Everything Has Changed

Secretly Courting

Walking down to the school grounds and letting the sun kiss my face, the students are busy reviewing for the upcoming exam. I let my feet walk slowly and I enjoy the wind blowing towards me and it lets my hair dance easily.

I didn’t get enough sleep because I’m still wondering if I heard him right last Saturday night or if I am just assuming and hallucinating. I don’t know, maybe he’s just pulling a prank on me or he’s just fooling me around but I know Ken wouldn’t do things like that.

I walked past the corridor of the building where my three friends' room is located.

“Good morning sunshine!” Kylie stated happily while drinking a coffee on the door.

“I guess you know that I will walk past here,” I said with a smile on my lips.

“I guess so. Don’t talk to me Sayaka, hurry go to your class and review your notes," she said and sipped on her coffee.

I kiss her cheeks as a sign of goodbye to her. Yes, she’s right. I should review now for the upcoming exam.

I step into our class and let myself be in my proper seat and focus on my notes and start doing some reviews before the class starts. I skim and scan everything and do some notes about it. I make sure that I can’t let go even of a single piece of information, that’s how determined I was.

Review here, review there, and so on until someone comes and lets the whole class be quiet. I thought it’s our teacher and were still browsing for some information quickly before starting her class for today but as I looked up a man’s holding a chocolate donut with sprinkles on top and strawberry yogurt.

I pause for a moment and I look at the whole class and their eyes are on us. He placed the food on my table and he walked towards his seat and took his notes from his bag and reviewed it. He doesn’t seem to be intimidated by the eyes of our classmates.

After that scene, the class began to be noisy again. I took the donut out and I saw a small piece of sticky note there.

Meet me at the playground after class.

-Ken

I shook my head and uttered in myself that it’s not just a dream or some sort of hallucination. It’s true! I looked at him and I saw how he’s also determined in studying. What I admire about him is that he is a multitasker. He can do things for his loved ones while doing the things he loves also.

Wait, what did I say?

“Argh, Sayaka focus," I whispered to myself while slapping my face.

After class, I packed my things and thought about something that he might say to me. I am still shy about what happened in the mall.

"I don't play with your feelings and I don't like what you feel right now. Baby, should I tell you this?"

"You confessed first but baby I liked you first. I'll court you,"

I blame these words for not having enough sleep 'cause I still think about if that's true or not and right now I know the answer.

I picked up my phone and started texting my driver that I might be able to go home late and don't bother to drive me home. I can't tell mom about what Ken and I have right now.

Maybe at another time.

Walking past the school gate, I saw Josh waiting for someone outside of his car.

"Hey, Shua! Where are you going?" I asked while sipping on my yogurt.

"I was waiting for you. I asked your classmate and he said that you're still fixing your things in your classroom and I didn't want to bother you there and thought that you'll be surprised if I will wait for you here," he said with a big smile while he opened the front door for me.

"Uh, w-where we going?" I said hesitantly.

"It will be quick only. I guess you have things to do," he said and let me into his car.

We went to the mall and ate at a fancy restaurant. Shua's telling me about his life and so on but I still kept on seeing the time on my phone.

"I guess there's a lot of stuff you have right now, Saj. I don't want to bother you anymore. Should I drive you?" he asked me after he saw that I was running after that time.

"No, I can go there all by myself. Sorry, Shua. I'm happy to be with you again," I said while I gave him a quick hug and he smiled at me.

I immediately walk fast out of the Mall and take a cab. I'm still looking at my phone and seeing what time it is.

It's already 6:45 pm.

I wonder if he's still there or he already went home but I still need to check before I go home.

I stepped out of the cab as soon as I arrived at the playground. The night light at the place starts to open as the sky signals darkness.

I looked at the whole place and I saw someone sitting on the swing.

He's still waiting for me.

I went through the last swing on the dark side of the place. I'm sure he's waiting here for too long. I sat beside him and he looked at me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that Josh would take me after class and I didn't get a chance to say no to him," I said while looking at the leaves that fell on the ground.

"It's okay. I told him that you're still there in our class. He's your friend and I need to tell him where you are. All that matters now is you still went here," he said and stood up on his swing and sat on the bench of the place.

I immediately looked at him and went to the bench too. I sat a foot away from him on the bench and we silently gazed at the streets where the leaves fell.

"I just want you to know that I'm deadly serious in courting you. I don't play with your feelings and worst I don't do this for a joke. I court you because," he uttered then paused and suddenly looked at me.

"I like you so much," he looks at me with his eyes saying everything.

