Matthew,'s POV:
The lights flashed. The surroundings became more visible. Sounds were heard as the curtains on the stage opened.
The MC spoke, "Good evening to all. The show will start in one minute." The curtains closed again and some people sighed.
Fifty-five seconds has passed and the people counted, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1—"
Ringing was heard—then there was a two-second silence. The people were startled.
A girl just screamed. I looked at everybody and my best friend Luke was shocked as well.
"What was that?" I asked myself. Little did we know, that was the start of the show. Tall, broad shoulders and milkish-skinned. The actor who played Blake came running, visible to the audience as his messy black hair swayed.
Looking back, his brown round hooded eyes stood out to the crowd.
The high pitched scream was heard again, "HEY YOU! THIEF!" She was running and was chasing Blake. Back and forth, back and forth—the people laughed. They were like Tom and Jerry.
The girl chased him, her long black hair and school skirt flowed as she ran, not until Blake hid beside a tree prop.
Panting as she stopped, the actress who played Silva wiped off the sweat on her forehead. Closing her small but wide eyes with a sigh. I noticed that she's quite a morena. Different from the character in the book but still, she's beautiful.
Milkish skin, morena or both, all are beautiful because we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
Another boy ran, coming towards Silva and his side-gelled hair was seen. Close-buttoned jacket and a very clean look. The actor who played Tim held Silva's arm.
Looking at her with a reminder, his narrow eyes stared. But Silva remained looking for Blake that was beside the tree. Tim spoke and pulled her arm lightly, "Silva, let's go—"
"Tim, that thief just stole something from me!" Silva replied.
His eyebrows furrowed, "What did he steal from you?"
"My heart." The people screamed. The crowd went wild like this some foot ball field.
Tim noticeably ungripped her hand as he looked at the floor and sighed. There was pain in his eyes while he turned his back at Silva, walking away slowly.
"Well that hurt." I commented and Tim stopped walking. He paused and looked back to Silva, the curtains closed and the people sighed. Some even screamed in frustration for having the curtains closed again.
Then the curtains shortly opened and the tree was gone. "Three months earlier." My eyebrows went up after hearing that voice.
Silva appeared on-stage, kneeling down and looking up. "Lord, if there's a man that you have destined for me, I pray we would meet. Give me a clear sign if it's already Him, Abba Father. I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen." She stood up and went to bed.
The sun and moon prop revolved around the back wallpaper. "Days. Nights. Months. They passed." I bit my lip. Who was that? My mind asked like it has its own control, but I told myself to be still and not be curious about that voice.
If curiosity can kill a cat, then it can harm a human even one bit. So I want to be the least person to be curious.
"Silva wondered, imagining what the guy that God will give looks like." I heard that voice again.
"Hooded eyes. Long eye-lashes. High-bridged nose," Silva smiled cheekily as she described him,
"And pink kissable lips." She screamed and stomped her feet. Tim came crashing into the room and the both of them screamed. They were frozen.
"Tim, what are you doing where?!" She exclaimed.
He looked around the room and brought a pan, "My Rapunzel, is there a burglar that dares to come into your room?"
There was just silence between the two of them while having an awkward eye-contact.
"Of Course not!" Silva picked her pillow and aimed at him, "don't you ever come here without knocking, you-" Tim quickly ran and shut the door.
She sighed and hugged the pillow, letting herself fall onto the bed.
"How will Mr. Fated and I meet anyway?" The curtains closed and opened again, showing her standing in a street.
Silva looked up and rain-drops began to fall, showering her as she walked alone. "Watch out!" A man screamed.
Silva suddenly tripped backwards and the man who screamed quickly came running towards her. He threw his umbrella in the air and caught Silva dramatically. Facing his back at the audience and not showing his face.
"It's a beautiful life~" 'Beautiful' by Crush played. "Forever I'll stay by your side~" Silva looked at him and stared intently.
"Beautiful life~" A smile creeped on Silva's lips, "Always standing right behind yo-"
"I'll die in my own heartbeat in no time if we meet like that. Gosh." She squealed and pushed the man backwards, stopping the rain and rolling the bed back again near to her.
"She's back in reality." that voice spoke again.
Where does her voice come from? My eyes looked around. I can't hold back curiosity any longer. My eyes scanned the room, but it was pitch black. I didn't find anyone else except the actors and the audience.
"How about," Silva spoke again. "Me and my Mr. Future meeting in Japan?" The curtains closed again and the setting changed when it opened.
