The Journey

Story by Heng Oudam. Revised by Julyendlesslove. -----"Let your stories teach others, share them with us!"

The Reunion

It was the early morning of the rainy season in  capital city of Phnom Penh—a little busy place for Cambodians and the heaven and land of opportunity of the rich and powerful, and also the battle field for the poor and disadvantaged—I stood near the room window and looked outside at the dead quiet street, under the dark blue sky with billion drops of rain falling down, waiting for the first luminescence of the sun, willing to brighten the earth, which did remind me that it was the last minute I was there.

Today was not clear, the clouds hide the sunshine, and the rain stopped pouring down; on the contrary, the horror sound of thunder replaced it as if it wanted to show my passion to leave, saddening me just to say goodbye to my relatives. It was the coldest morning of my life— my heart would be frozen to bear the temperature; fortunately, I covered my body with an old sweater and thanked God my cousin came to pick me up to the bus station. Even the thermometer dwindled nearly to zero, yet it could not stop people from serving their stomach—along the road to the Central market, residents were in rush to open their business.

The traveling continued silently until we reached the bus station. He helped me carry my bags to keep in luggage hold, but he could not stay longer as I wished. The rain dropped again, while I sat waiting to leave—my eyes looked at my watch; suddenly, a man in his wet dress came into my bus. I could see his face clearer as he walked closer. I recognized him. He had studied with me in high school, yet I did not remember what his name was. He came and sat near me, and then he spoke out. "Hey, man!" he tapped my shoulder and continued, "Do you remember me?" "Oh, we studied with each other in high school, didn't we? But I don’t remember your name, lemme think….. em…..Sambath, are you not?" He looked at me with funny face, which I used to experienced, and laughed, "Yeah, of course, you are wrong! I’m Smey, Kong Raksmey. Why are you going to Siem Reap?" "Find someone!" I replied and added, "How about you? Why?" "I have to join a conference there for a week, and how is your work?" "I’m a chemical engineer of one industrial factory." "When I was answering his question, our conversation was disturbed by the sound of the ignition as the bus started to leave the station. 

The rain was pouring during our expedition to the Angkors—I could see nothing outside the bus but the fog, and stains of water on the glass window, listening to music and sitting silently, he asked me, " I haven't seen you for ages! What happened to you? You look so quiet, and who is that someone you are looking for?" I closed the book and turned to him, and then I told him the story.

Back to the Story

My story started from 31st of March, 2008 when I was in 11th grade in Santhor Mok senior high school, which was one of the biggest high schools in town. The first semester exam was approaching. Bona, who was one of my good friends, came around to discuss some questions and exercises for the sake of the exam preparation. "Hey, do you have some clues for the soon-coming chemistry exam?" He asked with the eagerness to get the answer.  "Yes, I have a battle of H2O for that exam. Do you need it?" Feeling stupid, he shouted with the curious face, "How come you take it to your day?" "For drinking!!! How silly you are!" I laughed and opened the book. "Go to hell!" he replied and threw his eraser at me. Then he came to sit near me and said, "You are good at chemistry and your chemistry teacher is so famous; could you share with me the clues?" "$5 for each!!! No money, go away," I whispered with my eyes still fixed on the book. "Okay! This is my friend. Why don’t you go to rob the bank?" Irritated, he stood up and spoke out. I told him, "Hey, man! I was just kidding.  I’ll bring them to you to class if I have."

Our discussion was finished at 5 o’clock, and Bona left for his home. Many days later, I went to his class to give him the clues of the exam. His teacher was teaching when I arrived. I waited outside the class near the window, reading my paper silently. I waiting for quite a long time. He still did not yet came out. I walked closer to the window, and then, the moment of awkwardness of a teenager's passion got fired as he came across a beautiful girl. Never before had such a passion stirred up in a young boy's heart. She made me feel as if I were flying. I didn’t believe what I just I had just seen her, yet I was awakened from a beautiful dream as we made eye contacts, and then I stepped back abruptly to my previous position.

It was 11 o'clock. I was still waiting for him, and I couldn't bear anymore. I looked around and, up to the sky, turn to that window again. I decided to ask for help from her. I walked closer to her sitting next to the window while she was concentrating on lecture. "Pardon me!" I waved my hand with the greeting face and prepared to ask her for help. "Ah………," she screamed at me with the scary face.

Everybody looked at me, and the teacher paused his lecture for quite a while as though the earth stood still for a minute. I was embarrassed as all eyes were on me. This situation passed silently after she smiled at me. I took a long breath and asked her again. "Pardon me, could you call Bona for me please? I have been waiting for him for an hour already." She smiled and passed the speech to him continuously through contingent of people sitting in the same row. Bona ran out of the class suddenly as he acknowledged my presence. After I gave him what he'd wanted, I returned home, but the picture of that terrible second still remained in my head, and it infuriated me until I considered it as a good dream.

