Daylight

06 Our Story

OUR STORY began when we were both 9 years old.

We studied in the same primary school for many years but didn't notice each other. We wouldn't even greet each other in the school corridor.

In the last year of primary school, we were put in the same class and nothing changed. He was a dorky boy who was shorter than me. I was the girl with a haircut shaped like a mushroom. I was so shy and always kept to myself. On the few occasions that I smiled, I let my crooked teeth be seen.

We were at an awkward age where boys and girls don't talk to each other. Boys thought girls are boring and fussy. Girls thought boys are gross and dirty.

Then a school trip to Outward Bound brought everyone closer together. Our whole year group camped in their facility for five days and everyone was assigned to different groups and instructors.

Coincidentally Elliot and I were assigned to the same group with eight other classmates.

When we were young, every coincidence felt like fate. When we grow older, every fate feels like a coincidence.

During this trip we took part in activities like building a raft, jumping off the jetty, hiking in the pouring rain and basically anything that took a lot of bravery.

Since the first day, Elliot just stood out to me. He was the first one to volunteer and jumped off the jetty with no hesitation. He was so confident and dauntless. We are so different but opposites attract so my feelings for him kept growing.

He was also charming and attentive. He was a gentleman who would hold your hand when you slide your way through a muddy path. At every table, he would save me a seat. He paid attention to every move I made and whenever I felt uncomfortable he came to the rescue. He was my hero and I was in his protective bubble. I fell in love with the way he touched me without using his hands.

That trip changed everything. It was clear that we liked each other and everyone could tell.

It started off innocent and pure. Every day it got a little sweeter and it kept getting better.

We were young and didn't know what it meant to be together. We did what any kid would do. Stay up all night messaging each other. Sharing love songs was a way of showing our feelings for each other. And we'd end the day with a "sweet dreams" message.

One day he sent me a text and it said, "I like you".

The three words I've been waiting for.

No words can describe the feeling you have when you know the boy you like feels the same way.

At that moment I was hit with a wave of fear.

The fear of change. The fear of us failing. If we never start writing the story, the story will never have an ending. So I rejected the boy I liked.

What I didn't know was that it was just the first chapter of our story.

We didn't know what we were doing. Somehow I thought that nothing would change between us and we can still live in our little bubble. But that day, our bubble popped. He thought I rejected him because I didn't like him. And I never had the courage to tell him he was wrong.

That was the start of the cycle that rolled into secondary school. We weren't in the same classes. We didn't go to the same cafeteria. Despite the circumstances, coincidences brought us back together and it was the same thing.

We would flirt and fall for each other.

He would confess his feelings for me.

I would reject him even though I liked him.