I can't even tell him what I feel about him courting me and the consequences I might get into my Family. I don't want to worry about it and I'll just enjoy whatever we have today.

"O-okay, you can court me. Secretly," I said with a smile on my lips without thinking of the consequences afterward.

Months passed by and I am so happy to be with him. Day by day he never failed to amaze me with his characteristics and traits that I discover every day. He continues and constantly does the things courting involves.

We have been doing this secret courtship for the past 5 months and he never gets tired of it. 5 months is a long time. He let me be closer to Prin and we go on a date sometimes with her. Prin is the only one who knows about our status right now.

In school, I told him to act normal so that the others can’t tell what’s the score between us. We did a lot of things that gave us happiness. I think it’s also time to tell my friends about the catch between Ken and me.

“Where do you want to go before Christmas Break?” Ken asked me while he was cooking.

“Hmm, I want to go to the beach. I want to feel the breeze and enjoy it before I go to Korea this Break,” I said while sitting on his couch and eating some snacks.

I am here at his apartment a little bit far from Prin’s apartment. I am here because he promised that we are going to watch a movie today. He is cooking our dinner and popcorn right now.

“Let’s go to the beach this Saturday. I’ll make that day special to you. I know you love beaches and sunsets. So do I,” he uttered while placing the food on the table.

He sat on the couch and he started playing the movie. We are watching the movie and I don’t feel any awkwardness between us. We laugh and also feel touched by what we are watching. Suddenly, the main characters kissed torridly. I look at him and his mouth’s open a little bit while watching the scene.

Argh, Sayaka! Don’t mind him, just focus on what you are watching. Don’t be so green.

“I want to eat,” I said while looking at the screen of the television and I groaned.

“Still hungry?” he uttered and looked at me.

I looked at him and the first thing that I saw was his lips. It widens a little, his soft and pinkish lips.

“Hmm?” he said.

I looked away and groaned.

“Yeah, I'm still hungry, I want to eat dinner, let’s ditch the movie and eat at the dining table,” I uttered and stood up.

We eat silently in the dining area. I feel so awkward about what I am thinking the whole time. I divert my focus by asking him some questions.

“Bring Prin on Saturday, let’s enjoy it together,” I said and looked at him with a smile.

“Yes, I will. Bring your friends too,” He said and look at me too.

I didn’t expect that he would say that all of a sudden. I know he wants them to know what we are right now and I also think that it’s time.

“Yeah, I’ll talk to them,” I said happily to him.

Finally, after all those months, I can express my happiness to them. I know at first they’ll get mad because it’s been 5 months since Ken started to court me and I didn’t tell them even a single detail of it but I’m sure they will understand also. They knew me for how many years.

“Gosh, Ayesha. You never changed, always late huh,” Savannah said to Ayesha when she comes.

They are all here in our house and it’s Friday. Tomorrow is the day so I gathered them here at our house and I told them to pack some things ‘cause we are going to the beach tomorrow and they are all excited.

I put the cookies and iced chocolate on the side table and sat on the couch as I began to state to them what’s the real catch between Ken and me. I don’t know what to feel but after all of this, I know I’ll be happy.

“What do you want to say, Saj?” Serenity stated and ate a cookie near her.

I feel nervous all of a sudden, I know I have to accept whatever their decision and thoughts are about it. After all, I am still the one who’s going to decide what will be the ending of this fairytale I had now.

“Hey, don’t you d--,” Kylie said and she covered her mouth and panicked.

“Are you pregnant?” she whispered

At that moment a pillow fight happened in my room. They don't all agree with what Kylie said and they are fighting right now. I laugh at what I am seeing.

“Shh! stop, stop. I don’t okay?” I said while laughing so hard.

“I knew it, you cheat on the exams?” Serenity stated.

Everyone is staring at her with a ‘how’s that even possible’ look on their faces.

“That’s ridiculous Seren, she can’t do that,” Sav said while rolling her eyes.

“Come on guys, let us hear what Saj wants to say to us. Don’t do some hypothesis okay? Let her finish what she wanted to say. I am curious for Pete’s sake,” Ayesha said while teaching those 3 girls who are like a child.

At this moment, suddenly I felt no chills and what If’s I knew that they would understand it because they love me.

“First of all don’t shout, don’t make any noise after you heard about it,” I said and they all agreed.

My heartbeat became faster.

Burdens will be gone in a second.

“Ken's been courting me for the past 5 months,” I whispered and covered my whole face after telling them the fact.

My face heats fast and I know it turns red.

I think I already love you, Ken.