First Confession

Time and Love plays with two hearts as their playground leaving it messy and untidy.

That same day after leaving the school, Danielle headed straight to the flower shop. With the fragrance that permeate the air and the colorful flowers that surround, she forgot for a second of what she was really there for. Flowers have always been inspiring for her without any accurate reason why. If not for the lady on duty who called for her attention, she would have already be brought to a longer trance of wonder with the flowers.

“The flowers I’ve ordered to be arranged yesterday, are they already prepared?” She asked the lady and waited for her to come back after she was requested to wait.

Out of the flower shop minutes later, Danielle walked with a smile carrying the lovely bouquet of flowers with her. In the cemetery gates she entered by herself without fear and walked on until she saw a familiar back of man standing in solitude as if inaudibly talking with the grave in front of him.

“You look just like her.” The man said without looking back at her. As her father who took care of her alone for twelve years, he already knows the aura his daughter’s presence gives.

Danielle walked towards the grave and placed the bouquet in front of the grave. Elena Carson February12, 1968-November 26, 2000 the mark in the grave read. Twelve years has passed since her mother died and still her father loves her so dearly.

“Your brown eyes, your dark black hair, how your nose points, that smile and cheeks…” Mr. Carson smiled with a nod. “…everything from your mother except of the fact, of course, that your mother was more…blooming and lively.”

Danielle twisted the ends of her curls. She has always known the fact that she grew up to be someone like her mother. Through the pictures that were left, there is no doubt that she inherited most of her features from her. From her dark black curls, chestnut brown eyes, her nose, the shape of face to her slender body figure: all from her mother. Everything would’ve been the right copy of her mother except that, like what her father said, that her mother looked more lively while she’s pale and a bit unspoken.

“I miss her.” Her father commented. She just tapped his shoulder and smiled sarcastically.

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell her sooner.” She sardonically grinned but her father only gave her an inconvenient look finding nothing good at what she said. “Let’s go dad, it’s getting darker.”

Sighing, her father turned around and gave the grave a glance once more before leaving, as if saying goodbye.

“Bye mom, see you after a while.” She half-jokingly said with a smile then walked after her father.

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The next day seemed perfectly normal for Danielle…until her special class period came. This special class is to make up for her absences and for her inability to participate in her P.E. class.

“Ms. Carson, instead of just writing notes here alone I thought of a nice idea for you to at least make more effort for you to pass high school, allow me to give you a task which wouldn’t hurt you at all.” Mrs. Hugh, as the teacher who is in charge with her, informed her.

“Arrange your files or documents maybe?”  She guessed.

“No, but if you can do that which I probably think you could already at least, go find me in my office tomorrow.” Mrs. Hugh turned to the door and raised an eye brow to someone outside. “Mr. Nathan Kent, how lovely, you’re late!”

Danielle’s curiosity made her turn her head towards the door and saw the guy whose name she randomly hears from classrooms to the school hallways to the teacher’s office. Words about him being nonresistant from attention are all true. His golden brown hair complements his hazel eyes, pointy nose, his jaw line prominent, and his own aura that gives off that cool-popular-guy feel. Everyone in school praises him… almost. Not with the terror teacher Mrs. Hugh and the carefree, uninterested girl Danielle.

Nathan, after seeing Danielle inside paused and smirked remembering the face of the girl she ran into just yesterday.

“Ms. Carson, Mr. Kent here will be your tutee for the rest of the school year.” The teacher announced then Danielle sitting erectly on her chair raised a hand to question.

“But today is Tuesday, Mrs. Hugh and the school year is ending this Friday.”

“Are you objecting my decisions Ms. Carson?”

“No, I’m just…saying.” Danielle defended tapping her notebook with her pen. “What am I going to teach him?”

“Music, of course.” Mrs. Hugh raised a brow but then at the corner of her eyes saw Nathan still standing halfway from the door. “Mr. Kent, are you having a hard time to pick the right chair?” She sarcastically asked Nathan who was looked at her wide eyed probably wondering where could she still have a voice with her daily shouting and scolding at students.

Nathan casually walked to the seat beside Danielle and took his seat.

“Alright, start your lessons now.” Mrs. Hugh said with a lower voice but the same wicked and commanding voice.

With that, Danielle stood up and started to leave the classroom and headed to the music room without a word. Nathan grunted as he immediately stood up, grabbed his bag and followed Danielle.

The music room was empty with people again. The room was bright and greatly lit with the sunshine that passes through the two huge glass windows where light yellow silk drapes on its sides. The classic off white wall made it even brighter. A table of about two meters sat one and a half meters across the grand piano with four chairs that complement stand around the table. Crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the room and instruments like guitars, violin, cello, flutes and others were positioned beside the grand piano. Pictures and paintings of great composers hung on the wall and a shelf with books and mostly music sheets, records and CDs stood against the wall just beside the instruments.

Danielle dropped her bag on the chair and took her seat while Nathan who followed inside and did the same. Danielle sighed in silent complain and turned to her new tutee.

“Where do you want to start?” She asked him.

“How about with your name?” He said with a grin.

She sighed again, stood up and walked over to the shelf. “Danielle Carson,” she shortly introduced and walked back to the table with a book she’d taken from the shelf.

“’Danielle’ is a bit long, can I call with a shorter name?”

“No,” She bitterly answered and sat back down. “We’d be meeting for just three more days, no need for that.”

“Ok… so how old are you?”

She looked at him with a slightly annoyed look and clicked her tongue. “I’m eighteen.”

“How come you’re on detention with Mrs. Hugh?” He asked again his jaw on his palms staring at her adoringly. “You don’t look like someone who breaks the rules most of the time.”

“I’m not on detention, I’m on special class. I don’t break rules most of the time; I break one rule most of the time.” Danielle explained placing the book on the table with a loud thud.

“What rule is that?” But Danielle kept silent as if saying it’s none of your business but Nathan asked again. “What rule?”

“Something about the class attendance rule. I make a lot of absences.” She said and keeps flipping the pages.

“Why? You seem like the type to always get on top of the class.”

“Thanks for the compliment but it’s none of your business and I think we need to get started with the lessons.”

“No, I think we need introductions first.”

“You’re Nathan Kent, a senior, school football team captain. What else do I need to know?” Danielle impatiently and annoyingly asked.

“Oh, so you’ve been paying attention to me all these years?” He asked still staring at her adoringly like how every other of his friends does to a girl they like.

“Every girl in my every class always talks about you. Every girl n the hallway always talks about you. Who wouldn’t know you?”

“I thought you wouldn’t.” Nathan straightened his back and focused on the book which Danielle was flipping from page to page. “You know what? I like you since freshmen year.” He said with a chuckle. “You don’t believe me, don’t you?”

“Who would believe you?” She asked with an uninterested and poker face.

“Yeah, I always thought you wouldn’t, that’s why I didn’t have the guts to tell you all these years.”

“You don’t even know me until today. So now stop playing around and we need to get started with the lessons.”

“Wrong, I actually knew you since before. Back when we were both freshmen, I often see you at the same hospital where my mom works. Sometimes once, sometimes twice per week. What were you doing there that often anyways?”

“None of your business.” Danielle stopped flipping the book upon hearing Nathan’s words. No one should know she thought. “Stop talking about it or else I’d think you’re my stalker or something.”

“So now you believe me?” He smirked but Danielle keeps her poker face.

“No,”