Marnelle Monterey |
Marnelle Monterey is a student at PCC majoring in Humanities. She writes when inspiration comes around and hopefully one day writes a book.
Waiting For Love
“Happy 21st Birthday, Nathan!”
Cheers erupted in the room as confetti fell from the ceiling. The birthday boy was dragged inside the party and his friends engulfed him with a hug. Somehow, someone had managed to pull him away from the crowd to the nearby bar.
“How does it feel to be twenty-one, Nathan?”
Nathan shrugged as if it didn’t care he turned twenty-one when he had been twenty-one for a long time. “It’s nothing special.” He gestured his hand towards the party crowd. “I told you not to throw a huge party, Luke.”
Luke grinned at his friend. “I can’t help it when you’re not really celebrating your real birthday age.”
Nathan feigned a hurt expression. “Physically, I am twenty-one.”
“Right…” Luke said, then offered the birthday boy a drink. “Well, drink up buddy! You just turned twenty-one!”
The surrounding crowd overheard Luke as they surrounded the two friends, and began chanting, “Drink! Drink! Drink!”
Nathan gulped down the drink and the crowd cheered. The girls pulled him away from his friend to dance with him.
The rest of the night was a blur. He remembered bits of the party before feeling sick and wanting to leave. To Luke’s disapproval, Nathan left his party early. Every fiber in his being was telling him to leave, but something else was telling him to stay.
He didn’t like feeling this way and the last time he did, he ran away for years.
Nathan was still a bit tipsy, but he managed to arrive at his loft by some miracle. Even though he had been drinking for a long time, he still had low alcohol tolerance. He immediately headed straight to the bathroom.
Nathan tilted his head as he stared at himself for the longest time in front of the mirror. Something was nagging him about how he looks rather different from last night. He leaned in for a closer inspection of his face. He scrunched his nose and moved his mouth side to side. Then he proceeded to touch his face for any blemishes.
When he didn’t find any, Nathan tried hard to think why he felt different. He looked up at his raven hair and he slowly ran his hand through it. He stopped mid-way when he saw a shining strand of white hair.
He froze then shouted, “No!”
Dread creepily entered his body and he shivered.
Nathan leaned in even closer to the mirror and widen his eyes. His eyes must’ve been playing tricks on him. There was no way that was a white hair. He blinked a couple times but to no avail the freaking white strand of hair would not go away.
He pulled away from the mirror and went outside the bathroom. His mind raced on how this had happened. He wasn’t ready for this. He wasn’t ready to a life of commitment, even though it’d been four hundred years.
He grabbed a suitcase and packed all of his clothes and some important things from his desk. Then he grabbed his cellphone and quickly dialed the only person who’d help him. Pressing one on the dial, he brought up the phone up to his ear.
“Nathan?”
“I need your help, Luke. I-I found a white hair on my hair.”
On the other line, the man laughed. “So? You ARE over four hundred years old.”
“Shut up!” He didn’t need anyone to remind him how old he really was. “You don’t understand. I think I found my soul mate last night at my party.”
“Well, shit. What’re you going to do now?”
Nathan slumped against the wall. He’s never been in this predicament before, even when he first figured out how to cheat aging. His mind race as he tried to figure out a solution to this. "I don’t know, but I’ll just head to the airport and buy the first airplane out.”
“Ok. Call me whenever you land. I’ll try and figure out if your soul mate was at your party last night.”
“Thanks Luke.”
“It is now safe to take off your seatbelts.”
A sense of relief washed over Nathan. He quickly removed his seatbelt and reclined his seat. He was nervous from the moment the plane took off ten minutes ago till now. Something was still bothering him and he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.
Worst of all, he couldn’t get his usual business class seat since he bought the ticket last minute. Now he was stuck in economy class with the most uncomfortable seats ever made.
Nathan shifted his body side to side to get a comfortable place. Then reclined his seat all the way back, earning him a kick from behind.
“I got no space here, boy!” The man yelled, kicking the seat one more time.
Nathan scowled and re-adjusted his seat. “Sorry.”
