23rd December 2004
Location: St Peter’s Square, Rome

Pushing away the plate, I leaned back to sink into the chair. I lit up a cigarette, ah.. nothing like a cigarette after a good meal. Christmas was approaching and spirits were up over here. The soft playback of Christmas carols in the background gave me a nice and warm feeling.

Just like home, just like home.

Speaking of which, I’ll be home a day after Christmas. How ironic. I came here to get away from home, all that stress and all that work, and this feels like home.

“Now this is life,” I thought.

Savor it while it last. I glanced out the window, the sky was dim and the streets were dark. Weather was bleak but spirits were high, I trailed my vision along the pavement. Droves of people come and go, in a hurry to get to whatever business they had. Then, hey!

She caught my eye, because she looked like me. As in, she was Asian, like me. And she was beautiful. I snubbed out the cigarette, foot the bill and went after her. She walked fast, with both hands firmly tucked into the pockets of her trenchcoat. Taking small but swift steps, with her long black tresses bouncing after her. I increased my pace and caught up with her.

“Um.. Hi! You’re not local are you?”

She gave a smile, “No, I’m not from around,” eyeing me, she continued, “I bet you’re not either huh ?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m from Singapore,” I told her.

“Now that’s cool because I’m from Singapore too.”

“Oh that’s nice, where are you heading to ?”

“The Crown Hotel, 2 streets down the road,” she replied.

My heart skipped a beat.

“Hmm, what business do you have at the Crown Hotel?”

She laughed, “I’m staying there.”

“Great, I’m lodging there too. Mind walking together ?”

When we reached the hotel, I realised that there were more similarities between us besides our citizenship. Along the way, as we chatted, I discovered that we shared the same love for classical music, cliché love movies and other hobbies. It’s not everyday you meet someone in a foreign land who is from your own land, and it’s not everyday that ‘that’ someone shares so much in common with you, and it’s certainly not everyday that ‘that’ someone looks so good. Seems like this getaway trip was looking more promising that it first appeared to be.

I met her again at the lobby after a nice hot bath.

“Had your dinner yet ?”

Though I just had mine at the café and I couldn’t stuff anything inside anymore, I pounced on the chance.

“No, I’m starving and I’d really love to eat right now. Where to?”

“You forgot that we’re both noobs in this land,” she giggled. “Let’s head out together and find a place.”

The weather was cold. Walking through the streets of Rome, there is no way you could prevent that chilling wind from hitting you in the face. I love the feeling, after being stuck in my native land for so long where the temperature rarely hit below 35.

She shivered everytime the wind buffeted against her. I watched in adoration as she rubbed her hands, at a feverish pace before placing them onto her cheeks. Then, she would slip them back into the warm pockets of her trenchcoat.

“She must have forgotten her gloves,” I thought.

It wasn’t long before I realised that I had forgotten to bring gloves over as well. I laughed at the thought of that. More similarities, haha!

After some time, we stopped at a café. It was called “The Blue Café”.

“Wanna try this one?” she asked.

“Sure.”

It was a cozy place. The café stands up to its name. Blue was the theme of this restaurant. The walls, the table cloths, the attires of the waiters and even the utensils. Oil paintings and miniature ornarments decorated the walls. The heat from the fireplace was much welcomed. We took our orders and waited.

“So where are you heading for after Rome?”

“Well, I’m flying over to meet my friends over at Phuket for a diving trip, on the night of Christmas,” she replied. “Do you like diving?”

“Why yes, I love diving, have been waiting to try it out but didn’t got the chance.” That was a lie. I couldn’t swim 5 metres without a floating board.

“Ah I see, that’s a pity. It really is a wonderful experience. Down in the deep blue sea.. Speaking of blue, do you like blue? As in, the color,” she asked.

“I do, it’s my favourite color,” I told her. This was not a lie.

“Our similarities never end do they? Blue just so happened to be my favourite color as well,” she said with a laugh.

The food arrived. We talked about all sorts of stuff while we had our meal.Though we’ve only met for like less than 2 hours, we seemed to get along pretty well. It was hard to act like I’m hungry as I forced the food down my throat. But still, I managed to clean my plate.

“Dinner’s on me,” I said as I paid the bill.

“That’s really kind of you.. umm.. I don’t know your name. Mine’s Rachel,” she told me, stretching out her hand.

I returned the handshake and told her my name.

The trip back to the hotel was filled with smiles and laughter. It was a joy talking to her, I just hoped she felt the same way for me. I thought she might be interested to go sight-seeing later, so I asked. Unfortunately, she said she was worn out and needed an early rest. So we said goodbye and returned to our rooms.


24rd December 2004
Christmas Eve
0000 hours

The clock struck 12. It was Christmas Eve. I couldn’t sleep. I decided to visit the night market down the road and get a Christmas gift for her.

Vendors were piling up their goods, yelling at the top of their lungs to attract customers. I saw what I wanted immediately. Gloves. Since she doesn’t have one, I’ll just get her one.

“Hi Sir, can I have a blue one?”

The vendor handed me the gloves and I left.

