Title: Flowers bloom in Summer
Genre: Slice of life, romance, girl-to-girl
Note: Characters and places are named differently, but the story itself happened in the author's personal life. This is also be the author's diary as well.
Characters:
Bennedict Yang – Main character. She's 19 years old and a female. YES! She is a SHE! Haha!
Ellen Sage – A friend of Bennedict, she is also Bennedict's school mate.
Hijo Yamazaki - Ellen's boyfriend, who is also a friend of Bennedict.
Shelle Coral – Bennedicts EX-Girlfriend.
Keyshia Miral – Bennedict's text mate.
Chapter 1: The power of unexpected events
It's already April, my birthday is coming up soon. I don't even know if I would rather celebrate it or not, but to tell you all honestly? I don't want to celebrate my birthday.
Hi, my name is Bennedict Yang. I'm a half-Chinese and half-Filipino. I'm already 19 years old turning 20 this April. Seeing how things are with my parents blows up my mind, I mean really, they're hard to understand. They're already separated. My role in my family is very difficult, since I'm the youngest I NEED to understand every little bit of what is happening in our lives. My father is a workaholic so he doesn't have any time for us, he's a grumpy old man but I love him so much. My mother has a business of Internet Café, she may be a little bit crazy at times but once you get to know her she's a very kind mother. My big sister already moved out of our house years ago and has a job, we recently made up with each other because of what happened between me, her, and my parents. It was pretty harsh I tell you. My big brother is studying in a famous and rich university in the city; we used to get along pretty well when we were kids but now? We don't anymore. And me? I'm a Fine Arts student majoring in Advertising in an average university.
Since my parents are already separated, I'm currently living at my mother's house. It's not really her house; I should say that we're living at her boyfriend's house. Living here doesn't bother me at all; I accept her relationship with her boyfriend. In a few days later, I'm going to move out and live with my father permanently. I know, I know, it's weird and all but I promised my father and my aunties that I should be living with him. I can't blame them for thinking on how those evil step-fathers do with their step-daughters. You know what I'm talking about. It's kind of gross to think about that. I mean, I already know my mom's boyfriend. He is not that kind of a guy at all. I didn't think about those things that my auntie told me earlier, she gave me that idea.
It's already morning, and my three puppies start whining. It means they're already hungry. I went downstairs to get some milk in the fridge and pour it on their bowl. The three puppies went for it and start drinking it all up. They are, after all, my babies and I love them so much!
After feeding my puppies, I went to bed and play my favourite video game of all time: Harvest Moon. It was already in PSP and I got addicted to it. I was so thrilled that I already have 7 Power Berries in that game. You should try playing it, too. I swear to God that you'll love that game.
After hours of playing, I didn't notice that my cell phone received 10 new messages. I stop playing for awhile and check my messages. Some are just quotations and some came from my bestfriend. I was reading my bestfriend's text message when all of a sudden, someone texted me again. It was from Keyshia, whom I just recently met in person. She's two years older than me, and she said to me that I have her permission to court her. I mean, wow. We just met and she wants me to court her? I should know her more before I do such a thing. But all I can say is that whatever her feelings might be, if its romance or friendship she's after, then I'll be accept her as a friend. I don't know about the romance part.
"Hi, Baby. Are you awake?" I read her text message as I think about what to reply to her. She's the one who starts calling me Baby. My bestfriend told me that if I don't like her like her then I should not entertain her. I'm the type of girl who doesn't like to hurt others. If I hurt others, I'll get guilty. But, if I don't hurt her then she'll make the wrong idea that I'm into her. That's the type of person I am. I'm a bit troubled about it right now.
Keyshia is a nice girl, her cuteness is a bonus. I have nothing to say about her personality. But, my conscience told me that I should not pursue anything that involves romance with her. I don't even know why. I think it's because I really don't have that special feelings for her. My bestfriend also told me that I should tell her what I feel; I'm thinking about the right words that I should tell to her. I know I will let her down, but I don't have any other choice.
"Yeah. I'm awake. What are you doing?" I replied as I think about my situation.
"I'm still lying on my bed. And you?" Gosh! This girl replies fast!
"I'm playing my PSP. You should get up and wash your face." I know I should not entertain her, but bah! What the hell? I don't know what to reply to her.
"Okay, Baby. I'll text you later, okay? And oh, you should text me later, too. I miss texting you, you know?" Son of a gun, this girl thinks that we're in a relationship already.
"Okay, I'll text you." Lie!
"Mwuah!" And thus our conversation ends.
I don't even know what to do with this girl anymore. I really should gather my courage up and tell her what I really feel. Thinking about this situation makes me all stressed out.
I didn't met Keyshia through friends or relatives. I met her through text messaging. I posted my cell phone number at a group called text network and boom! She texted me right then and there. At that time, I was desperate to meet bisexuals but now that Keyshia is here texting me, it seems like I made the biggest mistake of my entire life! Lesson learned, I guess?
Putting that aside, I started playing my PSP again to brush off that problem. I'll be dealing with that when the time comes but for now, I need to relax! It's summer already. Since I have to attend summer class, I need a total relaxation as much as I can. Summer class will start next week and I have to prepare for the hell weeks that will come in my way. Bring it on!
While I was playing Harvest Moon on my PSP, my mom barged into my room, "You're up already?" my mom looks at me as if she saw a ghost.
