"Thanks a lot for today guys, see you all next week, same time." You packed your things before checking your phone. You're scrolling your screen down and down and finally noticed Danielle's text she sent you.
She said she'll be waiting by the café that's familiar to you as it's near Minji's shop as well. "Alright, let's get this over with." You let out a sigh as you took your leave and got straight into your car and left the University.
Eventually, you made it to the café, got in and saw Danielle sitting by the window. "Sorry I'm late." You greeted her as she waved lightly at you before you sat down.
"I got you a latte." She slid over a cup of ice cold latte towards you. "You shouldn't have. Thanks." You immediately took light sips. "So what's up?"
"Well earlier today, you know how the club will be publishing poem books by the end of the year right? So today I was tasked to pick out poems from the poem writing booth..." She said as she's scrolling through her phone.
"...these are yours right?" Danielle handed her phone over to you as you looked at the screen displaying a photo of a paper. You looked closely at the writings and they were indeed yours. "Yes they are mine. Why?"
"How did you do it?" She asked as you lifted your eyebrow in confusion. "I don't follow? You mean?" You asked. "These words, the way the emotions flows through these words you wrote. The way they instantly catch me off guard."
"I went from smiling while reading the poem before you to shedding tears while reading yours. I'm sorry for asking but was everything you wrote on that paper to the one you said on that stage, happened to you?" Her tone masked the seriousness of her expression.
"Because..." She took a deep breath in. "...I wanted to write like you. I've been reading and hearing people's poems and now I want to make something from my own effort."
"Oh. I see..." You nodded. "...well firstly I do have to apologize because even if you ask me, I won't be able to give you a certain way because me writing poem does not derive from the pressure to write, if that make sense."
"I write because it's something I love doing. I am not pressured by other people to deliver nor do I feel obliged to treat it as a job for me. So if there's one advice I can give you..." You pause for a short time. "...you don't have to experience something in order for you to write about it."
"So what you're saying is..." She asked as you nodded. "The ones I wrote on that papers and the ones I said on that stage today. I made that all up. It didn't happen to me. It's all in here." You pointed your head before pointing down to your heart. "...and in here."
"So this girl in your poems, is she just part of the fiction?" She asked as your lips were shut as instantly, Hanni popped up inside your mind. You looked down at your cup of coffee. "Not necessarily." You answered.
"I will definitely be picking your poems for the upcoming book. I just have to. And thank you for that piece of advice. I completely understand." She smiled rather weak compared to her usual bright smile.
"You have someone in mind that made you want to start writing?" You asked as she looked at you with the 'how did you know' expression. "Yeah, there is. But umm..." Danielle paused for a while. "...it's complicated."
"I won't ask more of that. I hope everything will work out for you, let it be slowly but surely." You said as she nodded. "I know I could count on you for advice. Someone out there will be one lucky person to have someone as reliable as you."
"Oh stop it..." You looked down again. "...I write sad poems, cry at sad movies. I'm far from reliable."
"Can I entertain you with a piece of advice of my own?" Danielle got your attention as you looked up to her. "Just believe that when God wants two hearts to meet, He will move both of them, not just one."
"You sure you're not the one who's reliable here?" You raised your eyebrows at her as she just let out a little laugh. "I can be miss reliable at times as well so we're not so different to be honest."
"Thanks for that. Appreciate it." You said as you're sipping on your coffee. "You're welcome. By the way, did you hear about the student exchange programmed?"
"I didn't... what is it?" You asked. "Well basically every year, the faculty will be sending students, usually ones with great potential, to selected universities overseas and have them study there for a semester or two, in exchange that the selected universities will be sending their own to study here."
"I think this year; they'll be sending students to Australia so I'm really excited about it." Danielle expressed her excitement. "The way you sounded was like a kid who's happy to go back home." You examined her expression as she was a bit shocked and more impressed.
"You're right. I was born and raised in Australia before we moved here actually so yeah, I am going to apply for it and hopefully get selected. How about you?" Danielle asked. "Well I do have a friend who's going back to Australia by the end of the year."