“You better be!”
Nathan rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t have this problem if he were in his usual business class. He’d have more space to recline his seat and his own private area. He crossed his arms and began to tap his foot repetitively. Then he pulled the small table in front of him and tapped his fingers.
“Would you fucking stop that?”
Nathan froze and he slowly turned his head to the side. He never realized that he had a someone sitting next to him. Something about the girl seemed to be glowing and familiar. Her glaring chartreuse eyes startled him.
“Sorry.” He mumbled and put the table back in its place. He restrained himself from glancing at the girl. Why did she look so familiar? Risking to take a peek one more time, he was once again met with the angry chartreuse eyes.
“What?”
Nathan scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Nothing.” Nathan looked away.
A pause then the girl yelped, “Hey! You’re that guy who had his 21st birthday yesterday!”
Nathan glanced at her. Flickers of the night before resurfaced, dancing with a girl all night long before he felt sick. “Stella?”
Stella smiled warmly at him. “How sweet of you to remember my name when you left me hanging!”
“Look, I’m sorry. I just felt sick and—”
“—felt sick around me? How d—”
“NO! I drank too much last night and it’d be rude to just throw up all over you.” Nathan lied. He didn’t drink that much at his party since he was light weight and he couldn’t take his drinks that hard.
Stella’s fuming face softened and she closed her mouth. Slowly she said, “Oh… that's so considerate of you.” She paused, looking for the right words to say. “Thanks for not vomiting on me last night, Nathan.”
Nathan snorted. “You’re welcome.” He sighed and faced the window again. To think he would run into the girl he was spending all night with at the party is sitting next to him. He glanced at her one more time before asking, “What’re you flying to California for?”
Stella raised an eyebrow as if she was saying ‘wouldn’t-you-like-to-know?’ but reluctantly replied, “I just… needed to go there.”
Nathan continued to stare at her but looked away when Stella glared. It looks like he wasn’t getting anymore answers from her. He went back to sky gazing out at the window. He had already planned out what he was going to do once he arrived. It was going to be like an in-and-out situation.
First he lands at LAX, then requests an UBER driver to drive him to Pasadena. Once he arrives at his house, he’ll pack more of his stuff and money. After that he goes back to the UBER driver and drive back to LAX, buy the first ticket out of California and--
“So, Nathan,” Stella began, interrupting Nathan’s thoughts. “What's awaiting you at California?”
“Tacos.”
“What?”
“I heard the tacos are something to die for.”
Cheers erupted in the room as confetti fell from the ceiling. The birthday boy was dragged inside the party and his friends engulfed him with a hug. Somehow, someone had managed to pull him away from the crowd to the nearby bar.
“How does it feel to be twenty-one, Nathan?”
Nathan shrugged as if it didn’t care he turned twenty-one when he had been twenty-one for a long time. “It’s nothing special.” He gestured his hand towards the party crowd. “I told you not to throw a huge party, Luke.”
Luke grinned at his friend. “I can’t help it when you’re not really celebrating your real birthday age.”
Nathan feigned a hurt expression. “Physically, I am twenty-one.”
“Right…” Luke said, then offered the birthday boy a drink. “Well, drink up buddy! You just turned twenty-one!”
The surrounding crowd overheard Luke as they surrounded the two friends, and began chanting, “Drink! Drink! Drink!”
Nathan gulped down the drink and the crowd cheered. The girls pulled him away from his friend to dance with him.
The rest of the night was a blur. He remembered bits of the party before feeling sick and wanting to leave. To Luke’s disapproval, Nathan left his party early. Every fiber in his being was telling him to leave, but something else was telling him to stay.
He didn’t like feeling this way and the last time he did, he ran away for years.
Nathan was still a bit tipsy, but he managed to arrive at his loft by some miracle. Even though he had been drinking for a long time, he still had low alcohol tolerance. He immediately headed straight to the bathroom.
Nathan tilted his head as he stared at himself for the longest time in front of the mirror. Something was nagging him about how he looks rather different from last night. He leaned in for a closer inspection of his face. He scrunched his nose and moved his mouth side to side. Then he proceeded to touch his face for any blemishes.
