Fixing Broken Strings

CHAPTER 2

*Burdens To Unburden*

NICKY's POV:

"Hey? Nicky to Earth!" Tina nudge my right elbow slightly as she examines our reflection in the mirror. That made me snap back to reality. I shook my head slightly, put my hands on both my checks and give it two slight slaps. I then gave her a timid smile and sighed.

"Yeah, I guess", without even looking at her.

I am a mess right now. You know, that feeling after all the adrenaline rush have left your body? Yes. That was exactly what I am feeling right now. After all the excitement and nervousness, I am left somewhat exhausted.

That is when I have summoned myself to look at myself in the mirror. I was kinda afraid I might not like what I'll see. I am not so good at hiding my emotions. It's a craft I always tried to master but to no vail. I feel like a walking transparent crap! My emotions are written all over my face without the need to actually look at myself in the mirror. I can feel it. I just can.

I have always been proud of my eyes. They say it's my best asset. It seems to speak and communicate on its own. My grandma even called me "Eyes" when I was kid. She said my eyes were mesmerizing and my emotions are readily available just by looking straight to it. Indeed, I am a walking cliché of "eyes are the window to your soul". Yeah, like duh!

I was happy with those descriptions before, as a kid. I would always use it for my advantage. I can charm my way just my fluttering my eyelids and putting on a pleading puppy eyes. Who could resist those antics of mine. No one ofcourse. Even up to now, I can still use that God-given talent to use. Especially in asking favors from friends and profs. Talk about me getting all sneaky with that.

But right now, I wasn't exactly that appreciative of my expressive pair of gray eyes. All I want now is to have a poker face, blank stare, and a steel heart. I am not ready to face the demon that I have tried to walk away from.

"Hmmm. Care to share what has just happen back there?", Tina asked slowly and carefully while fidgeting on her wrist watch. She knows she's trudging on dangerous waters here. She knows that any minute, I will burst. And she does not want to harvest my wrath.

We are now in the wash room of the second floor of our building, the Public Management Department. Usually at this hour, the hallways are basically deserted because its way past the second period classes. Only us Seniors who have less subjects can freely roam around anytime we want to.

But of course! Perks of being in the upper class has its advantages. And we do try to enjoy these perks whenever we can have the luxury of it.

I then slowly turned to my right, halfway facing her and fidgeted also on my wrist watch. You see, since I became friends with Tina, we became obsessed with getting things that are alike. Bags, shoes, pens and just recently, this Timex watch with interchangeable straps. She had her watch in red/black while I have mine in pink/black. Kinda crazy, right? Who's in their right mind for things like this when you are in college? But Tina's different..

Marie Katrine Garces or Tina is one of the few 'new' happenings in my life since I started attending this college. She's younger than me and my total opposite. While I'm bubbly and friendly, she's meek and shy. I really can't remember how we clicked off but I am thankful that she's with me now.

"Hmmm", I cleared my throat and lifted my eyes to her light brown eyes. "You think you're ready to listen to my story?", I said with a smile not quite reaching my eyes.

"Seriously?! I've been stuck with you since I transferred here!" She said holding my yet trembling hands. "But you know, you don't have to tell me everything if you don't want to. I understand that you have to run away from your past that's why you have your butt in here," with a gesture of quote while saying run away.

That garnered a small throaty laugh from me. "Okay. Maybe it's high time I give you a glimpse of the true Nicky".

"So, the start of unburdening the burdens huh?", and she hugged me.

"Yeah. I think it's time to face reality. Stop running from the truth and learn to accept the fact that my past will caught up to me no matter how I try to avoid it."

I was about to get drown in my own thoughts again when a loud banging in the door startled us both, followed by click-clack of footsteps and high-pitched voices. Then three pair of eyes looked at us with curiosity. As always and expected, my "new" circle of friends can only make such an entrance.

First came to view is Cyrille and her contacts. She has poor eyesight and insists on wearing lenses rather than actual glasses so as not to be seen as a nerd.

"Why the hell did the two of you disappeared? We looked everywhere for you!", annoyance clear in her voice.

"Yes, girl! We thought we'll see each other at the canteen"' chimed Euni. She's the youngest in our group and has been a little bit of boyish. She's cool with just shirts with pants and sneakers and backpack. Exact opposite of Cyrille, who is very girly in every ways possible. "The tuna pie is no longer delicious when cold!"

"Wait! Are you okay?" And this was Gracie. Trust her to 'smell' anything unusual. She's two years ahead of us and is taking up higher law subjects. Maybe, that's the reason why she has always that cloud of doubt around her.

"You could have informed us!", Cyrille shrieked and walked toward the sink and washed her hands.

"But good thing you weren't there, I had the tuna pie all by myself!" Surprisingly, Euni was happy with our sudden disappearance. Well, have I mentioned that her weakness is food?

"And Kelvin said that you abruptly went back down here. Why was that?", Gracie raised an eyebrow at me.

"Ahm, I thought I had my period so.." I stammered. Debating on my mind if I should tell them the truth or leave it for another day. The former won and said "But its false alarm. I just have to fart." I forced a laugh after that.

"Eww! You really have to go hide in here to relieve yourself!", laughed Cyrille. Thank God they actual bought my excuse. Wew!

"Yes girl. That is totally gross!" Euni turned to one of the cubicles and relieved herself.

"And I just have to pee also," rescued Tina. "Imagine I just felt my urinary tract about to explode!" Trust her to turn any serious scene to a comical skit. Just how talented my friends are.

And that was it. All of a sudden, all three of them talked simultaneously that I could not even cope up what are they talking about. Tina caught my eye in the mirror and we both shook our heads slightly as if silently communicating that today's not the proper time to tell them about what had just happen.

Much as I love my friends, there are things that I am not ready to tell them. I don't want to burden them with excess baggage from my past. It's not that I'm lying to them. It's just that I am perfectly fine with the world that I have found and created with them. I am perfectly happy with it, until this unfortunate incident of course. I am not so excited to burst the bubble I have now.

~~~~~

Writer's block! Argh! Sarrey for the late update.

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