爱の恐惧

Love Phobia

[ Chapter 3 ]

All at once, you look across a crowded room for no one in particular, just looking.

Suddenly, you see him,

but, oh, how many times you've seen him before.

So why did your heart just skip a beat?

Your eyes meet by mere coincidence, or is it?

At that moment you both instantly know that the

relationship between the two of you,

will never be the same again.

Is this what we call fate ???

------------------------

she suddenly replied back

"it can takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone but it takes a lifetime to forget someone"

I went speechless. I was bewildered by her reply.

"why would she relate a book to somebody, & taking a lifetime to forget that someone" i thought

More question marks came into my mind when i started thinking what she said. Before long, we both alight from the bus.

"Hmmm .. Juli ~ " before i could complete my sentence, she just walk off silently.

That was the very first time i've seen her looking so distraught. It has affected me deeply. The last time I've experienced such feeling was actually seeing my mum in a distraught manner too. It was also the day whereby she left me for heaven. Slowly tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Perhaps this lifetime I won't forget my mum, just like how Juliet won't forget that someone she was refering to." i thought

-----------------

After washup, i slowly unpacked my bag. My eyesight came into contact with the book again.

"the tale of the pair of star crossed lovers - Romeo & Juliet"

"hmmm .. so how this book can actually relate to someone ?" i was still figuring out. My thoughts started to wander off

"Her boyfriend ? cannot be .. she is too young for love ? but isn't she abit mature for a 12 year old ? I started to digress.

"Argh ... what am i thinking !!!" I'm so confused at the moment.

" REAGAN ! " my dad shouted interrupting my thoughts

"YES ? AH PA ?"

"FETCH ME MY BEER !!!"

Ever since my mum left, my dad took up drinking. I've never seen him in a sober moment ever since. It has been four long years. Back then i was too young to know what happened, i was just over grief upon the fact that my mum has left me. I only know from then on, ben became rebellious, simply ignoring my dad commands. He never told me why, but i can sense he hated dad alot. I don't really bear a grudge to my dad for not taking care of me this four years, perhaps he really loved my mum alot, till he still can't get over her. At least in this aspect, i thought i was being more mature than my brother ben. I still look foward to the day where we can be reconciled & go back to the good old days.

"ORH ~ !! AH PA ! coming ~"

---------------------------------

YAWNZZZ !!! " A New day , A New Beginning ~ !"

I stretched myself, & strolled to the bus-stop.

"Will I met Juliet today?" I wondered

Soon, the sky darkens, clouds gathered. i sense the rain coming soon, & therefore quicken my footsteps to the bus-stop.

"Tap-Tap ~ " the raindrops start to fall ...

"Urgh ~ should have brought a umbrella along" I mumbled.

Just when i was trying to find a sheltered route, Juliet came ranning to me with her umbrella. She sheltered me to the bus-stop.

"Phew, luckily not drenched !" i said

"tee-hee yea .. all thanks to me" Juliet with her trademark angelic smile again

"A hero saving damsel in distress .. " I joked

"OII ~ I'm suppose to be your heroine .. tahahah ~ " she laughed

I guess she has gotten over yesterday incident. I don't intend to bring up too, in case I'm going to feel so helpless again. Soon our bus 284 arrived.

During the journey, she suddenly asked

"Romeo, so when's ya birthday ?"

"Eh .. secret .. you wanna buy me birthday prezzie huh ?" i laughed

" 20th February" she just directly said out.

For a moment, i was taken aback. I couldn't believe what i just heard, or rather the fact that both our birthday lies on the same day 20th february.

"Hmmm ... just passed not long ago" I replied trying not to be too shaken over it.

She nods back.

"you know something, my birthday & our bus number 284 has a significant meaning to it .. teehee thats why somehow or rather i love to take bus 284 to school."

"Ugh .. what significant meaning ?" I replied

Somehow it triggered my thoughts towards my mum again. I always thought bus 284 was just a story between my mum & me. Today i finally realised some one just has another story to bus 284.

"tee-hee solve it .. & I buy you a birthday prezzie !!!" she winked

"Urgh ~ mystery solving !! I just sucks at it ... maybe i should question my dad about not giving me a detective conan's or kindaichi's brain .. "

"Bleah .. haha" she just laughed

"February 20th & bus 284 ? what meaning it can gets ? Gosh ... i simply got no link to it." I thought

Juliet never fails to give me surprises each day, first the book that won't open & now comes another mystery with our birthday & bus 284.

-----------------------

School ended for the day, i just wander around aimlessly, & came in sight with the library. I went in, thinking about morning incident.

"Perhaps i could find some book that tells me whats the relationship between february 20th & 284 ? " I mumbled

"You can never find such things on books" someone whispered behind my back

"J U L I E T" i shouted

The librarian gave me a glare, i apologised, & whisper back,

"Why are you forever sneaking behind me, hearing what i say .. hurhur "

"tee-hee bleahz" she responded

"Sighs .. fine ~ you win " i just walked towards the secluded corner, the corner where we found the book.

"So free ar ? why not going home after classes ? " Juliet asked

"Nahz .. i just wanted to be alone for a moment until you came " I replied

"Uh-uh ~ so i guess its my fault for disturbing you then ... "

"Nahz .. not really but how you know I'm here ? & why are you not going home after class ? hurhur "

"Ermmm hey you're the one that stepped into my sacred area lor !!! remember this is where i found the book, i've always been here,"

"I didn't know our library has become such a holy place" i joked

"hahahah ever since i came lor, ..tee-hee"

"so what you usually do at your sacred area?" i asked

"hmmm thinking about lotsa things ... tee-hee"

"WOW ~ a 12 year old kid got that much things to think about ? other than your PSLE this year ? I sacrastically shoot at her

"Define Love" Juliet just voiced out suddenly

"Ugh ? ! ? LOVE ? " i stuttered .

she nods ...

"Of all things .. why love & ain't we abit too young for love, at least thats what the alduts always been telling me, I was once curious about it too ya know .. "

"Because ... I've a phobia for love. Juliet responded

"Phobia for love .... ? "

Her answer left me dumb founded again ...

------------

The wind was howling strongly, causing the window to hit the ledge, awaking me from my slumber. I got up from my bad & walked towards the window.

Sparks of lightning appeared, as though flashing some thoughts into my mind.

"Oh my .. gonna rain soon ~ !" as i close tight the windows.

Just at this moment, Ben came in

"wow surprising to find my cute little brother not asleep yet ar .. " Ben sacarstically remarked.

"& its surprising to see you coming back as early as 1am" I shoot back

"woo look who's talking here man, my brother has grown up, taking over the role of my useless dad .. taahaa" Ben snorted

"yea .. whatever" I sigh

"Erm Kor ... you ever experienced a phobia towards love ?"

I still do not know why i asked him, maybe being he always claim that he is the subject matter expert on love, maybe being he has went through countless relationship despite at the age of 16.

Ben paused for a moment.

"You're asking a Casonova such questions !!! You must be Kidding ~ !!"

Somehow I sensed Ben wasn't truthful with his answers, but yet he was right to an extent. I've never seen him cry or feel sad about his breakup in his countless relationships. How would someone with such feelings ever experience a phobia towards love ?

I lay down motionlessly on the bed. Question after question just rang in my mind.

the tale of the pair of star crossed lovers - Romeo & Juliet ?

who was the someone that Juliet can't forget ?

Relationship between Feb 20th & 284 ?

& now

Love Phobia ?

[ to be cont .. ]

Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.

william shakespeare