"Gladiolus represents integrity and strength. Together, we'll stay united amidst space and time. As I write a new page of my life, I'll make sure to write it with you." -Sol, Gladiolus.
Candy closes the letter. Ellen? Did this letter just say Ellen? My best friend Ellen? The librarian Ellen? My Ellen?
Just as she asks that same question, Ellen barges in the room. "Candy? What are you doing with my stuff?"
"Your stuff?" A confused Candy asked.
Shifting from Candy's Point of View, the story goes into Third Person's Point of View.
Start. Candy doesn't seem to comprehend what is happening. She's confused, bewildered, petrified, stupefied and stunned in all the same places and in all the same time. Eleven and Ellen are the same?
"Ellen, I'm sorry for touching your stuff, I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine." Ellen forces out a smile. She looks at her side and grabs a chair. She sits beside Candy, while Candy is sitting on the floor, legs crossed and faces the daffodil motif box. Ellen puts her hand on Candy's elbows and looks at the all to familiar items.
"I'm really sor—"
"It's a cute box, isn't it?" Ellen interrupts Candy while she continues to stare at the wooden box. "The flower petals are really pretty aren't they?"
Candy faces Ellen. "Yeah, they really are."
"So," Ellen goes down from the chair and joins Candy in the floor. "How many envelopes have you opened?"
"Three." Candy replies while she smiles brightly into Ellen's eyes. Ellen's eyes sparkle a melancholic reflection. She's smiling but she isn't clearly fine. "Is it fine if I finish reading the last one?"
"Yes."
Candy opens the last envelope in the box. The last envelope was entitled Striped Carnations. It contained many small letters inside.
S T R I P E D C A R N A T I O N S
May 29, 1990. To Sol.
Hi Sol. It's me Eleven. It's been a while and I haven't heard from you and you haven't written for me. How are you? I am fine. I went out with my friends this summer. We went to the beach, to the waterfalls, went out hiking and we did karaoke until we dropped.
Is everything fine? Is your family doing okay? Did you go to church every week? Always pray whenever you have the chance, okay?
I am writing this letter to you to let you know that I am here. I love you.
Bonn has started talking to me again. Oddly, he lives in the surrounding area. I haven't seen him before though. He said he already gave up on pursuing me, but he's still waiting. He said he is still waiting for the day that I'll finally notice him. He's waiting quietly and patiently. I said that it doesn't matter. I have you, don't I?
I'm going to warn you though, he said he'll steal me from you if you'd ever hurt me. I chuckled at that thought.
How was your summer? Summer is almost ending and I hope you had a great time.
-Lovingly yours, Eleven
June 15, 1990. To Sol.
Sol, how are you? Are you okay? Please respond to my mails.
Sol, do you love me? Please don't forget me. I love you. I really do.
-Missing you, Eleven
June 27, 1990. To Sol.
Sol, I'm warning you. If you don't respond to my mail, I'll get angry at you.
By the way, Bonn is courting me again. Hurry back and reply so you can show your face and he'd give up.
I love you.
-Sulking and tired, Eleven
July 9, 1990. To Sol.
Sol? Do you remember the promise we made on our graduation day? You said you'll never leave me right? Why are you doing this to me? I stay up late thinking of you, I wake up in the morning missing you. These days I'm just crying myself to sleep. If you don't want me anymore, please tell me. Don't leave my mail in the dust.
I miss you— a lot.
-Still waiting, Eleven
September 9, 1990. To Sol.
Sol, I miss you. These days, Bonn keeps talking to me, and he keeps reminding me of you. One night, he invited me to dinner and we went to Briggs and Martins. Under the starry night, he sang to me the same song you sang that day.
He sang "Can't Help Falling In Love". Then, he said he wanted to pick out a gift for me. So we went to the mall the next day and he bought a moon bracelet for me. We then went out to the carnival. He even bought me to the rooftop of the Science Building, last week.
Then, he asked me out.
I said yes.
Even though it's like that, I still want you and I miss you. I'm just losing hope. Can you please talk to me? Please reply to my mails.
-Still hoping for your return, Eleven
December 25, 1990. To Sol.
Merry Christmas, Sol. It's almost a year since we first met. How is Christmas at your place? Is it nice? Are you abroad? Is there snow there? You said your parents always celebrated Christmas, right?
Bonn and I have been together for three months now. He's really sweet. He takes me to dates every weekend, he always waits for me after review school. Since we have the same course, we would always study together. He'd teach me some things I couldn't understand. He is really smart.
Sol, even if you don't love me anymore, can you please reply to my mails? Can we still be friends?
-Merry Christmas, from Eleven
January 1, 1991. To Sol.
