seen. But in spite of its initial suppression, it has already asserted itself, becoming clearly seen.
It's an unwinding weekend and I am craving for lobster roll and hot chocolate so I hurried in La Petit. A ray of sunshine immediately greeted me.
"What is your order, babe?" I couldn't help but melt in the way he greeted me.
"A tall, brown eyes, with a killer smile, for takeout please?" I teased him back because of the way he called me. But genuinely, I want to hang out with him this weekend.
"Be careful what you wish for, babe." He said, removed his apron and went upstairs to tell his schedule exit to aunt Belle, and aunt immediately agreed! I am so shocked that I laughed about it. Of course, aunt Belle can't say no when it comes to us. And I thanked her for this today.
Kai came back to pull me outside. "Let's go babe." He made a sweet irresistible smile, and I almost forgot my real errand here. "But I want lobster roll and hot chocolate too." I pouted. It's so amusing how he made me foods before we went out. You have plus points in my heart for this, baby!
I believe in love at first sight. That feeling when your world stops in slow motion when you get attracted to a stranger that it gives effects on you. But what we have right now surpassed that feeling.
It is the affection that exceeds through our friendship and bonds, through our likings, through our fears and weaknesses, and that exceeds and nurtures even more with the passing of time.
It is love beyond the surface.
♡ - CS
Visit and follow my profile for written stories.