Summer Medicine: Love In The Midst Melancholy

Chapter 1

Pat's POV

I had just finished talking to my mom on the phone. As usual, she's worried not because I'm in danger, but because I'm far away from home. Way too far.

"Room 04?"

The front lady asked when she saw me.

"Yes, 04."

I smiled, and then she gave me a key and sticky notes in different colors.

"Enjoy your stay."

She said with a smile and in a high-pitched voice.

"Um, what is this for?"

I asked, pointing at the sticky notes.

"Oh, my bad, I forgot to explain. That is for that room."

She pointed to the room that was not very far from us. It looks just like a simple room, a white room with a brown door.

"Do you want to go inside?"

She asked.

"Sure."

The woman walked towards the room as I followed her.

"Get inside. Just take your heels off first."

"Oh, yes."

Just like she said, I took off my heels and went inside. It's not a tall heels I'm wearing, just a typical white casual one.

The room is so simple on the outside that you would not expect how beautiful it is from the inside. It is like one of those luxurious old money houses. The chandelier is also breathtaking.

I immediately thanked myself for deciding to take a look inside.

Aside from the interior, I also noticed a corkboard on the wall. I bet the sticky notes go on that board.

"What do you think about the room? Ms..."

The lady asked, smiling like an angel. No wonder why she's at the front desk.

"Oh, I'm Pat."

"Yes, I know. I read your files. I'm Emma Urbano."

She chuckled.

Emma looks like my age.

"Nice to meet you. The room is everything. It's my kind of room."

I like vintage. The vibe that it gives is comfortable and classy.

"This room is one of the owner's old rooms. They just decided to share it with the people that go in here because they also know that it's a beauty."'

"What about that?"

I pointed at the corkboard.

"Oh yes, that one."

Emma walked towards the corkboard, and I followed her again. There are only seven sticky notes, too little for a massive board.

"Every day, you can come here and write on that pretty sticky note about what made you happy today, and then you will stick it here."

Emma explained.

"How come there are few?"

I don't think it's because they have a few guests. I saw earlier how many names were listed in the record book.

"Most of them just don't want to do it."

"Hmm."

"It's fine if you also don't want to. You are not required to do that."

I looked at the seven notes and read them. There was a date on each, and most sticky notes were from months ago. It really seems that rarely anyone has entered this room.

"The rain."

"A stranger smiled at me."

"I called my Dad today."

"I just finished the book I was reading."

"Cookies."

"This new song I listened to, I love it."

"The beauty of the cloud."

These are the only ones that are on the board. "A stranger smiled at me" is my favorite.

"Should I show you your room?"

Emma asked.

"Yes."

We left the room when Emma suddenly got a call.

"Hello? Oh, I'm touring someone right now. Is it that urgent? Oh, shoot. Okay, I'm coming."

She said then the call ended.

"Pat, I'm sorry. It's an emergency."

"No, yes, it's fine. I can go alone. I have my little map here."

The place is huge, so a map is necessary.

"You sure you're okay?"

I nodded.

"Okay, thank you. I'm sorry again."

She said while running away. I just waved at her.

With my suitcase, I walked to my room. I'm unsure where it is, but I'm confident that I can find it.

My luggage was broken, and I had to carry it. The parking lot was not cement but pebbles. The luggage was about to be broken before I left home anyway, so I cannot blame it on the pebbles.

Even though I was struggling, I still managed to get to my room without getting lost or asking anyone. I got the key that Emma gave me. I only noticed the small tag on the key saying "happiness" when I was about to use it.

I smiled bitterly and opened the door.

I pulled my luggage in and immediately sat down on the sofa.

I sighed deeply.

"I'm finally here."

I whispered to myself.

I am at a forest house camp. I found this place on the internet. They said it was a place for healing, and we had a summer break, so I went.

I looked out of the window and saw a lot of trees and a pathway to somewhere. I cannot see the end of it. I took my phone from my bag and took a picture of the view. I was surprised to learn that phone is allowed here because it is not allowed in most places like this as they consider it a destruction, which I cannot disagree with.

I looked out again and finally decided to go out.

I couldn't resist the view, so I left my phone on the bed and went out.

I walked around as I looked around. It's windy and quiet, not in a creepy way, but in a beautiful and relaxing way.

Not far from my room, I sat on the grass and looked at the trees.

I like staring at trees because I remember good memories, even though there are only a few.

"Hi."

"Oh gosh!"

My heart almost jumped out of my body when I heard a man's voice. I stood up but immediately sat down again when I finally saw that it was a human, not a ghost or a frightening being.

I looked at him and saw a stranger smiling at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

He said.

"Um, yes, it's fine."

Not really.

I'm not well-trained when it comes to startling events. I'm sensitive when it comes to that. My heart stops for seconds.