When he didn’t find any, Nathan tried hard to think why he felt different. He looked up at his raven hair and he slowly ran his hand through it. He stopped mid-way when he saw a shining strand of white hair.
He froze then shouted, “No!”
Dread creepily entered his body and he shivered.
Nathan leaned in even closer to the mirror and widen his eyes. His eyes must’ve been playing tricks on him. There was no way that was a white hair. He blinked a couple times but to no avail the freaking white strand of hair would not go away.
He pulled away from the mirror and went outside the bathroom. His mind raced on how this had happened. He wasn’t ready for this. He wasn’t ready to a life of commitment, even though it’d been four hundred years.
He grabbed a suitcase and packed all of his clothes and some important things from his desk. Then he grabbed his cellphone and quickly dialed the only person who’d help him. Pressing one on the dial, he brought up the phone up to his ear.
“Nathan?”
“I need your help, Luke. I-I found a white hair on my hair.”
On the other line, the man laughed. “So? You ARE over four hundred years old.”
“Shut up!” He didn’t need anyone to remind him how old he really was. “You don’t understand. I think I found my soul mate last night at my party.”
“Well, shit. What’re you going to do now?”
Nathan slumped against the wall. He’s never been in this predicament before, even when he first figured out how to cheat aging. His mind race as he tried to figure out a solution to this. "I don’t know, but I’ll just head to the airport and buy the first airplane out.”
“Ok. Call me whenever you land. I’ll try and figure out if your soul mate was at your party last night.”
“Thanks Luke.”
“It is now safe to take off your seatbelts.”
A sense of relief washed over Nathan. He quickly removed his seatbelt and reclined his seat. He was nervous from the moment the plane took off ten minutes ago till now. Something was still bothering him and he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.
Worst of all, he couldn’t get his usual business class seat since he bought the ticket last minute. Now he was stuck in economy class with the most uncomfortable seats ever made.
Nathan shifted his body side to side to get a comfortable place. Then reclined his seat all the way back, earning him a kick from behind.
“I got no space here, boy!” The man yelled, kicking the seat one more time.
Nathan scowled and re-adjusted his seat. “Sorry.”
“You better be!”
Nathan rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t have this problem if he were in his usual business class. He’d have more space to recline his seat and his own private area. He crossed his arms and began to tap his foot repetitively. Then he pulled the small table in front of him and tapped his fingers.
“Would you fucking stop that?”
Nathan froze and he slowly turned his head to the side. He never realized that he had a someone sitting next to him. Something about the girl seemed to be glowing and familiar. Her glaring chartreuse eyes startled him.
“Sorry.” He mumbled and put the table back in its place. He restrained himself from glancing at the girl. Why did she look so familiar? Risking to take a peek one more time, he was once again met with the angry chartreuse eyes.
“What?”
Nathan scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Nothing.” Nathan looked away.
A pause then the girl yelped, “Hey! You’re that guy who had his 21st birthday yesterday!”
Nathan glanced at her. Flickers of the night before resurfaced, dancing with a girl all night long before he felt sick. “Stella?”
Stella smiled warmly at him. “How sweet of you to remember my name when you left me hanging!”
“Look, I’m sorry. I just felt sick and—”
“—felt sick around me? How d—”
“NO! I drank too much last night and it’d be rude to just throw up all over you.” Nathan lied. He didn’t drink that much at his party since he was light weight and he couldn’t take his drinks that hard.
Stella’s fuming face softened and she closed her mouth. Slowly she said, “Oh… that's so considerate of you.” She paused, looking for the right words to say. “Thanks for not vomiting on me last night, Nathan.”
Nathan snorted. “You’re welcome.” He sighed and faced the window again. To think he would run into the girl he was spending all night with at the party is sitting next to him. He glanced at her one more time before asking, “What’re you flying to California for?”
Stella raised an eyebrow as if she was saying ‘wouldn’t-you-like-to-know?’ but reluctantly replied, “I just… needed to go there.”
