Theory Of The Constant Melody

CHAPTER 16

I ALWAYS SAY THAT I MUST LIVE with the moment, and the past was gone. And I have the other days as a stepping stone into future that brings another page of my life that will eventually form a chapter.

Moreover, Acherous is being the light of my life. Love is really universal; it’s the powerful emotion that I can give Acherous to keep him going in life. Despite the challenges, we learn to fight against the turmoil and misunderstanding.

Additionally, the sun is just peeking over the hills. It will never conceal itself eternally. There’s always a day to come for change, resume to make a better life.

However, it’s sobering thought to realize that we can’t begin to shape up with the standard of others. Whereas after all, they may not be the potential friends that we could regard.

Notwithstanding, we might have caught up in unexpected occurrences, it gives, otherwise, you moral in some way.

A month and a half rolled by. Everything had gone well. Slugging it out with Acherous never happened again. But there was once a day that I was really pissed off with him for not coming home in an expected time. I had needed to call him just to know where he’s been so I could fetch him.

Truthfully, I have a soft spot for Acherous—finding him as an ideal boyfriend is not that wicked idea. Gradually, I felt dumps of pain whenever he’s telling me I’m just his best friend. I am not vulnerable; I am not easily hurt but hearing those words makes me realize reality.

Additionally, taking risks is never my option. It’s not just I’m afraid of selecting to involve exposure to jeopardy.

Playing on jazz music to serve as a relish while baking cupcakes, I couldn’t resist to zero in on the oven which Acherous has presented me a gift last December on my birthday.

“You are in your element at the first day of February. Nice welcome,” Acherous commented who just headed out of the bathroom as soon as he finished taking his bath when I took a glimpse of him. 

“Bro, full of the joys of spring,” I uttered while lining a muffin tin with the cupcake liners.

“This will be the second time that I can taste your own-baked cupcake,” he spoke gladly.

I heard the clomp of his baba slipper then puckered my forehead. “When was the first time, then?” I asked and briefly got at the bowl of batter. I looked at him only to discover that he’s drying up his hair with a towel.

“That was when…” he paused and looked up to the ceiling while stroking an imaginary beard. “… what the f**k! No need to ask, bro. And then, have you already forgotten?”

“I have a senior moment,” I replied and gave him a half-suppressed laugh.

“Aha!” he shouted with the corners of his mouth quirking up. “It was when you asked me if I had already memorized the chords and strumming of—”

“Bro, you jogged my memory,” I cut him off and settled my eyes on the batter then stirred it once more. Afterwards, I added it to fill the cupcake liners half up.

“Not being smug but I can retain a sharp memory,” he boasted and laughed sarcastically. “Anyway, have you used that just by now, bro?” he continued.

“Ha?” I said perplexedly when I couldn’t get his point.

“The oven,” he simply answered.

“Uh… yeah. Actually, I just opened a while ago…” I replied and beamed a little. “Ache, thanks for this gift. If only I opened it then, I would probably use it for a month.”

Earlier in the morning when Acherous set out for church, I suddenly remembered his birthday gift to me last December which I hadn’t unwrapped yet. For that instance, I had just kept it underneath my bed. Seeing this now makes me flutter.

“You’re welcome, Cyan.”

In my peripheral vision, I caught a sight of Acherous dashing along meters closer to me. Shortly after getting near and standing next to me, he slung his arm around my shoulder with a light tap.

Subsequently, he threw a vertical punch against his chest. “Be engraved on my heart, bro.”

I met his eyes which I could often look this closer. These seemed to be alluring me and digging up what I’m presently thinking.

“Crazy.” I shook my head with a smirk.

THE RESONANCE OF WIND, heaping snow to surround the road and bench outside. The trees and posts loomed out of the darkness with the white frost.

Standing next to each other while looking outside through the window, Acherous broke the deafening silence that has suddenly engulfed us after a few minutes of halting by clearing his throat.

“This weather seldom occurs under the night. The snowflakes are dancing in synchronization and rhythmical wind that drifts them; others are glittering like stars,” he said delightfully, describing how the pristine layer of crystalline sleet falling and eventually hugging the sidewalk and road.

Without even staring at each other, I know that he’s becoming aware of wiping smile off my face.

“Feeling metallic, bro?” he assumed.

“Nothing.”

“Spit it out,” he persuaded.

I initially took a deep breath and inserted my hands in both pockets of my pajama. “Bro, I’m just wondering what will happen after we graduate,” I replied and ran a hand through my hair.

Afterwards, the range of my vision perceived the careen of his head rightwards.

“Work…” he responded imperatively. “We’ll find a job that suits our course.”

“Bro, basically. What I mean is…” I halted and reminisced the moment I set foot on this apartment. “It took me ages to suss out whether to stay here for living and bring my family here or… to come home either,” I pointed out and looked at him.

“Where’s your home?” he questioned.

“My family. A house without a family is not home. And a family without a house is considered to be home.”

“Planning to return to Texas?” he asked with anticipation.

“Perhaps. Well, I’m still having second thoughts.”