"Can I sit beside you?"

He said, and I slowly nodded. I'm not sure if I want company. I'm uncomfortable with new people close to me, but I don't want to seem rude and make a bad impression.

"You like staring at trees?"

The man asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

He asked again.

"It's beautiful."

I answered.

The wind got stronger and colder. I closed my eyes for a bit to feel every moment of it.

The man did not speak again. It felt awkward, so I decided to ask him back.

"Do you like staring at trees?"

"Totally. It's like an escape."

"Yeah."

I could not agree more.

"Trees don't give me migraines no matter how long I stare at them, unlike my phone."

He added.

I took a glimpse of him and saw him passionately staring at the trees. I also noticed how tall he is. His facial features are sharp like he was a model in his previous life; maybe he is right now.

"Blurry eyes?"

He asked, pointing at the glasses I was wearing, which I only realized I was still wearing.

"Oh no. It is just anti-radiation glasses."

I answered as I removed my glasses.

"Why? Do you always use your phone?"

He asked.

"Yes, I'm a writer."

I actually use my laptop more than my phone.

"Really? You're the first writer I've ever met."

"That's an honor."

I joked.

I hear that a lot whenever I tell someone I'm a writer.

"What kind of things do you write?"

"Romance novels and poetry."

I write for a living. I still live in my parent's house but spend my money on my stuff.

I guess you can say that I'm almost independent.

"Have you been coming here way back before?"

He doesn't look new to this place. I don't know which sense I am basing that assumption. I only feel it.

"Since June."

He answered.

"Two months ago?"

I asked, and he just smiled at me.

"You're new here, right?"

"Yes, it's my first time."

I'll be here for a month like most people. That is the longest possible stay here. I'm not sure how he got to stay for two months, but maybe he also left for a while during that time frame and came back.

"Welcome."

"Thank you."

I smiled.

"You look young."

He said.

I get that a lot. People keep telling me that I look like a high school student. I think they are only exaggerating. I'm almost done at college.

"I'm young. I'm still a student."

"Oh, sorry, I see. How old are you? If it's okay to ask."

"I'm ninety-one, but I feel like I'm twenty-five."

It scares me, that feeling. I always feel like I'm running out of time.

I'm obsessed with time, and I am aware of that problem.

"I feel like twenty-five too."

"Really? How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-five."

We both chuckled.

"Silly. How does it feel?"

I asked.

"What?"

"To be twenty-five."

"Um... Pretty normal?"

"You're not sure?"

"It's better than being twenty."

He answered.

"Really? Why is that?"

"People don't treat you like an adult at twenty. They will treat you like a real adult when you're twenty-five."

I also feel that way. I'm unsure if that is because I look younger than my age. I guess looking young is both a curse and a blessing.

"That's cool. I'm afraid of getting older."

I said with a deep sigh.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I don't like changes in general. I'm afraid of it. It scares me."

"I've been there."

"How do you cope with it?"

"I haven't."

I should stop assuming things. I don't want to offend him.

"But I realized one thing."

I continued listening,

"It's not that I'm afraid to change. It's because I'm terrified to change and be old unhappy, and unfulfilled. I just now realized how short life is."

"Hmm?"

"It's like getting older every day, but you're not happy. You're getting old, but you don't feel like you're making any progress in life. You feel stuck while also running out of time."

Only existing and not living.

"They say we can't control time, so live a happy life and don't be stressed about something you can't control... sounds easy."

I added, and he just smiled.

"I think you're a deep person."

I said to him.

"Everyone is."

"You think so?"

"Yes, look at you. You look like a deep person. Full of mystery."

"Really, huh?"

I chuckled.

"Yup."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Yes, of course."

He smiled.

"Okay, if you say so."

he was about to say something when his phone started ringing. He looked at it and started typing.

"I'm sorry, I have to leave first. See you later Ms..."

"Pat."

I answered.

"Pat, okay. I'm Max."

"See you later Max."

He waved at me and then left.

I watched him walk away.

It was nice to talk to someone on my first day here. It feels like a good start.

I got up and went back to my room to clean up.

I put my comfy clothes in a small drawer while I hang my dresses on the other side of the drawer. I brought dresses just in case. I almost brought our house here. I pack a lot as I think it is better to bring everything than to forget something.

Next, I went to the bathroom and put my clothes on.

I lay on the bed after organizing my stuff. I looked at the ceiling and started to think. I don't know what will happen to me here for the whole month of August.

Tomorrow, there will be a bonfire with other people who also checked into the place. I think they did it, so we can engage with other people.

I feel uncomfortable talking in front of the crowd, so I'm a little nervous about it.

I hope my stay here can heal me somehow. I am still hoping.

I don't want to go yet.