Chapter 1: Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE: THE PERFECT LIFE

D1.

DANIEL

“Daniel, come here! I have something to tell you,” I hear someone’s voice calling my attention. I know that voice very well. It is the voice of my girlfriend, Anna. I am at the gym early this morning. I am in the midst of my basketball practice so I have been fighting the urge to glance in her direction. Our coach who also happens to be my father is very strict with his no distraction policy. Focus is his favorite word. No one is ever allowed to pay attention to “outside forces” that are not part of the game. I don’t really want to have that ball thrown to my face. Yeah, he does that occasionally to remind me and my teammates, but mostly me, who’s the boss here. He also wants to show everyone that he doesn’t play favorites. If I mess up, even if I am his beloved son, he will let me have it just like everyone else.

When it comes to basketball, he’s my coach more than my dad, so yeah, I have long gotten the memo. Also, I think I already know what Anna would say to me anyway. Happy anniversary. Wow, how time flies! We’ve been together for a year now. Thing is, I easily forget mathematical formulas and equations, but definitely not this special date. I know men are supposed to be forgetful with dates, especially stuff as cheesy as anniversary dates, so I really deliberately haven’t greeted her yet. I’m cool like that. I haven’t told her that as soon as I woke up today, it was the first thing on my mind. On how I am going to make this day special for her. It’s not like it’s something new anyway. Everytime I wake up in the morning, she’s the first thing on my mind constantly. That’s how much I love her. Simply put, I know I can’t live without her no matter how much I play it tough.

“Daniel, come on! Look up!” Anna repeats in her sweetest voice. My heart flutters seeing her wearing the locket I gave her with both our pictures in it. She looks especially beautiful with the locket around her neck Coach gives me a stern look. But I come up to her anyway, scowling. She smiles at me in return. I almost get lost in the moment, but I stop myself and don’t smile back.

“What?” I ask, in the most serious voice I could muster.

“You don’t look so happy to see me,” she says.

“Later. Coach is not happy. You know how this goes,” I softly explain.

“All right. I got it,” she says, pouting, but I can see in her face that she understands. She always does. She turns her back on me and starts walking away, but then she stops, and faces me again.

“I love you,” we say to each other in unison.

My teammates begin to make fun of us, especially when she gestures flying kisses at me. Everyone starts whistling and humming wedding tunes much to the dismay of our coach.

Anna is very sweet. This is one of the many things I love about her. She is also the one who gave me back my motivation to do well in school. I cared more about doing well in basketball than doing well in school. Well, it’s still the case now but at least I care a bit about school now, too. I also believe she’s my soulmate, if you believe in that sort of thing, that is.

After practice, of course I get reprimanded by my coach. But I am not even listening. I am already daydreaming about my dinner date with Anna, about how happy she would be, and how beautiful she would look. I am really giddy with excitement, so even when coach starts screaming curses at me, I am still smiling to myself.

Even in my classes, I am still thinking about our anniversary date. I am literally counting every second until my classes are over.

“Daniel, you don’t need to drive me home. I want you to even be more excited to see me later,” she says, all perked up. Too bad because that’s not my plan at all. The first thing I planned for the anniversary is to let her drive my car instead while we are on the way to her house so I could stare at her beautiful face.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not up to you, beautiful. You made a scene at practice, remember?” I tell her.

“What happened? Did I get you in trouble? But everyone was loving the scene! I think we might even go viral,” she exclaims, then she starts laughing upon seeing my Are you serious unspoken reaction. We are seated on the school bench, with some other students glancing at our direction. She has a laugh that really catches people’s attention. I join in her laughter, even though I don’t really find anything funny. Ah. The crazy things I do for love…

“Come on let’s go, I’ll drive you home now,” I insist.

“I said no. I’m going to surprise you tonight,” she says playfully.

I’m not really clingy, at least not usually. But today it’s like there is some unknown force that’s making me so anxious about being separated from her for even just a few hours before our anniversary date.

Chill, Daniel, I tell myself. It will probably just take two hours max and you’ll get to see her again as beautiful as ever.

“Fine. Just don’t make me wait too long. I don’t like waiting,” I say impatiently.

“Yes, Master,” she says. Then she kisses me, long and hard. I don’t want to let go. I don’t want it to end. I don’t ever want moments like this to end.

“Okay, see you later, I have to get back to the dorm,” I say.

“Sure. I think that will be good for you, Sir. Maybe you need to spend more time with your teammates to push me out of your mind for a bit. I know you’re always thinking of me,” she jokes. You have no idea how right you are, Anna.

We kiss again before we go our separate ways. I watch her walk away in a daze. Then I head back to the dorm thinking about the best anniversary celebration ever that’s surely happening tonight…