1 Chapter 1: sLcYaRtItCeS-red

When… Did everything start?

It was way back… Dina. It was her kind soft face. I am this awkward guy that just stands in the background, trying not to attract attention, but. She just, sit next to me. "Name's Dina… Ernest right?" she asked. I look away a littlre. She removes my hoodie. "You are quite good-looking, aren't you?" asked her. She was beautiful, with that calm look on her face.

She was quite charming in bob-cut hair.

One time, I just saw her, in the lighthouse. She was crying silently. I take out my hooded sweater and cover her with it. She looks back. I smile at her. I go away. How many years since from then;

Dina.

She has long hair now. I am no longer that shy person in 4th grade. It's our college days. She was jolly as ever.

"Hey, Ernest…"

I smiled. That type of joy, you don't understand when you are near her. You are just. Happy. You have no other reason.

We go together.

Tell Jokes…like my thermometer joke. "Dina; What' the difference between a MOUTH thermometer and BUTT thermometer?" I asked, she glim and smile as she says, "I will regret the answer…" she said. "The Taste," I replied. We burst out laughing with the disgusting truth as she slaps me in the shoulder. We are classmates on few subjects, like religious studies. The Professor. Was writing something, I was late. I sneak next to Dina. She looks back, she was shocked. "Dummy!" she says, "Hey… Do you have the notes?" I asked her. She sometimes Bashes me in the head. I smiled. I inhale, I exhale.

"Standing here beside you, upon this deepest bluest sky, on the moment there was only…. you and I…"

I woke up.

1.)I woke up, take a shower, go to the government building, do my job. Go back to my house. Play my guitar. Hummhh… I want to sing something in the chord of B. My cat, panda jumps to me, such a fuzzy fella… "I love pussies, you love pussies, we love pussies… mew mew mew!" I said to Panda. He meows back. I put my guitar and just; be…In the present. Well at least, tomorrow is Saturday. I wonder, what can I do this time. Things will just swing by, in the end.

2.)I close my eyes, dream of things that makes me feel alive. Nope, this is wrong. I stand up. Take my medicine and go back to sleep. I woke up. It was morning. I stretched. I go outside. In a bridge nearby. Still, having this sensation; that you want to jump. I look at my wrists, all those scars from years past. I try to climb the bridge, look down. I just smiled. It's very deep. I sat on it. I look to my right… There's…there's a woman... She was looking down. "Hey! Hey! Don't jump!" I said to her. She looks at me, "Dina?!" She's…. she's hot now. "Ern?" she said. I got off-balanced. "Hey! Hey!" She grabs my hand, we are now off–balanced. I hold her close to me, very tightly as I cushion the fall with my feet.

3.)I woke up in the hospital. Dina was in a doctor's garb. She takes out her files and bashes my head with them. "Aw! Aw! Hey! HEY!!!" I said to her. "Gago (stupid)!" said her. "We never see each other for years and this what I got? Wow, you look… sexy." I said. Dina bashes me again with her files. "Hey stop! I miss you okay…." I said.

4.) She stops. "Look. Damn it! Ern, on all the people I have seen this past day, months, years…" she said. "I thought you are in The Philippines?" She looks at me. "Ern, why oh why, damn it!" she said. She goes outside. Later, I go out. My feet kinda hurts a little, but okay. I look at Dina in the ward. She is smiling with the kids. She looks at me. "Uhm… Ernest, don't you dare move!" she said. I look at it. "HOSPICE…" I said. She goes to me and closes the door. She goes out. "Ern… seriously what do you want?" she asked. "Uhm. Are you single?"I asked. She paused a little as her eyebrows crashed. I smiled. She smiles. "My God, You are not the same Ernest, I used to know, that silent wallflower was OMG, gone…Look…" said Dina.

5.) I hand her a card. "There. Bye." I said as I go away. "ERNEST!!!" she shouted. I laugh away. As I go outside. I go inside my apartment. I stopped. Is it just me, but my apartment had more colors than it used to be. The Sunset is even more beautiful. I look at the bridge and the riverside. Dina was looking down at it. She looks up. I wave at her.

6.)She goes inside the apartment. I go downstairs. "Dude, seriously, We are technically neighbors…" she said. "The Fuck? Wait… you are that…" I asked. "Yes, I am that neighbor with a dog and a cat." She said. "Cool, cool…" I said. "So, You gonna leave me hanging out here, or you gonna warm me up?" She says. I paused and smile. "Not that you were silly, dirty-minded silly!" she said. "Oh… Coz Autumn weather?" I asked. "Of course…" she said. We go inside my messy apartment. "But, You work in an orchestra… You are quite famous, I heard?" She asked. "Oh, Oh… I make musical scores…" I said. "so, Any scores yet?" she asked. "Dance of Lights, Song of the Stars: I Will Remember You, Star Singer, Ballad of the Lilies… Book of Colors: Crossing of Gems, Into Another World…" I said.

7.) "Wow, Impressive, you are a man of culture…" She said. "Well, I know… How about, you, my dinner by Pommedeterre…" I asked her. "Dude… you know I cook…" she said. Well, I do too, but…It's less romantic. We go downstairs as we brought groceries. I look around. Buy some cognac and Lobster too. A Bit lemon, garlic powder, fried garlic, and parsley.

8.) We sit around the porch. "Why did you come back here though?" I asked her. "Back in my Country, A Lot of things…" she said as she shakes her wine a little, looking at the deep Blue sky, turning to twilight. We just stood there and look at the river. And the deep Blue sky.

"Standing here beside you, upon this deepest bluest sky…"

"What?" she asked. "Oh, Sorry… Kinda makes me want to write a few lyrics. I said. "Dummy…" she said. The oven timer. She takes it out from the Oven. Garlic Bread with gouda cheese, herbs, and spices, chili.

9.) My Lobster in Garlic butter sauce seems to be ready too. I turn off the fire. We ate. We just look at each other, then we laugh. Then We laugh. "Ernest! Stop charming me! It's distracting." She said. "Oh Come on, I knew you miss me…" I said. "I miss it… Thanks for…kinda knocking sense into me.

10.) "Why… Are you planning to jump anyways?" I asked her. She smiles softly as tears slowly crawl in her eyes. 'Dina…" I said. "I don't like to talk about it though…" said Dina. I hug her. "I don't know what you've been through… But… I, I will be here…" I said to her. "Can…. Can I stay here…Just… just for a while." She said to me. "I will always be open for you. This place, my window, and my fridge…" I said. She giggles a little. After we eat. She goes out. I waited for her, as she comes back in her pajama. It was a panda long sleeve with a panda teddy bear. "You Like Panda, don't you? It's not that obvious…" I said. She giggles and smacks me softly with her teddy panda.

11.)We lay on my bed. I realize. "We…. We are sleeping together? So, you are my girlfriend?" I asked her. 'It's complicated. "She said. She moves a little bit away. "I wanna hug you!"I said. She gives me the Panda instead. I look at her. She looks at me. "What are we then?" I asked her. She smiles. She kisses me. "For now, maybe that…" She said as she covers herself in the comforter.

"On the Moment there was only…you and I…."