Nathan continued to stare at her but looked away when Stella glared. It looks like he wasn’t getting anymore answers from her. He went back to sky gazing out at the window. He had already planned out what he was going to do once he arrived. It was going to be like an in-and-out situation.
First he lands at LAX, then requests an UBER driver to drive him to Pasadena. Once he arrives at his house, he’ll pack more of his stuff and money. After that he goes back to the UBER driver and drive back to LAX, buy the first ticket out of California and--
“So, Nathan,” Stella began, interrupting Nathan’s thoughts. “What's awaiting you at California?”
“Tacos.”
“What?”
“I heard the tacos are something to die for.”
|
*4 hours later*
|
Nathan glanced to his side to see the girl next to him sleeping soundly. Stella finally fell asleep and he sighed in relief.
For the past four hours, Stella was listing things that were worth dying for other than tacos. She named the foods, locals, and museums but he already ate and visited them. Then the girl finally dozed off.
He found himself staring at Stella’s peaceful face. Hearing her name earlier scared him, since it almost sounded like the name of his soul mates name. It was too similar.
He felt a sudden buzz from his iPhone and checked that Luke had messaged him.
'Your soul mate was at the party.'
'What?'
'Yeah, I'll send you a picture right now. It was the girl you spent the whole night with.'
Nathan read the text one more time. Was he reading this wrong? The girl he spent the whole night...
...is sitting next to him!
He jolted in surprise when his buzz again. He opened Luke's message and waited for the picture to load.
When the pixelated picture became clear showing the picture of a girl who similarly looking like the girl next to him.
He glanced at Stella then back at the picture and back at her.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
Nathan needed to get out of here. No wonder he could see the certain glow on her. He’d forgotten the fact when soul mates are within range there is a certain illuminating glow on the soul mate. Nathan had never seen the glow in person but rather in pictures or description of it. Now that he’s seeing the glow right now, he feels this sudden attraction towards Stella. Like he wants to get closer to her, to get to know her and everything else that involves her. But Nathan wasn’t ready to commit. He didn’t want to grow old yet. To be honest, there is still a lot in the world that he has yet to explore.
Nathan pushed the button to call the flight attendant and just a few seconds the lady attendant appeared.
“Sir, how may I help you?”
Nathan tugged on his collar and looked weary. “Is there any way to change my seat? I don’t like seating next to the window.”
The flight attendant gave him a worried look, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. As of right now, the only way we can change your seat if you upgrade to our business class.”
“Wait, I thought you ran out of space in that class?”
“Ah, we did but one of our passengers didn’t make it. So will you upgrade to our business class?”
“Yes!” Nathan jumped up from his seat as the flight attendant gestured him to follow her. He glanced back at the sleeping Stella and he thought, ‘I’m sorry Stella. I’m not ready to grow old yet.’
.
Once the plane landed at LAX two hours later, Nathan did his best hiding from Stella. The best place to hide from women is the men’s restroom, where women can’t enter. He hid there for an hour and a half before heading out and checking out his bags.
After twenty minutes, he went outside and hailed for a taxi. Once he got hold of a taxi, the driver went and grabbed his luggage and dumped it inside the trunk.
In the corner of Nathan’s eyes, he sees the glowing soul mate, and he almost panics. He was for sure that Stella would be gone by now. He even gave her an hour and a half to go away. But no. She’s still here! Why is she still here?
And is she waiting for someone?
Nathan looked away before Stella could glance at his way. But it was too late. Their eyes met. Stella greeted him with a wave and began to stroll towards him.
Nathan quickly went inside the taxi and slammed the door shut.
“Where to sir?”
“Just driv—”
The door swooshes open and Nathan was shoved further inside the seat. His arm was wrapped around with Stella’s and she held a deathly grip on him.
Stella smiled at the driver, “Sorry, can you put my luggage in the trunk too?”
The driver didn’t question her but abided to her request.
“Stella, what’re you doing?” Nathan asked. He wondered if Stella knows who he really is to her.
“Well, after you left all alone in the plane, I just have to know why did you change seats?”
