Saturday, 8 in the morning at the old coffee shop. I’m taking a sip of my favorite hot caramel cappuccino. I was beside the window, in my usual spot watching the busy people passing by, making their own stuff this day. It is almost summer, and later on I will definitely come back here to get a big cup of iced coffee. I know too much caffeine intake is n0t good, but I’m very used to it. The shop was playing some calming acoustic, country and indie music that makes me think of a lot of things right now.
Months ago, I was in the city library and I found myself heading to the literary section. I came across this poetry book that catches my attention, “Rosetta and Philae” it says on the hard bound ruined cover. It was so old, that the cover was ruined and the other pages as well. Maybe a lot of people was charmed of what was written inside, that’s why it looks like this, maybe they were fond of it that a lot came to read this. In the cold marble floor of the city library, I decided to have a sit. I started to read what this book has to offer.
“I still think of you, when I see the sun rises, when I see the sun sets, every time.
I still think of you when I see the moon shines in darkness with stars surrounding it.
I still think of you, even when the rain falls and when the sun shines.
I wish, wherever you are right now, you are thinking of me as much as I do.”
This was quite good, so I kept on reading.
“When you see the sunset by the beach, do you every wish that I was lying beside you?
When you see the fireworks exploding in up in the sky, do you ever imagine me right next to you?
When you are watching the stars at night, do you ever wish I am beside you cherishing the moment?
When it rains, do you ever wanted to be with me, standing close to each other, skin to skin under the same umbrella?
Do you ever wish I was there with you? Because every time, I always do.”
I was a bit sad for the love that was lost and no longer there to touch, and as I flipped through the pages, to my surprise, a slightly ruined envelope fell down to my lap. My curiosity told me to open it, as I saw that it was already torn. It smelled literally just like the book. A few stains probably from a spilled coffee made a beautiful art on the envelope and a few small stains of I don’t have an idea of, made the paper looked like it was been read a lot of times before. I was about to read it, when my mother dialed me that we are going to the country side to visit my grandmother. I was so excited that I just put the letter back inside and decided to borrow the book from the library and just read this on the way to the westerns.
“Hi, Good morning! I wanted to borrow this book for days, do I have to pay or do a thing to get this?”
I asked the librarian.
“Oh, hello there. Actually, I was told to dispose it or give it to whoever wants it. And you are the lucky one who got to have it!” she stated.
I was shocked, like who wanted to dispose it? Hey this was a work of art, the blood of the writer and an amazing book you know? The cover was ruined but it was still intact to the body.
“Seriously, are you giving me this book for free? I would love to. But why?”
She nodded in response.
“I don’t really know, I was only told to. But as what I have observed, it was one of the most borrowed book here and the director told us to just give it to whoever wanted to borrow it because it takes months for someone to return this back again here in the library. But of course before taking it with you, please write your name and some information here” she said pointing to the big brown book on the table.
— Elara Cresentia Montgomery. 19 years old. Slyvester Georgina University.
My parents love the moon so much that they named me after it. “Elara” means moon of Jupiter in Greek and “Cresentia” so close to one of the phases of the moon. I am turning 20 in the next two months and I am an Art student in Slyvester Georgina University.
In the midst of hustle and bustle, in the chaos of the sun with hues of different palette bursting in the sky, the sun was about to set and the evening will took its part in the cycle, again this day. We are still kilometers away from my grandparent’s house in the westerns. On the way, I am stuck on the back seat reading the book I have borrowed or I got for free, rather from the city library.
“Sometimes, two people are just too afraid to say what they feel.
Until one day, one of them leaves, with the thought of being left.
It was like hanging at the edge of the cliff, witnessing the beauty of
world slowly drifting away.
And the other one now, full of regret and despair, for having to see
their unspoken love, leave just a little too early.
Beautiful and deepest wishes and dreams in love became something
indescribable pain with unforgettable memories.”
Why does this book always talk about leaving? Or a love that was never given a chance? Why does unfortunate things happen to some people? Well I guess that was meant to happen. Oh, before I forgot, as the ray of different palettes of the setting sun hit my bare face, I got the envelope or stuck from the next page and I finally opened and started to read it.
Dear Magnus,
I always wanted to write something about you, so here I am writing these stuff in this paper you are holding right now. Wherever you are, I hope you are fine and doing good, I hope you still remember me.
I love how you stay calm and chill tempered every time I am so annoying around you. I love the way I always catch you looking at me every time I am looking away and pretending you didn’t. I love the way you always wait for me outside the porches of our neighborhood houses every morning before going to school, or maybe I only assumed you wait for me, but the truth is our time collided because we are just in the same class. I love the way you rode your bike too fast avoiding me even though you knew I can always catch up with you. I love the way that you are very studios, you are so brilliantly smart, that you are consistent top one student in our class. No one can beat your always perfect scores. I love how you always go to the library and bookstore to read and buy books only intelligent people like you will understand. I love the way you always let me walk with you home. Even though I already knew you didn’t want me to join you. I love the way how you played the piano and played one of my favorite songs. I love how you suddenly cared for me or I am just imagining it happened? I love the way you always find your way to help me with school stuff and saving me from my aftermath troubles. I love how you suddenly noticed me without making a big fuss, you just suddenly hanged out with me. You didn’t know how much it mean to me, how much it make my heart flutter. I thanked the heavens for giving me your attention or whatever we can call about it. I love your simple gestures, your smile, your voice, I love everything about you Magnus. Years passed, and I discovered how low your tolerance being jealous over some things, I can only laughed with. You are so cute being jealous. I love the way you simply cared for me. I am still in the process of thinking what did I do to deserve you. You completely ignored me in the first place, you are so cold like the winter season, it freezes me to death. And look at now, you are smiling with me and I can even touch and hug you like I was only imagining these things to happen before. And I am still in rainbows and unicorns, realizing you already see my worth. However I am writing some apologetic words for you, I am really sorry for being so annoying. I always annoyed you, I always followed you, I caused you a lot of troubles. I’m sorry for being the girl you always get mad with. But I love how you let it passed and just laughed thinking about it. Magnus, I am so thankful to have you in this lifetime, I am so thankful for your existence.
