Above Cloud Nine

ACN Chapter 3: Shavicpaque's biography

Kamilla's POV

The next day, we agreed to see each other at 6:00 AM, the opening of the school library. Fortunately, we haven't got our first period of class because our teacher went to a very important meeting. We both decided to go back to the library to study. Some of our classmates followed us but most of them already headed to the school cafeteria, while others preferred to loiter around the school campus.

I am sitting in front of Rose this time. I looked at her as she focused on reading our books to review for tomorrow's quizzes again as we sat on one of the long tables.

"Huh?" She looked at my facial reaction as she meet my gaze. I bit my lower lip when she noticed that I have been secretly observing her.

"Is there a problem?" She added as she smiled at me. I shook my head as I awkwardly smiled back at her.

"N-Nothing."

"You seem to be bothered with something. You can tell it to me." She said as she still looks at the book. It seemed like she's really interested of what she's reading right now. Adjusting her eyeglasses made her look charming for me even more. Sometimes I wonder how she could focus on the book and talk to me at the same time.

This is one of our favorite place in school. I always love the mood our school library give me. The place is spacious and quiet. It could accommodate a lot of students but I admire how disciplined they are. I also loved the variety of books placed by genres neatly in many bookshelves that gave way to many aisles. Books are not difficult to locate because they are arranged by genres and kinds.

She's reading one of our boring Literature books. I am wondering why she seemed to show alot of interest as she reads it. She softly chuckled as she read the book silently. It's like something caught her attention all of a sudden.

I stood up and transferred next to her as I move my face nearer to the book that she's reading. I am suddenly curious of what she's reading about right now.

"You seem to be enjoying that one. What could be so amusing about that one?"

"You know what? I think this poet is really a fan of nature to the point of doing crazy things about his admiration." She said, still not looking at me.

I frowned as I also tried reading which part does she mean by what she said earlier. I skimmed the exact page as I also shifted my gaze to her facial reaction.

"Oh, that...I think it is not a big deal to start with."

"I guess I should agree with you. Yeah, you're right. I just can't imagine how did he ended up marrying a plant." She shook her head as she chuckled again.

"Well, you see...it's not always the literal meaning poets describe in their poems. What if he's only exaggerating?"

"I've read some of Shavicpaque's poems. They were all weird. I don't believe that she could do such things for the sake of his poems." I added but it didn't change her facial expression.

She faced me and heaved a sigh. She looked more serious now. She returned her gaze to the book as she shook her head.

"Well, you know what? That's also what I believed in at first. It all changed when we paid a visit at the mini-museum his relatives built to commemorate his vulgar and scandalous works."

"Wow! Really?" I said. She nodded right away.

"Yep. It was one of our field trips in Philadelphia three years ago."

"Wow! Really? That's a first-hand experience you have!"

"I guess I am just one of those lucky person to experience that one."

"W-What's the feeling of finally getting to know more about his works straight from the people who knew him well?"

"It's really a once-in-a-lifetime visit. Our tour guides almost took four months to book in advance for that trip to be possible."

"Wow! That must be an unforgettable moment for you, Rose!"

"Indeed. I was too happy that time I kept telling stories to my dad until he got tired of me for repeating it to him over and over again."

I was left speechless. What can I argue more about it? I only read some of Shavicpaque's poems but Rose went straight to his place to gather meaty facts! I can't believe her so much that I am gaping in awe of the coming experiences that she already experienced.

"What's the exact unforgettable moment you had?"

"Oh, it was when our teacher formed us into four groups of three. I was lucky enough to be assigned to interview his great grandmother for our reaction paper for that important trip. She told me that in order for him to feel his poem, he always love to experience it first-hand before he gets to write it himself."

I am too amazed I can't help but to cover my mouth because I guess my jaw just dropped from what I knew. These facts can't be too real I don't want to believe it myself.

"So it means, she really killed her own wife and dressed it to the point of getting her wife's skeletal system, not missing any bone for the record?"

"Yup. That was really gory but it was found out that he really did it to his wife."

"Gosh, in fact when I read that short story, it gave me a lot of nightmares for almost a week. The way she described what he did is too vivid."

"Sadly, he really did it. Many scholars argue about it but I am happy I got to know the truth myself."

My eyes widened as I listen to Rose more. She's also a great storyteller from what she had experienced in America.

"I can't believe him. I mean, I really thought that poets do really love to play with words without applying it in actual situations."

"It is not always the case. We are all born to be unique, some, gifted to the point of doing crazy things." Rose replied, glancing a little to the book and shifts her gaze at me as well.

