Chapter 3: The Spark, the Courage and the Wheels of Fate

The grilly aroma of the afternoon cafeteria surrounded us as sizzles of fried eggs, hot dogs and foods I couldn't possibly name filled our ears, along with a chatter of food vendors trying to persuade other people to buy their foods and the chanting and footsteps of running, sweat-covered volleyball athletes trying to practice a day's worth inside the adjacent gym. The sun was blazing right now, as if yesterday's timid sun never existed.

Fanning myself with my free hand as I held my only source of comfort at this cruel time, my guava-flavored soda, a sigh of discomfort subconsciously escaped my breath as Rick and I hid under the shade of a table patio umbrella.

There were a total of six table patio umbrellas. Rick and I picked the fourth one.

It was easy to say that we were both uncomfortable based on the way we sat.

It was just too hot!

Still, Rick initiated a conversation.

"Say, I'm not judging or anything..."

Rick lifelessly asked as he took a grape soda can to his lips.

"Do you have a thing for getting thrown with erasers and such by teachers?" he added.

Rick's remark was the last thing on my mind right now.

I stayed silent - contemplating about the recent event.

How'd it go again? Ehhh...

Before I could recall what happened, Rick gladly reminded me the story.

"That was some throw, huh. I even tried to warn you."

Sip sip... Why can't life be as sweet as this soda of mine?

"I would do the same though. You know, throw a chalkboard eraser at anyone who suddenly shouts for no reason. What'd you yelled again? 'The World is big. Get out there?'"

"Yeah!... Yeah!... Jeez, stop it already... I have detention today so cut me some slack!" I snapped back.

A moment after, a few female schoolmates and perhaps classmates walk past behind us. They were whispering as they were walking. I couldn't really see their faces so I had no idea who they were.

"Hey, why's he covered in chalk dust?"

"I don't know... Maybe we shouldn't say anything?"

"Wait, isn't that the same guy?..."

"Yes, yes... You're right... That guy..."

The sound of their shoes hitting the floor gradually disappeared.

However, I could feel my face blushing out of embarrassment and I'm pretty sure this won't gradually disappear anytime soon.

I couldn't do anything aside from covering my face.

This is exactly one of those moments where you wish you could go back in time and punch some sense into your past self.

Rick whistled as a remark as he slowly turned at me.

"Boy, you're getting famous, huh."

"Shut up, Rick!"

Rick just laughed at me. He was clearly enjoying the torment I've caused myself. Wait, he's enjoying it too much, isn't he?

I realized how much I sound like Morty.

Soon after he regained his breath, he began dusting my head and my shoulders.

"Okay, let me see. Can you tilt your head a little?"

"Hey, hey, easy."

"Just keep quiet for a bit and bear with it."

"Okay, dad."

"Whew - she really got you good, huh."

"Yeah, I heard she's the adviser of the softball club."

"I wouldn't be surprised if our softball team is going to nationals."

In front of us, a few college students started surveying the school ground. They were using this weird instrument, whom I can't remember the name of. I do remember my brother mentioning it to me though. Engineer's transept? Engineer's transfer? Engineer's transit?

Anyways, I doubt they were using it for that though - considering that they've been just using it to spy on the female medical students from across. Some of them even made these victory poses.

Jeez, that reminds me.

Is peeping an important part of youth?

Hmmm... Getting back to topic.

Must have been seeing me getting a bit distracted from the comedic scene in front of me, Rick started a conversation again.

"You know what. There's this one guy who's probably as famous as you for a similar reason. Nope. I think he's more famous than you."

"Stop calling it 'famous'!"

"Oh, you prefer 'infamous'?"

"Hmm... Wait, that's not the point!"

As if to ignore me, he continued.

"Anyways, you know about Halley, right?"

I started scanning for a "Halley" inside my brain.

Nothing.

"I don't know any Halley. Is he some sort of celebrity?"

Rick looked as if he realized something. I could almost see a light bulb lit up on top of his head.

"Come to think of it, he really does strike me as some sort of celebrity."

Rick started to look like he was thinking hard.

"Nope. Actually, more of a novel character." he added.

Now, this was just getting weird. I had no idea what he meant. However, it got me a bit curious.

"What exactly are you talking about?"

Rick put his index finger on his lips and started explaining.

"If you think about it, he just transferred to our school in the middle of the semester, he starts shouting about seeing his father or something. No one really knows who or where his father is, or could they? I'm not so sure myself."