"Cherry blossom trees on the sidewalk in a romantic afternoon. Perfect!" Silva exclaimed while looking around, holding books.
There was a man looking somewhere while walking, not noticing her in front. They bumped into each other and Silva's books fell.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry." The man said and kneeled to help her pick up the books. "It's okay. Next time, you should look in front especially when walking on the street-"
"You are my everything~" She froze. 'You Are My Everything' by Gummy began to play.
"I hope that someday you will realize," Staring in his eyes, her mouth slightly opened.
"That I can see forever in your eyes~" The man moved the escaped hair strands behind her ear.
"And I'm wishing, my dream will come true~" He smiled,
"You are my everythin-"
"Silva!" Tim interrupted and the man was carried by people from the backstage. The bed was rolled back near her as she returned to reality again.
Silva clenched her fists and looked at him with flaming eyes. "Don't you have hands? Knocking is an option, Tim. That's why people invented a door!"
She shouted and a smile formed on his lips, looking on the floor.
Silva asked with her chin up high, "What do you want huh?"
"I want you." Her eyebrows raised and his eyes widened. "To h-have dinner. I want you to have dinner. The plates are ready downstairs." He coughed and left the room. The people screamed and the curtains closed.
"Patience is a virtue, but can someone still wait for something that seems impossible, even when she knows that the Lord is able?" I looked around the stage again. That voice.
It's so pretty. "But little did she know, her curiosity turned into becoming desperate." that voice said it already. I shouldn't be curious.
But confused, my feet stomped like it has its own control. Who was that? Who is she? My mind kept ringing those questions as that voice rang in my head again. I looked to my left and tapped Luke. "Do you hear what I hear?" I questioned.
"I'm not deaf, man. Of course I hear what you hear." He sarcastically answered and I rolled my eyes. "That voice, it's beautiful isn't it?" His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by 'that' voice?"
"I thought you're not deaf, Bro." I replied, giving him a resting-cringing face.
"Well of course I'm not." He rolled his eyes, "I mean, there's so many voices around in this play. Who's voice was it, Dude?"
I replied, "That one voice that speaks but we cannot see her." I told him but his eyebrows just furrowed even more.
His eyes widen and his mouth dropped like its going to reach the ground. "Gosh, Matthew. Maybe there's a female ghost that's hunting you." He looked around and covered his mouth.
I sighed, "Just listen to that voice okay?"
He became silent as the voice continued, "Silva couldn't see the signs that the Lord gave her, so she wondered if it is still okay for her to ask the Lord for a man."
"That voice, Dude!" I exclaimed, but he gave me an unamused look.
"Do you mean the narrator's voice?" One of his eyebrow went up.
"
Yeah! Exactly!" My eyes brighten after figuring out whose voice it was—
"Of Course her voice is pretty, Bro. She's the NARRATOR." He rolled his eyes at me and I tsked.
"Hesitated, but she prayed. Asking if the Lord's answer for her prayer is a yes, a no or a wait." The narrator continued and I furrowed my eyebrows.
Maybe because her voice is soothing? Because it's clear and calm? Why does it feel weird when that narrator speaks?
A word that she said ranged on my head, and on my heart as well, 'wait.'
Matthew, she's a narrator. That's why her voice is clear and pretty. Nothing more, but could only be less.
I began to lecture myself. Sighing. Realizing that's also the reason why I can't see her anywhere—'cause she's backstage.
Crossing my arms and sitting properly, I rested my head on the seat, giving my attention to the play again.
But does a narrator's voice usually sound familiar as well? My eyebrows went up, something brilliant rang on my mind.
I turned to Luke again, "Well, does a narrator's voice usually sound familiar?"
He turned his head to me and eyebrows were furrowed, "that voice is familiar to you?"
"Yeah. Very. What can you say about that?" I asked, challenging him if he could defend that the voice is just nothing. Luke massaged his chin.
"Well, I actually don't know. Maybe her voice is familiar to you because she's a well known narrator. She has a very clear voice and has a very expressive deliverance to the words as well. So it's not surprising if she's one of the known narrators around the world."
My fists lightly clenched as I bit my lip.
I'm frustrated.
Wait, why am I getting this feeling anyway?
I remained silent with my thoughts echoing and just watched more. I kept quiet and just enjoyed the play.
Actually, I don't know if I could enjoy this—
Why can't I enjoy this anyway? My mind asked me more. Leaving me scratching my head out of confusion.
No words, no turning to Luke. Was that narrator's voice usual and nothing? I really do have a feeling that there's something about that voice. And it's weird.