"If you don't know the whole story, it's just easy to believe that writers were just exaggerating things."

"Yeah. I agree. Well, they have their own way of creativity. You can't stop someone from doing something they're passionate about."

"Yeah, to the point of doing crazy, unbelievable things, especially for the sake of making their way to being really popular."

"I hope to meet poets with normal way of thinking." I jokingly said that made her chuckle. She sighed and smiled back at me.

"How I wish writers are always like that. You see? He even became popular because he chose to think outside the box. Too bad he was also murdered because of his works."

"I guess he deserves it," I commented as I looked in a different direction not wanting her to think that I am being too judgemental to someone.

"Nobody deserves death caused by other people. In fact, we don't have all the right to end our life for ourselves. For me, we don't own our own lives, either. I guess what happened to him was really bound to happen in the first place."

"You know what, you're a bit weird but on point. I like it."

"How I wish he didn't die yet. I have a lot of questions in mind for him." She answered. I saw Rose smiled mysteriously as she turned her gaze at the book that she's reading again. She flipped the next page and moved her eyes to more information about Shavicpaque.

"Aren't you contented about the information that came from his relatives when you went to Philadelphia?"

"Well, they don't tell all those detailed information about him and the things he did. I guess they still want to protect Shavicpaque until the very end."

"Maybe. If I am related to him, I will also try my best to also protect him at all cost. Even if some of what he did was unforgivable based on what I have read from his works."

"Protecting his name from the very end is different from tolerating him and his works. I hope they are doing the first that I mentioned."

I got the book that she's holding and gently closed it in front of her as I smiled. "You know what? Let's just go to the school canteen. I am hungry already. We've been reading for two hours nonstop here. We somehow deserve a break, right?"

"Oh, sorry. This book got me hooked up. Let's go?" She said as she smiled back. She's packing everything she owns on the table as she puts it inside her backpack. She straightened the handle and put it around her shoulders. I also did the same as I neatly arranged my notebooks inside my backpack as well.

We walked happily in going to the school cafeteria. Good thing it's a bit nearer to the school library that's why it's not that difficult to reach. I offered to treat her this time and she nodded. As we walked on the aisle where the tables are being placed, I noticed that a lot of guys who were in a different sections are taking a glimpse of her. She just awkwardly smiled in return.

"Look bro, she's really beautiful."

"Yeah, she looked like a wonderwoman for me."

"Gal Gadot, bro." They did a high five as they can't help but to stare at her. She just shook her head and simply flipped her hair as she take a glimpse at them.

"This is my favorite." I proudly presented her the snack that I loved the most. Sugar-coated bananas on a stick. She smiled as she got the other stick from my hand. I also bought two little boxes of chocolate drinks for both of us.

"Wow! This is so nice! You're as sweet as this snack. Thank you, Kamilla!" She cheerfully took a bite and when she realized it's too hot, she opened her mouth and produced some air to let it cool from her tongue. She laughed because of what she did just now.

"Oh my goodness I am so sorry! I was too excited I am not able to tell you that it is still very hot!" I said, shocked at the same time, chuckled upon looking at her.

I even fan her using my notebook in front of her face to ease what she's feeling but I guess to no avail.

"No, don't be guilty. My fault. I knew that it's hot but I never realized that it's too hot for me to handle. Sorry to make you worry." She said, as she now manage to chew the small bite that she took minutes ago. She's really charming even if I can see that she's having a hard time eating that snack.

"I hope you will enjoy that snack. I always enjoy myself whenever I eat that one. It's a must to recommend."

"Yeah, you're right." She answered while chewing the sugar-coated banana. She looked awkward yet cute as she fan her mouth with her hands as she chew our snack. It made me laugh a bit.

"What do you mean, 'enjoy myself'?Don't you have friends who usually hang out with you?"

"I have, Rose. It's just that, I am too shy to interact with them. They also knew me for being strict and serious. They even think I am a snobber, too."

"Oh my! That's too rude! I don't even feel any of what you have mentioned when we're together."

"Thank you so much for looking at me that way."

I held her hand and smiled at her.

"It is because you knew my value from the very start. You believed in me at first that I am not what they are telling me about."

"Yeah and I believe you can also prove it them wrong, dear." She said as she tapped my shoulders.

"I know. I hope it will be sooner than we expect." I smiled and as we finish our snack, we talked a lot about many things. Rose is a bit funny because she also shared a lot of weird jokes that we only both understand.