1 Chapter 1: She listened close to me

Prologue

Novel by Raise

Title: True love

Love is a beautiful thing or so it seems. The feeling of being in love is happiness itself, maybe.

Love can be everything but it can cost you everything. Indeed it's mysterious and can change one's life dramatically for the better or for the worse.

It can be sweet or it could be painful.

Love cannot be calculated, mathematic is more comprehensible than love for some people.

Illogical, undeterminable, love will come without warning, or so I think.

So, what is love? Is it a sort of affection?

Love is incomprehensible sometimes, and yet, every day countless people experience the feeling of falling in love. Nevertheless, from my personal experience, sadness always comes after happiness.

Love is indeed a wonderful thing but if a person were to be deprived of this happiness, what would be the consequences?

I am interested in this humans feeling; I think that it's a beautiful thing but, is love necessary if it does not achieve its goal?

The feeling of love itself is not the problem; the problem is how to be in love with the same person forever.

Falling in love is a good thing, I guess. However, breaking up is the antithesis of happiness itself, it's not like I've experienced it, but I can tell from my mom's situation. After seeing my mom deprived of her happiness, I began to wonder if falling in love is even necessary; soon I came to realize, however, that love is not the problem. The problem is choosing your partner, that's what I think.

Love is born between two mutually share the same feelings, so where does the term breaking up come from? Naturally, it comes after the realization of their incompatibility. So here is the million-dollar question: "Why can't love overcome these so-called incompatibilities? The answer is simple really. They must not be in "true" love. It is said that true love is the love that incites you to bear anything, believe anything, hopes anything, endure anything. The problem will be solved naturally if you have this love, so why then, the divorce rate only increases? Love is incomprehensible indeed; no human hearts are incomprehensible.

The same heart that gave birth to the feeling of love is suffering the most. After all, love is painful sometimes.

Who is at fault then? Love? Sure, logically speaking. However, wasn't it a personal decision to fall in love with someone? Was it not their choice to break up after finding some differences, rather than power through and let their love overcome? Something like True Love is unthinkable indeed.

My logic is as weird as my personality; it doesn't even begin to make sense to outsiders. Even so, I wanted to prove something; when I saw my mom's face after being deprived of love. I thought that I would not make the same mistakes and overcome problems with true love. What a ridiculous idea! But even I realized this would be impossible if my partner doesn't think the same. And so with no way of knowing how people around me view love, I hit a dead end.

Love is truly beautiful, but people...people vary. Love is indeed incomprehensible.

*

Chapter 1

That day, I was sitting alone on a bench outside the school grounds. I was writing my web novel on my phone like I always do during lunch break. This became a habit of mine soon after I attended college.

Certainly, from the point of view of certain people I might seem to be the type of person who doesn't socialize nor have many friends and looks like a loner. Well, I cannot deny these facts, but I have my own reasons.

My name is Raise Parker, I'm 19 years old and I write just for fun.

My way of spending my school life and time might be a little different from the usual, but I'm a normal healthy young man with sexual urges and desires. It's just that, I haven't found the girl I'm interested in yet.

I'm quite handsome and I have good grades however, that doesn't mean I'm popular or anything special, and that works just fine with me because I like my peaceful lunch break.

Every day was quiet and serene until a certain girl came to sit next to me.

I was lost in my deep thoughts and before I knew it, the girl was standing in front of me.

She was staring at me. Her face was so beautiful and you can mistake her for one of these celebrities on the TV, but no one would be surprised. Her long and curly eyelashes made her eyes look sleepy yet it doesn't change the fact that she was so beautiful, so stunning.

"Hi there..... There is no one sitting next to me, you can sit if you want...."

I assumed that she wanted to sit, but I never knew her true intention so I didn't ask.

"Oh.. Okay.." She smiled a little but doesn't cover the lingering sadness on her lips. Again, she was beautiful.

She sat next to me and for some reason, I started to get nervous, even though I really didn't feel uncomfortable around girls.

She didn't say anything. She just keeps staring aimlessly in the air. Beautiful! I thought. I wanted to draw her at the very moment even though I suck at drawing. That showed how beautiful she was, and to let that moment slip was such waste.

I keep taking a few glances at her. I didn't think that I would have already stepped on a landmine called love at that very moment.

Suddenly, she looked at me. Our eyes met and for a second I quickly averted my gaze as naturally as possible.

"What are you reading?" Her voice was soft as leaves falling slowly from a tree every autumn and pleasant to hear as birds chirping happily in the morning.

'This girl is the ideal dream girl of every man'. That thought crossed my mind.

I can't believe that she talked to me first. She was beautiful and oh so friendly.

'I like her...mmmm?' What was I thinking at that moment? maybe that's what they call a lightning strike.

Keeping my composure I answered. "Oh...I'm not reading, I'm actually writing a novel.."

People are not really interested in these things nowadays and often say "Oh, that's amazing, I want to read it someday" and then end the conversation quickly. Maybe it only happens to me though, so I was happy when she replied "Oh really? That's nice, what's the title? can you read some of it to me, I want to listen..."

Call me delusional if I was seeing an illusion at that time and maybe she was actually an angel descended from heaven.

" With pleasure," I spoke as I genuinely smiled at her. "The title is TRUE LOVE..."

I began to read the story and she listened. It was embarrassing, to say the least. She came closer to me and observe every detail of my face as if she is watching every movement of my lips. She smelled good.

While I read the hilarious part of the novel, she let out a cute little giggle and when I read the sad part she looked a little sad as if she was sympathizing. I could tell that she was listening seriously to me. I was so happy it made my heart race.

After a while, the lunch ended without us knowing what time it was. Time to begin the afternoon class, I didn't finish my lunch and I never remarked that she didn't eat too.

"Oh... Lunch is over... How was it? Was it interesting?.." I ask as I anticipate happily for her answer.

"Mmmm... I can't tell you yet but I want to hear more about your story..." She stood up and smiled at me.

"See you tomorrow..." She waved her farewell at me before she goes.

My heart was a mess, it was pounding so fast at that moment, and every day after that.

The words "See you tomorrow" echoed inside continuously in my head earning a smile from my face.

" Yeah, see you... " I mumbled.

I never expected for a second that soon I will regret my foolish delusion.