Silva came running to Tim, "Look for someone who has hooded eyes with long eye-lashes! Someone who has a high bridged nose, pinkish lips and milkish skin!"
He furrowed his eyebrows, "Do you mean look for someone who looks like Cha-Eunwoo, and Leonardo DiCarpio at the same time?"
Tim asked and she smiled cheekily, "You got it right, my best friend Tim!" Silva gave him an energetic thumbs up and he cringed.
"What's up with the 'best friend' word. Tsk." Tim turned his back at Silva, "This is so early to be friendzoned."
He sighed and looked back at Silva again, "Why do you want me to look for someone so handsome this early? It's only 4:00 in the morning, gosh."
Tim whispered, "And I'm handsome too. Why are you looking for someone else? Are you blind?" The people laughed and screamed.
"Huh?" Silva asked sleepily but Tim just shook his head, "It's nothing, Silva." In the story, they were neighbors. That's why they can easily come to each other even in the early morning.
"Hooded eyes, milkish skin, and pinkish lips. Silva decided to look for her Mr. imagination, not realizing that she's not letting God to choose for her anymore."
The sound of that voice came running in my ears again. Repeating. Ringing. My body slid downward my seat as I rubbed my arm, comforting myself.
Matthew, why are you like this? My mind asked me.
"Silva went with Tim to every shop in their town. Looking almost everywhere, she kept her expectations high.
Expecting that she will find someone that looks like the man in her imagination. The man of her dreams."
That narrator spoke again. I tried to stay still. Matthew, calm down. Why am I so tense like this is a challenge?
"Silva," Tim spoke while they kept walking. "The right man will come at the Lord's time. What are you chasing?"
She paused and looked at him, "I'm just curious. And I also want to see the man in my dreams." She smiled.
"Why do you want to see the man of your dreams when God can give you the man of your reality?" Tim whispered and crossed his arms. They continued walking as they got in the backstage.
Familiar scenes. Familiar dialogues. Same excitement as it is when reading the book. I felt a smile crept on my lips as my favorite scene began to happen.
My heart almost stopped when Silva sobbed in the corner and Tim showed up. He kneeled down to reach her. His hands rubbed her back and she looked up to see him.
Tim spoke, "Silva—"
"Tim." She interrupted and forced a smile and looked down. He bit his lip, trying not to feel pain as possible.
"Ofcourse, I know. I know you love him." She looked at him again.
"Huh?" Silva asked and Tim sat properly.
"Well, I'm your best friend right?" He forced a smile. "I know that you love Blake, Silva. Go and tell everything that you want to tell me." Tim continued as he forcefully held back tears that are going to fall any sooner. This is painful to watch.
"Tim," Silva spoke and wiped her tears. "thank you." He raised his eyebrows after what she said, "what?" Tim questioned.
Silva laughed quietly, "I said thank you." she smiled. It wasn't a sad smile after all her crying a while ago. It was a happy one. A genuine one that led Tim to be starstrucked at her.
"W-what are you thanking me for?" He asked.
"For staying. For not leaving. For being patient. And lastly, I want to thank you for not lying to me about something, but you haven't told the truth yet." Silva answered.
Tim's eyebrows furrowed, "What? What truth haven't I told yet—" His eyes widen to his realization. "Silva, I-I don't have something that I c-could tell you. I'm sorry." He quickly stood up but she stopped him, grabbing his arm and not letting go.
"The Lord told me that I needed to know something that's from you. Stop hiding, Tim." She looked at him and the brightness of the stars above reflected through her eyes. "Now, tell me the truth."
Tim took a deep breath and sighed,
"No."
"Why?" She asked.
"I don't want to lose you."
"Lose me or not, at least I know the truth." Tim froze after what he heard from her. He bit his lip and looked away.
"Tim—"
"D-do you want to eat Bulgogi? My treat!" He goes off-topic with his eyes shining while looking at her.
"Stop going off the topic, Tim." She said and tears began to betray him, leaving his sight blurry.
"Okay. I won't." He forced a smile and looked down. The both of them sat back from where they were earlier.
"Promise me that this wouldn't affect our friendship badly." He reached out his pinky finger and Silva reached hers too.
"Promise." Silva told him. From that, they made an agreement.
"So," Tim started. "The lie began on that day when I told you I was gay." Silva nodded and listened intently. "I wasn't gay. I was straight." Her eyebrows raised.
"I lied to you 3 years ago because," He paused, looking at the ground.
