Completed by a Glimpse

Okay. I’ve got to go. I’m running late. Glimpse you later at the parade.

I smile at his message. I couldn’t help but find my cheeks burn as my eyes read the whole thing. I sigh, trying to think of a reply. I grinned now, still not over it. It was always like this, I’d always think hard about how and what to reply to all his messages.

I’m sort of scared and hysterical that I might sound desperate. Eh, too desperate. And so, I replied with a safe and expected answer.

Glimpse you later too.

And with that, I told Sham to go to my house already. I couldn’t help but tell someone about what I’m starting to feel. Sham’s my best friend by the way, if you didn’t know. But don’t get me wrong, I have tons of best friends but Sham’s the only one I can actually tell her about these kinds of stuff. Like, boys stuff.

Well, when she got here, I told her about everything, showed her all the messages of Adam and fan freaked out all about it. This is why I like talking about these topics with Sham. It’s because she feels what I’m feeling. And she never ever judges me.

‘So you really think you’ll see him?’ she asked, her eyes gleaming. ‘And do you think he also likes you too?’

I chuckle. ‘Nah, I think he’s just enjoying our conversation.’ I answer back. ‘Well, let’s go. I bet they’re waiting for us at the parade.’

My school’s parade started just right after theirs. Somehow, I went looking for him. I tiptoed to look pass the crowd and elevated my head to every corner. But no use, I didn’t see him. The moment our parade ended, I started to give up. But, when I was with Megan, I saw him. His glasses, his orange tinted hair, his weird long costume and his red sneakers, I saw all of it.

‘Let’s just stand here for a while Meg.’ I tell her, trying to make an excuse to stay there. She looked at me, baffled. ‘For a while, we might see Sham, Lara, Liana and Ehmar.

She nodded and put on her earphones. I sighed, as I stared at him again. He wasn’t looking at me though. He was talking to his group of friends, and besides, why would he bother to look at me. We looked stupid standing there, at the plaza. We we’re just standing there, tons of people passing by looking at us like we were some kind of entertainers.

‘Nyka, we look stupid.’ Megan said, pissed now. ‘Look, I want to sit down.’

I couldn’t say anything by then. Good thing, Sham and her group of friends suddenly came out from nowhere and saved my butt. ‘SHAAAM!’ Megan greeted as Sham was now in her sight.

And with Sham being there, Megan totally forgot how she was mad at me. They were talking and talking and talking. And then they decided to just sit down in one corner near where were standing on. It was okay, I guess since I can still see him while I sat there.

‘Hey. Talk to him.’ Sham told me, whispering. ‘You’re wasting your chance.’

I shrugged. ‘No.’

She stared at me complainingly but she let it go. ‘It’s your choice.’

And then the whole thing just kept on going. He stayed with his friends, and I kept myself busy with mine. I’d steal a look once or twice to see is he’s still there, but that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Everything was going downhill when he and his friends started to walk slowly away.

I frowned at this. My heart was breaking slowly, with such disappointment. I knew I was just a person that he just talked to. I wasn’t special, or important to him. He was just so nice and I expected so much from him.

I sighed. ‘No hope.’ I said to myself, while my friends were busy talking with each other.

Sham looked at me and knew instantly what I was talking about. She stared at the moving group of friends. I stared at her, not sure about was she was going to do. Then she breathed. ‘Adam.’ She said, with such a soft voice, but it was loud enough for him to hear her.

He stared at her.

She stared at him and pointed at me. ‘Annyka.’

Then I stared away from him. But somehow, beneath my skin, I could feel him watching me. I could feel him smile but then walk away. I felt him give me a glimpse.

Sham smiled. ‘THAT WAS EMBARASSING.’

I smiled at her as well but I didn’t say anything. I mean, what was I supposed to say? I just got stared at and smile at by the boy, I pretty much like. And besides, I was still hyperventilating. Inside, that is.

‘You happy now? I risked my reputation for you.’ She said, ‘But man, I thought he wouldn’t hear me. I thought---‘

‘Thank you.’ I tell her. ‘For that.’

She smiled and said. ‘You better be.’

And so that page 11 of 366 was complete. And I’m proud to say that, that day was completed by a glimpse, with a genuine smile. A glimpse by him.