"Yes Van, is there something I can help you with?"
But no one spoke up. The line was dead silent.
Then who called me up if it was not Van?
I remained silent for a while and tried to listen over the other side. There was the sound of nervous breathing, then after all someone was there. So I spoke up:
"Van, I know you're there"
But no one spoke up again. There was good minute of breathing noise until Van spoke up.
"I thought you'd be uncomfortable if I call you. So I was kinda nervous to speak up"
"It's okay. So is there anything up?"
"No, nothing is up. I just wanted to know how you were and how is your father"
"I'm doing good and Dad is much better now. Thanks for asking"
"Do you know about the project?"
"Yeah we have been put in same group. Is there any problem?"
"No, absolutely not. It would be fun to have you and Veronica to assist me as I'm new here"
"Yeah,I guess that too"
"Have you seen the moon tonight?"
"Huh?"
"I mean at our first acquaintance you said you loved the moon and tonight is a full-moon night. I thought you might have noticed"
"I'm just under moon. You know sunbathing under the moon"
"That's great. So what is special about the moon tonight to you?"
"I guess it helps me withstand my pain. It helps me forget someone but at the same time remind me of our acquaintance that night. I'm really grateful to have a friend like you. At first, I felt you were way too outgoing but then I realized that you were just being friendly. I did not get the difference at first but thank you Van, thank you very much"
"You don't need to be grateful. No matter what I'll always be by your side. And thank you for thinking about me like that. I've never heard someone speak about me like this"
Just then my mom called me out from downstairs telling that it was time for dinner.
"Your welcome, I guess I gotta hang up now, my mum is calling. Anyways, good night"
And then I hung up and went for dinner. Maybe the melancholy of night was chased by Van's call.
~●Veronica's Point Of View●~
Just as Alleisa hung up on me, I went to sit beside the window in my bed. The moonlight was peeping through the shutters of the window. So I opened up the shutters, and looked at the sky. The moon was glowing at it's full glory, it reminded me of Alleisa. The way she acted so cold just now was never her usual self. I know she is trying to resist her temptation but there is no way she can hold herself back from her emotions after seeing Robin, I know her. I know that Robin can be the reason for her self-destruction but I've never seen Alleisa so happy and head over heels over somone. A few months back we had almost stopped talking before she approached me again that day. I felt so happy that day that we were able to go back to our friendship just as it used to be. In high school, we somehow parted ways silently, she was really introverted but me on the other hand; I was outgoing, I was loud and flirty according to some but I'm just having fun. Because we only have one lifetime to be thankful of. I guess I'm often misunderstood but I cannot help it really though, atleast I have Alleisa if not anyone. But I'm really concerned about her. I was not fond of her obsession with Robin to begin with, like what is so special in a violent playboy? Like everyday I can see the spark in her eyes when she sees Robin. Her gaze is full of admiration and love, but there is no way she will ever confess Robin. I'm scared that she will fall for him too deep to recover. I hope in this period of resistance she can really get over him or else I don't even know how I'll get to her. These few days Van has been really concerned, he used to ask me everyday if Alleisa was fine and how is she doing. I mean he could have asked himself but he preferred the indirect notion. Nonetheless he seemed genuinely worried. He wasn't as lively as he used to be. I believe it is due to Alleisa's absence. Somehow without her the whole day seems empty and meaningless even though she doesn't talk much. Maybe that is the bond of love, you never realise it until it's absence. I do miss Alleisa, maybe under this same moonlight we all are silently hurting. And truly I believe the moonlight heals.
~●Alleisa's Point Of View●~
As the next morning, I woke up and carried out my daily chores before school, it was almost painful to think that the weekend was over. Dad was doing much better and was almost fit enough to join back in his work. After a while, I boarded the bus and took seat near the window. I do not even know how I'm going to ignore Robin and on the other hand I had to figure out group project. But the project was a good excuse for me to ignore Robin and keep myself engaged. As the bus was nearing the school, I almost wanted to go back home again. But anyways I got down and right up at the front of the gate was Veronica, as if she was waiting all along this time for me. I quickly ran up to her and hugged her. Yesterday I was really inconsiderate to her, she just wanted to make me happy but I wanted not to hear anything about him.
"I'm back", I said as still hugging her.
She pulled out her head and beamed upon me. Then we walked into school together, the fresh air, the campus, the people made me feel so refreshed that for a while I forgot about all my distress. As I entered the classroom, I saw Van and as soon as he saw me he stood up and walked to me. As his impressing height started to tower me, I waved my hand at him. He did not say anything but I could feel he was kind of relieved. We went to our seats and began classes as usual. Time passed sooner and we suddenly heard the bell for lunch break. Today I, Veronica and Van should start planning about our project. So I suggested, "We should have lunch together today, because we gotta plan the project too, right?"
Both of them agreed at once and then we were in the cafeteria throwing each other's idea here and there and literally making the other person mug up our ideas. It was a chaotic mess. After sobering a bit, we came to a conclusion that combines all of our ideas into one. We planned on making a miniature model of a carbon-dioxide absorber which would sense the presence of excessive carbon dioxide in the air through an advanced sensor. It would help in the process of reduction in the climate change problem.
