The second I close my eyes, the memories
play, and I find myself back at the beginning
A few leaves roll in as he enters the book
store.He wears a denim jacket, with the
sleeves pushed up, a white sweater under
neath.It's the third time he's come in since
i started working here two weeks ago.
His name is Sam obayashi, the boy from
my english class.I've been starting out the
window throughout my shift, wondering
if he'd come in again. For some reason,
we haven't spoken to each other yet. He
just browses the store as i ring up
costumers and restock the shelves. I can't
tell if he's looking for something. Or if he
likes that feeling of being inside a book
store.Or if he came see me.
As I move a book from the shelf,
wondering if he knows my name, I catch
the glint of brown eyes through the gap,
looking back at me from the other side.
We're silent for a moment too long. Then
he smiles, and I think he's abaout to say
something---but I shove the book between
us before he has the chance. I grab the
crate beside me and hurry to the back
room."what's warong with me? Why
didn't I smile back?" After scolding myself
for ruining the moment, I gather some
courage to go back out and intorduce
myself. But when I return from the back
room, he's already gone.
On the front counter, I find something
that wasn't there before. A cherry blossom,
made of paper. I turn it over in my hands,
admiring the folds.
"Did sam leave here?"
if I hurry outside, I might still catch him.
But as soon as i rush out the door, the
street vanishes, and I find myself entering a
noisy cafe on the corner of third street,
nearly two weeks later.
Round tables pop up from a wooden
floor as teenagers crowd around them,
snapping pictures and drinking from
ceramic cups. I'm wearing a gray sweater
slightly oversized, and my brown hair is
pinned back and brushed smooth. I catch
Sam's voice before i see him, behind the
counter taking someone's order.The swoop
of dark hair. maybe it's the apron, but he
appears taller from behind the register.
I head for table on the other end of the cafe,
and set my things down. I take my time as
I spread out my notebooks, summoning up
courage to approach him, even if its only
to order my drink. But when i look up from
the table, he's there beside me, holding a
steaming cup.
"oh---" I'm startled by his sudden
presence. "This isn't mine."
"Yeah I know, you ordered this last time,"
sam says, setting it down anyway. "A honey
lavender latte, right?" I stare at the cup,
at the busy counter, and back at him.
"should I pay up there?" He laughs.
"No.i mean, it's on the house. dont worry
about it."
"oh."
A silence between us. Say something, julie!
"I can make you something else instead"
he offers. "No. this is fine—i mean ... thank
you."
"No problem," Sam says through a smile.
he slides his hands into his apron pocket.
"your name is julie right?" He points to his
name tag. " I'm sam."
"yeah, we're in the same english class "
"right. have you done the reading yet?"
"not yet."
"oh god," he sighs. "Me neither."
Some silence as he stand there. he smells
faintly of cinnamon. Neither of us knows
what to say. I look around. "Are you on a
break?"
Sam stares back at the counter, rubbing
his chin.
"Well, my manager isn't in today, so I guess
you could say that." He adds a smirk.
"I'm sure you deserve it."
"it would be my fifth one today, but who's
counting?" we both laugh.My shoulder relax
a little.
"is it okay if i sit here?"
"sure..." I slide my things out of the way,
letting him take the chair besides me.
"where did you move here from again?"
sam ask.
" Seattle."
"I hear it rains a lot there."
" It does, yeah."
I smile as we sit together, talking for the
first time, about school and the classes
we're taking and little things about
ourselves—he has a younger brother, likes
music documentaries, and plays the guitar.
from time to time, his eyes dart around the
room, as if he's nervous, too. but after a
few hours, we're both laughing like old
friends. outside the sun lowers itself,
turning his skin almost golden in the
window light. it's hard not to notice. it isn't
until a group of sam's friends come through
the door, calling his name, that we both
look up and realized how much time has
passed.
A girl with long blond hair puts an arm
around Sam's shoulders, embaracing him
from behind. She glances at me. "Who's
this?"
"this is julie. she just moved here"
"oh—where from?"
"seattle," I answer.
she stares at me.
"This is my friend taylor," Sam says,
patting her arm that's still around him.
"we're all about to see a movie. I get off
work in an hour. you should come."
