Selene and Katherine sat beneath a tree, petals of pink dancing around the air as the wind blows silently. Katherine's voice broke the silence, “Everyone in our class has already.... infatuated with someone, well, except you”, she said with a giggle.
Katherine's words were clear both in delivery and meaning, so after hearing no response, she looked at Selene. She seemed to be lost deep in thought, a warm and tender smile appearing on her lips.
Her silence and expression were enough, Katherine's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. “Wait!...you like someone!?”
Selene thought for a while before she finally parted her lips. "This is a secret, Kath. Just between us."
Katherine's promise was voiced out in excitement. "I won't tell anyone, I swear!"
Catarina's voice was hoarse, her words barely rose above a whisper. "It's Nicolai."
Katherine's jaw dropped, her eyes frozen in shock. Not only her, but if anyone found out, they will be in even more shock. Everyone knows that Selene is far too smart, kind, hardworking, and perfect, on the other hand, Nicolai, is quite opposite he is athletic but not smart, hot-headed but easily forgives. He is very playful and friendly, everybody likes him but loathed him more. Only the heaven knows why everyone hated him to the core. For the others, his personality brings pure annoyance and anger, but to Selene, it was very adorable, no matter what he does, she just couldn't bring herself to hate him even in the slightest bit.
As Katherine struggled to comprehend, another thought crossed her mind. Hesitantly, she murmured, “But...Nicolai already loves someone”
The moment Selene heard this, her bashfulness faded. Her smile remained, but her eyes looked sorrowful. “I know...I know that, I won't interfere with his relationship, it's just my stupid infatuation anyways”, Selene said with a giggle, but her voice was filled misery.
Before Katherine can say another word, the school bell rang, it was time for them to return in their own class. Selene abruptly stood up and bid Katherine a goodbye before returning to her own room.
Coming back to her room, she found a seat and settled herself. With a hand propped at her cheek, she looked up in the sky, lost in thought. She knew that Nicolai already liked someone, he was included in her friend group, so topics like this easily reached her ears.
Nicolai likes someone, I know that...so why do I still like him? I said that I won't interfere, but what if he likes—
Likes who? she faltered, not knowing what just came to her mind. Selene feared to finish her thought. Nicolai liking her? Impossible!
***
The next morning, Selene arrived early, there were a few students around already but none of her classmates arrived yet. She entered the empty room and sat to continue reading a novel. In that moment, two students passed by, chatting. At first, Selene has no intention of eavesdropping, but their conversation caught her attention.
“Hey! Remember when Nicolai borrowed your phone?”
“Yeah and you gave him mine, what about it?”
“He looked at your picture and said that you are cute”
“You and Nicolai had always been close since childhood, maybe he likes you?”
“What!? what are you talking about?... that's impossible”
He likes you, he likes you, he likes you. Those words repeated inside Selene's head, each word stabbing her heart deeper and deeper.
Then, a scene flashed before her eyes. Nicolai was chatting with them, in their group, no secrets are hidden, especially about their curshes. Everyone knew each others' admirers, except for Nicolai, so they were asking him.
“C'mmon Nic, tell us. Just give hints and we'll guess”
“Yeah! Yeah!”
Hearing their words and knowing that they will not stop until they bleed all information out of Nicolai, he sighed and looked up into the sky, a gentle smile forming in his lips, “I have a beloved gracious someone, she is beautiful, smart, kind and perfect. She has long black hair and silver eyes that reminds me of the night sky...”
Those were the words Nicolai uttered and what's worse, one of the girls she heard talking looked exactly like his description. Then, several more scenes flooded her mind. Events where Nicolai and that girl where together. The more she thought about it, the more she understood.
I see, so she's the one he liked all along...Heh, why didn't I realize?...why did I even think that perhaps, only perhaps!, Nicolai—liked me?!
Selene leaned onto the table and burrowed her head into her arms. Why did I even think about having a chance with him?
Soon after, classes started, but Selene was still lost in her thoughts, not sparing a single interest at their lesson. Katherine noticed this and became worried, so during recess, she invited Selene to eat with her.
They were under a tree, it was Selene's favorite palce in their school, she would always come here and read books when she's got free time.