Nathan grinned at her. “The oh-so-nice flight attendant offered me a seat in the business class. I had to take it.”
Stella looks offended and gasped. “You make it seem like your allergic to me.”
He squints his eyes at her. “I might be.”
The driver finally gets inside the driver side of the car and asks, “Where to?”
Nathan looks at Stella as if he was telling her to go away, but the look she gave back changed his mind. He sighed in defeat. He took out his iPhone searching for the nearest hotel. The taxi driver input the address in his GPS and announced that they will get to the Ritz-Carlton hotel in L.A. in two hours.
Nathan sigh one more time as Stella happily laughed. Great. More time to spend with her.
.
When they arrive in front of the hotel, Nathan ordered one room with two queen beds for both them. Stella insisted on staying with him and he didn’t know why. He didn’t care since he’d be gone by tomorrow.
Once they got inside their room, Stella plopped on her bed and relish into the comfortable bed she had for six hours. Nathan set all of their bags aside. His bags on one side, and her bags on the other side.
He sits down on his bed. “What’s your plan from now on?”
Stella stopped rolling around in her bed and sat up. “That’s my business, not yours.” She said playfully.
Nathan scowled. He looked at his watch and then offered, “Do you want to get dinner with me?”
Stella raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”
After walking out of the room, to the elevator, then out the street and walking about a block or two, the pair found themselves in front of a metallic truck.
Stella gaped at Nathan. “This is your idea for a dinner? TACOS?”
Nathan grinned at her. “I told you I came here for the tacos.”
Stella pointed at the nearby Korean Barbeque place. “What about that place? I bet you’ve never been to that!”
“Had that two nights ago.”
“What about that Italian place?”
Nathan scrunched his nose. “I had a meatball spaghetti on the airplane.”
Stella continued to point at all the food businesses around them except, for the taco truck, and Nathan had already ate at them all. He just really wants taco now.
“Fine! Damn taco it is…”
.
Nathan and Stella arrived back at their hotel room after eating a tons of tacos. Stella felt a little sick of eating too much of them and asked Nathan if he had some pills to relieve it.
“Yeah hold on,” He said. He grabs a water bottle and a couple pills from his pocket. Then handed the bottle and pills. Stella took them and within and few minutes she was out.
Nathan grabbed all of bags and by the time he was out the door, he glanced at Stella one more time. He sullenly said, “Just give me a few more years, and maybe I’ll commit to us.”
For the past four hours, Stella was listing things that were worth dying for other than tacos. She named the foods, locals, and museums but he already ate and visited them. Then the girl finally dozed off.
He found himself staring at Stella’s peaceful face. Hearing her name earlier scared him, since it almost sounded like the name of his soul mates name. It was too similar.
He felt a sudden buzz from his iPhone and checked that Luke had messaged him.
'Your soul mate was at the party.'
'What?'
'Yeah, I'll send you a picture right now. It was the girl you spent the whole night with.'
Nathan read the text one more time. Was he reading this wrong? The girl he spent the whole night...
...is sitting next to him!
He jolted in surprise when his buzz again. He opened Luke's message and waited for the picture to load.
When the pixelated picture became clear showing the picture of a girl who similarly looking like the girl next to him.
He glanced at Stella then back at the picture and back at her.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
Nathan needed to get out of here. No wonder he could see the certain glow on her. He’d forgotten the fact when soul mates are within range there is a certain illuminating glow on the soul mate. Nathan had never seen the glow in person but rather in pictures or description of it. Now that he’s seeing the glow right now, he feels this sudden attraction towards Stella. Like he wants to get closer to her, to get to know her and everything else that involves her. But Nathan wasn’t ready to commit. He didn’t want to grow old yet. To be honest, there is still a lot in the world that he has yet to explore.
Nathan pushed the button to call the flight attendant and just a few seconds the lady attendant appeared.
“Sir, how may I help you?”
Nathan tugged on his collar and looked weary. “Is there any way to change my seat? I don’t like seating next to the window.”
The flight attendant gave him a worried look, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. As of right now, the only way we can change your seat if you upgrade to our business class.”
