Shortcut

"I'm tired," she said. "I can't do this anymore."

He kept silent, secretly hoped that it was only one of her rants. He had got used of those.

She looked at him, waiting for his respond. Her wide, brown eyes  were glassy.

"I'm talking to you, are you even listening?" Her voice became shrill at the end of the sentence.

"I'm tired of waiting. Of being alone in a relationship. God, I don't even know whether that makes sense," she put her hand on her forehead, then ran through her long lush hair, and faced down. She kept silent.

"Well, what are you proposing for us to do?" he finally replied. His voice was calm and soothing.

"I don't know," she said weakly, after another moment of silence.

"Do you want a break up?"

"I don't know."

"That would be the easiest solution for this problem, don't you think? The shortcut," he replied and smile. That right-lips-are-higher-than-the-left-ones kind of smile.

"So you want it?" she replied, a little bit defensively.

He sighed. And smile again, this time was wider.

"But I never said that," he smiled even wider, as if wanted to beat the sunshine that shone brightly through his window.

She kept silent.

"The way I see them, most shortcuts are not worth taking, really. Shortcut promises for instant happiness, but you know what easy-come-easy-go means. So, to answer your question, no I don't want a break up."

She still kept silent, although her eyes gleamed of curiosity.

"They said life is a journey. Well, I believe that one. But when you take a shortcut for your problem in life, you should know that you are actually missing the fight. The view along the way. The truths. The lessons. The best things in life. The sacrifices. Just like how you miss your sleep and how there is a chance that I would be late for my morning class right now."

She smiled slightly.

"I apologies that I can't give you any significant solution right now and that I would need you to wait some more, if you're willing. But I promise you I am doing my best here, so I could get home as soon as possible. I know this relationship is hard, but there are no relationships that don't need any struggle anyway. Well, the bottom line is, before I run for the campus bus, is it okay if you wait some more? Is it okay if we don't take the shortcut?"

There was another silence, but finally she nodded.

"Well, have a good day at class, then," she said as she rubbed her eyes and yawn.

"Thank you. Good night, you. Sleep tight."

Then he grabbed his bag and shut the laptop.

Dear (Baby) Sister I Never Had

Dear (Baby) Sis I never had,

Chances were we would never see each other. We would never meet. A shame really, since I had met some of your might-be friends and best friends. When I saw them, I thought about you. How would you look like, how would you act, how would you smile, how would you see the world. It would be fun if you're really here with me. What I'm trying to say here might be not useful for you, but I wrote them anyway. Perhaps some of your might-be friends could make use of them.

Enjoy your life. Enjoy your youth. Trust me, you would miss it in some points in your life. No matter what others say or do, do not try to be more mature than your age. If it is the time for you to be silly, so be it. Go watch cartoons, play games. Read good books. Go out, enjoy the nature. Discover your talent. Know your passion.

It is okay to experiment with your hairstyle, clothes, and make-up as long as it is suitable for your age. Don't put too much make-up in your teenage years. What's the point of covering that soft, beautiful, supple skin and that pretty pinkish lips the older woman always wanted with substance that makes you look like them?

Falling in love, yes you would have time for that. Don't rush, don't go around telling everyone you're in love when you're still haven't felt that pain in your tummy every month. Even after that, some of your love story might still be monkey love. Have fun in your relationships. Take lessons from failed relationships. Know when to stop, when to bail, and when to reject. That would save your time a lot.

Be classy. Even when you're mad, you have to know how to handle your emotion well. Don't go swearing around the social media, that's so uncool. And not lady like. Oh and about that social media? You really shouldn't use it if your birth years still not included in the registration page. If your birth year not yet listed, it might be not suitable for you. No point of lying about age.

Don't use too much dark, gloomy quotes. They could get to you. See the world in a positive way. Cheerful, happy people is far more interesting than the gloomy ones. Don't complain too much, be grateful for what you already have. It's better to be smart than to be pretty, but why bother when you could have both?

The bottom line is: enjoy your time. Don't rush things. What's the point of acting and looking like a 20 while you're not even 17 yet? Keep believing that you would get everything you want in a good time. If you still couldn't get it after working your ass off, perhaps it's not good for you. Trust me.

A whole lot of love,

Your might-be sister

Alex

His name is Alex. He is the kind of guy who always fall for the wrong girls. He fell for girls who are out of his league, he fell for his best friend's crush, once he even fell for his brother's girlfriend.

Her name is Alex. She is the kind of girl who put people's need above hers. She volunteered every weekend at soup kitchen and animal shelter, she played matchmaker for her friends, once she even did that once or twice for her guy best friend she always has a crush on in high school.

They met at a party, in someone's house. Both didn't really know the host, both only got there by accident. His was driving the brother's girlfriend to her friend's party while the brother was out of town , her was being a third-wheel in her guy best friend's date. Both, however, decided to stay and enjoy the party. They bumped to each other while trying to grab a drink. Classic. Cheesy. Cliche. Whatever you name it. They talked while drinking, which made him fell for her instantly. Her? Not instantly, but right after the perfect first date, she fell for him at her house porch as he bid her goodnight.

I have heard the story so many times, for she likes to repeat the story oh-so-much. Especially on how she actually decided to stay at the party because she wanted to tell her guy best friend that she's done being his third-wheel. That she's done lying about her feeling, and she wanted to tell him how much she cared about him all this time. And how she was very thankful that she didn't do so, as she met the perfect man for her that night.

Alex. Just like her own name. Such a perfect couple, everyone always say.

Now five years from that day, here I stood. She still liked to repeat the story until now. She smiled a lot happier, more sincere as she walked down the aisle. Not the way she smiled to me that night, before I went with the girl I went out with. Her smile gave my heart a weird twisting, tingling sensation, as always. The twist and tingle have been there from the first time I saw her smile at a freshmen registration table queue. That was back then in high school. I never realize how I care about her, which apparently not the way I care about my sister. I have misunderstood myself, my feeling all along. It was right, what people said. Regret comes at the end of the story. And it is the thing that silently kills the soul.

She just walked pass me. She smiled. I smiled back as I nodded my head. I mouthed "you look pretty". She giggled softly. Then she took his hand.

I took my seat back as the ceremony began. I smiled brightly every time she glanced at me.

Well, what else a guy best friend do on his girl best friend's wedding except being happy and all that?