"Huh?"

His father? Is his father some sort of a mob leader or something?

"And he starts getting famous for it. Hmmm... I think he mentioned where he's going but I can't remember where. Was it Spain? It's all just rumors though so I can't really say as a matter of fact."

Spain? Could his father be sightseeing or something? I have nothing...

"And he's very adamant about it. Almost as if it's his life mission or something. You can almost see sparks in his eyes."

Going to Spain as a life mission? That's a bit random...

"Well, because of it, people started finding him annoying. Some people even starts ridiculing his plan - saying as if it's impossible for him. I don't get what's so hard in going to Spain though. You just need a passport and a plane ticket, right?"

"Right."

"You guys are similar in that aspect. You know, having this weird spark in your eyes. I don't really get it."

"Spark?"

"I don't really know what it is."

As if to restart, he crossed his arms and squinted his eyes as if he was in deep thought again.

"Also, I heard he got detention today for being a bit 'extra' about going to Spain."

Extra? Now, he does strike me as a delinquent...

Also. Spain? That's a bit weird, really. Is it really Spain?

"Hey, Rick. Are you sure it's Spain? I don't think anyone will get ridiculed for wanting to go there."

"Yeah. That's what I heard though. I'm not sure if these rumors are real. I don't think it's Spain too."

Hmmm. Spain. Spain. Spain. Is it really so hard to get there? I think I've read my father's journey there from one of his books. He described it as a free country that's very welcoming to foreigners and tourists. There's also no records of anything bad happening there so I really don't think it's hard to get there, or even ridicule a person for trying to go there. It's true that it might be hard for a 2nd year high schooler, but it's not impossible.

With all these swirling inside my brain, I really thought that there is something wrong.

Or...

"Is he a criminal or something?" I asked.

Rick looked at me in surprise.

"You could be right. Maybe that's why he can't go to Spain?"

A chill made its way to my spine.

"So that means..."

Rick smirked.

This sadistic idiot! I could tell he was enjoying my fear of the unknown.

"Ha-ha. You could be meeting a criminal in detention."

✩✩✩✩

"Break a leg." Rick said.

This is probably the worst time to use that idiom, but I knew he had good intentions so I raised my right hand and waved at him. It was clear that I was a bit scared because of my quivering lips and my slouching.

"Okay, I'll go now..."

Last period has ended. Which means that I will have to go to detention.

With that in mind.

My two feet were heavier than what they usually were, almost as if an unknown force is trying to stop me from getting there.

Survival instincts probably?

Still, I held on and walked across the hallway that leads to detention.

I passed a few students along the way. They were talking about a book about vampires or something.

Ahhh... I wish I could be carefree like that...

Eventually, I arrived at the door. It was as if trying to open one of those doors in horror movies that would surely lead to your doom. I can imagine my third-person self shouting to not go inside.

Still, I had to do this.

I opened the door.

A few rays of the setting sun's sunlight made its way inside through the gaps of the windows. The upper windows were open and so a few petals of poinciana flowers slipped through there, along with a gush of wind that made the curtain dance ever so slightly that it couldn't be noticed if you're not looking at it. The buildings from outside started to light up their interiors, signifying that there are people inside those rooms living their lives. In the classroom blackboard was written the word, "Discipline." I could somehow tell that the writer was an old-man that has experienced the wisdoms of time. I'm not sure why but it struck me that chord.

A boy probably just a few centimeters taller than me sat at the very back end of the arranged chairs. He was reading a book about planes and aerodynamics. I could tell he was reading it seriously and was having a bit trouble understanding it based on his facial expression. But I could tell that he was trying really hard to understand it, almost as if there's a specific goal behind the intention.

I sat at the back - just a few chairs away from him.

He was so engrossed in his book that I would probably doubt he noticed I was there.

I slowly put my bag beside my chair as quietly as I could to avoid disturbing him.

Silence.

All that could be heard was the sound of scribbles orchestrated by his pen and paper.

Right now, the image I had for "Halley" changed. I wasn't even sure if the person with me here is Halley.

At first glance, he was just your typical high school student - nothing out of the ordinary - but why did he become so buzzworthy?

It was already about 30 minutes or so of silence.

Curiosity fueled my intention to break the silence.