On that evening, he rang me to say express his gratitude for that clue because it was a hundred per cent correct. I complained to him for what had happened on that morning. "Your classmate’s so nasty!" "Which one?" "No need to rub it in," I said as though I was angry, yet I really wanted to know more about her. "I ask you again, which girl?" "The one who got me embarrassed; she screamed at me as if she met a ghost! "My friend laughed and said, "You really look like a ghost as you're acting!" "Hey, you jerk!" I shouted. "I still don’t recognize who she is. The girl who worn red shirt and sat near the window!" "Her name is Nita, and she’s one of the pretty girls in my class." "Can you tell me her full name, man?" "Som Sonita!" "Her name tells me she’s a nasty girl!" "No, and she’s so nice!" He laughed and continued, "You like her?" "The hell!" I answered. "She is so pretty, so maybe she has had someone who loved her already." My friend shouted suddenly, "No, she hasn't had one yet. I can give you her number if you want!" "No need," I rejected, reluctantly.

Our conversion was not delayed too long. It was a very silent night, but I still stayed awake and I was still thinking about what had happened. Listening to the singing of the cricket, I asked myself , "Why do I remember her so clearly, why can't I fall sleep? or am I in love with her?" I tried to forget all the stories at that night and waited for the arrival of the new day.

Starting Sunday

For the whole week, everything is simple as usual, but, on the next Sunday's morning, all the picture on that day popped up in my head again, and I said to myself I really wanted to meet her again. I telephoned my friend to ask him for her number.

It was the first time of my life calling a girl; I was really shy to hear the waiting sound, and I could not stand hearing it, so I hanged up— asking myself what I was doing. I decided to send a message to her, instead of calling her. The content of the message I tried to write were written as if I had got confused with the number. At first, she asked me who I was, and then I asked her to be my friend. As I asked, she also agreed. It was the most beautiful Sunday I have ever had in my very life. From day-to-day, our relationship grew gradually, even we had never met each other before, yet we deeply understood each other.

From that Sunday, I had known her for a month—I think it was a suitable time for me to confess my love to her—but she rejected and told me she wouldn't have any love relationship until having finished high school, and I also adapted to her feeling.

After that month, Facebook became the most popular social network site for Cambodian teenagers. I, like others, was one of the members of the site, and I asked her to get in taught through this social way. It was the first time of the time.

The Black Cloud

It was very fast for our relationship; we had to study grade 12, the final year of high school life. I changed my class to study with her. The first class came in a clear, lovely day. In the student uniform, carrying the big bag walking into class with smile face, I was truly happy to see her, and felt a bit frightened. I came into the wrong class. I saw strange students whom I had never known. Not until my friend had called me did I wonder why he had not yet come. "Where are you?" I asked him. "Gose! It is I who should ask you where you had been!" "You must be joking me; I’m sitting in the classroom!" "Why can't I see you? You must be confused."

I came out the class and look at the room number; it was room 2B21, but my class was in 2C21. Then I came back to the class to collect all my stuffs back and walked out of it. It was my second embarrassment.

 This time I ensured myself not to get confused once again. When I walked into the class, the very first person I saw was her. Yet, her face was so sad. Suddenly, my friend waved his hand to me and showed me the seat. He asked me some questions. "Hey, I have a piece of hot news to tell you. Interested?" he said. "With respect to the World War III?" I laughed and took off my bag. "Don’t you know anything about your girl?" "What? What has happened to her? Could you  please tell me now?" "She's gonna change to study in Siem Reap!" "I was so deeply disappointed to hear like that, and, during the break time, she walked to my desk, sat in the front of, turning to me, and said, "Sorry..." "What for?" "My father decided to work in Siem Reap." "Can you promise me? You will wait for me until I have a suitable job, and I WILL marry you." She paused and answered, "I have not yet thought about this." "How much time will you take to start thinking? I will wait for you, no matter what. When will you leave?"  "Tomorrow," sadly she answered.

The ring alarmed, she left to her seat. We was silent, even the message. At 11 O'clock, I waited for her outside the class. "Can I go to your home tomorrow?" "No. I don’t want my father know about us." "I will miss you." "You will see another girl who is better than I am." "I still love you, even others are better than you."

Suddenly, her brother arrived and she left me with the question unanswered. 

Final Stage

 From that day, I couldn't meet her; I called her every time I think about her. Now, I have a suitable job, and I believe her family will accept me. Raksmey asked, "So that person is her?" I answered, "Yes...," saddened.

 Our bus arrived in Kompong Thom and stopped for lunch, and we were hungry for food and drink. We had lunch together and then continued the journey to Siem Reap.