AGNES

I watch him as water wells up in his eyes like an adorable baby. And if I wasn't trying to recover from the concussion I had after I confessed my feelings for him, perhaps, I'd be shedding some tears too.

In the middle of my seventh heaven, he flies in and holds me close to his firm lanky torso. With my arms wrapped around him so tightly, funny how my mind take me back to December, that chaotic afternoon we hugged for the first time. The pleasant taste of his lips still lingers on my mouth.

After hugging for a while that felt like seconds, we set each other free.

"So..." I start timidly, "I guess this means we are officially a couple?"

"We've always been a couple, but not the good kind. I guess we're doing that now."

I blush deeply and I notice his coming strong on his face.

"Well, now that we're official, I want to ask you something. I hope you won't say no."

"When you start out like that, the big tendency to say no outweighs other answers."

He scratches the back of his head. "My bad. Uh, well... can I kiss you... again?"

I almost bite my tongue after my brain receives the message. No words come out of my mouth, the shock of it sends me feeling mousey, at the very bottom of my feelings.

The answer to that question is yes, but how can I say it without saying it? Even if I don't say it, I expect him to see it in my eyes that I would like him to take the initiative, lean forward and kiss me. I haven't gotten enough of his taste on my mouth. The thought of it just feels so felonious, it's pulsating.

I shift my weight, trying to breathe calmly. Not with how my heart pounds excruciatingly in my chest under a tension it's impossible to think.

The right moment reels in and he makes it easy as we bring our heads nearer at the same time, waiting for the instant our lips touch. I smell his breath but I want more than that, and when we almost make contact, a magnetic force pulls us together.

We kiss with all the passion of two people who may never see each other. He cups his hand on my cheek and mine interweaves somewhere in his hair, squeezing so close against the other till the kiss begins to get lazy and our minds tell us to draw back. A pristine flavour dawdles on my tongue, he complements it with the palm of his hand gently and reluctantly trailing the lines on my face.

He moves back, his stoic expression belying the sadness I see in his eyes.

Covering up with a smile, he rushes words out. "Hold on, um... let's make a promise, okay? We won't ignore each other even though we're far apart, we won't forget each other even though we choose to make new friends, and finally, we won't get angry at each other or hurt—"

"Stop! That's way out of line. You can't stop me from getting angry at you if you mess up."

"Alright, well... we'll try not to. And we will wait for each other."

"Just kill me instead!"

He laughs. No matter how serious the situation is, we will always find a way to make it comical. I wonder if that's one talent of his, but I like it.

"So, what if I meet somebody else when you're gone?" I ask.

"Huh!" He snaps.

I giggle at his facial expressions. "Jeez! Don't be so gullible! I'm joking."

He shrugs off my joke. "And—"

"Lastly, you won't say that you love me in front of anyone else."

His eyebrows knit together. "Why?"

"I'll never hear the end of it if Tessa and Yvonne finds out."

"Don't you think they already have an idea?"

"Oh shut up!" I smack his arm.

He chuckles, "alright, fine."

After a dreamy gaze at him, we face the sunset and watch as it goes down. I lay my head on his shoulder, revelling each passing moment.

*

"You'll be alright," Felix tells me calmly.

After a successful Opening Night, we rent a taxi at the nearest stop.

While we take the back seat, I try not to be very anxious, but goodness! I can't stop myself from shivering. Felix clasps my palm in his all the way but every second brings me closer to an anxiety attack. His warmth only helps to neutralize the chills, but I undoubtedly still have cold feet.

"Agnes, we don't own huge dogs, okay. No one will bite you," he jokes.

"I don't think I find your joke funny."

"Just relax, that's what I'm saying."

"I'm trying! I'm just..."

His smile almost resembling a smirk, as though he is enjoying how stressed I am about meeting his parents.

"It's okay, right? For me to get anxious?"

"It's okay, just don't make it obvious in front of my family."

I thrust a hard fist to his side. "You really are an annoying guy!"

He giggles, "am I?"

"Not helping."

After what we've been through, I thought he'd become more romantic, or at least try to. Some things never change, I suppose.

"Just so you know, my dad may come off a little bit strict, but he's cool."

"I swear to God, after this dinner, I'll make you pay dearly. Just have your fun while it lasts."

He laughs it off. "Hey... I'm only joking!"

"Don't talk to me."

He brings his face closer to mine. "Guess what, you look outstandingly beautiful tonight, but if you keep threatening me, you'll get ugly before the night is over."

