Creative Non-Ficition

“Love at First Sight!”

Kring!!! That was the sound of the bell. I finally finished jotting down the lectures from that four-
sided board. The rest of the grade five students hurriedly went outside the room with so much gaiety. It
was again a moment of freedom and rejoicing. Not to mention that the ringing of the bell was the only
thing they had been waiting for at the start of the class that morning. It was an everyday affair during
school days. But for me, I dealt with it very differently; everyday was a new encounter, new faces to
meet, new surroundings to explore and new feelings to develop.
I was holding my pen and noticed that the ink inside was almost dried up. I kept all of my messy
school stuffs inside my bag and went outside wondering where I should be going. Either way, I want to
fill my complaining tummy and to purchase a new Panda ball pen. I further decided that I should
first replenish one of my basic needs.
As I walked out of my way to the canteen, a voice bothered me from a distance, so
I turned around and saw a figure of a boy whose face was likened to that of a tourist guide
welcoming a foreigner. I’m pretty sure that he was one of my classmates.
He smiled broadly as he launched into a friendly conversation with me. “Hi, Sarah Jane. Where
are you up to? I hope you’d be happy staying here with us,” he said to me. I glanced at him and
responded, “Oh, thank you, and you are?” The boy said his name was Mark. He talked a lot as if we’re
close friends and with that, I find him silly and kind of annoying despite the fact that I should be friendly
towards him because that was the first time someone welcomed to me to that new school. It was as if I
was hanged there for a moment and in a reticent manner, I gave him a smirk as he left me with a smiley
face.
As I was on route to where there were varieties of foods for my craving stomach, I heard a girl’s
voice behind me. “Sarah Jane! Wait!” It was another classmate that I’m familiar with. Just like the others
she was wearing a friendly smile, too. One thing I’ve noticed from her was her stature. She was a bit
short for her age but with her candid gestures, I find her very amusing. She came along the way as a
whirlwind bringing an unforeseen surprise. “I have a friend who wants to meet you and I think you are
fit for each other,” she bluntly said. “Eh? Seriously? And who is he...err…I mean when?” Her news
brought a strange sensation and overwhelming excitement deep within.
My mind was in a state of tranquility then suddenly this girl disrupted my haven and awakened
my senses. She was telling me that there’s this unknown guest who wanted to meet a mysterious
person like me. “You’re kidding me. Is this a trick or something?” I asked “No, but I just want you to
meet him Jane and see for yourself. I will not tell you when but you just have to wait, OK?” That was her
blunt statements as she swiftly went away. I stood there for a while with my mind soaring up in the
clouds to ascertain if everything she told me were factual.
The scenery abruptly changes, the wind blew so hard, the sun shone so bright and birds chirped
with so much glee. Everyone has their own affairs; the ants were busy laboring and carrying small bits of
food as I was watching them under an old tree just in front of me; butterflies and bees were kissing their
neighborhood flowers and greeting them a wonderful morning. Upon seeing these fleeting things, I
realized that everything was real including the words spoken to me by the strange lass.
At last, I arrived and stood between the outside and inside of the canteen. My eyes seized what
to be considered delicious to eat so that my stomach will stop complaining to me. I grab hold of a tuna
sandwich and juice placed and tied in a plastic. Few moments later, I satisfyingly consumed my
snacks but I felt like it’s not enough so I went to one of the stalls near the school gate and decided to
buy a banana-cue. I was busy choosing when suddenly a familiar voice called my name. I seemed not to
care at first but it bothered me at the second so I finally turned behind. I was stunned to see the same
girl who talked to me just a while ago. But this time, she’s not alone; she had a
companion, a boy.
I was not sure whether I knew him but she looked very familiar to me. It’s just that I can’t see his
face because he’s turning his back at me. “What is it?” I replied to her. “Uhmm…there’s…nothing. Just
forget it,” she exclaimed. “Ok” was my only answer. I bubbled up with a lot of questions and awe as I
noticed that the boy was shaking and seemed uncomfortable. I resumed with my
previous business. I looked again at the spot where the short-haired girl and the faceless boy stood but
their presence was no longer there. The only thing that can be seen was the old acacia tree staring at my
direction. I ate the last piece of banana-cue and headed my way to the store to meet
my new ball pen.
I was strolling and thinking about that mysterious boy who was supposed to meet me a while
ago. “Maybe he was just terribly shy or he was not charmed with beauty that’s why he acted the way,” I
told myself. One thing I was extremely puzzled was that somehow he resembled the cute boy I have
seen just yesterday. In an instant, I remembered the scenario that still lingered in my
mind. How could I possibly forget that? I was with my mom and we’re to embark in my grandmother’s
house in a nearby barangay. We rode downtown but we stopped at one side of the highway.
My mother clasped my hand very firmly with hers as we were crossing to the other side of the
road. But something caught my attention. I thought I have seen a sanguine angel at the right side of the
highway. Astonished from the mere sight of the boy with a handsome smile, little by little, I felt
butterflies in the stomach. I knew that I was blushing while I glued my eyes on him.
My only reaction was that he was so cute. His eyes were mesmerizing and squinting as he laughed and
smiled. He had a companion in the figure of what I thought as one of my schoolmates and they were
chatting frivolously. I wanted to tell my mom to slow down because I want to savor that moment.
My world seemed to stop revolving. My eyes were all over him – from head to toe. I feared that he
might stare at my direction. I pinned my hair at the side of my ear hoping he will notice me. But it didn’t
work out the way I expected it to be because Mom was in a hurry pulling arm to cross the highway.
I was not able to look back at him even just for a last chance. That time, I knew that it would be
an unforgettable experience of admiration at first sight. After being itinerant with such a memory, I
finally returned back to reality. I attempted to rewind what had happened – the time I saw the girl with
the boy. I studied the boy’s feature such as the height, the hair, the shape of the head and his physique
and matched them with that of the boy yesterday until I cipher a conclusion – “They are one.”
The boy yesterday was none other than the same boy I saw today. I was absolutely sure about it. I was
trying to convince myself that he was the one, he was my crush. I almost jumped for joy as I was trying
to figure out why he concealed his face. I also thought of the exact words the girl with the short hair
had said. The line goes like this, “I have a friend who wants to meet you and I think you’re fit for each
other.” Meaning to say, they were friends so it would not be hard for me to meet my crush. I was so
high when I unraveled the explanation as well as conclusion.
My rejoicing stopped when I heard the ringing of the bell which reminded me that I should
better go back to the room and to plan another appointment with the girl and her friend. My mood
became settled as to how to be more kind and sociable. I realized also that I should be more friendly
towards my treatment to strangers especially my new classmate Mark and the rest. At that moment, I
knew that I was on the right road as I was beginning to face new experiences, new inspiration, new
people, and new adventure in that school with which I will be spending the rest of my elementary years.