I saw her walking through the night market by herself on the way back.

“Strange. I thought she was tired.. Uh oh,” a thought struck me. “Maybe she hates my company?”

“Probably not. Maybe she just felt awake again.”

I didn’t dare to approach her, it would be awkward, so I let it go and went back to sleep.


24rd December 2004
Christmas Eve
2315 hours

I was smoking at the balcony when I heard a knock on my door. It wasr.

“Hey, do you wanna go out ? The atmosphere is great down there,” she said.

“Give me a minute.”

I went back into my room, grabbed my bag, put the present inside and left with her.

Rome is a beautiful city. Monuments and statues filled the place, sculpted with exquisite skill and precision. We walked side by side, taking in all the sights, sounds and smell of Christmas joy in a foreign land. We walked past a park and Rachel suggested that we take a look inside. So we went, then it rained.

“Come,” I held her hand as we ran through the rain. It came so suddenly, we were in the park and there was no shelter.

I caught sight of a large sculpture towering in front of me, an angel. He held a large opened book in his hands. That book was big enough to cover the both of us, so we ran for it.

“Are you wet?”

“Of course I’m wet, haha! A good thing you managed to find this angel,” she smiled.

I looked up at the book that sheltered us. The words, “Book of Love” was imprinted on its cover. I tried to find some sort of description for this heavenly being and saw it. She was it too.

Saint Valentine, Saint of ancient Rome. The Angel of Love.
Love is here
Never look far
It’s right under your nose.

Both of us were silent. Then we looked at each other, then we laughed.

The clock struck 12. The church bell rang. You could hear the cheers of the locals from way far. Christmas is here.

“You know, Rachel, you always got your hands in your pockets, did you forgot about your gloves before you came here?” I asked her.

“Why yes, I forgot to bring them over. I don’t see you wearing any either, did you forgot about yours too?”

Come to think of it, I should have bought one pair for myself when I bought the gloves for her yesterday. How absent-minded I was.

“Anyway,” I said as I took out the present and gave it to her, “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas to you too!” she greeted as she too, handed me a present.

I was overjoyed. She actually cared enough about me to buy me a Christmas gift. I opened it and I was speechless.

I waited for her to tear away the packaging, she opened the box and now, it was her turn to become speechless.

Blue gloves in both boxes. Divine intervention ? I forgot to buy my own gloves and here they are. Our eyes met, and we burst out in laughter. It was just so.. unreal. We spent Christmas under the arms of Saint Valentine, talking throughout the night, until the wee hours of dawn, where we retreated back to our rooms.


25rd December 2004
Christmas
Location: Rome Internation Airport
2000 hours

It was time to go home. Me to Singapore, her to Phuket. We hailed a cab and went to the airport. Her flight was an hour before mine but I followed her anyway.

We did the usual paper work, had coffee and it was time for her to go. We spoke again, in front of the departure gates.

“So.. happy diving in Phuket! Have fun! When will you be back in Singapore?”

“1st of January, New Year. Hehe,” she added, “This is my number in Singapore, my mobile, what’s yours?”

I gave her mine.

“I’ll call you once I’m back in Singapore. Let’s celebrate New Year together. Fine with you?” she asked me.

Damn fine. I felt that we could really make something out of this and somehow, I just know that she felt the same way too.

“Sure. Just call me once you’re back!”

Well, I’ll be going then. Goodbye. It was a memorable experience,” she said as she turned to leave.

“Oh yeah, one more thing,” she turned back. She walked towards me, and gave me a kiss, “Goodbye!”

I was lost for words. The feeling, the happiness was too much to take. As I saw her walk through the gates, I gave her a final wave before I literally screamed with joy.


1st January 2005
New Year Day
Location: Singapore

She didn’t called.

I couldn’t get through her phone.


15th January 2005
Location: Singapore

Still, she didn’t called.

Still, I couldn’t get through her phone.

For 14 agonizing days, I tried to brush it off. Telling myself that the reason for her not calling was because she had forgotten about me. Or that experience in Rome, was just for fun. That she was just playing around. I tried to believe it was this way, forced myself to believe it was this way.

But it was not. And I knew it.

The day after Christmas, the tsunami struck Asia. One of those places it struck, was Phuket.

Realising the horrible truth, I wept.

The pain was too intense, too terrible.

For the days that followed, I cried myself to sleep. Every single night.


24th December 2005
Christmas Eve
Location: Orchard Road
2355 hours

I sat on the sidewalk. The countdown was beginning soon. Confetti was flying all around, bright lights lined the streets, Christmas is coming.

“3.. 2.. 1.. Merry Christmas!” The noise was deafening.

Then, it rained again. Just like it did, one year ago in Rome.

As the crowd scattered, escaping the rain, I remain seated.

The rain fell down hard on me. The rainwater trickled down my face, along with my tears.

Why am I crying ?

Perhaps it is because I’ve lost a friend. Though this was a friend I’d known only for 3 days, it felt like I’ve known her for years.

Maybe ? Maybe not.

Perhaps it was love.