Chapter 1:

MAY

Summer Lasts as Always

The Siren's Journal

"Mommy look!"

A little girl about 4 years old or so ran towards the glowing sunset near the bay. Her mother followed her and looked at the marvelous view of one of nature's great occurrences.

"Isn't it beautiful mommy? The sun is so pretty! It's now hiding from us."

The girl said with childish pleasure, delighted of what she saw. Her eyes looked with great curiosity at the big shining mass in front of her.

The sun. Yes, the sun. It was now hiding to give the moon a chance to shine on its own time. At the fall of the day were the evening starts to open up its real color and features, showing space with its glittering stars, at night.

It had always made me contented when I see the sunrise or set, as long as it is in its most inspiring view.

I was sitting at a bench near the bay under the shade of the coconut trees that were swaying its leaves against the cool blowing sea breeze. I was looking for something significant to paint with my canvas. Something that will be a memento for me to treasure. I roamed around the countryside and found a good spot to see something that I thought I might paint. And so I waited. It was half past four in the afternoon that means I have to wait for more than an hour to see it; the significant view that I was waiting for and it did come.

After an hour and a half passed, slowly I saw the big bright glowing ball of massive gas, slowly moving down from the sky. It's bright dandelion glow turned into golden rays that reflected the sky with bright tangerine color and the clouds bright yellow. A sight that was commonly seen yet unappreciated by people, because it was always there.

I started to paint the marvelous sight in front of me. I positioned myself under the coconut trees to cool myself up and to help me be in the "creative" mood. It was hard to paint something that is glowing vibrantly and is brightly shining. Yet, a realistic painting can shows what is there. But then, it's just a human's creation, a duplication of the real thing copied by imperfect hands. Imperfect copy, I could say.

Time passed by so quickly and I hadn't noticed that it was getting dark. Not until a soft hand tapped at my back that made me come to my senses once again and took away my concentration from the painting. I turned around and saw someone smiling at me charmingly. Hair as dark as the night sky, eyes as brown as mocha ice cream, lips that were pink as cherries and complexion as fair as milk. A figure stood in front of me. A young lady with her innocent eyes looking at me dearly.

"It's late." She said.

I heard her sweet voice by then, telling me that we have to leave for it was getting dark and we have to go back home.

"Give me one minute more and then we can go." I told her.

So, I looked once again at my painting subdued by its view and looked around the atmosphere. The sky was now colored indigo as it was going to come as night and the clouds were then fading away. The sun was disappearing as well and its rays went hiding slowly with her, leaving the sky into darkness. After a while, I saw the moon and stars then, slowly popping out. I felt the cool breeze blow at my face letting me feel that it was already night. It was only a minute yet, for me it was long enough to last see and feel the aura of the sun set and the up coming night.

The one-minute passed and so we needed to go, the young lady accompanied me to our friends place to pack our things and go home. It was our last day in the countryside, I should tell you.

We walked for less than half an hour going to the place where we stay. We saw the grassy plains and forests full of trees. As we walked to our destination, fireflies started to come out of the grassy abandoned space beside us. Some of it circled around us while the others just went to different directions. We stopped for a while and looked at them, looked at them dancing in the air merrily glowing like stars in the sky. Such little creatures have their unique way of sharing their beauty. I had always loved to see fireflies glow at night. After a while the fireflies went away and so again, our way became dark.

We were already in front of a bamboo made gate. We went inside and saw our friends waiting for us outside at the terrace of the house.

"Its dark already. Where have you been?"

A tall male figure said standing, leaning against the bamboo fence beside the gate. I hadn't seen him until he spoke. His deep brown eyes looking at the moon before turned at the side and looked at me. The familiar voice made my inside shiver. I turned to look at him and was caught in his eyes.

"I just roamed around and looked for something." I said.

He walked towards my companion and me and spoke, "I already packed your things. We're leaving now. The car is ready." He then looked at the innocent eyed female beside me and then nodded at the direction of the terrace where our friends were. There, a thin chubby faced boy carried a bag in front of him, showing it to the young lady and smiled. The young lady went to lad, running and took her bag from him. She smiled at the boy in return.

