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Zapping and synth like sounds could be heard in a room.
“Are you planning to try out for the soccer team tomorrow?”
“Jay… you know it’s Saturday tomorrow,” I replied without bothering to look at him as I was buried deep in my studies. Books were lying open, occupying almost every inch of my desk.
The electronic sounds stopped. Replaced by a creaking bed and light thud on the wooden floor.
“Yes, the tryout is on Saturday or you forgot about it?”, he said, looking over my shoulders. “Studying on a Friday night?”
Jay is my roommate. He’s slightly shorter than I am, but more robust to my lanky stature. His aquiline features could be misconstrued as someone with a haughty demeanour, but it’s all superficial. He’s a cool guy once you get to know him.
“I’m doing our homework as early as I can,” I said, facing him. “So I’d be free doing something else the whole weekend.”
“Suit yourself,” he said, plopping himself back to bed and the sounds from his Gameboy resumed.
I sighed and went back to work.
It’s been roughly a week since I first came to the seminary. Adapting to the new routine was a cinch except for the part where we had to wake at five in the morning to attend the early morning mass. The sermons were boring and repetitive, but I don’t really mind as my thoughts were always preoccupied with breakfast. And yes, the seminary has its own chapel, which could accommodate around 200 of its students ranging from the freshmen to the seniors, and of course, the school staff.
After the mass, we have breakfast followed by a short cleanup before heading to our classes. Lunch at noon coupled with a short break. Classes resumed at one and finally ends at three. We have like three hours of free time before the evening prayer at six and dinner by seven. Then we have a couple of hours again to study and do our homework before lights off by ten except on weekends when it’s extended until midnight. Rinse and repeat.
Despite the mundanity and simplicity of life in here, I couldn’t find the peace my heart sought. There’s something welling up inside of me and getting stronger. Feelings and thoughts that I’m trying to dissipate ever since I learned that it was a sin.
A sin that I have no control. This was my other reason. I came here to be saved and time will tell.
I stopped reading and set my gazed to the large window in front of me. Central Park laid there like a woman ready to be painted on canvas. She wanted me to savor her beauty with my eyes and her essence be immortalized into something tangible. We’re lucky we got a room with a nice view.
To be continued.
The Seminarian Series:
First Day
Disclaimer: The characters and events depicted in this novella are fictitious. Any similarity to any person living or dead is merely coincidental.
Credits: Photo from Matthew Dartford