Pedestrian |✓

|18| c h e r r y

Patrick: I have a joke.

Rly now? Whats it?

Patrick: why didnt the skeleton go 2 the party?

Why?

Patrick: Because he has no-body 2 dance with hahaha

Ha.ha.ha ur so lame u know?

Patrick: Thanks! Luv u too!

A blush quickly made its way to my cheeks upon reading Patrick's message and I sat there like an idiot on the bench, staring at his text with a silly school-girl grin on my face as I tried to come up with a smart reply. But of course, I couldn't come up with any. Considering that my stomach's being invaded by birds again, making it impossible for me to think or even breathe properly.

It's not the first time he told me those three magic words (in a platonic way of course) but there's still this weird tingly feeling that I get every time he says it, or at this situation; sends it. It still feels like the first time, over and over again.

That same fuzzy feeling you get, the way your heart gets all warmed-up and your cheeks feel so stretched, out of smiling widely. It's just different. Nicely different.

Now if I recall why I did like Patrick a long time ago, it was probably because of his natural ability to make me smile and feel just so secured. He's like the perfect prince charming out of freshly-printed story book, with all the white horse, shiny sword and a dazzling set of pearly whites.

It all started with one genuine, heart-stopping smile and then boom! I was a goner, lost in the midst of a silly Patrick world. I never even thought that the feeling would disappear with the number of times I doodled his name with hearts on the back of my notebook and binders. My day wasn't complete without him and I always made sure to steal a glance once in awhile if he's not looking, with a bonus squeal when he glances back at me and smiles. That's how much I liked him.

Until one day, I just got tired looking from afar. Seeing him talking to other girls and making them laugh while I stood there, acting as if it doesn't affect me at all even if I curse their names on my diary every night just became too much. It was pathetic. I got tired of being unrequited, but I never got the guts to tell him what I feel. Then when I finally mustered up the courage to go and pour out my feelings to him (with a love letter written on a scented paper)... Mackenzie came dashing towards me with a pink rose origami, self made by him.

And then I was back to square one again. Friends. Until I just forgot the feeling of liking him, because all my feelings were transferred to Mackenzie. Did I use Mackenzie?

No. I didn't. Because I did like him. Genuinely, after all the effort and thoughtfulness that he showed. But things just didn't work out for us. We were too young, immature and both looking for qualities that can't be found in each other. Just like I said, we were immature.

After that, I just forgot how to like someone again. It felt like I was a kid, no crushes or whatsoever that's associated with the word 'like'. Nothing.

Until yesterday, when I was in the peak of watching The Avengers save the world, I realized that my heart that rested for a long time, is back on working again. Beating crazy like a speaker in a high school party.

And I never knew that a rested heart, gets so excited that when it would beat again, it would beat for two, polar opposites. Just great.

I let my thumbs hover over the keypads on the screen as I tried to come up with a reply but I was startled by a light poke on my shoulder. "Macaroons!" I shrieked, glancing around for the culprit who scared the life out of me.