GREATER WORLD

Her days were filled with joy as she kept living in that year. She didn’t want to admit it, and yet she knew she was starting to fall in love with him.

She goes to every game he has, cheers for him, enjoys the people cheering and constantly gives him a kiss with every win. The only thing she didn’t like about all of it was the fact that they would have to hide.

That generation was not a huge fan of interracial relationships.

And she would never do anything that could possibly hurt or compromise him.

So, no matter how challenging it was, she needed to keep hiding, for him.

“Well, that was a great game, wasn’t it?” she beamed against him as they sat still in the open field. He was staring at the moon, getting nostalgic of the win that they just had.

She looked at him with adoring eyes, his skin looking good against the light of the moon in the sky.

The feelings he brought her were one of a kind. One’s that she’d never wish of having.

“It was… It just felt good.” He turned to her smiling, “I guess I’ll never get tired of the feeling.”

“What feeling?”

“The unsteady beat of my heart when I have the ball in my hand, the adrenaline rush pumping, the roaring sound of the crowd cheering for me, shouting my name. I guess that’s always been one thing that I really loved about being in the game. Winning hits differently.”

“It does.” She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss.

“But nothing beats that crowd than the idea that my girl is also on that stand, cheering for me.”

Her smile widened.

“I will always do it for you.”

“Its just too bad I guess that we’d never get to walk out on that street holding each other’s hands.”

For a moment, Charlie’s smile turned into worry.

“I really don’t mind. I am happy the way we are right now. What’s important is that I get to spend time with you.”

“I know. It just sucks how I can’t be with the girl that I really want to be with. I want to walk on the street, unbothered of what people would say.”

“But you know we can’t do that right? I am not afraid of it for me, I’m afraid of it for you.”

“I know.” He sighed and looked out at the dark horizon, “Do you think that world exists?”

“Which world?” het brows frowned, wondering what he meant.

“A world where people like you and I could just walk on the streets, held hands and dine together.”

“Of course, it does.”

“How I wish we were in that world right now. You and me.”

“I know. But maybe things will change. For the better.”

“Do you think it will?”

She caught herself thinking of what the future has to offer.

“There will be good times, and the bad ones will never be gone. But I’m sure the world will get better. Maybe not now, maybe not for us. But someday, the world will be better, and the future will be greater.”

“I love that. You always have this great way of making things look and feel really good.”

She gave a meek smile and leaned on his shoulder.

"Do you wish to win all the time?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's a game. There will always be winners and losers. The only thing I can wish for is to be even better than everyone else who's in that field. And if I do win, that means I must be doing something right. If I don't win, then I will have to do even better than how I am from that loss. You will never be on top all the time. But you will certainly have your limelight in the right time."

She smiled and played a kiss on his lips.

"You are way more inspiring when you talk than I do."

"I learned from the best." giving her a look of inspiration.

"Stop looking at me like that Spencer."

"Well, I like looking at you. You make me smile and that is just one of the best things in my life right now."

"You don't make it hard for girls to fall for you, do you?"

"I don't?" he playfully teased.

Their laughter soon filled the arena. Just when dinner is about to start, he has walked her home and planted a kiss as goodbye.

But the moment they were to separate, Alvah blocked their way.

"I've been waiting for the two of you."

Spencer's face tensed. This was the first time he’d met her.

"Would you like to join us for dinner young man?"

Alvah inquired in an aristocratic way that worried Charlie as she gripped Spencer's hands tighter against hers.

She felt like a kid about to be scolded by her mother.

"I'd be honored Ma'am." he slightly bowed his head as a sign of respect.

"Just call me Alvah."

"I'd be honored, Miss Alvah."

"Alright. Good enough."

They sat in the dining room, the table now filled with delicacies that Charlie thinks Alvah may or may not have cooked herself.

She was smiling from ear to ear as Alvah made a joke every now and then. Spencer seemed to have eased in with how Alvah is and that made Charlie happy.

As soon as dinner ended, they bid each other goodbye.

When Spencer was leaving, she proceeded to the clear area of the rooftop where she found Alvah. Down below, she could still see Spencer walking past their building.

“Seems like a really good man.”

“He is.”

“Well, now I feel awful saying this.”

“What?”

“Our time is running out. And I think you’re getting involved. So, you’ll need to break it off with him so we can focus on your 8^th wish.”

“What?”

“Look, I know you’re starting to have feelings for him. With a man like that, who wouldn’t? Unfortunately, he is not your man.”

“How would you know?” she’s starting to feel sad about the entire conversation.

“You know why we’re here Charlie. Someone somewhere in this generation is the girl that he’s meant to be married to. And you are getting in their way. Now, that is the number one rule we have as Jinni’s.”

“Never interfere.” She whispered.

“So as happy as I am seeing that you are happy and you look really in love with him, you need to end it. Sooner than later. And if you don’t listen, that would just complicate things.”

“Complicate how?”

“Time may find a way for you to never exist anymore. That is if you choose to pursue whatever it s that you are feeling for him. Please remember that he has his own timeline. You are just a distraction.”

That hurt her for a bit.

Sadly, that was the reality.

She doesn’t belong here.

“I understand.”

“Please consider it. I will never stand in your way, especially when it comes to finding the man of your dreams. But this is not where he is. We must go back to where we belong.”

“You’re right.”

She turned her back from Alvah and hoped that the sadness in her face was not that obvious.

She hated to admit it, but she knew Alvah was right, yet why did it start to hurt? Too much to think about.

The following day, she found Spencer inside the arena with his face filled with bruises.

Worry started to fill her as she pulled him away from his practice.

“What happened to you?”

“It’s nothing… it was just a misunderstanding.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve had an accident last night, just when I was about to reach home.”

“Who did this.” She caressed his face; the bruises were too obvious.

“You don’t know them. Just don’t mind it.” He wrapped his arms around her.

“I just need you to be careful next time please. I don’t know what would happen if I saw your face having those scars again.”

“I promise.” He planted a kiss against her lips, and all she could do is savor the feeling it brought her for it will end soon.