Childhood Sweetheart

When I was a little girl, I used to have a playmate named John Matthew. He is a good looking young boy with an almost blonde hair, pointed nose, white skin, and a very cute pair of brown eyes. I was only four years old when I met him, but I can’t seem to forget him and the memories we shared.

“Hi! What’s your name? Why are you alone? Do you want to play with me?” I asked as I approach him. But the least expected thing happened.

“Why do you care? You’re so nosy. Go away and mind your own business. Leave me alone!” He yelled which made me fall on my knees and cry nonstop. He looked at me for a while before snapping out of his reverie and approached me.

“Wa… wait… why are you crying? .... Hey … Stop it…” He stuttered while having a panicked look on his face, but instead of doing what he said, I cried even more. I was crying loudly when he did something I can never forget. “Uh… uh… why… did you do that?” I asked in disbelief while still having hiccups due to me crying session. He shrugged his shoulders then wiped the tears from my eyes using his thumb.

Without hearing any response from him, my eyes started to water again. Seeing that he answered. “Don’t cry, okay. Aside from it’s annoying…” he sighed then continued talking. “I only kissed you on your cheek so that you will calm down and stop crying. My dad does it with my mom whenever she cries. My mom stops crying so I wanted to see it for myself. Look you stopped crying. It’s effective.” He said it like it’s a normal thing and since that incidents things has started to change for the two of us.

Matthew and I became friends. Our families grew closer and we became neighbors. We do a lot of things together, like playing, walking to school, doing assignments and so much more. We used to be best buddies until we entered high school. But Matthew being himself, he was still the little boy who kissed me on the cheek.

“Hi JM!” Vanessa, our classmate called out to him. He’s still snobbish and mean but due to his looks many girls are attracted to him. He ignored Vanessa and continued walking with me by his side. Vanessa called out for him for the second time but he didn’t pay attention to her.

Vanessa doesn’t know the word, “give up because you’re being ignored”. She continued calling his name and ran after us. Hew got irritated so he faced Vanessa and said, “Stop bugging me. We are not close so please don’t act like one. Only my close friends call me JM. So it’s Matthew for you.” We turned to leave but he spoke again. “Can’t you see this? I’m taken so please don’t come near me again. I don’t want her to get jealous.” I was stunned for a moment before getting dragged away by Hew. He just hold up our intertwined hands while declaring that we are in a relationship. I felt hot on my cheeks and a little angry at the same time.

I smacked him on his shoulders and whispered-yelled at him. “Why did you do that? People will get the wrong idea! They’ll think that we are in a relationship!” Instead of answering me he held my face in his two big hands and asked. “Are you okay? Your face is flushed and it feels a little feverish.” I swatted his hands away and started trailing off again in order to cover up my flushed faced. “Oh yeah right. I almost forgot that the oh so mighty He---“ He just shoved a chocolate in my mouth. I was startled again and felt like my face completely turned into a tomato.

“You know me better than anyone else. So why bother asking when you already know the answer? Besides I didn’t do anything wrong. She must reserve some self-respect and know better than to chase after a man who already has a girlfriend.” I felt butterflies in my stomach and felt my cheeks as if I was a kettle with boiling water.

He put another chocolate in my mouth. “And most of all, only you has the right to annoy, talk, hurt and love me. Understood?” But I wasn’t able to comprehend his last words because he said it in a whisper. I still nodded while chewing the chocolate. “Of course without me getting annoyed”. He said it with a smile. The smile I can never forget all my life. The smile he only shows me and the people whom he cares about. The smile that makes me happy and makes my stomach feel butterflies and makes my heart skip a beat. It’s the smile that I’ll never get tired of seeing.

“But seriously why are you beat red? Do you have a fever?” He tried to touch my face again but I started to run away from him. I can’t contain the embarrassment I felt for getting caught red handed by him. I like wanting to be eaten up by the cement I’m standing in. “Hey wait up!”

Even without us confirming whether we are boyfriend and girlfriend, many people has already assumed that we are in a romantic relationship I always watch his basketball practice and cheer for him when he has official games. We are always together plus the fact that we are classmates. We are in the section of varsity players. I am part of the chess varsity team.

“We are really meant to be you know.” He told me one afternoon. “How do you say so?” He sat beside me on a bench then continued, “You are really dense you know? I did not listen to your family when they told me about you being so dense and naïve about everything.” After saying those confusing words he left me then walked over to his teammates.

