UNBREAKABLE FRIENDSHIP
Nathaniel Rutherford, my best friend since I was just 4 years old. He was a bright, jolly and unpredictable kind of guy. All his dark secrets are already in my own Pandora’s Box. He trusted me with everything, as in EVERYTHING. His mannerism, his likes, dislikes all the things you can think of about him, I know them all. He even got this bizarre birthmark on his back, upper right portion of his back to be exact. On the way I see it, it looks like an angel. It was so pretty every time I look at it but Nathan didn’t want anybody to look at it. He told me that it’s kind of gay, too immature of him.
Nathaniel was the perfect guy for every girl I know. He was tall, a little dark, and handsome, as they all say. He has deep blue eyes, brunette hair and a smile that is so heart melting. His laugh is a melody to their ears. He is a badminton player, one of the top students in class and loves music above everything else. For me, it’s like he can do everything possible. He just needs to be focused on it. He needs to be determined whenever he’s doing something new for him. He wants to try almost everything he wants. He knew 5 different languages. Of course English was the first one, then Spanish, German, French and Japanese. Every year he studies different languages. For, now he studies Korean. He’s into Asian things recently.
In sports, aside from badminton, he also plays basketball, tennis and football. He’s good in all these sports but he really loved badminton above all that’s why he dedicated himself in this sport so much. He’s also into extreme sports like skiing, snowboarding and bungee jumping, which I really do hate so much. I love summer but he hates it for the reason that he loves winter so much. Above all these sports, swimming was the sport he credited so much. He told me that whenever he’s in water, he feels so refreshed and relieved. He forgets everything that bothered him in the past few days. Once a week, we go for a swim without her mom knowing. His mother forbids him to swim for such pointless reason. When he was just 3 years old, he was nearly drowned as what his mom told us, but we found out that it’s not true at all. When we asked his dad, he told us that it was just a white lie for Nathan’s mom to protect him. Nathan understood his mom for being overprotective but he can’t follow her rules. He feels like his being choked to death. Nathan even told me that water cause him to feel so free.
Nathan also loved reading books. Fictional and mythological creatures were the genre he liked. He’s into fairies, dragons, mermaids, Greek Gods and Goddesses and other stuffs like that. He influenced me in being interested in those things, as well.
Mr. Right isn’t he? Almost all my friends love him so much. Sometimes I even assume that they only befriended me just to stay close with him. However, there are girls who hate me so much because of the fact that we are so inseparable. Most of the people would think of us that we’re a couple, which is very preposterous.
Silly, that’s what I consider it. Nathan, for me, is just the boy I knew and I can trust my whole life with. He's my special little guy. Nothing more. We accepted each other for who we are and that’s why he’s my best friend. We share the same point of views. We may be compatible in almost everything but I can’t think of us being a couple.
Both of us didn’t believe in love. He had a lot of girlfriends. He’s not serious about all of them. Even how beautiful and gorgeous they were, it didn’t matter to him. Women were all the same. They would just like you because you’re popular. That’s his point of view about them; his only exceptions are his mom and me. He would just get in a relationship to have someone to flirt with and display those girls for him to brag to other men. We may have different reasons about love but what’s important is we don’t believe it exists.
I stay at his place everyday after class. We study a lot and if we got bored he plays the piano and I sing. Sometimes, he teaches me how to play badminton or tennis but I’m not that interested of it. I’m not the athletic type. Swimming was the only sport I loved doing when I’m with him.
When it’s a little late, I got home to take care of my dad. I’ll cook for him. There were also times that Nathan cooks for us. His spaghetti was my favorite. He’s really good at making pasta. His specialties are spaghetti, carbonara, puttanesca and pizza.
My house is just across their house. When we were little he used to sleep at our place. He always did his best to make my dad smile. Sometimes he can, but all the time, he can’t. He’s brightness and jolliness is very contagious. When he laughs, you’ll laugh. If he jokes or makes fun of something, it would really turn out to be so funny. But he can’t make my dad laugh or make him smile all the time, he never gives up. Nathan has a strong perseverance. He never gets tired once he believed in something. He knows that he can do anything by just trusting in himself alone and that’s what I liked about him.
