LOVE ACROSS TIME

CHAPTER 1: LOVE STORE

KIRSTEN POV'S

YEAR OF 2003

It is important to give every child the right they deserve.

Right to education, health, protection against abuse, and right to free speech.

Every right of a child is primarily promoted to maintain their overall development and protection. Although many of these rights were mys, there was one aspect that seemed not to be given to me: the right to be with my parents until I grew up.

A child's attachment to his parents is not only a fundamental right, but also the foundation of his physical, emotional health, and overall development. Giving value to the parent-child relationship is important in shaping his character and development.

Despite the dreams and hopes of being with my parents at every stage of my life, it didn't seem like it was meant to be for me. Many factors can affect the integration of a child with his parents, such as family issues, migration, or different aspects of life.

But despite this challenge, I can still succeed and achieve in other aspects of my life. Hard work, determination, and an understanding of the opportunities that open up can be the key to rising from any trial that comes your way.

Not having the right to be with my parents can be a challenge, but it also opens doors of opportunity and personal success. It is important to understand the context of each situation and appreciate the things that can be a guide in promoting one's own path to success and success.

Our parents died early so only Lola Marie took care of us.

At the age of 10 yrs old, I couldn't help but be jealous of children happily playing with their parents while doing what they like. That type, even if you spend the whole day messing around, it's okay because you're happy with what you're doing and you have a lot of time for each other.

I miss this scenario of life, but I would rather remember all of this than to dwell on my past.

"Neng, buy me oil at the store first." Grandma ordered me before handing over the ₱50.00.

"One bottle or just half?" I asked her.

"One bottle, grandmother. It might not be enough." She answered.

I took the money and put on my hat before leaving for the store.

The store is far from our house and the weather is very hot today, so I wore protection. The black hat I was wearing matched my t-shirt and shorts with a toothless dragon design suit. My favorite is toothless who came from the movie how to train your dragon.

I walked until I reached the road. After arriving there, I was almost hit by a man riding a bike. It's a good thing that I was able to avoid it quickly but the man I met was just stunned by the wind and didn't seem to notice.

I think he's in his 20's because of his young build.

Didn't he see me?

I almost got injured and then it's like I'm not with him?

I just walked and tried to forget what happened.

He left too!

After arriving at the store, I found the man on the bike was also there. He first parked his bike next to the plants before going to the store to buy.

"Hello! I'll buy! I'll buy!" He politely called the seller at the sari-sari store.

A young woman entered the store with a beautiful smile.

She is Ate Sophia, the daughter of the saleswoman here at the small sari-sari store. Often when I buy from her, she is grumpy or annoyed with me, but with this man who is buying now, she has a very wide smile.

Is she just rude to me or is it just a coincidence?

Sister girl is probably just in a good mood right now, hehe.

I just went to the man's side so Ate Sophia would notice that there was another young cute girl to buy besides the man she was seeing.

"What are you going to buy, brother?" Sister Sophia's question.

"Do you have a cigarette?" The man asked.

"Yes. What kind of cigarette, the white one or the red one?" Ate Sophia asked, unable to take her eyes off the man.

AN: The white and red types of cigarette are different brands. There are brands that are similar, but they still have a different taste. That's what the buyers here at our store say. Open only to existing adult smokers 18YO and above.

GOVERNMENT WARNING: CIGARETTE SMOKING IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH

"Can i buy soft drinks." The man's answer did not match Ate Sophia's question.

I was surprised by the man's answer so I looked at him. I saw him smiling annoyingly.

"S-soft drinks?" Ate Sophia clarified, she also seemed surprised by the man's answer.

"Yes. What soft drinks do you have there?" The man asked.

Ate Sophia first opened the small refrigerator inside their store before saying the soft drinks they had.

"We only have Mountain Dew, Coca-Cola, RC, and Sprite." Sister Sophia answered.

"What don't you have?" The man asked. I don't know if he was joking or serious.

It's okay to buy it. In the store to buy something not in the store. HAHAHA. Really cool!

Ate Sophia closed the refrigerator with a bang and faced the man with a sigh.

"Are you going to buy it or not?!" She asked annoyed.

"Just teasing." The man answered silly before laughing.

I also laughed at the man's answer, but Ate Sophia didn't seem to get the man's joke.

"Can you go home if you don't have anything sensible to say?!" Ate Sophia pleaded annoyed.

"Our house is far away." The man said and sat down in the chair next to him.

"Hyst! I'm sorry, it's almost here!" Ate Sophia said she was annoyed with the man and I feel like she wants to hit him or give him any physical abuse just to get rid of her annoyance with the man buying.

"Sister Sophia, please buy it." I said to not focus her attention on the annoying man.