He nodded and looked down after a couple of seconds. “Our friendship? Will we still continue?” he asked gruffly.

I slung my arm around his shoulder and ruffled his hair with a snigger. Subsequently, our eyes met again in between, but this time, he’s wearing a serious face which I rarely see.

“Bro, I’ll never leave you unless you ask me to do so.”

“On no account, bro. Instead, I will ask for you to stay. You’ve taught and realized me anything I needed in life,” he replied sincerely. “We palled around, and you put me up to doing good things…” he stumbled over words and chuckled. “… but I couldn’t help sometimes to get back; where you talked me out of it straight away.”

I tapped his shoulder and pulled him closer to me. Not having the foggiest notion but I really love Acherous. Additionally, heaven only knows how I pray for him to be safe. To come what it may this friendship would bring us, I didn’t come to think to confess my feeling toward him.

“It sounded nancy but you’re a type of man who ever engages with such deeds that can influence others. And I am praying every second of my life that we will keep this friendship longer… and forever.”

Friendship, the constant melody.

WALKING DOWN THE STREET, I just copped off early because there was nothing to do in the shop. Besides, we’re done to prepare the twenty boxes of cupcakes for a debut party.

The ominous brittle wind kisses my skin and lingers the cold through my jacket to keep my body warmth. The humid licked the woods as the cold breeze drifted approaching the full-blown bone shivering wind.

Putting hands inside the side pockets of my jacket, I turned right and quickened my pace. This intensifying winter brings placidity and the anticipation for tomorrow as it rejuvenates my soul and enlivens my spirit.

Walking to a halt, I narrowed my eyes as to keep as hard it is to determine who are coming—roughly five men, swaggering across the alley.

Upon reaching me, their eyes fixed on mine—deadly glares that must be something to need of guards.

I gave them a once-over only to discover that they are so much familiar which one of them already had crossed my path with. Forest.

Wearing denim jackets, they looked like crooks that are habitually making troubles whoever they want to mess with.

“Dude, how’s your life in winter? Is it cold? Sit back, we’ll just make your own blood scatter on the frost.” Thereon, Forest blew me a heavy jab on the right cheek as it missed to fall me when one of his comrade caught at me in the both arms.

“I’ll take my revenge on you now, Cyan Miller. It’s been a quarter year when you landed me in trouble!” Forest fumed and a corner of his mouth lifted.

“Landed you in trouble?” I asked confusedly with my forehead creased.

Carrying a load of pistol into its holster that was tucked at the left side of his belt, he drew out and c****d it. He pointed the gun at me, and I abruptly felt unease for what he’s going to do.

“You got sucked into my path when you began to receive gifts from Iris. Just yesterday, we broke up because of this f*****g reason she has—she doesn’t love me anymore,” he ranted and stepped forward then gave me a quick blow in the face that seemed my head would fly off.

I spat out blood and struggled to my hand. I felt the rushing of blood from my nose when he flew a punch in my face more than once. Gripping my arms tightly, one of Forest’s comrade locked my wrists with his hands parallel my hips.

“Forest… look, I didn’t fob Iris off. The first and last time I got her gift was when she—”

He immediately knocked me down using the grip of his pistol and skidded my face into the frost with the outer sole of his boot in my nape.

“f*****g stupid. Do you think I would believe in you?” he snapped and pressed my nape firmly as it caused me to compact into the frost.

“Please,” I winced when I held his ankle, by chance, he would remove his foot.

“Shandria told me that you and Iris were dating, and you even chatted her up to come across with you. What the f**k, men! Iris is mine. Exclusively mine!” he divulged the truth behind this mess.

I gritted my teeth as I gasped when I am lacking of enough air. “D—do you k—know Shandria?” I stammered between my breath coming in scanty pants.

“Of course. She’s my cousin whom your buggered friend cheated on. You two are humbugs!” he exclaimed. “Get up!” he added and drew back.

Slowly, I wiped the corner of my mouth with my thumb and bolstered up myself that it will last sooner. However, the pain is wearing me down as it kicks me up on the back. Sloughing off despite the wound that rankled me on the face, I could still manage to kneel with my palms in thighs.

But before I could get up, Forest hit me under the jaw causing me to stumble back.

“Dude, let’s go. The cop will walk around and keep watching over the area,” I heard one of his comrades spoke hurriedly.

Looking straightly up in the fuzzy clouds, I heaved a deep sigh and gnashed my teeth to prevent the pain that hurts all over my body, especially my jaw that is obviously injured the most.

I had a gander at them only to see that the three are observing around.

“You…” Forest pointed at me and came closer to me with his conceited gait. Afterwards, he glared downward and smirked; his jaw clenched after. He squatted and grabbed my collar. “Unmanly,” he sneered then whipped out his hands with force.

They stick around for another few seconds long enough to prowl reverse the quarter circled me.

Meanwhile, I groped for my phone unsteadily inside my back pocket and let a tear stream down my side cheek. When I failed to try to get hold of my phone, I just stayed on here and within seconds, my vision went black.