Two other couples stood beside the entrance door to the house saying goodbye to the skinny shorthaired girl's aunt. All of us said our goodbyes then and went inside our car and left.

Traveling was a long time and most of us got bored that they slept at the journey. A white spiky haired boy with gray eyes slept in his seat at the back most, drooling. Sleeping on his shoulder was the skinny shorthaired girl smiling as if she was dreaming of her happiest moment. She was muttering something under her breath unconsciously.

At the middle sat two lovebirds sweetly seated beside each other. The young man was sitting beside the open window looking at the moonlit sky then unconsciously staring at the land beside him. The young lady saw what he was doing and sat more closely, snuggling beside him laying her head on his chest.

"I'm sleepy." She said.

And the boy's attention went to her. He saw her smiling charmingly, resting on him. He smiled at her too and cuddled her more close, embracing her and laid his head on top of hers. Then, the two slept together in warmth.

It was almost an hour and we were still half way going home. I sat in the front seat and looked outside the window, bored of what I was doing. I just sat and looked around. There was nothing to do. I looked then at my left, looking at the person beside me. He was of course driving the car. I wanted to have a little conversation but if I would do that, it would distract him from his concentration on his driving. And of course you would know what will happen if he does. So, I looked away and continued on my common activity when I get bored, and it was looking blankly anywhere. After a while of having an unoccupied mind, I heard him speak the first time since we rode on the car.

"Summer is about to end." He said mindlessly.

I looked at him but he didn't look at me. He continued to drive and looked at the road. "Oh, I see…" I said with an eerie breath. I then, began to feel the cold breeze blowing inside the car from my window. Chill was then felt by my body. I hope summer time will soon end. Going back to the thought that I had a companion beside me I started to talk mindless of what I know might happen.

"2 weeks more and then it will be school time again." I told him.

There was no reply until a few minutes later. He began to slow down because there were cows crossing the street with out a human guide. He stopped when he was 2 feet away. He then said, "Things will still be the same, right?"

He looked at me and smiled. He meant to say that things would really still be the same. Relationship, school, friendship, and other more. There won't be any changes. I smiled at him then when I knew what he meant.

"Yes, it will be the same." I replied.

The cows were now at the other side. Funny, I didn't know cows are still awake at this kind of time. Hmm… maybe their not tired yet. Oh, well lets just see.

After a while we were at the city. We drove our friends to their homes and bid each other goodbye. The short haired girl was hard to wake so, the spiky haired boy, woke and carried her to her house going to her room. He laid her on her bed still sleeping and drooling like baby. The boy smiled as he saw the childish girl sleeping peacefully in bed.

At the chubby faced boy's house, His sweet charmer accompanied him inside his house. Inside, they saw his younger brother sleeping on the sofa waiting for him. The young man knelt beside his brother and then, carried him into his arms. Slowly he stood and looked at the young lady standing beside him. He whispered goodnight to her and kissed her on her forehead. And the girl whispered her goodnight as well and bowed. She then went outside and rode going to their house.

It was just a few meters away. The charming young lady and the innocent young lad went inside their house directly saying their goodbyes to both of us left in the car.

As for me, I was driven to my house, three blocks away from my dear friend's house. I was still sitting on the front sit. And after a while of hearing just the air and then silence, I opened the door of the car and was going to go out until a hand caught me and then pulled me back and I felt a warm feeling on my lips. It was a sudden action yet I was drawn to it. I closed my eyes and let the sensation even just for a while subdue me. After the a few minutes, the warm feeling parted from my mouth. I opened my eyes and looked at my kisser.

"As always and forever." He whispered in the air to me.

The air made me hear his promise. And I returned that promise to him as well. And so we parted…

I went inside our house and went directly to my room. A took a warm bath to take my stress away. I then, changed my clothes and laid myself in bed. The main light was off. My light saver was the only one open. It's faint golden glow keeps me company through the night. I looked at the ceiling remembering what my beloved friend had said,

"As always and forever."A promise that was kept. I wonder if it will be forever. I put the thought of it aside and thought of the coming days. School time was about to start and I'm going to meet old faces and new faces. Will there be new obstacles that my friends and me would undergo? I hope not. I just hope things won't go wrong…