"That's great, you should give it a go as well. And don't worry there's still plenty of time to apply for it, I think for the next four months?" She closed her eyes trying to remember. "...Can't really remember but the point is, you still have plenty of time to decide."
"Yeah..." At first the temptation was there, you felt it. A thrilling new experience that will not be coming back so easily. But in the midst of that thought, you remembered Hanni. You felt that it was selfish from your part to give up that experience over her but you didn't bother about it.
"...I'll give it a few thoughts for now. Thanks for the heads up by the way and I hope you'll get selected and have the chance to go back to the place you once called home." And at that moment, you've already decided that you're not going to apply for it.
You wanted to stay with Hanni.
"I really think you should call it a night miss Pham." You worried about the girl sitting in front of you who's slowly dozing off while the pen that she's holding were about to move across the paper.
Hanni immediately shook her head, throwing away the sleepiness before patting her cheeks. "I can't. There's still so much to do..." She heaved a deep sigh as she continued writing. "...I have to score on this test."
"Hey come on..." You slowly stopped her hand as you grabbed the pen away from her. "...you will score on that test, but not like this." You said as she just pouted her lips in defeat. "Look at the clock, it's already past 11.30. What you need is sleep."
"Just one more practice sheet." She raised her index finger. "...then I promise I'll go to bed." Then she pressed her palms together as you had to give up eventually. She got her pen back and immediately doing the 'last' sheet.
She then went silent as her hand remained moving while you're on your phone. "You made me cry again today." Hanni suddenly spoke as you're taken aback by her statement in silent.
She then looked at you. "I saw your poetry talk earlier today." You're confused as you're sure you didn't see her today. "Where were you?"
"I wasn't there but one of my friend from class happened to be there and sent a whole video of your poem." Hanni clarified and now it made sense. "But why did it make you cry? It's just words that I had in the back of my head."
"It felt real you know. Even Minji was saying wow about it, you even got Haerin to fully lost focus on our work this afternoon just to discuss with me about you and poetry. God if I knew poetry would have this much impact..." She leaned back. "...I would've joined the club along with you."
"I didn't mean to make you cry but when I'm feeling poetic... kind of hard for me to think of happy stuffs if that make sense. I don't know why I couldn't while a lot of people could but that's probably my sentimental poetic side." You said as she just shook her head.
"No apologies, you did great and that reception you got from the audience says a lot of about it as well. Keep being yourself." She continued her practice sheet. "You can still join the club next semester if you're truly interested." You said.
"We'll see how things goes but I am interested in poetry at the moment. I need to buy more poem books to fill my free time." She replied. "Oh look at what you did. Making me smile like a proud dad towards his daughter." You faked a few sniffs as she just laughed.
"I think I'm done here." She compiled her answer sheets before closing her books with a relief sigh. "Then I am heading home as well." You said as you're standing up.
"Thanks for keeping me awake through the night." Hanni said as you two were heading to the front door. "Always at your service. Now you just have to do well on that test." You swung the door as you got out after wearing your shoes.
"I will. Drive safe okay?" She stood next to the door. "You know what, we're getting some bubble tea tomorrow after class."
"You're joking..." She squealed lightly at the mentioned of bubble tea. "...deal. I'll do well in that test and we're celebrating with bubble teas tomorrow."
"Cool. See you tomorrow." You waved at a waving Pham Hanni before heading for your car. "Good night. Sleep well." She smiled at you who's waving again as you're driving away before she went back in the house, readying for bed.
As Hanni already laying down comfortably on her bed, her phone suddenly rang as she checked the screen
She noticed you sent a voice note so immediately she played it...
"Good luck Mini Pham~~ You got this~" Your voice immediately echoed around her ears as she just laughed.
"Thankiess~~" She immediately sent a voice note back to you.
So leave a vote and comments(?) maybe, I would love to read your comments. It'll motivates me to write more, it really does.
Loves lot ❤