When we graduated in junior high school, things started to get even clearer for me. My feelings for him that was once blurred became crystal clear. I already love him. When we were in elementary he’s my crush, when we entered high school I like him, but now, I’m definitely sure that I love him. I love Hew, my best friend.

But I’m afraid. Afraid that when he knows what I feel for him, I’ll get rejected like Vanessa. Afraid that our relationship will change. He will no longer be my friend because things will get awkward for the two of us. He’ll no longer take care of me and be there for me like he always does.

“I love you!” I was stunned. “Since the first time we met when we were kids.” I don’t know what to say. “When I kissed you on your cheek and wiped away your tears.” I stood there unmoving. “The reason why I put a label between us even without you knowing. Everyone in the campus and even our family and friends know what I feel for you, but you were too dense.”  He ruffled his hair. He’s irritated. I know because he does that whenever he feels wronged and irritated. Everything was so sudden for me. I don’t know what to say.

My body seemed to have a mind of its own and I started approaching him. I held his face and kissed him on the lips. Finally my feelings are reciprocated. I have nothing to be afraid of in the future. I love him and he loves me.

We became an official boyfriend and girlfriend during our twelfth grade. We entered in the same university and chose different course. I took up Architecture while he took up Civil Engineering. We were so happy and I can’t help but fear that after too much happiness I’ll feel too much sorrow.

My hunch has happened when I felt a sudden pain in my chest. I can’t breathe. I felt suffocated and I felt as if life is being sucked out of me. I collapsed which caused my belongings to scatter on the floor. All I remember was the people who calls my name and my daddy carrying me to our car.

When I woke up, I faced the white ceiling and white walls. There’s a strong smell of antiseptic and there are different machines connected to my body. My mom was crying while holding my hand. As my dad saw me open my eyes, he immediately called the doctor.

“I love you Lianne” Is what my parents kept on telling me. I am a miracle baby. They never thought that my mom will still be able to conceive. I am an only child and was always sheltered. They showered me with love and with everything that I needed.

“Your daughter has developed a heart disease. This is currently untreatable here in our country so I suggest you to bring her abroad so she’ll get the proper care and medication she needs.” The doctor was too serious while talking as we intently listen to him. I want to know my own condition and I don’t want to be left out.

“I thought that what she feels was normal? We’ve done all the necessary tests needed in order to know what was happening to her! Now you want us to bring her abroad for treatment!” My mom became hysterical, so I held her hand to calm her a bit. “She is a fourth year college student. She has a very loving boyfriend and she has a bright future ahead of us. I don’t think I can take it if she is taken away from us.” My dad hugged my crying mom and all I think about was Hew. My babe. My boyfriend. We have so many dreams together but how can we fulfil it if I am sick?

I never told him anything about my condition. I don’t want him to worry. I just want him to enjoy life and continue his studies. I finished my studies but I wasn’t able to attend my graduation ceremony. After completing all my requirements, my whole family flew to America where I’ll get treated. I don’t know how long it’ll take but I hope that he’ll wait for my return. I know that I’m too selfish to tie him up with me but I just love him too much to let him go.

I touched his face on our first picture together as boyfriend and girlfriend. Everything just felt like yesterday. I felt strong muscular arms that wrapped around me.

“What are you doing babe?” He kissed my cheek. “Reminiscing the past again?” My husband asked as he looked at the photo I was holding. I smiled as I held his face. “You know how thankful I am to God for allowing me to be with you.” Then we heard little kids calling after us. “Grandma! Grandpa! Common let’s eat!” My husband and I walked hand in hand just like the good old days. We are now both 70 years old.

We’ve been apart for three years. I told him to wait for and I will not take too long in America for my treatment. He knew that I want him to prioritize helping his family and pursuing his life-long dream which is to be an engineer. I was completely healed after 3 years of staying abroad. He was true to his words that he will wait for me and two years after I came back, he asked for my hand in marriage. We got married at the age of 27 and started building our own family. We were blessed with 5 kids who are now all happily married with successful lives. We now have 12 grandchildren and waiting for a few more to come.

“I just really love the way God has written our own love story.” I kissed him on the lips which made him blush. “I love you babe, forever and always.” He said. “I love you too babe, to infinity and beyond.”

True love waits. No matter how long it takes, when God has allowed you to be together, you’ll surely end up together no matter how many trials you face.

Love conquers all, because right now, I'm still breathing with the man I love the most. Never give up on the one you love. Instead, focus on growing yourselves and reaching your dreams and goals in life. I am married to my best friend named John Matthew.

***This is a work of fiction. This was one of my projects in creative writing when I was still in college.***

Love_16

November 30, 2020

Monday