"Uhmm, You're Halley, right? May I ask why you are in detention?" I asked as timidly as I could - given the reputation the guy I asked has. The awkwardness was killing me so I decided to initiate a conversation.

"Don't talk to me."

Shrugged shoulders and dagger-like eyes.

It made me flinch so much so that I instinctively corrected my posture because of it.

I wasn't sure what to do, so I planned to get my pen and paper out and start answering my homework.

I reached out for my bag, but before I could open it, he broke the silence.

"You're just gonna laugh at me, right?" he said while his eyes were glued to his book.

I was halfway to opening my bag, but I closed it back again.

"Laugh at you? What do you mean?"

"Ya know, make fun of me for wanting to go where my dad went."

I remembered the story.

"Oh, you mean Spain? No... No... I won't make fun of you for trying to go there. It might be pretty hard to go there as a high schooler but I don't think it's impossible."

At this time, he looked at me with a confused face.

"Spain? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Spain. The country your dad went?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

My brain stopped functioning. What the hell is going on here?

"You're Halley, right? The guy who wanted to go to Spain?"

He slammed his book close, got up and started pointing at me.

"I knew it! You're making fun of me, aren't you?"

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

I stood up too, while trying to push air and turning my head from left to right.

"Of course, not!"

"Then what's this 'Spain' all about?!!"

"That's what people have been talking about you!"

"That's stupid."

"I know, right?"

"You're pretty stupid too."

"Ehhh... Why?"

"For believing those stupid rumors. Come on. Spain? Really? At least say the Arctic or something. Jesus. I could go to Spain in a heartbeat, you know."

"Ehhh... I thought you were a criminal or something so you couldn't do international travel..."

He looked at me with such intensity that it could kill.

"You want me to be one?"

"Please no..."

"Then stop saying stupid things." he sighed.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

I just realized that I have this "Sigh Aura", or maybe I'm just stupid as what Rick would always say...

NO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE!

I realized something.

"So if it's not Spain..."

He looked at me with passion in his eyes.

"Then where?" I asked.

He pointed to the ceiling.

"The third floor?"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?"

"Where then??"

"Space! I'm going to space this year!"

Just then, I could feel a question mark pop up on my head.

"Space, you mean Outer Space?! With the space shuttles and stuff?! And this year?!"

"Yes. Obviously."

"Is that even possible?!"

Halley looked to the ceiling but he looked like he saw through it and straight towards the never-ending because his eyes reflected the infinite cosmos - almost as if hopeful, determined but a bit uncertain. But I could also feel courage emitting from him.

Courage to face anything.

He took a long deep breath as if absorbing everything and then slowly released.

"That's what everyone says."

His voice unwavering.

"My family, my grandma, teachers, classmates, schoolmates and even neighbors."

I couldn't say anything.

"'Do you know how much that costs?', 'How can someone as young as you go up there?', "Stop being foolish.' They all say that."

"So the ridiculing?"

"Yes."

He looked at me.

"But I'll go."

His eyes filled with even more determination.

"I'll go and show everyone who said it's impossible. I've already set my goals straight after middle school."

And with that, the sound of an airplane whooshing filled the background, cueing the end of detention and our conversation, which he then took his book and left without saying another word.

I just stood there, completely frozen. My thoughts were all focused in his courage and determination. It was like a hopeful shout-out to me.

That's right.

It wasn't the siopao that stopped me from going out there. It wasn't money. It wasn't my scary mother.

That's right.

I was just scared. There was nothing else but that. I was scared of being uncertain. I was scared of being unsure about being right or wrong. I was scared of going somewhere far away. I was scared of being exposed to the harsh conditions of uncertainty. I was doubtful. I was hesitating.

I was afraid.

Halley's blinding courage made its way in my dark, closed, empty space. I felt hopeful. I felt courage. I felt I could do anything.

Nelson Mandela would be so proud of me right now.

That's right.

Fear is still here, but the courage I have right now, even if I feel like quitting, even if I feel like going home, even if I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing, I will still move forward. I will keep moving forward. And one day, I'll look back and who knows what I'll see.

And with that. I grabbed my bag and ran straight home.

It was already dark. The stars in the sky seemed to have noticed my epiphany and even shone brighter than they usually do.

Or maybe it's just the new pair of eyes I got, but who knows.

All I could say is how beautiful the Ursa Minor constellation is as it points towards North as if guiding me home.

I can feel the wheels of fate spinning.