Sol, it's been a year since we first met at that welcoming party. I remember that back then, you were very shy and couldn't even talk to me. I still chuckle at those moments.
Bonn said he still keeps communications with you. Is that true?
Please reply. I miss you.
-From Eleven
February 14, 1991. To Sol.
Do you still remember that valentine dance? You looked so handsome back then. I was super happy that you got jealous because of Bonn. Can you please mail back?
I miss you a lot.
-Missing you, Eleven
February 20, 1991. To Sol.
It's supposed to be our anniversary today. I just want to say happy anniversary, Sol. My friend, my comforter, and my lover.
Since we never broke up and technically I'm two timing, and I'm feeling very guilty about this. Can we break up?
-From Eleven
July 12, 1991. To Sol.
It's me, again Bonn. Can you reply to Eleven? She just wouldn't stop mailing you.
-From Bonn
July 30, 1991. To Sol.
I guess you knew that trick, didn't you? I tried duping you by mailing under Bonn's name. I guess you are that determined to forget us?
-From Eleven
May 14, 1991. To Sol.
Hi Sol, are you okay? I saw that you haven't claimed the letters and they were just sent back to me. All of them are. Please tell me you're okay.
-Worried for you, Eleven
November 9, 1996. To Sol.
Sol, Bonn proposed to me last week. We're getting married! How about you? Are you doing okay? It's been a while since I wrote you a letter, so I'm sending you framed Striped Carnations. Bonn and I framed it ourselves. Striped Carnations mean "the love that never was fated". I'm taking this as an initiative so that we can clear up things between us. Please reply.
-From Bonn-Eleven Nuptials
November 20, 1997. To Eleven.
Hi Sol! Bonn and I had our first baby. It's a girl! She was born yesterday. I decided to name her Luna. She's named after you, isn't that sweet?
How are you and your family? Are you married? Do you have kids?
Hurry up and reply!
-From Bonn and Eleven
END OF LETTER
The following text will be in the third person's point of view.
Candy looks confused. She's struggling to comprehend. She doesn't understand.
"Ellen, did Sol ever write back?"
"No, he didn't" Ellen replied as she stands up from her sitting position. "By the way Candy, it's almost closing time. I need to close up."
"Do you need any help?" Candy says as she slowly stands up from her position.
"That would be appreciated, yes."
"Sure. What would you like me to do?"
"Just clean and close the doors in Bonn's office, he's out of duty."
"Bonn works here?"
"Sure he does. He's in the head office. He's the morning shift librarian. I think he forgot to lock his office."
Candy picks herself up. Still dumbfounded and stupefied from all that roller coaster of emotions, she walks blindly into Bonn's office.
Bonn's office is very rustic. It's eerie, quiet and very cozy. On the right is a huge portrait containing Ellen and Bonn with Luna on the front. They are smiling widely. Apparently, Luna is a very famous resident at the university's hospital. She's very pretty, hardworking and kind. Candy never thought that Luna is Ellen's daughter. Ellen never told Candy her personal life.
Candy never met Bonn too; as Candy was often assigned on menial labor and never on accounting, office or any corporate-related jobs.
She starts cleaning the cabinets. She starts emptying the trash can. She scrubs the table. The table is big and old. It has small drawers and one big drawer. On the table was another picture— it was a picture of a young man posing on the stage with a girl that seems to be a young Ellen. Both are wearing very grand outfits. She's holding a bouquet of flowers. He's grinning widely while she's smiling meekly. Both are wearing crowns, with sashes exclaiming, "Mr. and Ms. Valentine 1990."
Candy looks at the picture thoroughly. She grabs the frame and looks at the image intently.
"The back of this frame is bulged slightly." Eleven exclaims as she holds the back of the bulging picture frame. She tries to fix it, only for the back of the frame to break.
"It must be really old." Eleven tries to fix it again, to which the back bursts, wherein an envelope drops and the picture pops out of the frame.
Candy looks at the back of the picture. "Sol and Eleven, February 12, 1990, Mr. and Ms. Valentine Winner." is written.
She then picks up the envelope and opens it; to which a letter was inside together with a dried heather lavender flower squashed between the envelope.
Candy then opens the letter. The letter has a heading, and it heads: "Bonn, this is my explanation for my absence. I'm sorry, please don't tell Eleven about this letter. Please take care of her well. This Heather Lavender is her last remembrance." End.
"Carnations are beautiful. They mean many different things, but usually they signify love. However, striped carnations on the other hand, signifies love that will never come true. It signifies rejection." - Eleven, Striped Carnations.
"Please send sympathy flowers for me. Striped Carnations are what I want. They are perfect for the event." -Sol, Striped Carnations.