VENICE’S POV
“ If not, Monica would scold me,”
Those words said by Bryan continuously echoed in my mind. Who am I really to assume that he was concerned about me? I irritably grabbed a stone in the sand and threw it into the sea. I am here at the seaside to see the sunset. We have already finished the team-building task and are in 3rd place.
“ Who are you angry at?” I heard someone ask from my back.
I did not bother to look who asked because her voice was too familiar. I sat down on the sand and lowered my head in order to hide my tears from her.
“ What happened?” she asked and hugged me tightly.
“ Mon,” I sobbed after calling her name.
“ Sssh, why? Who did that to you?” she irritably asked me.
I simply shook my head and cried while she was hugging me. Monica let me cry on her shoulders. After a while, I felt like I had no tears to release, so I wiped my cheeks and looked at her.
“ Thank you, Mon,” I thanked her for letting me cry on her shoulder.
“ What really happened that made you cried like that?” she worriedly asked me.
“ It is because..” I stopped.
“ What?” she irritably asked once again.
I have no other choice but to tell her what happened earlier. Even I was confused about why I was crying earlier.
“ Are you sure that you just have a crush on brother Bryan?” She asked after I finished telling her what had happened earlier.
“ O-of c-course. What kind of question is that Mon?” I awkwardly answered her.
“ I think if it really simply a crush, you would not be affected that much. I know you, so I am sure that is not a simple having crush on him,” She explained, which surprised me.
“ What do you mean?” I asked her in the midst of my confusion.
“ You like him. No, scratch that. You love him. “ Monica emphasizes every word. My eyes widened because of what she said. Me? In love with Bryan? No way or is it?! I unbelievably looked at her.
“ Do not try to deny it. I observe you for past couple of months, and I know that you really in love with him,” she said.
“ That is impossible. Plus we are churchmates,” I said firmly to deny her accusation.
“ You are too in denial. Ven, I am just Monica, you can be true to me,” she said,
“ But it could not be,” I whispered.
“ Then, you admit it,” she said, then let out a heavy sigh.
“ I did not do it on purpose, I just feel it unintentionally,” I explained my side to defend myself.
“ See, it is much lighter if you admit things. But, in that case, you know that this is not the right time for it,” she said in a serious manner which made me gulp.
“ Y-you are too serious,” I nervously commented.
“ Venice, you are growing, so I will not let what you feel made you stumble,” she remarked.
“ I know about that. It is just my feelings toward him is growing each day,” I admitted to Monica.
“ Surrender, Ven, surrender, “ she calmly suggested.
“ What are you surrendering?”
Monica and I almost jumped because of surprised to hear Axcel’s voice behind our backs.
“ Oh, why you two seem surprised? We have been looking for you ever since the team-building task ended,” Grace remarked. I looked away after my eyes met Bryan’s eyes. I let out a heavy sigh and then wiped away my tears.
“ Why are you finding us?” Monica asked in wonder.
“ Of course, you are missing. It is not hard to find someone that already here,” Axcel sarcastically answered Monica.
“ Sometimes, even if you are there, no one notice,” I sentimentally said. Silence surrounds us, and people will only hear the sound of waves from the ocean.
“ That is too deep, Ven,” Grace broke the silence and then laughed.
“ Axcel started it. I just followed,” I replied, then laughed too.
“ Hays, I thought it was real. It is just a joke,” Axcel said and seemed relieved hearing my joke.
“ But why did you guys look at us?” I asked to bring the topic back.
“ We wanted to ask you to view the sunset, but you are here already,” Grace explained.
“ Ahh,” I replied shortly.
They walked towards us on sat down beside us. Our position looks like this. First, Bryan, me, Grace, Monica and lastly, Axcel. Grace squeezed in between Monica and me. I secretly gulped because we were sitting beside each other. Fate really loves to play games with me. We just waited for the sun to finally set before going back to the campsite. When we arrived there, the bonfire was already set.
“ Oh, you are here already. That took so long,” Sister Max commented when we reached where our churchmates were.
“ Is your back all right, Bryan? What did the medical team say?” Sister Max added. Axcel, Grace, Monica and I looked at him after hearing sister Max’s question, especially me. I know that it is my fault why it happened to him.
“ They said that it is all right. There is nothing to worry,” Bryan politely replied and sat down beside other boys from the church.

