The Conspiration of the Universe

First: The Heartbreak 1 “Tell me Matt, what’s wrong with me?” I said as I placed down my dirty blue bag on the floor. Matt, my roommate, was very busy doing something on his laptop. “What’s that?” he asked after removing his headphones, dishevelling his curly black hair. “I said, could you please tell me what’s wrong with me.” I curled up in my bed trying to catch my breath. It was quite a long walk. He gazed his slanted eyes on me for a second then suddenly burst into laughter and said “Well there are plenty of wrong-ness in you; first, when you sleep you snore so loudly....” “No moron, I’m serious!” “Well, I’m serious too! You snore like an elephant!” I just sighed in disbelief. I removed my sweaty shirt, almost making my glasses fall off, and replaced it with a fresh white shirt that says ‘Palawan Explorer’ printed in gold-yellow. “Nothing is wrong with you Luke” Matt said after a series of clicks on his keyboard. He must have started to write his research paper. Note taken: I need to start my paper as well. Though, Matt and I take a different course, almost everyone in the University is required to make a library research paper. I thought it was some kind of donation. Or a memento, either of which. “Why? Is there something with you and Sydney?” he added. “How did you know it’s about Sydney?” “Luke, we have been friends for a long time. I just know when you are all Sydney-mode.” “Sydney-mode?” As if I don’t know what he’s talking about. “Yeah Sydney-mode. I would have called it Sydsanity but it wouldn’t be obvious. So what your deal?” I tried to ignore it but Sydsanity just sound so wrong. “Well I don’t know. She just started to get cold to me.” “How could you say that?” “Earlier this morning, we were talking about Meme theory and guess what?” “Um, she said what a nerd you are?” Matt sarcastically murmured. Coming from a co-nerd, that sounded offensive. “No! Well... not exactly. She just nodded all throughout breakfast. She didn’t spoke any words at all. Maybe she’s bored.” I said, now realizing. “You think?” Again I sighed in disbelief. How could I miss that? Matt started to type again on his keyboard. He crunches the keys so hardly that it serves to break the silence in our room, like a steady beat. Our room was small and confined but the living area is quite spacey. Without an actual couch, that is. My next class for today was two hours away so I decided to open my laptop and check out my f*******: account first. As usual, I have no notification. Besides I have no business on f*******: except for one silly thing. My slender fingers typed “Sydney Lopez” swiftly on the keyboard that is caked with dust and all. Her profile came up and I clicked it. Her profile picture depicted her sitting on a swing set capturing her jolly nature. She was wearing a lovely floral dress that complements her fair skin tone making her much more endearing. Her long black shiny hair accentuates her genuine smile that makes me melt. In short, I love everything about her. If people would have judge me, they might say that I’m stalking her. But she’s my girlfriend so in a way it is not stalking anymore. It is like legally stalking, I think. I checked the people online and was surprised to see that Sid was online so I PM’ed her: Me: Hey I’m sorry about boring you earlier. I shouldn’t have started the morning with a silly conversation. Sydney: Haha! It’s nothing. Me: No, I feel so bad about ruining your day. Sydney: Aw. Don’t feel so bad. Sydney: I know just treat me an ice cream and everything would be okay. Me: Splendid! :) I’ll pick you up after my class, ok? Sydney: Yeah, I’ll wait for you. Then she turned offline. After that last message of hers, I can’t stop myself from smiling like an i***t. It just assures me that nothing can go wrong. *** “You may go, thank you for listening” our professor said gently after a long hour and a half have past. The hundreds of students started to rush into the wide wooden door creating a familiar buzz. Each of them has their own kind of business. I remained seated since I hate to dwell with a lot of people. I hate to squirm into the sea of bodies whenever it’s dismissal time. It’s asphyxiating. I feel like oxygen was being stolen from me. While waiting, I texted Sydney first: Be right there Sid. Caught in a human traffic, get it? ;). The moment I tapped send I felt silly for texting it to her. I suck. Our professor, though appears to be exhausted, wears a mild smile. The one, old ladies uses to make her grandchildren feel special. She was just looking at her students go as if she had gifted them precious