"No, I didn't sleep at all." Inside my mind, I had a feeling that she will tell me that I should sleep.
"You should sleep." I thought so.
"Later, I'm still playing my favourite game."
"Okay, may I borrow your EX's laptop for awhile?"
"I had a feeling that you'd say that. Okay, go ahead."
Yes, my EX-Girlfriend. She and my mother get along so well. She's one year and a half younger than me. We're good friends now, there's nothing to worry about. What happened in the past must remain in the past. Her name is Shelle. We've been together for 1 year and a half month in the past. The reason why we broke up is because she cheated on me emotionally. And seeing those pictures of the guy she's falling in love with is the evidence. And there's a time that I read her blog about that guy, I was so ranged with anger that I want to cry. And of course, she changed the lock of her cell phone so I don't have to check it. What will I think of that? Of course, I'll be thinking about some things that I shouldn't think, and that is doubts. That is the only thing that we cannot avoid thinking. But, seeing those kinds of evidences makes me jump into conclusions. And I was right after all. She doesn't need to hide all of those things. She could at least tell me that she's falling in love with him, I can accept that. But hiding it? It's cruel.
"I'll be going to sleep now, mom. Wake me up if dinner's ready." I told my mother with a big yawn while stretching my arms up.
"Okay, I'll wake you up." With that, I dozed off to slumber land.
"Bennedict…Bennedict.." Someone is calling my name from a far away place.
"Who are you?"
"Let's go, Bennedict! We're waiting for you!"
"Hey, wait! Who are you? Hello? Helloooo??"
"WAKE UP! DINNER'S ALMOST READY! BRUSH YOUR TEETH, WASH YOUR FACE, AND COME DOWNSTAIRS, YOU SLEEPYHEAD!"
"Wha..? Mom?" I woke up at my mom's shouting voice.
"Yes, I am your mother, idiot. Now, stand up!"
"Okay, okay. I'll be down in a minute."
I check the time and it was already 6:30pm. I recall my dream earlier, it was so weird. But then again, I didn't bother thinking about it and just went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and to wash my face. I looked at the mirror to comb my hair and came downstairs for dinner.
"You look…wicked." My cousin looked at me with a weird expression on her face.
"Oh yeah? You, too. You're my cousin after all."
"Haha, very funny. Let's chow!"
"The food won't run away, you know."
"Whatever, Bennedict."
"Oh yeah, I need to go upstairs to get my cell phone. You set the table, I'll be right back."
"What a lazy bum."
I went upstairs to get my cell phone. Then, I saw 6 new messages. I checked it and all of the messages came from Keyshia. Ugh. This girl won't stop texting me! So, I replied to her "Sorry. Just got up. I'm going to eat dinner, you should eat, too."
Then, I remembered something. Hijo, who is the boyfriend of my friend Ellen, told me the other day that he and Ellen just broke up. So, I went online to see if Ellen is online. And guess what? She's online.
And I PMmed her, "Ellen, you okay?"
"Yes, I am. Why?" Tsk, there's a smile emoticon. She's not okay.
"Nothing, Hijo told me about…you know? Break-up."
"Oooh.." What a reply.
"Are you sure you're doing just fine?"
"Yeah, we're okay. We took a second chance to see if we are really for each other. But, I don't know about our feelings."
"Feelings? What about it?"
"I don't think our feelings are not the same anymore."
"I see. And you're okay with that?"
"Yeah, I'm okay with it. Anyway, let's put that thing aside, it's all in the past now."
"Well, as long as you're happy with your life now, then I think it's okay."
"For now, I want to spend my time with you. Is that okay?"
"Sure, you can."
"And if we really broke up, will you be there for me?"
"Sure, but I can't promise you that I will be at your side 24/7."
"I know that. Say, I feel that you have a girlfriend now."
"Me? No, I don't have one. I'm still single."
"Haha! So, if ever that Hijo and me will break up totally, can we..um, go out?" Wait, did I read that right?
"Hmm..do you want to?" Of course, I need to know the answer to that.
"That time, I do. I know you're always there for me."
"Wait. What? That time?" My reaction to her answer is very unpredictable.
"Yes, and I'm still am. But, of course, Hijo and I got back together. I have to restrain myself to everyone. At least I'm not showing any affection. But, I want to know. Do you like me? It's an awkward question, I know." And now I'm going bananas because of that answer. I didn't expect that she will talk to me about this. And I didn't have any plans to bring this topic up. It was all hers.
"Hijo asked me that two days ago and yes. I like you but I don't want to say it to you before. Do you still remember the time when I told you that I like someone in our group?" I think this is the perfect time to make a confession since she already confess about what she feels towards me.
"Yeah, why?"
"The person I'm referring to is you." There, I said it!
"Oh..I'm not aware of it!"
"Now you know."
"If we're going out, then I might learn to love you. I'm still not okay with tomboys, and I don't know the feeling of going out with the same sex. And I don't have any experience about it."
"It doesn't matter if you don't have any experience on that or what. I am not a persistent person. I know that you already have Hijo, and I know that you're happy with him, so I gave way for the both of you." And that is my true feelings.
"I know. That's why with you, maybe I can learn to love you." Then the smile emoticon again, I don't know if that's a double-meaning or what.
"Maybe. Well, I have to go downstairs. I have to eat dinner now. Take care."
"Okay, you too." And with that, I signed off and went downstairs for dinner.