It was during the year-end party for the graduates, ten years ago, when Adeline first found a genuine friend.
A few groups of friends from the senior high school and senior college batches held a sudden and fun random picking of who will experience the infamous 7 Minutes In Heaven game.
Since the party was hosted at a random student’s house, the students will probably take the advantage to do things they can’t do before. This game was also chosen for the participating batch of students for them to make friends and get to know each other… or better, go beyond that.
The senior college student named Angelica, and the senior high school student named Marivic hosted and gave the rules for the game. The rules stated were: no use of cellphones, the light should be turned off, and spend no shorter or more than 7 minutes of the time.
Instead of drawing names which the students will pick up from a fishbowl, the hosts will secretly put blindfolds on one male and one female student at random choice.
The noise of the students was deafening when Angelica had chosen a male student, blindfolded him while both hands were tied behind, and was carefully brought inside a small-spaced closet inside a room, guarded by the rest of the hosts’ friends.
Meanwhile, Adeline just arrived at the party after getting invited by one student. However, she didn’t find the student present at the party. The commotion happening caught her attention.
“Hi, there!” Marivic suddenly greeted her.
“Hello. What’s happening?” she asked her.
“Fun is happening and you’re barely missing out. Come on, let’s get inside.” Marivic dragged Adeline further to the party house.
Adeline couldn’t understand what was happening until Marivic let go of her.
“Let me get you a drink. Stay here,” she told her and walked away.
But as soon as Adeline was left, someone immediately blindfolded her. Someone who suddenly tied her hands behind her followed it.
“Wait! Hello? What’s happening?” she panicked. “What are you doing to me?”
She can only hear voices talking to her while she was being dragged away and going nowhere.
“Just chill. You’re gonna enjoy this, we promise!” the voice said.
“I can’t do this! Please stop. I don’t like it!” Adeline yelled.
“Oh, come on! Don’t be such a killjoy, Maynez!” A laugh followed the voice.
Adeline couldn’t do anything anymore since there were two people holding her, dragging her. She, later on, hears a sound of a door slammed open, and it shocked her when she was suddenly thrown off.
She heard a grunt. She felt like she hit another person.
“Who’s there?” she asked.
A sigh was heard.
“I am asking, who’s there?” she repeated.
“Can you just… move a bit? You’re sitting on me.” It was a guy’s voice.
It surprised Adeline, the reason she immediately tried to stand up but hit her head on a semi-solid surface. She fell back on the same person and he grunted in pain.
“I’m sorry!” she exclaimed before crawling away from the person.
She reached a corner where she thought was a wall and remained there.
“I heard a bump. Did you hit on something?” the guy asked.
“No. I’m fine.”
Adeline mouthed ‘ouch’ after lying.
“Let me guess, they blindfolded you and tied your hands too.”
“How did you know? Wait, where are we and what’s happening?” she asked.
“They did the same thing to me. I’m just not sure where we are right now.” he said.
Adeline remained quiet. She’s scared.
“Can you untie yourself?” he asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“Can you come closer?”
“Why?”
“I will help you untie your hands and you can also help me so that we can figure out where we are.” the guy suggested.
Adeline was speechless. She doesn’t like to touch men mostly if she’s not acquainted enough with them.
“You’re quiet,” he said.
“I’m… very uncomfortable right now.” Adeline’s voice cracked as if she was about to cry.
“Are you claustrophobic?” The guy’s voice suddenly sounded concerned.
“No. It’s just…” she couldn’t say it.
“I understand. But, I want you to trust me with this one.”
“What?”
“What’s your name?” he asked out of the blue.
“Adeline,” she replied.
“Adeline, will you trust me?” His breathing was calm. “I want you to trust me.”
Something gave her a hint of the will to trust the guy. Calling her name must be the most effective way.
“Yes.” Upon answering, she scooted over, closer to the guy.
They carefully touched each other’s hands after getting back to back. Adeline felt the guy’s hand untying the rope that was tying hers. It surprised her because he only did it in seconds.
After her hands got untied, Adeline hurriedly removed her blindfold and looked at the guy behind her. Since there was a small light bulb shedding them some lights, she was able to get a vision of what or who was with her. She doubted if she would untie the guy too or just leave him like that.
“Are you still there?” he asked.
“Y-Yes. Let me untie you,” she told him.
It took Adeline a minute before completely untying his hands. After getting his hands untied, he removed his blindfold. He glanced at Adeline and they stared at each other.
“Thank you for helping me.” Adeline kindly told him.
He nodded at her, but a slight red bruise from the right side of her forehead caught his attention.
“You’re hurt.” He gently held Adeline’s head and pulled her closer to him to see the bruise.
Adeline was confused about what he was doing. But she wasn’t against it.
“You said you were fine when I asked you earlier.” The guy glanced back at her and she was putting on a look of guilt for lying.
They pulled away from each other and the guy carefully tried to check the place. He looked for the door and attempted to open it but it was locked from the outside.
He sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Adeline asked him.
He sat back to his place and leaned on something similar to a wall behind him.
“Do you have a watch?” he asked her.
“No, I don't. But, I have a phone-” Adeline looked for her pockets and only remembered that she was wearing a pastel-colored sleeveless crop top matched with white jumper-styled denim with lace skirt. No spare pockets.
She glanced back at the guy and smiled awkwardly.
“I don’t have my phone with me either,” he said.
“Where are we anyway?” Adeline asked him.
“Inside a closet.”
“What?! What are we doing inside a closet?” she exclaimed.
He laughed at her since he found her natural innocence humorous and flattering as well.
