Chapter 12 NO! YOU ARE LIKE THE SUN.
He answered, nonchalantly, while looking into her eyes. The kids giggled at their lovey dovely pose. Mahina felt bashful as she was gently trying to move his hands away from her waistline. One of the kids there giggled and said;
“Aunty why are you taking uncle’s hands away from your waist?” The little boy hid behind Alba’s long legs while looking at Mahina shyly. One of the kids standing by Mahina’s side answered him with a cherry voice, saying:
“Don’t you know? I heard the sisters say a newly wedded bride is always shy in front of her groom”
“Oh! so that’s why!” The boy behind Alba’s leg responded.
“I understand now!” The petite Mahina standing next to Alba in his arms nodded when she answered.
“I am not shy, and we are not getting married at all” Mahina answered quickly in her defense. All the kids there including Alba laughed at Mahina’
After sharing the food and playing with the kids for a while. Mahina said her goodbyes to the orphanage matron and some of the Rev. Sisters working there, Alba just kept watching her with a smile from the corner. When she was done with the sisters, she held Alba’s hand and went away to the car with him. Alba and Mahina left the orphanage and were on their way to the beach. While seated in the car Alba rested his head on his knuckles while looking at Mahina nonstop unconsciously. When Mahina noticed she exhaled and asked.
“Why do you keep staring at me with that funny smile on your face?”
“Oh, I was looking?... I didn’t even realize” he continued staring at her even after claiming he wasn’t looking at her.
“Oh forget it!” Mahina crossed her legs and ignored his continuous stare. After a little while Mahina smirked and said to Alba with a bright smile:
“I love the beach!... I used to go there frequently as a kid in the past. I and my mum would play there until sundown, and she use tell me stories about water creatures and I use to believe her. I find it hilarious now because no matter what anyone tells me I don’t believe in any of those stories. Can you believe it? In one of her stories she told me that there was a girl who traveled to the moon and got imprisoned by the sun god. Ha ha ha ha… those were beautiful moment for me and my mother. I love this part of nature because it holds treasure of memories. The ocean is beautiful and vast and yes I consider it to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Scientifically speaking without it there will be no life on earth. I mean, can you believe that there’s a whole other world down there.
The ocean to Mahina, reminded her of the beautiful moments she spent with her mother. It held happy memories for her.
At their arrival Mahina ran up and down the peak of the ocean. She felt the air in her face and smiled at the beautiful feeling. A long lost feeling. She sat in front of the ocean and gestured for Alba to sit close to her. They sat there silently and watched the waves. Alba didn’t complain. He didn’t say anything. All he did was to gaze at Mahina’s face. when the moon came out, Mahina stood up from the ground and pointed at the moon;
“It’s the must humble of all stars. Never seeking attention. never attracting attention. She is just there glowing; in ways we may never understand. She doesn’t hurt you when you stare at her for too long, she understands humanity better than anyone else. She is accommodating, compared to the sun.” Alba hugged her from the back and asked;
“What about me? Am I like the moon?” somehow, Mahina couldn’t lie to Alba, she found herself telling him the truth of what she thought about him:
“No! you are like the sun”
Alba stared at her for some time without moving with a cool calm face. She in turn was staring back at him with a puzzled face without moving or saying anything as well. He exhaled and asked her:
“So! You’re saying that I have no humanity and I am proud?” Mahina looked at him and remembered all that happened throughout the day. ‘He didn’t even eat the food she bought for him with her hard earned money, he looked uncomfortable at the slumps and he doesn’t even like kids, for goodness sake, who doesn’t love kids? They are adorable’ Mahina couldn’t say where the guts came from but she answered, confidently at that.’;
“Yes!” Mahina noticed how Alba’s face turned dark. It was as if she had woken up a demon from deep within him. The man always had that terrifying aura, the kind that could make you shiver from your bones to your whole body. He was handsome but his aura was dark. She became conscious of what she had blurted out and to whom.
Whatever she said must have hit the wrong button for this man to change from his cool face to a terrifying one in a matter of seconds. She thought to herself. She turned her back swiftly to him and bit on her nails as she awaited his words. Alba walked to where she was standing and stood beside her. He had his hands in his pocket and a mischievous smile written up his face.;
“Interesting! You are quite gutsy I must say...” he took her curly hair in his hands and felt the texture before letting it slip through his fingers.
“So have I passed the test?” Mahina asked anxiously and Alba answered her with a smug face, nonchalantly.
“Not quite... you have not”
“What?” she asked him perplexed.
“I am not convinced... I asked you for the seven wonders of the world... not the seven obvious mysteries of the world” Alba smirked and thought to himself. ‘what an emotional freak’ he wagged his head as he turned to leave. ‘Nature, life, food, music, children, ocean and moon. Pffft I don’t think so. Although it’s fascinating that she included the moon. How is it possible that I ignored all the disrespect coming from her... Funny enough I am not riled up by her. She must be one lucky silky kitty’
“Come on! I gave it my all...” Mahina pleaded
“I was entertained while it lasted though…Not my problem! Meet me by 9:am sharp for my verdict” Alba left Mahina alone by the beach. Frustrated and disappointed. She cussed him inwardly. As she took the walking path out of the beach.
Mahina arrived home late that day after Alba left her stranded on the beach. She had to walk all the way from the beach to the streets before she could get a cab. On her arrival she grumpily went to into her room without saying anything to Dora. Even though Dora had been waiting for her.
Dora was concerned but she knew better than to confront her abruptly. Dora was still confused as to why Mahina looked agitated and wondered what happen to make her irritant, she got lost in her thought. When suddenly Mahina slammed her door open and started ranting’;
“The nerve of that man!... can you believe it?” Dora was still in shock by her sudden reaction. She remained quiet looking at Mahina riled up
“He failed me! He said my seven wonders of the world are the seven mysteries of the world!” Dora wagged her head in response to Mahina’s ranting. And mentally said to herself: ‘just when I was thinking of how to pacify her, I guess I don’t need to think too much again… by the way whatever that man said must have gotten to Hina deeply.’