Forsaking the Shadows

My eyes became distant as I stared outside for a moment. The rain kept on pouring and fogged up the window glass. It showed no sign of stopping, which made the air chilly. The rainwater flooded the minor road, so when the black car passed by, the water just splashed out to the bald man walking on the sidewalk. He had no umbrella and was only using his thick coat to face the rain. He lost the chance to dodge. The rainwater soaked his whole clothes, stunning him where he stood. Before the car disappeared from his sight as it drove away, he cursed at it, raising his middle finger. It wasn’t him who caught my attention, but the man standing a few feet away from him holding a red umbrella. The other man gave this eerie feeling, even from a far that I could sense strongly. There was something with the man as he stayed there on the sidewalk. The clanking of utensils and chattering inside the cafe where I was didn’t help to get rid of it. It was a year ago when I first noticed him. I though

As the night deepened, lights died below. The city was like a forest made of grand buildings. The bright lights that remained mirrored the stars from the clear night sky while the moon shone brightly in its glory. I could see everything from the rooftop where I was. It was indeed a beautiful view, but at that moment I wasn’t feeling happy. No matter how hard I tried to admire the scenery that I could only see at such times, I still couldn’t smile. I exhausted my body from working and I just wanted to go home to the comfort of my soft bed. Behind me was the crowd enjoying the birthday party. The murmurs sounded like they would not end. They didn’t reach my ears because the echoing melodious sound of the violin overshadowed them. As I remained standing, a wind blew from my left, whistling through the newly budding flowers lining that side of the rooftop. By midnight, that wind would breathe cold as the north pole, carrying with it the stench of the party. I shivered a little from the c

I was supposed to listen to the professor after a school break, but I heard nothing he had discussed. The classes ended, and I understand nothing. My mind kept on wondering somewhere. I shouldn’t be thinking about Gavin because we only talked yesterday until that morning. I felt guilty about what I said to him before I went to school. I was thinking I hurt him for real that time. Because I knew what he felt for me was genuine. I could see it in his eyes every time he spoke to me with full of admiration. I groaned in frustration and stomped my head on the table. Some students who were going out turned around in surprise to where I was sitting beside the window. Thinking I was just acting baffling, they went on without sparing me a glance anymore. I didn’t need to be distracted while studying or else it would ruin my plan of finishing a degree before going faraway. It was also my fault. I shouldn’t have responded to him when he entered the coffee shop. Ignoring him was the best choice,

We went to a not secluded neighborhood where the store of the man Tristan wanted to interview was located. The entire area became like artsy grounds for talented people. Artists filled the empty walls along the streets with graffiti, attracting newcomers like us. It was not my first time there, so I just ignored the walls. I had a part-time job there before. Gavin wasn’t also looking and his attention was all on me, making me uncomfortable. He was confident about walking under the sun. Meanwhile, Tristan couldn’t help himself. He had took out his phone and took a picture of everything we passed by. After a few turns, we finally arrived to where the store was. The yellow color of the signboard said they sell fried chicken. I could even smell from the outside the spices the owner used to cook. The store had no glass walls, but it had a large window where we could take a peak of the inside. It was an old house, and it turned into a store a couple of years after the owner separated from h

Everything seemed normal about me as I sat down on the floor, leaning on the side of the bed. But deep inside, I knew something had changed. I just couldn’t figure out what it was. It was something that resonated emptiness that I had not felt for so long. All I knew for sure was that when Gavin crosses my mind, I felt a pain in my chest. It had been days when I left him on the road after the witch appeared in front of me. Since that day, I haven’t left Tristan’s room because I was avoiding to see Gavin. I just felt like the moment I stepped out, he was there waiting for me. I glanced at the door when Tristan entered carrying a paper bag. He looked at me and his shoulder dropped after he sighed. “Stop making me worry. Ever since to other day, you’ve been acting like that. You don’t even want to answer my questions,” he said to me. “Aren’t you planning to go to school?” I shook my head. I didn’t want to tell him I didn’t have the urge to study. I would move to another city faraway fr