First thing I do in every morning when I wake up is to open the curtains. Never mind UK at 6.30am is still pitch black, I still open them anyway. It's out of habit. Anyway I woke up this morning, opened the curtains and yeah saw something weird. Something pale was covering everything. Hmmm. Weird. So I open the window. Something white...and cold on the window sill. Took me a while but then I realised it's SNOW!!
Yeah I instantly took my Samsung i8510 and began snapping pictures! I only post group photos here, you can see the rest of my pictures here.
left to right: me, Wan Shin, Georgie, Nabilah, Aini, Gabby, Erna
Solange sighed heavily, lying back among the bed sheets, restless. She couldn't sleep. Staring up at the top of the canopy bed, she gave an irritated groan and rolled onto her side. She glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. Nine past eleven. Where the hell is that jerk, she thought angrily. Lately Steven kept coming home late, and went out early in the morning. She really hate waiting up for him, but if she didn't she would not see him at all. She sniffed. So much for moving in together.
A slam. Solange's heart skipped a beat, and she lay still, listening. It could be Steven. But then she heard barely audible voices coming from the apartment below her, and her heart sank. Must be the newly-wed couple. She envied them. They were so happy together. Not stale, like between her and Steven.
She glanced up from the sheets. Eleven past eleven. She sighed again, and was about to roll onto her other side when she remembered something. Eleven past eleven. That brought back memories, two different ones but both with Steven. She smiled sadly, reminiscing the past...
* * *
Two years ago, on a cold, rainy night. Solange was caught in the heavy downpour and was wet throughly when she finally seek shelter at a bus stop. Her work clothes clung onto her and she was cold. It was late, around half past ten at night. She doubt any bus would pass by the bus stop she was at, but until the rain stop, she really didn't have a choice.
She must had been at the bus stop for fifteen minutes when she vaguely saw a figure making its way towards the bus stop. Another person caught in the rain, she thought. The figure gradually morphed into a person as the distance between her and it decreased. A man. Holding an umbrella, and not the slightest bit soaked, judged from his big umbrella. Solange cursed herself bitterly. Why did she not bother buying an umbrella. There was no use regretting, but she regretted anyway.
The man folded the big umbrella once under the shelter of the bus stop. He glanced at Solange, saw her wet clothes clinging onto her and looked away. Oh, so gentlemen do still exist in this freaking world, she thought sarcastically. She sniffed dramatically and looked away too. Best not give him any ideas. He looked well-dressed enough, but no one can really predict what a man is like underneath the guise of clothes and profession.
A period of awkward slience followed, broken only by the sound of raindrops falliing on the bus stop roof. Solange looked at the man from the corner of her eyes. Tall and lean. Not handsome but not cute either. An average guy. She was about to assess him fully when she caught herself. Wait, Why am I checking him out? she scolded herself, and looked down at her lap instead, her eyes itching to look at him again.
"Nice weather," he suddenly said.
Solange's head shot up. His voice is deep and rich. Very musculine. Made her feel safe. Stop, she instructed herself, and put up an annoyed face. Yes, sarcasm is her forte, and made her feel safe or not, he had just made an extremely lame remark.
"Oh yes, indeed. God love us so, to trap two souls in an isolated place with sheets of waterfall from the sky. Yes. Nice weather."
Nothing could prepare Solange for his reaction. He began laughing, the delicious voice resonating in her ears. She soon felt her annoyance fade away, replaced by laughter too. No idea what was so funny, but it felt so right.
After the laughter died away, the man turned to Solange and smiled. "Steven." Solange smiled back. "Solange."
Just then a bus pulled up to the bus stop, and Solange got onto the bus. She watched the man - Steven - as the bus pulled away from the bus stop. In her hand she held a crumpled bussiness card. His number. The time: eleven past eleven.
* * *
On their sixth date, Steven took her to the beach. The sun had completely set by that time, but Solange love the sound of waves lapping against the shoreline. They walked barefoot along the beach, talking about random things, holding hands. Steven reached out for her hand first, on their third date. She laughed at some of the things he told her. Funniest guy she had ever met. It was hard not to develop feelings for him. He is charismatic. Charming. And obviously know how to please her.
They then procceed to sit down on the sand. Steven apologised for not bringing a blanket along, but Solange didn't mind. She rather like the feeling of the cool sand on her skin. They talked about more random things, and gradually their conversation turned flirtatious.
"So, you will you let me?" Steven's dark brown eyes bore into Solange's, making her heart accelerate. OMG this guy is so gorgeous, she thought, before turning her face away from his, mock pouting. "Of course not."
"Aww..." he began protesting, but Solange turned her head back again and kissed him before he could protest further. Their first kiss. Time seemed to stood still at eleven past eleven.
* * *
Solange buried her head in the pillow, wishing she could feel as warm as she did back then. The nights are so long and lonely without Steven. Exactly how their relationship had became stale, she did not know. She turned onto her other side, eyes closed, willing herself to sleep.
The next morning, she awoke to the sound of the bedroom door opening slowly. She turned sleepily towards the door, and saw Steven standing in the doorway, a bouquet of flowers in his right hand, looking slightly disappointed she was not asleep. Solange glanced at the digital clock. Eleven past eleven. Steven made his way towards her, balancing a tray of breakfast on his left hand. He set the tray down on the bedside table, handled her the flowers and kissed her.
"I love you, hon." The date was February the 14th. Valentine's Day.
My first story since the retirement of my writer's block. What do you think? My friend Solon (the poet) told me inspirations are everywhere, and he is right, as usual. The inspiration of this story came from - you guessed it - my digital clock displaying the time 11:11. This is also my first happy ending story in years. (My last happy ending story was written in 2005, about a 7 year old boy's confession to the girl he like.) Comments are welcome. And yes I know Solange ans Steven sounds a bit seedy, and this story is a bit early. Should came out on the 14th actually, but yeah I guess who cares. xD
left to right: me, Wan Shin, Georgie, Nabilah, Aini, Gabby, Erna
left to right: Yisan, Nabilah, Hani, me
Making snow angels!