My blushing immediately falls to a frown.

"Look, you're starting to have wrinkles."

I turn to the car window to have one look at my reflection. Everything's still in place; the simple jewellery, light makeup, a short plain navy blue dress and my hair tied in a ponytail.

"Just stay beautiful. You have nothing to worry about."

God! Felix is simply the worst! Looking through the glass seems like a better and less flustering option than listening to this guy. His teasers did actually get my mind off the jumpiness though, but when we round a turning into a wider tree-lined avenue, it comes back with full force.

The taxi veers into a street and stops in front of a driveway.

"We're here!" He announces.

Through the windows, a line of three-bedroom detached bungalows follow each other on both sides. Above, golden lights embellish the night sky. His house is in point of fact lovely, the view at night is quite impressive. His neighbourhood panoramically unfolds as a masterly outdoorsy landscape.

We alight the taxi. I loop an arm around his and together, we walk to the porch. All of a sudden, he stops in front and stares at me with a distant look in his eyes.

"What? Aren't we going inside?"

Then he does something unexpected. He shifts the misplaced strands of front hair to align with others and caresses the side of my face, leaving me to blush like a fangirl.

"You pick this time to show your concern, huh? Your parents must be waiting for us."

"Let them wait. For now, I want you to be here with me. Before we go in, I wish us to have one dance." He offers me his upturned arm.

"We are standing in front of your house! Please stop with your crazy ideas," I plead.

"Come on. We didn't get a chance to finish our dance at the school play."

I groan, fighting the urge to concede. Is it weird that I want to satisfy his wish even though right here and now feels so inappropriate?

"Your parents are inside."

"Come on, Agnes, please," he pleads even with his eyes.

"But there is no music."

"I can fix that."

"Huh!" He comes closer to me until his striking features becomes my entire vision.

"Can you feel it?" My heart beats in my ribcage to a rhythm only both of us understand. "That's the music we need."

I smile so painfully, latching onto every beating in my chest. He holds onto my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck.

As we sway our bodies in rhythmic motion, and songs playing in our hearts, I forget why we are here in the first place, losing track of time. This is a memorable moment I'll hold onto when he eventually leaves.

"I love you so much, Agnes."

"I love you too," I reply.

Later, he pulls me away gently and plants a kiss on my forehead. In many ways than none, I can really feel that he does not just love me, he also respects me. It worries me to think one day, he will give me his last kiss, then we might never see each other again. I've promised to wait for him, that is enough to bring him back to me.

Imagine we were betrothed, even if we have to make our oaths with paper rings. All I need is a single hope of assurance that someday, we will find our way back to each other.

After the final step, he stands at the door. "We did it. Thank you."

I reply with a smile. "Now, shall we?"

"After you."

He opens the door and allows me to go in first. I step into the living room and the unbelievable sight of one beautiful ghost I never expected to see welcomes me.

FELIX

Agnes has her mouth open in disbelief.

I initially thought it is just perhaps a reaction or so, but even I can undoubtedly feel the tension going on between them.

"W... who are you?" Dad asks, observing Agnes closely as if he already knows the answer to his question.

"Um, dad, this is Agnes. Agnes, meet my father. Mom should be in the kitchen preparing dinner and my sister is—"

"Agnes?!" Dad exclaims in horror. He puts on a dreadful mien that enshrouds dark secrets and past mistakes coming back to haunt him.

I turn to notice Agnes. Her face is whitewashed and visibly trembling in shock. "Hey! Agnes, are you okay?" I attempt reaching for her hand but she moves away.

"You monster!" She cries.

Step by step, she moves backward and outside the house, and before I know, out of sight. I try to run after her but the night turns her running image into shadows.

"Agnes! Agnes!!"

Dad hurries outside, followed by the rest of my family and they all cast horrified looks at me. It seems I've been the only one in the dark all this time. "Where did she go?"

"Why did she call you a monster?" I fear for the answer I'll get but I want to hear it anyway.

"Felix, I... I don't know what to say. I—"

"Who is Agnes to you?"

"She... she's the child I had with my first wife."

Chills race through my body like cold water, my nerve endings has never been this heightened. Everything I see now is blurry because my eyes are clouded by tears.

"Felix—"

"I don't want to hear anything!" I run as fast as my legs carry me.

* # * #

I hope you're having fun tonight. Keep enjoying the story.