"Because?" She asked, looking at him as he looked at her again. "I w-wanted to be closer to you."
She nodded again, "Well, we can be close on that day even when you're not gay, Tim." Silva told him calmly and he looked at her with a sigh.
"You were, so private 3 years ago. A girl that was allergic to communication, especially with boys. You avoided all the boys in the campus and barely don't have friends."
Tim continued, "So I thought you were hard to approach since you keep fleeing when people talk to you." He bit his lip.
"I honestly thought you were arrogant."
Her mouth opened because of what she heard. "Ebarg(Grabe)."
Tim smiled at Silva's shockedness and patted her head. He stared at the stars again, and it reflected through the tears that is now betraying him,
"But, that arrogant girl that I actually want to be close with, is the same girl that I told you three years ago." Tim's tears fell, like how he fell for her.
"Wut?" Silva asked, her eyebrows furrowing like a grandma reading the instructions on how to cook a stew.
"I liked you three years ago." He said, still looking everywhere except Silva.
The two were speechless. Tim waited for her word but there was none.
"Would you be angry if I told you that I still liked you up until now?"
He looked at Silva to see her reaction.
She smiled. And it made his heart race.
"W-why are you smiling?" Tim stuttered.
"I'm just..." Silva bit her lip, "happy."
"About what?" She looked at him after what he asked. "I'm happy that you told the truth and you're here with me."
"Is there something else that you'd like to tell me?"
Tim spoke again, "I was jealous the whole time you were with Blake. But as your best friend, of course I wanted to support you. So I kept quiet."
Silva placed a finger on his cheek and Tim flinched, "Why are you—"
"There's a tear." Silva answered and Tim moved her finger away from him.
"Don't worry, Silva. My eyes were just sweaty." The people laughed.
"So, what happened between you and Blake?" Silva remained silent at his statement. "If you don't want to talk about it then, it's fine—"
"He doesn't like me back Tim." He stiffened after that and remained looking at her. Silva continued, "H-he said it was all a prank. A stupid dare." she forced a smile.
Tim laughed bitterly, "I should've continued to stop you from loving him in the first place."
"No, you don't have to be sorry. It's my fault anyway for being so desperate—"
"I'm sorry." That left her quiet, and that voice spoke again, "Silva reminisced what God showed her in a dream." The curtains closed again and when it opened shortly, Tim was gone beside her.
Silva was peacefully asleep—not until her alarm clock rang and she smashed it with a hammer. "Condolence to you my 1234th alarm clock." She sat up and stretched.
Laughs were heard. The bed was rolled over the side and the school wallpaper appeared on stage when it came down.
Tim came running to Silva and her heart raced. "Well this is new. Why was my heart beating that fast when he came?"
"Silva watch out!" Tim screamed he hugged Silva, taking her aside. Little did she know, Blake was holding a dagger and aimed at her heart, that's why Tim told her to watch out.
"That beating. It was rapid. Loud. Like drums that are wanting to escape from her heart." That voice said and continued, "She looked at Tim's eyes and it was filled with something that is great—but she couldn't find out what it was. She looked over Blake, only finding nothing in his eyes that was more lovingly than the look on Tim's after her."
From that, the curtains closed again. When it opened, Silva was back in bed and shockingly woke up, and her hair was all standing up. Relate.
That voice stated, "Silva prayed and the meaning of that dream appeared on her mind. "One boy is the man of her dreams, and the other is her reality. Imagination is just an illusion, that's why something real is much greater than something that isn't."
Ms. Familiar Narrator continued, "From that, she knew who's who." The curtains closed.
When it opened, they were back at the last scene—when they were talking about the truth. The midnight background was seen again as they sat in the corner.
"Would you be angry at me if I told you that I liked you until this day?" Tim asked again.
"Why would I be?" His lips formed a smile and he quickly hugged her.
"I'm sorry. I should've told you the truth a long time ago, Silva." He told her and she patted his back, knowing he was already sobbing.
"It's okay. Things like this take time." She said and he released her, now looking at her eyes. Tim wiped his tears and sniffed,
"I'm such a cry baby. Sorry." They laughed quietly at what Tim said.
"We're still best friends right?"
She replied with a wider smile, "Of Course. Why wouldn't we be anymore?"
"Well maybe we could be more than best friends?" Silva's eyebrows rose when he said that.
"A warm feeling creeped on Silva's cheeks." That voice narrated, leaving me smiling.
I felt my curiosity up to its final level.
"Ms. Narrator, I'll find you after this show."
To be continued.