Emma & Jackson

3

He smiles so brightly; he can easily replace the sun. It’s hard to believe it’s the same boy from the morning. He’d looked so different while playing the piano. Sad even. But now his energy is infectious.
He walks confidently to our table. He’s really handsome.

“Hi. I’m Jackson. So, my friends and I wanted you ladies to join us. I’m guessing you guys are new here?”, he says.

Nini and I both look up and he’s blushing a little.

We both deny to join him but he’s very charming. In the end, he convinces us and we join them. I’m not alone so I agree. I have Nini with me.

We have lunch of what Jackson and his friends order. As we don’t know any places to hang out, Jackson and his friends take us to an amusement park.

It’s really fun. But I’m EXTREMELY afraid of rides. So, it’s useless for me to go to places like those.

But to my surprise someone else is also afraid of rides.

He comes and stands beside me and I can feel his presence.

“Are you scared of rides too?”, Jackson asks me.

“Yeah. You too?”, I ask.

“Hahaha. Yup.”

“So, you play the piano?”, I ask. I can’t believe I ask him that because I really don’t talk to strangers. I only ask such questions to people who I’m very close with. But I don’t know, he’s very different.

“What were you doing up there on the roof today?”, he asks.

Oh, so he had recognised me. I was waiting just for this. I knew he’d ask.

“I was wandering and came there by accident.”, I say. I’m relieved that the misunderstanding is cleared at last.

“So, what’s your name?”, he asks.

“Emma”, I answer.

He smiles. I blush.

“Where do you live?”, he asks me.

I’m a little hesitant to answer this. Even though he’s cute, he’s still a stranger. Who knows who he is? Could be a psychopath.

“Singapore”, I lie.

“Okay”, he says.

I don’t know why but I get this feeling that he doesn’t believe me. I don’t care. I don’t trust people easily. It’s my nature.

Nini and Jackson’s friends are enjoying all the rides. And we follow them.

The time it takes for them to enjoy all the rides, we keep on talking. I can’t describe but I feel a connection to him. He understands very easily what I say. Topics like life, death, god, religion. He too is interested in them.

There are very few people who I can talk to comfortably and he’s one of them. I really like talking to him.

I scold myself because I can’t get attached to him. I’m here to enjoy my vacation and I’ll leave soon. And after all, how long has it been since I came here? Not even twenty-four hours.

At the end of the day we return to our hotel. We’re standing there outside, exchanging numbers and I can feel him staring at me but I don’t lift my head.

As soon as I lie my head on the pillow, I hear my phone text ringtone and I smile. Finally, what I’ve been waiting for. Text from him.

"Hope you had a good day. I had too."

I smile and bury my head in the pillow. He’s the last thought before I go to sleep.