Do readers really assume that the gender of the main character of the story is the same with the gender of the writer? I don't. haha. But when I once wrote a fiction story that had a female main character in the first voice, people assumed the character was GAY. hahahahaha. And that they still assumed even though I already put signals that the character was female.

Wala lang. I think regardless of one's gender he/she has the capability to write through the eyes of the opposite gender. And I guess that would even be more interesting for lit people since it would show what the two genders think about each other.

Anyway, so much for the introduction.

I just want to say that the main character of this story is FEMALE. Just so you won't get confused.

Sunflowers
Ryan Magtibay

I was just waiting for my best friend to arrive. But still, the tears kept on flowing.

We were planted close to each other. I always believed that that was fate, judging by how great our similarities were. Some sunflowers eventually told us it was just chance since we were randomly picked from that bag of seeds, but who cares? We knew we were meant to meet. We knew we were meant to establish this bonding that the other sunflowers don’t possess. For that closeness – the random yet fortunate consequence of being planted next to each other, allowed us to be best of friends. And the friendship was something tight – something very real.

I didn’t want her to see me cry. Between the two of us, it was already a given that she’s the cry baby. And I was always the amazona – the tough girl. She’s the kikay while I was always “one of the boys.” She’s overtly emotional – crying over small things – and I was the concealed type. She always cried and I don’t. Even so, with all the differences that stand between us, we always had that special connection – that undeniable bond – which made us the best of friends ever since.

We grew up knowing what we are and helping each other cope up with the pressures of nature. You’d almost always want to just wilt, but I push you to continue. After all, the end of growing up would be to become beautiful flowers – not just lame old plants with nothing to be attractive about, but flowers – something you’d love to be.

We became one another’s confidant – telling each other secrets that up until now the ears of the world have not heard, helping each other like an inseparable pair of twins, and never forgetting about the moments we’ve shared and enjoyed. We wanted to disprove that blood is thicker than water. We were sisters, girlfriends, best pals – name it. And we knew it could last forever like this.

The other sunflowers started teasing us when they noticed we grew up facing each other. We were big flowers then – full-grown flowers that bloomed beautifully. Yet, they said something was wrong. We were sunflowers so if we just remain looking at each other’s petals, how would we be able to see the beauty of the sun? And that was when you started to look. I didn’t because I thought I wouldn’t like it. But you did. You kept on looking at the sun and fell in love with it.

Even two best of friends have different lives. We tried to be as close as possible but somehow, somewhere, we knew our lives would diverge. And it did. It brought changes we tried to cope up with. But see, people grow up and meet other people. No one could stop that. But I wish somehow that I can so that I wouldn’t be here waiting for her.

There was this unspoken promise that I wouldn’t look, even when you started growing tired of looking at the sun. You knew I don’t like it anyway. You knew I wouldn’t. I knew I wouldn’t. But I did. I looked at the sun once to know why you sparkle so much whenever you glance upon it. I looked at the sun so that I would know if it was worth looking. I looked since you started to dislike it anyway. And you were sleeping then, so you didn’t see how I fell in love.

I developed my own life, too, but I always had that open communication with you. I was traversing my own life well, – so well – back then, but fate – yes the same one that allowed us to meet and become more of sisters to each other – was just too stupid.

I kept on looking, admiring, and loving the sun, even when you started to get a hint that I was breaking the unspoken promise. I kept on looking even when you’re awake and could see me glancing at it. I kept on looking and I continued growing up until I couldn’t turn away anymore – until I couldn’t control my self anymore from not looking. And since I grew up bigger than you, I unconsciously cast a big shadow between us and I unwillingly prevented you from seeing the sun again.

She arrived at last. She ran towards me as she always does whenever we meet up. She hugged me tight and expelled a big sigh of relief after, as she always does. She let me go and then fixed the hair that kept on falling towards my face, as she always does. I could feel her excitement that was just so overwhelming that I needn’t to express any of that feeling anymore. She also didn’t notice that I was crying.

I always knew I couldn’t let you have a broken heart. I always knew I was ready to wilt and die just so you would see the sun again. I always knew I’d give up looking at the sun for you. But its beauty casts doubts on my thoughts. Was I ready to die and give up seeing the sun again just so you’d be able to see it? Am I selfish, or are you for expecting me not to be?

She looked at me with so much longing. I knew she missed me and I missed her, too. I missed her so much I wanted to stop what I was about to do. But, she just looked at me with such a happy smile and truthful eyes. Then, I knew I just couldn’t lie anymore.

“I love him, too. And I’m so sorry.”

Then, I walked away knowing it wouldn’t be the same.

4 ang nagreklamo