She came a little closer to the store hole so she could see me. Their store is a bit high up so you can't see me right away when buying.

"What about you?" She asked flatly.

"A bottle of oil." I answered.

"It's just ₱30.00." She said before taking out the oil bottle from the hole.

It almost fell but luckily the man handed me the bottle.

Good! He's a gentleman!

I got ugly before thanking him. I also asked him to help me deliver my payment to Ate Sophia because I really couldn't reach the opening of their store.

Why is it that their store is tall and the one's sold are tall? I kept looking short, it's true that I'm small. HAHA.

After I got the change I put it in my shorts pocket before leaving.

I still want to buy my favorite snack, Yumshot, but I'm too embarrassed for the man to reach out again.

"Hey, kid!" I stopped walking when someone spoke familiarly from behind me.

I looked at the man who spoke and was a little surprised to see that it was the annoying customer.

Is he coming home?

Did he buy any earlier?

"Are you on your way home? Are you on board?" He begged but I shook my head.

The bike he used was nice. It is black in color with a basket in front and a boat behind it that can be climbed by another person. Rich!

I don't know him very well and based on what I observed of his behavior earlier, I can say that he is a crazy man and not in his right mind.

"I'm a nice person, ok?" He said that he seemed to know what was on my mind.

I nodded slowly. "I'm just going to walk. Our house is nearby." I said before adjusting my cap that was loose on me.

"It will be closer if you don't walk. Besides, it's hot! You should have brought an umbrella, not just a hat. Hey, it's kids." He said and brought the bike closer to me.

"Get on board, kid. I'll take you to you." He added before taking the oil bottle I was holding and placing it in the basket in front of me.

I stared at the basket because I saw that there was a plastic wrap there. That must have been what he bought earlier at the store.

"This is also to pay for what I owed you earlier." He said with a smile.

So, does that mean he saw me earlier and almost bumped into me?

Why did he ignore me? Why is he not affective about what happened?

I just rode his bike to the end of the gorge because there was nothing I could do if I refused. Because he already has the oil that grandma bought him, maybe he can run it. I'm sure I won't just get a sermon from grandma but she will s***k and s***k.

He started pedaling the bike and he didn't have much difficulty because I was a light rider.

After arriving at the road crossing near our house, I was about to get off when it turned onto the road going to our house.

I scolded him. "I'm coming down brother. I'll just walk to our house." I said but he just went straight, who seemed deaf to not listen to what I said or maybe he just meant to not listen to me because he wanted to make up for him mistake earlier.

After arriving in front of our house, I looked at it again. "Here it is, brother." I said and pointed to our wooden house.

He stopped cycling before looking at our little house. I don't know if he was laughing at our house because he was smiling.

"Your house is fascinating." He was amazed at what he saw.

I just took the oil bottle that was in the basket before walking into our house.

"Brother, come in." I called him.

His smile widened when I invited him to our house.

He seemed to be my age only excited to enter something to find out what was inside.

"Granddaughter, why are you here now? It's been a long time! I've been---" My grandma stopped talking when she saw that I was with someone.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault." I was surprised the man said.

Grandma looked at us confused.

"It took me a while to buy at the store because I was still talking to the salesperson. I'm sorry." He said.

Tss. He must said that the shopkeeper pissed her off after talking.

I scolded him because of what he said before approaching grandma and handed her the oil bottle and the change.

"Thank you, granddaughter." Grandma said and put the money in her pocket. "Are you the new mover here at our site?" Grandma asked the man.

Have a new move? Anyone new to our site?

"Yes. I'm Clyde. Nice to meet you." He politely said.

So, his name is Clyde, huh.

I was about to leave and head to our living room to join my siblings and leave grandma and brother Clyde talking when suddenly grandma called me with her authoritative voice.

"Granddaughter!" I stopped walking. "What happened to your knee?" She asked worriedly before approaching me.

I looked at my knee and that's when I noticed that I had a wound. It's just a small scratch but it's red and there's a little blood.

Why didn't I feel that I had a wound?

Just numb?

"It's my fault." Brother Clyde admitted.

I looked at him and I could see in his eyes that he was sorry and worried about me.

"Your fault? Why? What did you do to my granddaughter?" Grandma asked one question after another, the anger in her voice.

Grandma went in front of me so she could hide me behind her back.

Is she protecting me from brother Clyde?

Why?

Does grandma think that brother Clyde did something wrong to me?

"T-that's true, grandma... When she came out of the crossing, I didn't see her immediately, so I almost hit her with my bike... I didn't immediately notice that she got hurt because of what I did, so I'm asking for your forgiveness." He admitted and apologized for what he did. "I'm sorry for what I did, kid." He apologized to me. "If possible, I will treat her wound first before I leave back to our house." He said that I was slightly surprised.