"it's a psychological thriller," Taylor adds.
"You're probably not into that."
We look each other. I can't tell if she's
being rude.My phone vibrates on the
table and I glance at the time. it feels like
I've woken from a daydream. "that's okay.
I should probably head home."
As I get up from the table, Taylor slodes
into my seat, making me wonder if they're
together. I wave good bye, but before I go,
I head to the front counter. when I think
sam isn't looking, I pull a paper flower from
my bag and place it beside the register.
I spent a week watching tutorials on how
to fold a cherry blossom like the one I found at the bookstore. but the steps were
too hard to follow for my untrained hands.
a lily was easier.
I zip my bag and hurry out the cofe door,
and suddenly I'm on the front porch of
my house, staring out at the lawn. the early
morning dew still hangs on the grass.
Sam's car pulls up with the window down.
He texted me the night before.
Hey. This is Sam. I just got my license!
Do you want a ride to school tommorow?
I can pick you up on the way if you want
I climb onto the passenger seat and shut
the car door. A pleasant scent of citrus and
leather hits me. 'is that cologne? Sam move
his denim jacket as i buckle myself in. A
USB cable connects the stereo to his phone
placed inside the cup holder. There's a
song playing in the background, but i don't
recognize it.
"you can change the music if you want,"
Sam says. "Here—plug your phone in."
A shock of panic hits me and I sqeeze my
phone tight. I don't want him knowing
what i listen to yet. 'what if he doesn't like it? "No this is fine."
"oh you like radiohead too?"
"who doesn't?" I say. it's quite drive through neighborhood streets. we
exchange glances frome time to time, as
I think of things to say. I look at the
backseat. A suit jacket hangs from the grip
handle. "is this your car?"
"No, it's my dad's," Sam says, lowering the
volume. "He doesn't work Thursdays, so
this is the only morning i get to drive it. l'm
saving up to buy my own, though. that's
why I'm working at the cafe."
" I'm trying to save up, too."
"for what?"
I think about it. "college, I guess. maybe
an apartment, after I move or something."
"where are you moving? you just got
here."
I'm not sure what to say.
Sam nods. "so it's a secret..."
I smile at this. Sam says. he looks at me.
"how about next Thursday?"
I hold back a laugh as we turn into the
school parking lot. even though the drive
doesn't last long, Thursday are becoming
my new favorite day of the week.
The memory changes again. lights
dance across a gymnasium floor and
music blares as i step through an archway
made of silver and gold ballons. it is the
night of the school dance and i don't know
anyone here. I'm wearing the new dress my
mom helped pick out, dark blue satin that
flows out at the waist. with mo long hair
pinned up, i hardly recognize myself when
i looked in the mirror. i wanted to stay
home, but my parents forced me to go out
and make friends. i didn't want to
disappoint them. i spent the last hour
standing againts the cold cement wall,
watching the floor fill with people dancing
and laughing. i check my phone from time
to time, pretending im waiting for someone,
but it's just an empty lock screen. maybe
this was a mistake.
something keeps me from leaving. sam
mentioned he might be here tonight. i
texted him a few hours ago but he hasn't
responded—maybe he hasn't checked his
phone yet? when the music slows down
and the crowd disperses, i leave my spot at
the wall and make my way through the
dance floor, searching for him. it takes me
a while, but the moment i see him, my heart
drops. there he is, with his arm wrapped
around taylor, slow dancing. there's a
sinking feeling in my stomach.
'why did i came here? i should have stayed
home. i shouldn't have texted him. i turn
away before anyone sees me, and rush
towards the gym doors.
the night unfolds around me as the loud
music muffles, letting me breathe easier.
the parking lot, lit up by a few streetlamps,
seems so still compared to the dance floor.
it's misty out tonight. i should head home
before it turns into rain. i thik about texting
my mom to pick me up, but it's too early.
i don't want her asking me what's wrong.
maybe I'll walk home and sneak into my
room. my heels are starting to hurt, but i
ignore the pain. as i make my way down
the parking lot, the gym door swings open
behind me, followed by a voice i recognize
immediately.
"julie—"
A/N- sa kabilang chapter ko na ipag patuloy yung prologue kasi parang mahaba haba narin ehh enjoy reading