Metanoia: A Change of Heart

Chapter XXXXXII ~ Thonia

I stared at him for a moment and swallowed. It was just a balloon, what could possibly go wrong? I finally took it. He had a blue one too. "First of, Globophobia: Fear of balloons."

He aired the blue balloon using a hand pump and he hand it to me after. "This won't fly so we need Helium." He got another canister and placed Helium in the balloon. "Then tie the whole at the bottom using this thread." He finished tying and let go, then the balloon rose up as he caught the thin thread. "Your turn."

I imitated what he did. I pumped the balloon and watched it grew. I almost threw the balloon away when Josh shouted. "Whoops, wait. You have to save space for the Helium."

"Okay." I said with relief. I let him do the Helium works and closed my eyes as I hear the transferring of air.

"Done." Josh said and stretched the balloon too close to my face. "You did it!"

A beam ran on my face. It's fun.

"Next, Fragapane phobia: Fear of birthdays." He took a popsicle stick and Sharpie from the paper bag. "Did anyone from downstairs greet you on the way?"

I shook my head. "I was expecting it but no one did. I wasn't sure if I should be disappointed."

He grinned. "Good. It's because I want to be the first one to greet you after so many years." He handed me another popsicle stick, a blue one. "Years ago on this day, a miracle happen. A miracle grew so beautifully I can't even believe it's sitting right beside me."

I took the blue popsicle and read the words on it. Happy birthday, Thonia!

I covered my mouth and realized all those sticks in the bottle were birthday greetings. Josh took the popsicle stick again and dropped it in the bottle with the rest. "Happy birthday. Now it's time for you to greet yourself he held out another popsicle.

I took the purple stick and black Sharpie. "Happy birthday me." I whispered and wrote: It's my birthday!!!

I felt crazy, but I could not hide the good feeling that came with being crazy. A heavy feeling I was carrying for so long got torn away and was replaced by relief. "Tie the stick to the string of your balloon and don't let go until I say so, okay?"

I nodded.

"Third, Jophaboia: Fear of cakes." Josh stood and took my hand. I left the bottle on the bench and stood beside him as he squeezed my shoulder to calm me.

"I'm not afraid of cakes!" I protested. "Nor balloons or birthdays, as a matter of fact, Josh." My pride was so silly working in this situation. "I just don't like the thought of celebrating it," I countered.

"Shh," Josh tried not to laugh. "Phobophobia: Fear of fear itself."

I sneered at him while holding the balloon in one hand. "Really?" I laughed. "Since when did you have so many knowledge about phobias?"

"Since I met you?" He pointed out. Oh, this is Joshua Silva. He knew so much about everything.

Josh nodded at the distance and everyone went out the rooftop. They all wore party hats and had balloons. I saw Asaila and my other friends holding cupcakes with candles. As if someone gave a cue, they all sang 'happy birthday'. I felt so happy and grateful that they exerted their efforts and time just to give me a birthday party, possibly the best I ever had again. I questioned myself how Josh and everyone who completed this event managed to change my mind about that day. "Make a wish and blow all the candles." Someone shouted, I thought it was Fredd or Stephen.

I thought of a wish but my mind couldn't work properly with all the emotions I felt. All I could think was that I felt complete and I couldn't ask for anything else. Like this could be a good happy ending in a real-life fairytale. I started blowing each of the candles representing my age; some held two cakes just to complete the nineteen. I was in the middle of the count when I thought of a good birthday wish. I shut my eyes tightly and wished hard. I never had birthday wishes for years, I hoped this one could come true.

Let me stay, please...

After I finished blowing all the candles, Stephen turned on a portable speaker and we had a small party. It was fun. Something I would bring as a memory after highschool.

~

Joshua

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?"

"No, just go spend the rest of the day with your girlfriend." Stephen chuckled behind the steering wheel of his new minivan. Inside, our friends packed themselves in a not so orderly manner.

"Yeah, Joshy. Thony needs an alone time with you." Fredd spoke from somewhere inside.

"Make the time worth, bro." Kennard said.

"See?" Stephen gestured to the tinted windows. "Need to go now. I still have passengers to deliver to their homes." Stephen winked at me and his girlfriend, Cel, waved from the passenger side.

"Enjoy bro!" Fredd whistled as Stephen started the engine.

"Back off, monkey head!" Thonia shouted from behind me as they rolled off with laughter.

"There you are." I said once we were left alone. She hugged me from behind and rested her chin on my shoulder.

"Yes, here I am." I felt her laugh. "I walked Asaila to the trans."

"Hmm." I nodded, not sure if she liked what we did for her birthday.

"Hmm." She imitated.

"Hmm." I repeated and faced her, holding her hands. "Did you like it?"

"The cake? The balloon? Or the way how you learned all those phobias you've told me?"

"Uhm, everything."

She smiled. "I did. Thank you. Again."

We stayed in the middle of the deserted lot, just staring and holding hands until she pulled my hands to the direction of my car eagerly. "Where are we going?"

She stopped infront of the door and brushed my cheek. "Drive. I'll let you meet someone."

"Who?" I asked. She simply gave me a smile for an answer and went inside.

I asked for the exact place but she just gave me directions. We often mistook a turn that made me go back a block or street to take a U-turn. We first stopped in a bookstore. If she needed school supplies she could have told me because I knew a nearer bookstore near the school. But knowing her, I better not protest so much. I waited in the car while she was buying. She was quick and able to return no more than ten minutes.

"What did you buy?" I asked.

"You'll know later. Now we have to go to the next stop."

There's a next stop, I whispered in myself. "Be sure of the directions because we'll hit the main road; more traffic enforcers."

"I just forgot the first time, sir. I'm sorry." She said sarcastically and placed the small paper bag on the dashboard.

"You can tell me where we're heading or who we're going to meet. I might know a better way." I explained.

"If you don't want to come, you can let me drive."

"What?" If Stephen was here, he would call this as Girlfriend-having-moodswings situation and would suggest I should shut up before things get any worse.

"I said I'll drive." She said more forcefully.

"But you don't know how to drive."

"But you don't want to."

I sighed. "I like to, okay. Let's go." She was raising her eyebrows at me. This is a bad sign, Josh. Start the engine and roll off now. "Fine, where to go?"

She went back to her calm self and told me the way. We stopped at a stoplight near the hospital. I thought that was where we were heading but she told me to turn the other way.