gems. As soon as the lecture hall was half-empty, I took off. *** A searing hot landscape welcomed me as I exited the hall. The bright scene made me squint before I could finally adjust. Oh how I wish to go back to the air-conditioned lecture hall. Well it was exactly 12:34 and Sydney must have been waiting for me at the College of Human Ecology. The good thing is that it was not very far from where I am. I started to walk-run now while trying to avoid the merciless rays of the sun. A lot of people seems to be in rush as well to find relief. Not long after, I finally reached the building and found jubilation on it shade. I tried to look for Sydney but my eyes feels weary from being exposed on a bright light. The moment my eyes had adjusted I saw her and her valuable smile. But she was giving it away to someone. Wait, not just someone- a guy, a good-looking guy? Oh, am I that late? The scene seems to hurt my eyes, even just for a little while so I swiftly manoeuvred myself through the crowd toward Sydney and this...how would I say this, um insanely flirtatious guy. He was looking at her like she was some kind of prey while purposefully rubbing his chin. “Hey!” I said as coolly as possible. Both of them looked towards me. “Hey.” Sydney blurted out breaking a smile. I looked at the guy coldly who seem to be astonished. He gazed at me and then Sydney. “Um, Luke, this is Tyron, my classmate and my project partner.” Sydney said, finally breaking the brief awkward moment. I have no better response but to smile and raise both my eyebrows. “Tyron this is Luke...” “Her boyfriend” I interjected. Better mark my territory, ha! “I know” Tyron answered with crooked smile. To me, he seems to be arrogant. I looked at Sydney and saw that she appears to be flustered. “Come on Luke, let’s go.” she said already walking away. Sydney seems to be walking faster than usual. That is not a good omen for me. I tried to keep up with her pace. “Hey, what flavour of ice cream should we get?” I said trying to break her silence. “I can’t believe you did that!” she claimed “What did I do this time?” “Don’t act out as if you don’t know what we are talking about! I am so disappointed at you right now.” Oh no, not that word. “What? I just want him to know!” I admitted. The way she is acting right now tells me that I embarrass her! “I know Luke! I... I just want you to know that as well that you have nothing to worry about.” “Nothing to worry about? His name is Tyron! A perfectly ideal name for hunting women! And he has this shaggy hair that you could compare to an anime and he has this sideburns, how incredibly mature! How could I contest to that? I am just me; an average-looking guy, a nerd.” I sighed. She stopped walking and held my hand gently as if I am a lost kid. “Well Luke is a good name. It sounds like ‘look’, I guess. Besides you look good with your goofy glasses of yours and your silly hair is much better than his if you would to style it a little. On top of all that, you’re my boyfriend.” Sydney said who is now calming down. We walked a little further and then I decided to apologize. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It is kindda of a jerk of me. To be honest, it is hard not to worry about if your girlfriend is so beautiful like you.” She crookedly smiled. “You are a jerk. Where should we eat?” “How about at Chowking?” I asked. “We just ate there last night, don’t you remember?” “Oh yeah, then how about Eden’s? Their lutong-bahay is very delicious. I especially like their Adobo.” “Okay then.” she agreed and continued walking. After a short while we have arrived at Eden’s. An orange text is posted at the facade of the building that says “EDEN’S WE GOT THE BEST GRAVY”. Without the text, anyone might think that the building was rather an apartment than a restaurant. I remembered that they also sell juicy fried chicken. Despite of what the sign says, I am not a fan of their gravy. As we’ve entered the building I asked Sydney her order. A lot of people were waiting at the line while some walk around the tables haphazardly, enough people to make me feel claustrophobic. “I’ll just have fried chicken with two cups of rice.” Sydney responded .It doesn’t surprise me that she eats a lot. It doesn’t bother her like a typical girl would be because she was gifted with a fast metabolism. “I’ll go find seats for us.” She added. I just nod as a response. I didn’t know that this would be the last time that we shall eat together. What we shared is not only the food, the dessert that I have ordered for us, but the moment of silence, of emptiness in a place full of people.