Normally, a story about the final year in a boarding highschool meant there would be a memorable graduation ceremony at the end, but mine won't have anything like that. Instead, something else tragic is going to happen. Though, it would be memorable. That's for sure.
But before then, let me tell you about my days leading to the final day. Those were the sweet days.
It all started during the winter holiday when an unprecedented thing happened. Pamela Caldwell and her family moved into my neighborhood. In fact, if I was being precise, she became my new next door neighbour.
If I had been told something like that would happen, I wouldn't have believed it. That the most gorgeously looking girl I had ever met and had crush on, was going to be my neighbour. No. Not even in my wildest dream.
But miraculously, I happened.
I just woke up one Sunday morning and saw that the vacant house that had being up for sale, finally had someone moving in. And behold, it was her and her family.
The first thing my eyes caught was her auburn hair swaying to the left as she turned her head to look at something that was in our front yard.
The toast that I had between my lips fell back to the plate I was holding.
" What's wrong sweetie?, " my mum's brows creased slightly when she saw my reaction.
" Are those our new neighbors?, " I looked at her questioningly.
" Yes. Why?," my mum's lips curved with a musing smile," Isn't it clear enough. I mean, they are literally carrying their things into the house." She opened the oven and pulled out the apple pie she had baked.
" No, yeah. I know. I just..." I left the window and went to settle on a dining chair, " I know that girl. She is my classmate in school."
" Oh, really." my mum sounded both surprised and pleased. " That's perfect, " she peeled out the aluminum foil she used in covering the pie, " That means we can both go and welcome them together."
" Wait, What?, " for the second time, the toast left my mouth again, " Now way. I am not doing that. Do you know how, how....." the right words couldn't materialize on my tongue. To tell her that that girl was the crush of life, and just being next to her was like was standing close to the sun.
Since I couldn't say anything to protest my mum's ideas, I found myself standing in front of Pamela's new home. The door swung open and her face came into full view. Technically not her face, but she was the one who opened the door.
" Here, they said you can keep the change," she said, handing us a couple of bucks without looking up. Her eyes were fixed on her phone.
" Hello, we are your next door neighbor, " my mum said, making Pamela raise her head up. "We came to welcome you to our neighborhood."
" Oh, sorry. I thought it was the pizza we ordered." Pamela explained, " Please come in." She turned to the inside of her house and yelled, " Mum! Dad!. Our neighbors are here." when she faced us again, her eyes went to me. At first she squinted her eyes, and then relaxed, " I know you."
" Yeah we, we are classmates. " I replied with a stutter.
Pamela nodded her head, " Now we are also neighbors. "she paused, then asked me, " Is that your motorbike out there? "
After a very brief hesitation, I replied, " Yes. I got it as a birthday gift from my brother."
" Cool," she nodded again.
Her parents appeared seconds later. And after another round of introduction and my mum giving them her welcome speech and apple pie, we went back home.
But that was not all. Especially for me.
After being that up close with Pamela, which wasn't something I would have imagined. I was indeed surprised she was normal and casual. If I were being honest, I wasn't expecting her to recognise me at all.
Yes, we are classmates, and we have a few similar subject. I still wasn't expecting it. I had even braced up for her to snub me. Instead, she noticed me and knew my name.
And then, that smile she threw at me when I told her the bike belonged to me. I could have sworn it was a mischievous smile. But there was no way I could have been sure at that time. I barely knew her to even know what her different smiles meant. So what I did was just think of her.
And thinking about her was what I did all day long until she appeared right on top of me in the middle of the night while I laid on my bed.
Like a ghost.
If it weren't for her soft sweet-smelling palm that she had gently place over my mouth, I was certain I would have woken everyone in the whole neighborhood.
" Shh. Don't wake your parents up." she whispered, giving my bedroom's door a quick glance. When she was sure no one heard me, she pulled her palm away. For a second I wished she hadn't. " Come with me." she said softly. And before I knew it, she had disappeared through the window she used in sneaking in.
For a couple of seconds, I laid still. Gazing at the window like she was there. Weighing up my two options. Options that were very dissimilar and at the same time their level of importance were very similar.
I had to choose between either going back to sleep and having a good night's rest. Something my mum would be pleased about.
Or following her to God knows where, and knowing why she wanted me.
If you were in my shoes, what would you do. And when I mean ' in my shoes', I mean, you are a seventeen-and-a-half year old teenager who just got asked out by his crush. A teenager filled with curiosity. Including sexual ones.
What would you do?