Ring!!!!!Ring!!!!!
“Hello?” I answered my phone while rubbing my sleepy eyes.
“What time do you think it is!!!!? You’re going to be late for class! I, as well, was going to be late! I’ve been calling you since 8!” Nathan shouted. His voice was so loud it hurt my ears.
“What the! My alarm didn’t work. Gosh, I’m sorry, Nathan. You better head off to school. I’ll go after I get ready” I said ruefully. I did it again as usual.
“Nah… It’s good. I’ll wait for you outside. I won’t let Mr. Hansen scold you to death again. I’d better be with you than watch how he humiliates you” he said with still voice. His anger disappeared so easily when he heard my apology. He’s always like this whenever I did something wrong then apologize. He never keeps hard feelings from anyone. Aside from his dad, he loathed him. He felt that his not valuable for him. He didn’t care about anything except his mom. He loved her so much that he didn’t even look at him as his own child, his own flesh and blood.
“Ha-ha! You’re such a drama king. Okay, okay. I’ll be there in a sec”
I finished getting ready as soon as I can then we head off to school. Fortunately when we got there without being late, Mr. Hansen was still at the faculty room. Thanks to Nathan, we got there as quickly as we can. He used his father’s Harley Davidson’s motorcycle. He uses it whenever it’s an emergency and I think that emergency is preventing tardiness. He also uses it without his permission. What a rascal.
He is such a punctual person. He’s never been late for his whole life and I bet he never will. On the contrary, I was always late in class or meetings. Almost every school year, I get suspended in classes just because of my tardiness. I hate waking up early ‘cause I’m a night person. I love staying up late and watching movies.
I even like dark places which Nathan dislikes. He’s afraid of the dark. He’s also claustrophobic. It started when we were just 7 years old. We were playing at the nearside forest in Chester County when he fell in an opening we didn’t become aware of and broke his knee. It was so dark and scary he told me. I shouted for help because I didn’t know what to do. At that moment, that’s the only thing I could do. Then there was a huge sheep that walked towards my direction. It had emerald, mysterious eyes. When I gaze at it, it feels like he was looking through my soul. It made a sound that I did understand. It didn’t mumble words, just a sound. I read the message in his eyes. It wants to help me.
Nathan was crying so loud that it hurts my ears so much. The sheep went where Nathan fell. His wool grew very long and suddenly became like a rope. I rubbed my eyes on what I saw. It was really incredible. The wool wrapped around Nathan’s waist and held him upward. Nathan didn’t saw what I witnessed. He got unconscious by the time the sheep held him with its wool. When Nathan was with me again, the sheep looked at me and walked away. I shared my story with him but he didn’t believe me. I felt bad because of it and didn’t play with him for days. Then he listened to my story again and this time he believed me, for real. He knew that I would never lie to him nor create a story out of my mind.
“Chelsea, you’re staring blankly again. What’s on your mind?” Nathan asked worriedly.
“It’s nothing, I just remembered the time when you fell from a hole and saved by a huge sheep. I hope I could see it again” I told him while I was still staring on something I’m not aware of.
“Bet I could see it either. I didn’t have the chance to thank him. Even though because of that accident, I got scared of some things” he told me while fixing his hair. “I’ve been very eager to see it since you told me that story”
“Yeah, and I’m sorry for that. It’s my fault you fell and became like that” I said softly. If I didn’t invite him to come with me in the first place, he’ll not experience that accident.
“Shh… “Putting his finger on my lips. “Don’t say that, it isn’t your fault. It’s no body’s fault, alright? It’s an accident, there’s no one to blame,”
“Okay. If you say so, but I promise it won’t happen again. I’ll protect you this time,” I said boldly.
