"Associative Looseness"

Castro was sitting on the bed carefully watching Yolanda pace back and forth. She was biting her nails and lines on her face start to show everytime she rubs her closed eyes.

Yolanda spotted the chair at the corner and sat there, staring at Castro.

He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He had the body of a swimmer, lean but with arms and legs that can carry her full weight. A beautifully sculpted shoulder and faint lines that travel vertically and horizontally along his midsection. He had the most gorgeous locks that still smell fresh after a long day... And his eyes, his eyes that disappear whenever he smile; his eyes that melt her heart with just a glance; his eyes that show no emotion but happiness, longing and love.

He moved nearer to Yolanda towards the end of the bed, "What are you looking at?" He teased her.

Yolanda smiled and shook her head.

"Are you worried about skipping work today? Cmon, you deserve a day-off. You've been working really really hard. They should pay you triple for the things you do for them!"

Yolanda bitterly smiled.

"Who could ever think that a dump like the Archives could have such a talented and very sexy...employee like you?"

With this comment, Yolanda let out a chuckle. "You're crazy", she said and stood near the bathroom door.Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she whispered to herself, "I'm crazy."

Then she felt an arm around her waist and a familiar scent kissing her nape.

"Let's go back to bed", he murmurred.

Then her mobile phone rang. She let it ring until it became silent. Then a beep signalling a text message.

Yolly, where are you? How could you disappear like this again? Call me. - Damien


(to be cont...)

Five years had passed and Yolanda grew up to become an attractive young girl. She was still considered ordinary by girls who thought they're prettier than her, but boys would give her a second glance every time she walks by. She had gained a new moniker by then, the weird girl. Oftentimes people would tease her about Castro --
"Hey pony girl, where's your friend?"
or
"Hey weirdo! Where's your boyfriend??"

She would just look at them with contempt and then walk away.

Senior prom is nearing and Damien, one of the popular boys came up to Yolanda one afternoon. He had a long-stemmed rose which he hid behind his back while speaking to Yolanda.

"Yolly, may I ask you something?" Damien asked.
Yolanda was surprised but replied, "OK."
Then Damien started mumbling to himself while kicking the dust off his feet. Yolanda became more curious and urged Damien to speak up, "Was there something you want to ask?"
Damien took a deep breath and suddenly went down on one knee and offered the long-stemmed rose to Yolanda, "Yolly, will you ditch your special friend Castro and be my date for prom?"

Silence.

Then laughter emanated from the background.

Yolanda looked around to see Damien's friend laughing their hearts out with the scene. It's clear that they're making fun of her. Yolanda felt her eyes getting hot. She stared at Damien with disgust and started to run away. Damien tried to stop her by grabbing her wrist, "Yolly, I'm sorry." Yolanda quickly got herself free and ran as fast as she could, just like her tears flowing freely on her cheeks.

Trying to escape the humiliation, Yolanda took refuge behind the large Acacia tree. She sat down catching her breath with tears still continuously flowing from her eyes. Then a tall figure suddenly appeared before her. She cannot see who it was and assumed it was Damien, "Please Damien, leave me alone."
But the figure did not go away, and squatted infront of her instead. He took a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tears and sweat from Yolanda's face.
Yolanda looked at him and instead of stopping, more tears rolled down her face. She saw the clearest brown eyes looking lovingly at her. Then he smiled and planted a kiss on Yolanda's wet cheeks.

Yolanda moved away and uttered, "Castro please...stop."

(to be cont.)

There was once a little girl named Yolanda. She was not pretty, she was not perfect, she was not smart...she was just, ordinary. No one knew her name, they just know her as the girl in class. She was the one always referred to by teachers as "You, with the ponytail, stand up." She was just there, unknown...transparent...invisible.

Yolanda had one friend though, his name was Castro. He was always there in the morning waking up Yolanda by throwing pebbles at her window. He would pick her up everyday, walk to school with her and they would spend countless hours together. They would run up and down the hill from school, breathless but laughing. Some kids would look at them and Castro would cover Yolanda and urge her to race home. They would dash again and one time Yolanda fell down. Castro stood tall over her but he never reached down to help her.
"Get up!", he said.
"Help me, please?" asked Yolanda.
But Castro just stood there smiling, "Cmon loser, you fell down, you can get up."
"I can't. My knee is bleeding."
Castro squatted infront of Yolanda and gently said, "If I help you now, who will help you when I'm gone? So, cmon and stand up. You can do it. I'll wait for you at your house."
Then off he ran leaving Yolanda in tears.

When Yolanda got home she did not see Castro waiting for her. She was devastated. She was heartbroken. Castro abandoned her. Just like the rest of the kids in school. He didn't want to help her. She went to the kitchen to wash her knee when her mother saw her. She helped her into the tub and gently caressed her bruised knee. She didn't ask what happened for a mother knew everything even before a child confesses. She wiped Yolanda's tears and told her to get out of her soiled uniform and change into clean clothes.

Yolanda, still teary-eyed asked her mother, "Ma, did you see Castro waiting for me outside?"
Yolanda's mother lovingly cupped her face with both of her hands and hesitated before speaking. She cannot find the right words to tell Yolanda what happened. She took a deep breath and kissed Yolanda's forehead.
"Ma, what is it?"
"How old are you now Yolanda?"
"I'm twelve Mama."

(to be cont...)