“You don’t seem to know what they’re doing at this party,” he said.
Adeline shook her head.
“Are you serious?” he murmured.
He turned to her and put on a lamblike face.
“We are playing the infamous 7 minutes in heaven," he said.
"What? Y-You mean the game where two people got stuck inside a closet and they will either kiss or make out?!" Adeline emphasized.
The guy was shocked by what Adeline just said and it made him laugh.
"Why are you laughing at me? I'm serious!" she exclaimed.
"I know," he took a break from laughing too much. "but you're really funny."
Adeline frowned and sulked before scooting away from him.
"Alright, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh like that. It's just that…" he paused.
The sulking lady at the corner glanced at him.
"...you're the first person to make me laugh like this." he continued.
Adeline's reaction lightened as she remained to stare at him. He stared at her.
"What's your name?" she asked him.
"I'm Thomas. It's nice to meet you, Adeline." he smiled at her.
Adeline smiled back at him, "It's nice to meet you too, Thomas."
It's really nice to bring back unforgettable memories and those closet memories will always be with both Thomas and Adeline, even in the present and future days.
"Would you like some more wine?" Adeline went back to her senses after a good reminiscence.
She smiled before taking her glass and offered it in front of him.
"Speaking of which, do you also remember what I told you a minute before our 7 minutes inside that closet was almost over?" Thomas asked her while pouring the wine.
"Barely," she said.
As soon as Thomas opened up his mouth to say the words again, Adeline started to remember how he had said it back then.
“You know the reason they come up with this kind of game?"
Adeline shook her head again.
"This may be such a useless game for some people but it has hidden goodness. It teaches people to talk things between them, respect privacy, and most importantly no matter how you want to do things to each other, you need to ask permission and give consent to one another." the senior year college Thomas said.
Adeline couldn't help but smile while watching Thomas talking to her comfortably. That's when everything suddenly changed and she noticed her eyes blurring.
She put down her wine glass and took the table napkin near her before trying to wipe her eyes, thinking there might be something outside.
"Are you alright, Adeline? What's wrong?" she heard Thomas getting alerted to her.
"I'm fine. I think there's something in my eyes."
After wiping gently, she opened up her eyes and saw Thomas and the surrounding colorless, just vivid black and white.
She thought, 'It's happening again.'
"Was it gone?" Thomas asked her in concern.
It left Adeline dumbfounded as she suddenly got up from her seat and excused herself going to the restroom.
She hurriedly walked to the ladies restroom. As soon as she entered the restroom, she went straight to the sink and washed off her face, not minding anymore if her make-up will be removed.
After washing her face, she looked up again at the mirror. Still colorless.
Her knees felt weak and she doesn't even know if, at that moment, her condition will become permanent.
She's panting in nervousness. But she tried to remain calm as possible. Until a knock was heard outside the restroom.
She looked at herself again in front of the mirror, conditioning herself to act and pretend everything's fine. She doesn't want to make anyone worry for her.
Adeline went out of the restroom and saw the black and white Thomas, standing and waiting for her.
"Are you alright?" His British accent came out.
"Yes. I'm sorry for… this." Adeline said.
"It's okay. You did nothing wrong. But, I'm worried." Thomas said.
They stared at each other.
"Would you like to go home now? I will be glad to send you off," he added.
Adeline nodded at him and he escorted her out of the restaurant.
On the way home, Adeline remained silent inside the private car while looking outside the window. She couldn't say anything to Thomas about what she's currently experiencing.
Who the hell would believe her and about her condition? None.
"You can talk to me."
It took her attention after hearing Thomas talking beside her. She glanced at her and he was giving her a comforting smile.
Adeline was having second thoughts and decided to tell him about something else.
"Well," Adeline sighed. "something happened earlier at the office."
Thomas got intrigued.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Do you remember the guy named Colton?" she asked.
He nodded, "Yes."
"He blamed me for embarrassing him in front of the people inside the elevator."
"He blamed you for that nonsense?" he questioned.
"Yes. And I'm sure he's very angry at me or maybe despised me because he got fired. I'm not sure if it's because of what happened or…" Adeline paused.
She glanced at Thomas and he noticed a change of reaction from Adeline's face.
"Did you tell the higher authorities about his actions earlier at the elevator?" she suddenly asked him.
"Wait, where is this suddenly coming from?" he asked her.
"I heard you. Colton asked you if you're going to report him to the higher authorities and you said yes-"
"I did. Yes, I did tell him but it's just to make him feel intimidated and not to-"
Adeline looked away from him, mad. Thomas couldn't understand why she's acting like that. What did he ever do wrong?
Thomas sighed, "Adeline. Can you just please talk?"
It took her a few seconds before responding.
"Ever since I got accepted to work under the same department as my co-workers, everyone hated me. I don't know why. I couldn't ask them why." she explained.
Thomas continued listening to her.
"Was it wrong for me to work there? Don't I have any right to choose where I want to work? They're treating me as if I'm someone or maybe something… different." she continued.
"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked her calmly.
"I have a senior who sabotaged my promotional presentation just because she doesn't like me. Now, Colton blamed me for what happened to him. I don't know who to trust anymore." Adeline couldn't stop her tears from falling down as she sniffed.
Thomas took a clean handkerchief from his suit pocket and handed it over to Adeline.
She was surprised to see what Thomas was doing and instead of taking the handkerchief, she just looked at him.
"I want to tell you something, Adeline," he said.
She sniffed, "What is it?"
Adeline doesn't have any clues of what he was about to say and if she's going to be ready to hear it.
"I'm a CEO of World Spectrum Enterprises, Inc."