Mistake. I knew it was a big mistake as soon as I drank that coffee. I don’t know whether it was because my belly did a little lurch or because the news came on as I was having my fourth cup. One cup was never enough to give me that morning fix. So, as I sat that morning in my favourite café, that played jazz music all day long, sipping coffee and bobbing my head to the music, my face squeezed into a frown as someone frantically interrupted the music to switch on the TV.
“Something is happening to us!” He said excitedly.
“What are you yapping about?” the people in the other booths yelled, snapping at him.
In a moment, the news came on and I paid no attention to it as I kept sipping my coffee and watching the cars outside till I heard, “…..and so if you have this virus, you may want to stay away from anything containing the slightest caffeine. Coffee, to be blunt as the strange side effects….”
I stopped listening. And looked strangely at my cup, remembering that this was more or less my fourth cup of coffee. I stood up immediately and went out of the café to go to my house. I didn’t want to be anywhere but home when the strange effects caught up with me.
Three hours later and I started feeling sweaty. Was it already happening? I felt a zing in my body like wires were connecting and I rushed to take a shower. As I came out, I felt the effect in full force. I had expected the over-secretion of adrenaline or some terrible headache but, I felt….happy.
I’d never felt this happy in a long time. I felt peaceful and what’s more, there was this niggling feeling that kept pushing me to do all the things I’d always wanted to do. There had been things I’d wanted to do but kept procrastinating but now I couldn’t escape it. I had to do them and do them now.
I dressed up immediately not feeling like myself but like someone being controlled by a force. A happy force. I found myself in the amusement park soon enough. I knew why my legs took me there immediately. I’d always wanted to reconnect with my childhood. With how peaceful I was and I felt during that time. All the nostalgic effect that crystallized them. My father’s laughing face and my Mom’s encouraging smiles and the bliss I felt when I was pushed on the swings.
I was on the swings once again. Pushing myself and laughing as the wind blew my hair all over my face. I saw people look at me like I was crazy and I smiled at them, waving. They hurried away and I laughed even more. It’s like I was unable to feel any other emotion than happiness and peace.
I went on the obstacle course and then the merry-go-round and I got myself the special banana-flavoured ice cream that was my favourite so many years ago. Each moment stayed true in my head as I washed out all the negative emotions that this amusement park held on me like the fact that it was another day when my parents had been taking me to the park that we had an accident and I was left as the only survivor. Sorrows in exchange for the happiness I should have felt. So, I let everything slide away and instead made those memories peaceful.
As I left the park by six pm, the strange effects of the virus were beginning to wear off, I found my legs moving to one last place. As I knocked on the door, I felt peace. I was going to do it. The door opened and I saw the surprised face of the man I’d been in love with for most of my life.
“Gienna…?”
“I just want to say that I’m tired of keeping it in. I’ve loved you for so long and you’re a wonderful person and you mean so much to me and I’m sorry for saying that you weren’t my type and all of that. I just hope you know that you have a special place in my heart Kyle, but if you don’t want me it’s fine but I won’t stop-”
“Giennah.” Said a laughing Kyle. And I stopped immediately.
Unable to stop the hope in my tone, I replied enthusiastically, “Yeah?”
“I love you more. Now, quit talking and come in.”
And as the strange effect finally wore off and I was suddenly aware of everything I’d done, I smiled to myself, making a mental note to thank whoever made the virus thing happen.
Best. Day. Ever.
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