I love you even though you left me.
And if you’ll never read this, I hope some stranger will pick this up and she read this. And she will fall in love with you, because you are pretty amazing. And I hope she will find you and tell these things to you. And when that time comes, I hope you will never going to leave her. I hope she will love you as much as I do.
I love you Magnus Maximillian, even though you left me and you didn’t say you love me too.
Love,
A girl who always annoys you xx
“Elara Crecentia! what are you waiting for? Get out of the car, we are here!” my mum bursted.
I couldn’t move a bit, what was that for? Maybe if my mum didn’t called me, I will stay inside the car and turn myself into stone thinking about what I have read few minutes before.
What should I do? It’s been days since I read the letter from that book. I can’t have a good sleep at night thinking who in the earth is Magnus Maximillian? Why is that girl so in love with him that she wrote something so pure, even though he only left? Did she wanted him to come back? Or did she only wanted him to know that things? I read the letter couple of times, wishing I can get clues or answers on what it really means. So the day comes that I decided to search for this Magnus Maximillian on the web. I suddenly felt that strange determination to find him. I could imagine him sitting on a coffee shop alone, reading a book and waiting for something or someone. He was probably lonely and tired. I wanted to change that thought, I wanted to join him doing the things he love. But the first step to achieve that is to first find him.
There are over 480 Magnus Maximillian in Georgina, from the westerns to the city. There are over 1000 of in Great Britain and maybe 2500 of in Europe and more than 6000 Magnus Maximillian in the world. Some of them are maybe deceased. This is quite hard. How can I find someone I don’t even know? I don’t know what he looks like, I just have the feels that if I found him, it was him. I don’t know, I can’t really explain.
I tried searching for him more effectively. I have searched him not only on the worldwide web but on the city list of town Georgina which I have consulted in the city government, I’m quite doing far. And when they asked what is the matter about Magnus Maximillian, I lied. “It’s for some school investigative subject.” I don’t care if they will believe the crap, I didn’t even get the information I wanted so what’s the use of telling the truth, right? Give me more time Magnus, and I will find you. Let me find you.
As I sip my hot coffee that already turned cold, I realize I was thinking too much, it took a lot of my time. I found the “Rosetta and Philae” poetry book inside my bag and I was already on the last page. My progress in finishing this book was so slow, because I did focus on finding Magnus Maximillian. And I’m so unlucky, I can’t find him. I met a lot of with the same name of him but when I asked about the letter, they don’t have any idea about what it was talking about. So I decided to just set myself free from the charm of the unknown letter, of the unknown guy. If the world wants to connect our paths I will be glad. But for now, I will leave this book right now, here in the old coffee shop, here in my favorite place, whoever finds this book, I hope she will also find Magnus Maximillian.
Dear Magnus,
We didn’t even met, but you will be always forever in my heart. I hope someone will find you.
Love,
The girl you never met.
I inserted my short letter on the other pages of the book together with the original letter I felt attached with. I placed it on the couch, and in my last glance. I left it. I hope someone will find you, I hope they will love you. Good bye Magnus Maximillian, I hope the stars will lead your way back home.
I left the coffee shop with the hope that someone will find the book and take it with them. And as I take my last look, back at the shop, a brunette girl, I think having the same age with me, sat at my favorite spot in the coffee shop and to her surprise, she found the book. As she open the book with wide eyes open seeing the letter, I wish she will find him. I took my step away and I accidentally bumped into someone in the street. My art materials fell into the brick ground of Georgina. I was about to take them but this unknown guy helped me. He was so tall, having the broad shoulders who can cover you when you felt so weak. He has a deep set of eyes having the colors the world hasn’t discovered, yet it look so lonely and tired. He really look so fine, with the chiseled jaw line that I can’t even describe how he looks like a sculpture of a Greek god.
“Please be careful, your things will be broken if you wouldn’t be careful while walking.” He stated, in cold low voice. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you coming. Promise I will.” I awkwardly smile as I look directly into his deep eyes. A small smile creep into his thin lips, as he was about to leave.
“Wait, you forgot this.” I handed him his handkerchief that unconsciously fell on the floor.
It has a name beautifully stitched on it that says “Magnus”
“Magnus?” I asked him. He nodded in response.
“Magnus?... Magnus Maximillian?” I was about to stutter, I felt my heart races to the point of it will leave me hanging.
“Magnus Andronicus” He smiled.
There are over hundred of thousands of Magnus in the world, and Magnus Andronicus is one of them.
Display cover image from Morgan McDonald, Unsplash
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