TIGed

Switch headers Switch to TIGweb.org

Are you an TIG Member?
Click here to switch to TIGweb.org

HomeHomeExpress YourselfPanoramaMoving On
Panorama
a TakingITGlobal online publication
Search



(Advanced Search)

Panorama Home
Issue Archive
Current Issue
Next Issue
Featured Writer
TIG Magazine
Writings
Opinion
Interview
Short Story
Poetry
Experiences
My Content
Edit
Submit
Guidelines
Moving On Printable Version PRINTABLE VERSION
by Audrey Tangonan, Philippines Feb 15, 2006
Child & Youth Rights   Short Stories
 1 2 3 4   Next page »

  

It was crispy hot, one sunny summer afternoon. It was an April of 2005, and everywhere I looked seemed tinted with pale orange because of the bright sun. I was in the cemetery with my dad. He just had to drag me along to ruin a perfect Saturday! You see, my dad had to check on my Aunt Bessie’s mausoleum. My family wasn’t really rich. It was just that before my Aunt died of cancer three weeks ago, she wished nothing but to be buried in a mausoleum. She actually saved up money all her life just to be able to get her wish. She believed in an unknown superstition that having her body buried properly would make her next life well. I guess that was important to her. I didn’t really get it. How was she so sure that that was going to happen? Why long for something so bad even if there is no certainty of achieving it?

As my dad mingled with the construction workers with the task of making sure everything was going well, he left me bored as hell. I began to look around. I sat myself on a bench in one of the nearby mausoleums. I rarely went to the cemetery when it wasn't All Saint’s Day, although it was just a four-minute ride from home. There I began to notice how lonely the cemetery could be with not a lot of people around. It was a beautiful day in this beautiful garden-like place, but the only things that enjoyed the sight were the cold tombstones with a bunch of rotting corpses underneath. What a waste.

Just as I was drowning in deep thought and frustration, I noticed someone standing over an ordinary tombstone, not far from where I was. He was a boy about my age. My curiosity for this boy got the best of me so I didn’t notice that I was already staring at the boy. He was medium built and was probably taller than I was. His skin was as fair as milk but he had black hair with long bangs that reached the sides of his eyes. Oh and his eyes! He had the most beautiful big long-lashed brown eyes I have ever seen. His face was like that of an innocent young boy and it complemented his eyes. My heart skipped a beat upon seeing how handsome he really was. I couldn’t believe my luck. He was probably the most attractive guy I have ever come across and he instantly became my crush. Maybe my trip to the cemetery wasn’t for nothing after all.

But my excitement was short-lived. As I was staring at him, I saw in his face a really sad look as he stared at the tombstone. It was one of the saddest looks I had ever seen in my life, but no tears fell from his sorrowful eyes. It broke my heart just to see his face like that and I wanted to cry. I didn’t even know why this total stranger could affect me so much.

He probably lost someone very special to him. It could be a close relative or friend. Maybe even his girlfriend? That’s good. Then I could fill up the empty space in his heart. I almost had to slap myself to snap my head out of this inconsiderate delusion. All I wanted to do then was to take that miserable look off his face.

As I was lost in his eyes, I was surprised that he looked back at me. He must have noticed that I was there. Our eyes met and I felt like I could melt. But I quickly turned away after realizing how rude I had been for staring.

“Hal? Halley?”

I turned and it was my dad calling me from my aunt’s unfinished mausoleum.

“Huh?” I said.

“We’re leaving. Come on.”

“Okay, I’m coming.”

I turned back to the boy I had been staring at. He had already made his way to the nearby street leading to an exit with his hands in his pockets. I stood from the bench where I sat and rushed to my dad’s car. We left the cemetery through another exit. All I could think about was how stupid I was for not even asking his name.

That night I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about him. He made me feel so happy and yet so sad at the same time. I wish I had approached him even though it would seem inappropriate for a girl to be the first one to do so. I wondered if I would ever see him again.

The week passed and I went to do all the things I had wanted to do the Saturday before. But all of my summer activities didn’t seem so promising anymore since all I could think about was the boy I met at the cemetery. The next Saturday came and my dad asked me to go with him again. I still didn’t want to go. The boy probably wouldn’t be there again anyway. But my dad insisted that I accompany him. He even bribed me, saying he would treat me to McDonalds if I came with him. Yeah right. Like that will make me so happy. If I didn’t love the old man, I wouldn’t have come.

The weather was still as hot as last time. Upon arriving, I immediately made my way to the bench I had sat on before. To my great surprise, I saw him sitting there still wearing a heart-breaking face.

“If I don’t approach him now, I might never see him again,” I thought to myself. And that was what I did, though I wasn’t really the type of girl who approaches guys. I sat beside him in the most casual way I could. He didn’t even look at me, but being beside him and seeing him up close not only sent chills up my spine, but it also made me feel like I was the luckiest person in the world. After an awkward minute had passed, I knew I had to say something.





 1 2 3 4   Next page »   


Tags

You must be logged in to add tags.

Writer Profile
Audrey Tangonan


This user has not written anything in his panorama profile yet.
Comments


Sarah | Mar 15th, 2006
I really enjoyed your story. Thank you for sharing this.



good job!
gidge | Jan 17th, 2008
wow! i love it! i wish i could write a story like that. to be honest i qm in the process of letting go myself so your words help me a lot. thank you.

You must be a TakingITGlobal member to post a comment. Sign up for free or login.