His Replacement Wife

The Slow Motion

                                                                                    [KEN’S POV]

Can we fall, one more time?

Stop the tape and rewind

Oh and if you walk away I know I'll fade

'Cause there is nobody else------

This ‘Gotta be you’ song by One Direction has been my favorite song in the last few weeks. I am riding a bus with my headphone on while this song was playing when the bus stopped. I look forward and a see a girl coming in.

It's gotta be you

Only you

It's gotta be you

Only you

Do you ever believe with slow motion? My father really believed on that, he told me that the first time that he saw my mom he felt that slow motion and he then figure out that it was my mom whom he’ll be with his entire life. I don’t want to believe on that, not on this American girl approaching to me, not to deny but I got hooked with her, she’s beautiful but I just don’t foresee myself marrying an American woman. She sits on the vacant seats in front of me and I just look at the window and just listen to the songs until I reach the University.

I stood up and I saw a phone from the seats in front of me and I guess this phone owned by that American girl sitting here a while ago. I get off the bus and search for that girl and I saw her standing in front of the gate.

“excuse me”

I called her and she turn around facing me. Whoa! I didn’t expect that she’s way beautiful up close. She got white complexion, wavy and brown colored hair, a pointed nose, round eyes with perfect lashes, natural rosy lips, and that moles around her face down to her collars, sh*t! that’s really attractive.

I ‘m really caught off guard but I’m trying to stay cool even if I really shook up.

“y-yes?” why is she stammering? 

“I think this is yours” and I hand her the phone.

She’s tapping her pants to look for something and I it was confirmed that it was hers when she accepts it. I look around to distract myself because I’m too conscious standing here while she’s in front. I saw a familiar face and he was actually looking at me and signaled me to come over so I immediately leave. I took a deep sigh because I’ve been holding my breath when she’s there so close, I can’t stand being there for more minutes while she’s looking at me.

“hey man, we have to catch up” he tapped my left arm.

“yeah sure” – I replied.

He’s my classmate from high school and we are actually close, we do hang outs together or with the other guys.

 “and who is that lady you just talked to?” – He mockingly asked with a teasing smile.

“just a stranger” – I replied.

“oh really?” this doesn’t surely believe me.

“yeah, let’s go!” I’m trying to divert his attention.

He’s Tyler, a pure American I met during high school. He’s a transferee that time and I approached him because I really know how it feels being alone and uncomfortable with the new environment and we became friends ever since that time. We took the same course and schedules in Accounting and Business Management because they are also a family who’s into business.

We entered into our first and second class for this morning, actually even if we did not come today it will be alright because it was just all introduction of the course or the ‘getting to know each other’ session. After our class we go to the cafeteria to eat for our lunch when suddenly someone bumped on me.

“oh my gosh I’m sorry” – she asks for pardon.

She looks very familiar that’s why I just stare at her waiting for her to look at me and when she did my eyes almost widen…

it’s her again.  I can’t explain her reaction, she sounds very worried when she asked for sorry but when she saw me, her reaction is like she saw a ghost.

“I’m really sorry for what happened, excuse us” I guess it was her friend. They left the cafeteria and I followed them a look they seemed to be like talking about something.

“she’s. really. beautiful!” Tyler being too expressive.

“yeah, American woman you know?” I replied.

“no, there’s really something different about her” – Tyler  

“whatever you say”

After ordering our food, we found a vacant table and so we decided to sit there. After putting the food, I noticed a notebook on the side of the table and open it.

“Roverie Martin” I read the name on it.

Surely, she’s a girl but I don’t know where to find her maybe I just have to give it to the ‘lost and found’ section of this university later. After eating we moved out the cafeteria and directly headed to our next class, just as we sit the bell rings. We are just waiting there for the instructor and….

AGAIN? IS THIS FAITH? BECAUSE I DON’T REALLY BELIEVE ON THAT SH*T!

What is she doing in this Financial Management subject? Does that mean that she also took a business course? For the entire day she’s the only one that I see! She walks to the other side of the room but she sits just near behind me. Really? she could just walk at my side, it’s way closer, I mean nearer.

“Good afternoon class, I am Andrew Hudson your Financial Management Instructor…. Blah blah blah”

I don’t anymore know what Mr. Hudson is saying. I remember what my father said before about the slow motion, I don’t want to believe on that but a while ago was so different, I felt a slow motion on that girl from the bus----

“I guess that’s everything that you need to know, you can go now”

---and we even met again on the cafeteria. If for this day, we have a contact again, I will really take that as a sign that she’s the -----

“hey, you okay? Let’s go” – Tyler.

Just when I realize that everyone’s walking out the room. I am too occupied I don’t notice the discussion is over. I stood so we could go out when someone from behind speak.

“hey”

I faced her and…… my heart was already racing. REALLY??? IS THIS REALLY A SIGN?? I felt like I was played by destiny so f**k*ng hard and serious.  

“that notebook, I think that’s…mine” she said.

I still speechless, I don’t know what words to say so I just hand her the notebook while still staring at her

“uhmm…thank you” and she smile.

And that, her smile is so charming! Oh God what am I thinking? She passed at my side and she’s about to leave when she stumbled.

“ARAY!” she shouted and immediately cover her mouth. [Aray in tagalog means ouch] 

I was so surprised with what she said and I can’t help asking. 

“what did you say?” I asked her

She looks at me with a worried face

“no uhm its nothing! I-I have to go” she said while rushing to get out.

That word………………… is she a Filipino???