“Wait, I thought you ran out of space in that class?”
“Ah, we did but one of our passengers didn’t make it. So will you upgrade to our business class?”
“Yes!” Nathan jumped up from his seat as the flight attendant gestured him to follow her. He glanced back at the sleeping Stella and he thought, ‘I’m sorry Stella. I’m not ready to grow old yet.’
.
Once the plane landed at LAX two hours later, Nathan did his best hiding from Stella. The best place to hide from women is the men’s restroom, where women can’t enter. He hid there for an hour and a half before heading out and checking out his bags.
After twenty minutes, he went outside and hailed for a taxi. Once he got hold of a taxi, the driver went and grabbed his luggage and dumped it inside the trunk.
In the corner of Nathan’s eyes, he sees the glowing soul mate, and he almost panics. He was for sure that Stella would be gone by now. He even gave her an hour and a half to go away. But no. She’s still here! Why is she still here?
And is she waiting for someone?
Nathan looked away before Stella could glance at his way. But it was too late. Their eyes met. Stella greeted him with a wave and began to stroll towards him.
Nathan quickly went inside the taxi and slammed the door shut.
“Where to sir?”
“Just driv—”
The door swooshes open and Nathan was shoved further inside the seat. His arm was wrapped around with Stella’s and she held a deathly grip on him.
Stella smiled at the driver, “Sorry, can you put my luggage in the trunk too?”
The driver didn’t question her but abided to her request.
“Stella, what’re you doing?” Nathan asked. He wondered if Stella knows who he really is to her.
“Well, after you left all alone in the plane, I just have to know why did you change seats?”
Nathan grinned at her. “The oh-so-nice flight attendant offered me a seat in the business class. I had to take it.”
Stella looks offended and gasped. “You make it seem like your allergic to me.”
He squints his eyes at her. “I might be.”
The driver finally gets inside the driver side of the car and asks, “Where to?”
Nathan looks at Stella as if he was telling her to go away, but the look she gave back changed his mind. He sighed in defeat. He took out his iPhone searching for the nearest hotel. The taxi driver input the address in his GPS and announced that they will get to the Ritz-Carlton hotel in L.A. in two hours.
Nathan sigh one more time as Stella happily laughed. Great. More time to spend with her.
.
When they arrive in front of the hotel, Nathan ordered one room with two queen beds for both them. Stella insisted on staying with him and he didn’t know why. He didn’t care since he’d be gone by tomorrow.
Once they got inside their room, Stella plopped on her bed and relish into the comfortable bed she had for six hours. Nathan set all of their bags aside. His bags on one side, and her bags on the other side.
He sits down on his bed. “What’s your plan from now on?”
Stella stopped rolling around in her bed and sat up. “That’s my business, not yours.” She said playfully.
Nathan scowled. He looked at his watch and then offered, “Do you want to get dinner with me?”
Stella raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”
After walking out of the room, to the elevator, then out the street and walking about a block or two, the pair found themselves in front of a metallic truck.
Stella gaped at Nathan. “This is your idea for a dinner? TACOS?”
Nathan grinned at her. “I told you I came here for the tacos.”
Stella pointed at the nearby Korean Barbeque place. “What about that place? I bet you’ve never been to that!”
“Had that two nights ago.”
“What about that Italian place?”
Nathan scrunched his nose. “I had a meatball spaghetti on the airplane.”
Stella continued to point at all the food businesses around them except, for the taco truck, and Nathan had already ate at them all. He just really wants taco now.
“Fine! Damn taco it is…”
.
Nathan and Stella arrived back at their hotel room after eating a tons of tacos. Stella felt a little sick of eating too much of them and asked Nathan if he had some pills to relieve it.
“Yeah hold on,” He said. He grabs a water bottle and a couple pills from his pocket. Then handed the bottle and pills. Stella took them and within and few minutes she was out.
Nathan grabbed all of bags and by the time he was out the door, he glanced at Stella one more time. He sullenly said, “Just give me a few more years, and maybe I’ll commit to us.”