Through global emissions of carbon footprints, the glaciers are melting and the earth is getting warmer and warmer day by day. The problem is no more about a slight weather change but about the change in an overall pattern of climate. We are aware and we shall strive to save our planet. Though the miniature is nothing but bluff to some people, to us it is pioneering in a certain field. This is how we contribute. I saw that everyone was pleased and their hopes were soaring high as their dull eyes lightened up like the Sirius. After planning we all started having our lunch until suddenly our student president entered the cafeteria and announced,
"We have found the identity card of a fellow student named Robin Brown,please tell him that it is kept in the lost/found box in the storeroom."
My heart skipped a beat as I heard his name in full glory. I knew that my heart and my body couldn't resist him but my brain can. I kept my calm and behaved as if nothing could influence and ate my food carefully. I looked down upon my plate as I could feel Veronica's gaze at me. I couldn't look up at her to see the pity in her eyes that she felt after seeing me suffering. As no one in the cafeteria responded to the president's announcement, he walked away from the cafeteria and moved from my side. Suddenly my eyes went to the identity card he was holding in his hand, I saw a glance of Robin's face with his name written below. But before I can concentrate more the president walked away. I felt my heart clenching in order to get more information. The identity was a great source to get information. But then again I was on a phase to resist Robin as much as I can. But then too somewhere in my in the corner of my heart, I couldn't strip off my guilt. I was so close to knowing more about Robin but so far away from him. Is there any way I could ever get over him?
~●Van's Point Of View●~
In the cafeteria, while I was eating I could notice Alleisa getting all pumped up with nervousness as the president entered the cafeteria and announced the name of the boy who lost his identity card. I almost thought she would get a panic attack out of it. I knew something was up with her since the day I came to this school, but what exactly? I cannot genuinely figure out. For the past couple days I was genuinely worried. I knew Alleisa is used to stressing over things she can't control very much and she would start to blame herself. But everything isn't her fault, she needs to stop blaming and suffocating herself with guilt. When her father got sick, she started panicking inside even though she did not let it out,I could see it through her. Out of worrying and panicking, I'm afraid that she will forget about her health. That is the reason I was concerned for her that there was no one to tell her these things. I asked Veronica about her health everyday. But I was not satisfied with her response, I wanted to see her with my own eyes . Now that I see her fine and smiling I'm relieved. I don't know why I was worried for her but the least I can explain is that I care for her. I want to see her happy. Seeing her worried and nervous urges me to help her but what can I do if she refuses my help. So I kept quiet and carried on eating. After lunch we were supposed to attend our classes and then meet at the computer lab to design a blue print and divide the work amongst ourselves. So we went to attend our classes as usual. Classes went by just fine. At the end of the day, I packed my things, and walked to the computer lab. I saw Veronica and Alleisa standing in front of the door, so I quickly went up to meet them. Then we entered the computer lab together. But as soon as we entered lab and Alleisa looked around she got puzzled and stood still for a while. But as soon as Veronica put her hand in Alleisa's shoulder, she came back to her senses. I looked around the lab to search for what made Alleisa worried, but found nothing other than a bunch of students sitting in front of the computer. But then I looked carefully where Alleisa looked, and saw a boy with spectacles, sitting calmly in his posture. He looked very familiar. Then the bell in my head ringed, I recognize him from the fight the other day when Alleisa encountered it and ran away crying. So this is the person who got Alleisa startled. What is so special about him? From what I've heard that day, those two boys were some kind of playboys dealing with a girl and then had a fight over the girl. I would really question my sanity if I come to know that Alleisa likes him. His features and looks are impressive but his character is absolutely horrendous. But maybe I'm just daydreaming things. As soon as I was concentrated in the work, Alleisa handed me over the blue print and told me what I had to do. I had to agree her creativity, planning and execution is really to be complimented. I was amazed by how she simplified the complicated topics. So I took my blue print, thanked her and bid her and Veronica goodbye and went on my way. As I was walking through the school compound to my car, I saw the boy from the computer lab who made Alleisa startled. He was walking with his friends, almost falling down of laughter as if he was drunk. He walked past me and I examined him through looking carefully. As soon as he walked in, somehow the hidden suspicion in me rose out. Maybe there is a possibility that Alleisa likes him or Alleisa likes this kind of boys. But as much as I know her, this cannot be preference. But then again who am to judge? It doesn't seem that they are acquainted with each other, maybe Alleisa has a crush on him, maybe he's flirting with her. Either way I don't want Alleisa to be sad. As long as she is happy I'm happy.
There is a slight possibility that I'm overthinking things but things don't seem so easy here. Anyways I was happy that Alleisa was back all safe and sound. I wish someday I will also find a girl who will cherish me, look at me with the same gaze of love as Alleisa. I will for sure love her with all my heart. I believe that where this love, there is pain. And as the moonlight of that night of wedding reminds me, love is painstaking but worth every while. The moonlight embraces us all in a bond called love.