Memory of a Blissful Night
When I came home that night I went straight to my room. I didn't eat or anything. I just changed and lay down on my bed right away. I stared at the ceiling for no reason except to allow my mind to think.
Why do I have to love you? I asked Kuki in my mind. Why do you have to be so beautiful? Why do you have to be so sweet? Why do you have to be so perfect…? I breathed deeply for a second. Of all the girls in this world…why you?
I thought back to six years ago when I first met Kuki.
"Cruddy girly girl…" I often mumbled about her. Kuki was the epitome of what I hated the most. She was too girly. With all the stuffed toys, the girl magazines and the ever so preppy attitude, she annoyed me completely. Just then, something entered my mind. I haven't thought of it for a long time. It was something I realized when I was about thirteen years old.
I never hated you. I never hated you at all. I just thought I did…because deep down I knew that you're my weakness. You're the downfall of my reputation. I pretended to hate you because I knew that I loved you…
I rolled over and lay on my side. My eyes roamed around the wall of my bedroom as I searched for a distraction from all these thoughts. My plan backfired. Instead of finding something that was supposed to make me forget my childhood memories of her, I found something that reminded me of my most blissful childhood memory of her. Right away I stood up and reached for the box I saw on top of the shelf. And then I took a deep breath before opening it. When I did, I found what I was expecting. There, hidden inside, was a little withered yellow flower.
It was two years ago when everyone in the gang was just fourteen. Chubbles, Kuki's favorite hamster, just died. For two days she visited his little grave constantly, while hanging on to a little yellow flower that was supposed to be for him. I was worried about her. I didn't give a damn about the little cruddy rodent. I hated hamsters. But I cared about her. And it was sad for me to watch her walking around miserably just because of a stupid pet.
Two more days had passed and Kuki continued to grieve. On the second night, I was awoken by the sound of tiny pebbles hitting my window. When I looked outside, I saw Kuki standing on the front yard. I went downstairs quietly and let her in and after that, we went back up to my room.
"Why did you come here?" I remember asking her that. She replied to me by raising the flower, telling me it was about Chubbles.
"I miss him so much" She said.
"He's just a hamster, Kuki"
"He was my favorite hamster"
There was a short silence between us.
"Wanna know something fun about Chubbles?" She smiled a bit at me.
"What?"
"He reminded me of you"
"Me? Why me?"
"I used to see him walking around the cage all the time, bullying the other hamsters. He was always acting like he was so big and tough but I knew that he's sweet. I see it in him sometimes. You're like that, Wally"
My memory of that moment was vague. All I could remember now was that we smiled at each other. Anyway, she stayed with me that night. She slept right by my side. I was still awake at around 2am because I was watching her sleep. I was admiring her beauty. As I watched her she suddenly wrapped her arms around me during her sleep. Not only that, she leaned on me. I loved that feeling. But that night, what made me the happiest was what she did after she hugged me. I don't know if she was awake or she was dreaming but…as I watched her, she suddenly opened her eyes and smiled at me. And before I knew it she pressed her lips against mine. She kissed me. And she never pulled away. She fell asleep in the middle of that kiss. And soon, I fell asleep with overwhelming happiness. When I woke up that morning, she was gone. And all I found was the tiny lemon-colored flower lying on the spot where she had been. That's the flower that I kept inside the box on top of my shelf. Up to now, that night is still a blissful mystery to me. I don't know if Kuki knew of what she did. I wasn't sure. All I knew was that she never spoke of that night to anyone, not even to me.