Unsent Letters to Justin

06 | july 26, 2019

Friday

To: Justin Reinhart

I thought we have the days off on Friday? I saw you at school today. I will never get used to see you tumbling and catching flyers. Don't you feel nervous at all?

I was the one who yelped outloud at the sidelines when I thought the cheerleader who lost balance will crash on the floor. Seconds later, almost every base were running to her to catch her.

And when you and the other guys caught Willow from that frightening height, I tripped on my own feet from the scare. You guys really trust each other that much too send the flyers flying and passing them from one base to the other.

Jamie and I had to pick up a new batch of books and the place where we had to collect it was behind the field.

We were just literally walking past you ten meters away that I had to double take at your direction if it really was you who went flipping backwards with incredible speed and balance.

I never saw you in action that close before.

Except for the moment I saw you the very first time.

Do you still remember the day we met? It was the season of spring when I had a hard time tuning my guitar on the bleachers. The sky was blue as the sun kissed and greeted everyone under her rays.

I remembered birds singing softly in the background, accompanying my strings of curses as I struggled with my one week old instrument (don't worry, we're friends now.)

I was with Cherry and Angelica that day. We ate lunch there for a change when we grew tired of seeing the usual scenery in the cafeteria. I recall admiring the cheerleaders doing their routine as their blue and black uniforms flew everywhere all at once.

I gave up on tuning my guitar because I happened to waste thirty minutes attempting to fix it when I was supposed to be eating. Angelica noticed my frustrated expression and a flash of surprise was painted on her face.

"What is it?"

I asked but she didn't respond and instead scanned her charcoal eyes at the crowd below. A few heartbeats later, she pointed to someone who was five to six stairs away and stated,

"That's Justin Reinhart. He's my classmate and he plays the guitar like it was easy as breathing. He's in the cheer team. Go ask him if he can tune it for you."

Of course I turned down the opportunity because I was extremely shy and all so I asked her to come with me and do the talking. I didn't want to fail my Music class so the next thing I knew, I was approaching you.

I didn't know you before we met. I didn't even know there was another Reinhart in school after Maggie Reinhart in 4th grade.

I remember Angelica talked as you wiped the sweat of your face as you looked at us with a patient expression. It stayed in my mind that I surprised myself for remembering that face years ago. Pretty creepy huh?

When she finished, you reflexively took the guitar out of my hands without permission and fumbled with the tuners for a while. We waited by your side as you scrunched your eyebrows when you focus on something or trying to figure something out. Your stance was confident but your expression betrayed you.

And then the next thing you said completely took me off guard. The phrase that took my breath away that was the cause of my undying unrequited love for you.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to tune a guitar."

That was the day I felt gorillas in my stomach. It was too wild to be butterflies that I felt my heartbeat pounding on my ribs. I remember my heart skipping so much that I almost went to the clinic to get a check up. You have that effect on me that I might faint someday from my heart skipping beats too much.

You sheepishly rubbed your neck with an embarassed expression and said one more apology before practicing your flips on the mat. At the same time, I felt my heart flip with the stunt at our little moment.

Justin Reinhart. One of Raleigh University's top tumblers and a fixed member on the team suddenly became known into my world. The boy who unintentionally stole the heart of ordinary Nayomi Clarke.

I remember the breeze kissing my skin as I felt light headed from the interaction. I remember Angelica cursing at you as she took my guitar and went to find someone else while I stood at the same spot. I remember feeling this weird emotion that soon grew as love.

And under the blue skies of the season of spring was the day I liked you.

Sincerely,
Nayomi