Is he serious?

Will he heal my wound?

Is it true?

"Alright son, I'll just take the medicine." Grandma said and went inside.

"It's a good thing, son, that you didn't bump into her earlier because I might have routed you now." I heard grandma said inside.

I laughed and looked at brother Clyde.

He is a kind person if you look closely because of his gentle face and smooth skin. His eyes are also beautiful and his nose is not very sharp, but it does not detract from his good looks.

Did I say handsome?

After all, he's really handsome. If only I was his age, I might have dated him.

I noticed his handsome and charming smiles, which seemed to bring a strange warmth to the surroundings.

During our brief conversation, I realized the wonderful kindness and respect that surrounds his personality. I never expected that within a short time, I would find these values ​​that give meaning to our interaction. His actions are clear proof that there are still people in this world of ours who possess the complex beauty of kindness and respect. Even for a short time I saw his kindness and respect.

There is a bit of nonsense but he still has respect somehow. The fact that he shows respect despite the little pranks opens up a deeper analysis of his character. This describes an individual who is not only self-focused but also willing to devote time and attention to others. The combination of kindness and mischief allows for a more open view of what it means to be real and true to oneself.

By possessing these qualities, a person becomes an inspiration to others to be better and to have respect for others.

In a life that always seems to be in a hurry, knowing people like her who possess true kindness and respect is a blessing not to be missed. Every time we meet this type of person, it is a reminder that being good and polite is not lost in our culture and should only be promoted.

The way he shows kindness and respect is a secret beauty that we should admire and appreciate.

"Treat him on the terrace first son, I'll just cook." Grandma said before handing over the small box that only contained medicines.

Was she a while ago or just now?

I think I stared too much at the man I was with!

I walked on the terrace first. After arriving there, I sat down but this brother Clyde came out and went to his bike.

I suddenly felt sad when I thought he was going to leave, but that disappeared immediately when I saw him come back with a plastic wrap.

What will he do there?

What is the content of that?

"Do you like this, kid?" He asked and opened the plastic he was carrying. It made me smile to see that it was filled with my favorite yumshot snack.

"It's been my favorite since I was a kid. Just eat it while I treat you. I'm sure you'll like it." He said and opened a packet of chitchirya and gave it to me.

I'm still ashamed to accept him.

"Thank you brother." I promised and I won't lose my smile earlier.

He started treating my knee while I was eating the chitchirya he gave me.

I feel so happy that I don't understand. I'm just so happy!

With each passing day that I shop with him at the store, it seems like a wonderful chapter opens in our story. Being on the ride home together, on his bike, adds a deeper dimension to our days.

With every pedal that his bicycle moves, it seems that there is a simultaneous strange energy and happiness around. I couldn't help but smile and feel the joy enveloping me in every moment. It was as if strange drops of electricity were coursing through my body, animating each turn of the wheel. I have so much fun the days I'm with him and I feel like there's a tinge of electricity and happiness when I'm with him...

Having a travel companion is not just a simple journey, but a journey into a deeper connection. With every look, we emit smiles that tell more stories than words can convey. The unique joy these opportunities bring seems to bring colorful paint to a world full of possibilities.

As we make our way home, it's as if there is a melody of its own that forms a sweet song in our hearts. No words can match the feeling, but with every pat of the wind on our face and every turn of the wheel, we feel the growth of a special connection with each other.

But a life without sadness would be like a rainbow without rain – it's the contrast that makes the colors vibrant.

My crying was like rain pouring down from the dark sky, I did not expect to be part of my feelings. A momentary mistake, an admission of the truth, and it seemed to open clouds of emotions that were just plain before. When I found out that he liked Ate Sophia and that he was starting to court, a cruel explosion of emotions took place in my heart.

Love, a flower that opens during budding, has caused me complex feelings. How can it be happy for him, while the sadness of hiding my feelings is clouding inside me? Tears, in their silent way, are like raindrops that reveal deep emotions that one cannot hide.

At this moment, the wind seemed to get heavier and the rain stronger around me. As the truth slowly dawned on me, an emotional storm landed in my heart. Love sometimes doesn't know the right direction, and as I cried I found myself drowning in waves of dread and regret.

This event turned into a complex outburst of emotions, a match I never expected. The painful realization that I was just a scene in his story, and Ate Sophia was the main character. But in the midst of crying, I also understand the importance of expressing true feelings, even if it hurts.

The rain of my tears seemed to cleanse my will, enabling the process of acceptance. Although there is pain, I also feel the success that I can achieve by releasing those feelings. Crying may not be a sign of weakness, but a way of self-reflection, a step toward a deeper understanding of self and love.

Written on: Jan. 20,21,22, 2023