“Don’t make me laugh now Chelsea. I’m a lot bigger than you. If there is someone to be taken care of, it’s you” he said grinning. Not believing every word I said. He trusts me I’ll protect him but he knew that I can’t. With just my small and fragile body, I’ll be easily wiped out by anyone.
The day ended just like that. There is nothing new to be overwhelmed of. Mr. Hansen made us bored again. Fan girls cursed me all day because of Nathan while he was so happy telling me his next game next week. I went home alone because Nathan has to train the whole week after class. I really wish him all the best.
I decided to go for a walk in the park. I want to breathe fresh air and have some peace of mind. I wanted to think of things that were not usual for me. I wanted to do something new and different. I wanted to do it alone. I didn’t want Nathan to be involve in everything I’m about to do. I won’t let him get hurt again. Once is enough, twice is too much.
Nathan didn’t mind what happened when we were kids but for myself, it mattered to me a lot. Every time I saw the scar on his knee, I always remembered the moment where he gained it. Why did it have to be him? I could be clumsy if I wanted to. I may be the one who fell and broke my knee. I may be claustrophobic and be the one who is afraid of the dark. Not him, not my best friend. If only I could take all his fears and suffering, I would take all of it, for my dad as well. I don’t want all the men in my life feel all the pain. I deserve it more than they do.
As I walk around the city, I’ve noticed that there were new stores around. I entered each of the stores and tried what were in there. I got excited as I spot this new but unusual store. It’s not like the others that were decorated with lights and bright colors. This certain store was very dark and creepy, just the way I liked it. It attracted my eyes. It made me smile while I entered the store. I held my books so tight and could not wait what would reveal to me.
Inside, candles were scattered on the walls. It was placed in a fiberglass carved like a hand of a woman. The floor was covered with a burgundy carpet with a crescent moon print at the center. There were also odd paintings. A woman, instead of legs she had fish’s tail. She held a harp while she’s sitting on a huge rock. The sea surrounds her. There was also a man who’s very good-looking but has fins all over his body. But the portrait that struck me the most was a gorgeous lady, with ebony hair and skin as white as ivory. She was facing obliquely so I can’t visualize her face that much.
There were also displays around the store that were kind of “wild”. There were different kinds of horns that came from animals. It may be from a ram, elephant, dear or whatever.
There were also sea shells. They have different shapes, sizes and forms. I took one of it and inspect it for a while. It was so shiny and smooth. I placed it on my ear and closed my eyes. I heard the breeze and the waves of the ocean. It was very calming as it was near my ear.
“Wow! A new customer! Welcome in “The Other World”!” a voice exclaimed from nowhere. I was surprised and I accidentally let go of the shell I held. I looked around to search for the voice I heard but it’s not around. I felt scared and was about to go. I heard him again.
“Wait! Don’t go my dear child. I know what you’re looking for. I’ll give you what’s causes your restlessness.” The voice said. This time, his voice was very appealing that made me choose to stay.
I walked slowly to seek for that strange voice. Though frightened, I looked around without knowing of what would I catch a sight of.
Suddenly, electricity flowed inside my veins. Excitement overcame me. My mood abruptly changed. The frightening and nervousness was exchanged by stimulation. I bit my lip and still looked around.
A man, who was wearing a faded shirt and pants, showed himself to me. He was grinning. His teeth were yellow and some of it was decayed. It was a little disgusting. He looks very untidy. Skin dirt was all over his face, arms and feet. His fingernails are untidy as well. He wore a very long beard. He is also bald, but not too bald. His hair and beard were almost gray. He looks like he’s in the 60s.
He’s appearance brought the fear in me again. He looks wicked to me. Even though that’s the case, I know in my heart that he will not cause me any harm. As what he said earlier, he will help me, which made me stay.
As he approached me, he walked very sluggish. It may be due to his age. His hand was trying to reach me. I was just there, stiffened. I didn’t know if my body can’t move or if I just didn’t want to move.
Finally, the old man and I were now face to face. I hope he could answer all the things I was looking for.