Emma & Jackson

11

I wake up not knowing what time it is. My phone has died. And I search for the charger. As soon as I switch it on, there is a text from Jackson.

I know you don't want to talk to me but please I want to see you once. Just meet me once.

I delete it. I don't care now. I'll be leaving tomorrow and I will forget all about this place. And about him too.

Nini is still sleeping. I'm very hungry because I didn't eat last night. So I decide to go eat alone.

Usually, we eat out but today as I'm alone and also because I want to stay in, I'm thinking of eating in this hotel only.

I go down the eleven floors. Thank God for elevators.

I see the menu but don't understand what to eat. So I order a sandwich.

As I'm eating, a woman holding a bouquet comes up to me and asks if I'm Emma. She's from the hotel service as she's wearing the uniform.

When I say yes, she says the bouquet is for me. If my guess is right, there is only one person who can send me this.

I take the flowers and thank the lady.

Taking the flowers with me, I dump them in the nearby dustbin. If he's watching he'll know. His apology is not accepted.

The flowers make my already bad mood worse.

I go back to my room and Nini has woken up.

She doesn't ask me anything. I think she doesn't know what to say.

After awhile, Nini comes to me.

"Are you done packing?", she asks me.

"Yup", I reply.

"So how long are you going to stay like this?", she asks.

"Like what?", I ask even though I know very well what she means.

"Don't pretend. Although I know you only for two years, I know you more than yourself. I know that something happened between you and Jackson. And you don't want to talk about it. It's fine. I respect your privacy. But you didn't come here because of him. You came to enjoy your vacation. For yourself. Not for some boy.", Nini says.

I can't believe that Nini is saying such things. That girl who was about to jump off a building two years ago because of a boy. I'm so proud of my best friend. So after all, first loves can be forgotten.

What about Jackson? Did he forget his first love? I don't think so.

I feel guilty thinking that because of me, Jennie too isn't enjoying her vacation.

"For my sake at least let's go out.", she says.

I want to agree but there's only one day.

"Okay but there's only one day left.", I say and she looks at me like I told her that the earth is flat.

"Yes, we have one day left but our flight is in the evening. And trust me China is a very nice place. I don't want you to leave this place with bad memories. Come on, let's replace your bad memories with some good ones.", she explains.

I see some logic in what she's saying and agree.

We get ready and the first place she takes me is the Palace Museum. Also known as The Forbidden City.

It’s beautiful. In the daytime everything is clear.

Its evening by the time we reach the Temple of Heaven. We take a few pictures. And I feel nice. Not completely. But a part of me that loves travelling is smiling.

Then we come back to the city and she brings me to a place that looks like a concert theatre or something. Apparently Nini knows China better than me of course. She has visited here before.

She already has tickets for whatever performance we will be watching.

She rushes me to the seats and the lights are turned off.
The only spotlight is on the stage. The curtains are closed.

They open slowly revealing a piano in the corner and my heart beats faster. I don't know why but I don't feel good. I want to leave. Whatever it is I don't want to stay. I turn to Nini to ask her but its pin drop silence and I'm afraid of breaking it.

Then the spotlight moves from the piano to someone. Its Jackson.

I want to leave.

He pulls the stool there and sits. He sees the audience. If he sees me, he doesn't give any reaction.

"Good evening everyone. Thank you for coming. Some of you may have seen me play before and some of you're maybe new. Tonight's show I'll be dedicating to someone who is very special to me, who's heart I broke without meaning to. I hope you see the sincerity of my feelings in my music.",  he says.

He starts playing and this time he also sings. His voice moves my heart. He is a magician again.

So he didn't just play the piano as a hobby. He is a singer. I must have missed the posters outside.

He finishes and the audience who was silent until now breaks into applause. He gets up, takes a bow and looks straight at me as he lifts his head. He stares at me as the audience is clapping. And then he turns back and leaves.

There was a question in his expression. He was asking me if I forgave him. But I don't know.

After that we reach our hotel. But I don't ask Nini anything. All this time she must have planned this with Jackson for how many days, I don't even want to know.

Until now I thought he didn't care, but after this concert I'm back with my feelings. Should I forgive and forget everything so easily?

Does he still think of me as a friend? Or have his feelings changed for me? I don't know.

There is so much that I don't know and my head is aching very badly from over thinking.

After dinner I go straight to bed. Leaving my worries for sleep.