Sister Max nodded and went back to where she was sitting. While the four of us sat down beside Bryan. I had second thoughts about sitting beside him. Still, I had no choice because the other three felt comfortable sitting already.
“ Since we are completed already, according to the organizer, this bonfire session is for strengthening the bond of the churchmates,” Sister Max started explaining.
“ So, Max and I thought of playing One Truth and One lie,” Brother Ken energetically continued what sister Max was saying.
“ It works this way, listen. You will be giving us two statements, then we will guess what statement is the truth and the lie, got it?” Sister Max asked.
“ Yes!” We replied in unison.
Our activity started with facilitating of Sister Max and Brother Ken. We laughed too much because of the revelation from our other churchmates. However, as my turn went closer, my head started aching because I could not think of any statements. It is because Monica knew my whole life, so she could quickly identify the truth and the lie in my two ideas.
“ Okay, my turn,” Axcel excitedly remarked.
“ Ahm, I had a girlfriend. The second one is I want to get married,” he added. Even I thought about Axcel's statement because I could not remember that he told us he had a girlfriend.
“ The first one was the lie, and the second one is the truth,” Monica confidently answered.
“ Uh, are you saying I am ugly, so I could not have a girlfriend?” Axcel remarked.
“ Is that not true?” Monica innocently asked him back, which made everyone laugh. That was too funny.
“ Are you saying I am ugly?” Axcel childishly asked and pretended to wipe his tears.
“ Huh? I was saying that, is it not true that my answer is right?” Monica repeated herself in confusion. After a few minutes, she eventually realized what she had said.
“ Hey, that is not what I mean,” Monica replied while her cheeks turned red. It seemed like she had become shy.
“ So, am I handsome?” Axcel asked her while having a malicious smile.
“ Of course not,” Monica replied to tease him. Everyone in the circle laughed because of what she said.
“ Hmp, you really not have any support in your body. But yeah, your answer is correct,” Axcel said while frowning.
“ Okay, next one before that conversation go out of hand,” Sister Max interrupted them.
The next one was Monica. Everyone easily guessed the correct answer, maybe because everyone knew her. The same thing also happened during Grace’s turn.
“ Ahem,” I faked a cough because it was my turn to share.
“ Do not stare at me. I am getting nervous,” I nervously told her, which made them laugh.
“ Do not try to answer, Mon. Okay, first, I had a boyfriend before I entered the church. The second one is I desire to be a worship leader,” I calmly said. Everyone has a different opinion from each other, which made me laugh.
“ How about you, Bry? What is your guess?” I heard sister Max ask Bryan, which made me stop laughing. He looked at me before he answered.
“ Well, I think the first one is wrong because, knowing her, she was scared of commitment. I think the second one is the truth. It is just a guess, though. I have heard her multiple times singing and I think with her voice, she can desire to be a worship leader,” He explained in detail, which made me open my mouth.
Monica secretly hit me using her elbow, so I automatically closed my mouth. Is that how observer he was to give such a detailed answer. But wait, did he say I have fear in commitment?!
“ We just have one question, bro, yet you answered too long,” Axcel commented on the side.
“ Well, I just helped you guys think of your optimum answer,” He answered in a relaxed way.
“ Thanks for that explanation, he is right,” I cut them off to finish this discussion.
“ Your turn, Bryan. You are the last one,” Sister Max called Bryan.
“ First, the guitar is my first love in instrument. Second, I did have a past relationship,“ He casually said. Everyone chooses the first statement as the truth except Axcel, Monica and Grace. Did it mean that he had a past relationship already?
“ Reveal the answer, Bry,” Brother Ken instructed.
“ Guitar is not my first love; it is actually keyboard but it is not where I was called. Then, yes, I had past relationship just once,” He revealed.
Everyone seemed surprised after hearing Bryan’s revelation. On the other hand, I looked away after hearing what he said. That girl must be truly lucky. I shook my head to disregard my thoughts.
“ Now we know,” Sister Max said and laughed.
“ Anyway, remember that whatever revelation we heard in this circle is meant to strengthen our bond, and nothing else, okay? “ She added.
“ Yes,” we politely replied in unison.
Sister Max smiled after hearing us, and we decided to continue talking about random things, even if my mind was somewhere else after knowing his revelation.
TO BE CONTINUED!