A Leap Of Fate

Chapter III- Becoming Monica

I stared at the seemingly endless sea, while trying to shake away different thoughts that were populating my mind. I have never been in a place this peaceful. But it doesn’t mean its quiet here, and there are no people. I saw young men and women in different directions sporting I suppose, the latest fashion today, in every color with their fans and the most alluring stare they could make. Some were in carriages, mostly open, so they could see and be seen.

Today we’re in a bay walk. I didn’t know the name of the place, but it took more than a couple of hours for us to get here, so I was guessing it’s the bay walk by the future Roxas Boulevard.

I, Ciro and Ellena were standing watching quietly the setting of the sun. It’s our last destination for the day. I felt the cold wind coming from the sea brushing against my skin.

“I’ve never watched a sunset in my life.” I said in a soft voice.

“Really? Here now. Beautiful, isn’t it?” Ciro said.

“Yes, and also the sea.”

“Alix, can you tell me about your time? I mean your world?”

I turned to him. “My time? Um, what do you want to know?”

He chuckled. “Everything, if possible.”

“That’s quite hard.” I smiled.

“What do you do in your everyday life there?”

I thought it over. “I wake up early in the morning, eat breakfast, clean, go to school, and then do home works, sleep…”

“Oh, you’re quite a busy young woman.”

“No, actually, I quitted school.” My voice got lower.

“Why?”

“I just…” He we are again, I thought. “I just don’t feel like I belong in school, in crowd, with classmates. I’d rather home school, like you.”

He nodded understandingly. “I understand. I’m not one for crowds too.” He smiled. “But will you continue studying?”

“Yes. I have too. I don’t want to disappoint my mother. She had always thought of my future and education.”

“She sounds like a very good mother.”

I nodded. “She is.”

“The sky is getting dark now.” Ellena interjected. “I think we have to go home.”

I looked up. The sky was now in color lilac with pink. It was nostalgic. I suddenly remembered my childhood, when I used to observe the clouds in early evening while waiting for mama to come home from work. Some were in color pink and lilac, and sometimes it’s blazing orange and sometimes I refused to look up or go out at these times of the day for it triggers some good, old memories and remembering those memories hurt me.

Ciro took a step back. “Let us go home now. Ellena go and tell the coach to get ready.”

Ellena nodded and almost ran to our carriage nearby.

“Let’s go, Alix.” He said with a softer voice.

He walked beside me. Then a thought occurred to me.

“Do you know who Señorita Monica…Lopez is?”

He turned his head to me. “What did you say? Monica? Lopez?”

“Uh, yeah.” I knew it, he’ll react strangely.

“Y-yes. I know her. Why? How did you know about her?” He furrowed.