Selene was laying at Katherine's lap while she slowly caressed her head. Katherine's voice broke the silence, “Selene, I've noticed that you've been quite unfocused, is there anything bothering you? You can tell me about it”
Hearing her friend's statement, events from earlier came surging back to her mind. Unable to hold it in any longer, she broke into tears and opened up to Katherine. Selene's voice was hoarse, her sentences broken, “I don't know what's happening to me... I thought all of this was only just infatuation or admration... But why? Why does it hurt to see him being with another girl? To see him treat them differently, more gently? To hear him compliment and be excited about them? To hear... That he already likes someone else...” she paused. Then with an outburst of emotions, she continued “It hurts...it hurts so much... because... I have already fallen in —love for him. ”
“If it hurts so much...then why don't you forget about him? There's plenty of other guys out there” Katherine stated.
“I can't...I won't, I-” Selene wanted to say more but words just wouldn't come out of her mouth. In the end, she couldn't speak anymore, she just continued sobbing while Katherine tried to comfort her.
I've probably gone mad, to think that even after knowing he doesn't love me...the perfect Selene everyone knows perhaps is just so stupid that I'm still willing to love him and sacrifice everything for him.
***
The following day, before Selene can even clear her mind, chaos erupted in the classroom. Sophia,one of her classmates, had her harsh words pierce the air, "Nicolai! We've had enough! You're always so stubborn, not doing what's necessary...Hah! No wonder nobody even cared about you. You've got looks, yeah, but what else do you have?" The class hurled all their insults and accusations at the boy, each words stabbing at Nicolai's soul.
Selene's patience reached the limit, their words might hurt Nicolai a lot, but it hurts her even more. To see the man you love get hurt and being able to do nothing about it, it was her greatest fear, her greatest pain.
"You're all wrong!" she shouted, her voice shaking. "I know Nicolai. I've watched him, seen his kindness and efforts. You're the ones who's wrong, not him! He tries everything to be better but none of you acknowledged it!"
The room fell silent, but the damage can't be removed. Nicolai stormed out and Selene followed close behind.
Beside a shabby, abandoned building, Nicolai sat, his face covered by his hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Seeing this, Selene sat beside him, reaching out to comfort him, only to be met by a backhand slap, not too strong but also not too gentle.
"Go away, Selene. I don't need your fake sympathy," Nicolai said, his voice etched with pain.
"I won't leave," Selene replied, her voice iron firm but gentle. "My sympathy isn't fake, Nicolai. I know you're hurt."
Nicolai's eyes flashed with anger and sorrow. "Everyone hates me, Selene. No one loves me. I'm ugly, inside and out. My personality is hellish. No one wants me around."
She bit her lips hardly at the sound of Nicolai. Selene's hands reached up and gently grabbed his face and made him look at her. Selene's eyes locked on his, her gaze strong yet warm. "That's not true, Nicolai."
Hearing Selene, Nicolai removed his face from Selene's grasp and smiled, it was a genuine smile, but at the same time his gaze was filled with grief, it was as if he was relieved but also hurt. "Selene, I have to tell you something. I've been wanting to say it for so long...I know I'm not worthy, I'm not good enough, but I— love you."
Selene's eyes widened, shocked by Nicolai's confession.
Nicolai's voice trembled. "I know you're just being kind to me, but...do you think you could ever love someone like me? Flawed, imperfect, and all?"
Selene's face softened as she nodded, her smile gentle and warm. Her eyes locked onto his, "I've loved you since the first day I saw you," she stated, her voice unhesistant. "Your smile, your laugh, your kind heart... everything about you captivated me. But I thought you already liked someone so I stayed quiet.
As the words spilled from her lips, Nicolai's defenses were destroyed. He wrapped his arms around Catarina, pulling her close. “What are you talking about? The one I've always liked is you...my special gracious someone is you Selene,no one else”
He whispered, his voice gentle. "I've always felt drawn to you, but I thought...I've always thought you were out of my reach."
I've always thought you were out of my reach, you are the moon in the night sky and I am just some lowly boy in the ground, no matter how I try to reach you, I can't. You are just so far away...but I was wrong.
Selene's smile brought light to the dark building."I also thought you are out of my reach, but I was also wrong..."
The person Nicolai believed to be out of his hands was now in front of him. He couldn't endure it any longer, he pulled Selene close to him and their lips met in a tender, heartfelt kiss.
As they broke apart, Selene's eyes shone with happiness."I'm sorry," she whispered, "for not seeing you sooner."
Nicolai grabbed a loose strand of Selene's hair and tugged at the back of her ears. He said with a radiant smile "You're here now, that's all that matters."
The two of them spent years running to each other, one in the heavens soaring high and the other in the earth way below, trying to get a hold of one another.
But now, it only took an instant fall into each other's embrace.
The story continues....
