Hello #TEAMGEEK, I’m back! 

So it took me days to finish this. I had the idea in mind for weeks now but I couldn’t put it into writing. I was having a hard time composing it.

I could say that this was the most challenging chapter that I created so far in all of my stories because of the involvement of interpreting a certain poem. I wasn’t saying that this was the correct interpretation; I was just having an opinion for that matter.

WARNING! If you have different perspective about it, I respected it fully. I don’t need a critic to criticize my opinion for this matter because this is what I believed in eversince I laid my eyes on this poetry. So please don’t try to argue or debate with this. Let’s just respect each other’s opinion okay? Thanks =)

If you somehow find it boring (for those people who wasn’t fond of literature) I’m sorry but this is essential to the story. Thank you very much and I hope you enjoyed it.

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CHAPTER 16 – Annabel Lee

** COURTNEY’s POV **

I was watching him as he stood up and made his way towards his shelf where a lot of different books aligned. My eyes were trailing on him the whole time. I watched him scanned through different kind of books as if he was looking for something.

He was silent althroughout. And the silence in the air was deafening, which definitely left me very curious to what he was searching for.

I tried to be patient for few minutes but then my patience were wearing thin as he continued to ignore me and the flipping of the pages of the book was the only noise I could hear inside his room.

What on Earth was he trying to find anyway? Oh please don’t tell me he was planning to scan all of the books in that shelf! It will take forever to finish those!

I had to made an action before I snooze myself out of pure boredom.

“Ahem.” I cleared my throat to make my presence known. He was completely engrossed with whatever book he was holding at the moment that he somehow forgot that he had a visitor.

He still wasn’t looking at me. He didn’t even spare me a quick glance!

“I said, ahem.” I said, making sure that the irritation in my tone was visible.

“Shh.” Was his only response.

“Where are we? In the library?” I retorted, which definitely caught his attention. He looked at me—for a brief second--- but he immediately turned away.

“Seriously Treyson, if---“

“I got it.” He finally said. He closed the black book he was holding with a loud thump, cutting my upcoming complaint in the process.

Got what? I was about to ask but then I jolted up in surprise to see that he was pulling his chair next to mine. “You’re relatively close, Treyson.” I said, refusing the panic to show in my face as he sat next to me.

I could smell him in this close proximity, and damn, he smelled so good! I chewed on my lower lip as the curiosity started to creep in me. I wondered on so many things like, how did my hair smell today? How about my clothes? My breath?

Arrg! Why was I feeling this way, of course I, myself, know that I smelled so damn good. I spend an eternity in my bathroom and vanity to keep it that way. There was even a section in the school paper saying that I smelled so divine. So, why worry, right?

But then the freakin’ curiosity got me. So, I pulled my long brown hair to my left side and secretly sniffed it. Lavender and vanilla, that was a good sign.

I flipped my hair feeling proud about it.

“Read this.” He commanded. Not minding the gesture of me flipping my hair.

What was wrong with him? I was practically dropping hints to him and he purposely ignores my attempts. Like come on, you could at least give me a single compliment, duh!

But then why would he, right? Nothing was really good and compliment-worthy in his eyes when the person involve was me.

Self-pity is so not in your personality, Courtney Collins. Chin up and instead of sulking, think of the things that Chad likes about you. No scratch that, think of at least one thing that Chad is fond about you. Because let’s face it, he doesn’t give any clues that he likes you at all.

Should I be glad that I had this tiny voice in my head helping me or should I strangler her for sighting the obvious? Yeah, I think the latter was a great idea.

“Hey, are you reading?” Chad suddenly pulled me out from my inner bickering.

“Of course.” I lied.

“Really?” He asked. I nodded in response. “Which part are you on.” He suddenly inquired.

Panic started to fill-in that I pointed out the first thing that my eyes laid on. The one in the left part of the opened book. “Here.”

Chad pinched the bridge of his nose before he turned to face me.

O-oh. That’s not a good sign.

My subconscious was mocking me.

“I asked you to read this, Annabel Lee.” His said as he gave me a knowing look.

Seriously? In a time like this, he was mentioning a different kind of girl? “It’s Courtney Collins.” I said, matching the intensity of his stare.

For some weird reason, the frown he was wearing a while ago was gone and instantly replaced by a booming sound of his laughter. “I meant Annabel Lee. The title of the poem I want you to read.” Chad was laughing so hard that tears started to form in the corner of his eyes. “Classic, Courtney. You never fail to make me laugh.”

Oh. So being dumb is what Chad is fond you! 

Here she goes, again. Taunting me with her every might.

At least you have a defining characteristic that he might like. Opposite attracts. The smart and the dumb.

Shut up! I told her. Now I was having an internal battle with myself. Great!

 “You’re so serious awhile ago so a good joke will someone ease the tension in the air, don’t you think?” I said, trying to think of a redeeming excuse to regain myself from that embarrassing fall. “Aren’t I the funniest?”

I saw Chad shook his head in delight. “Just start reading, aloud.”

Nice save. Not bad.

I intentionally ignore the continuous teasing of the voice in my head and abide to what Chad asked me to do.

“It was many and many a year ago…”

“On second though, before you read this, what is your knowledge about Edgar Allan Poe?” Chad unexpectedly cut me off.

“He wrote this and… he’s a writer?” I saw Chad trying to absorb the things that I just said, well I, myself, was aware that what I told him didn’t make any sense at all.

“Aside from that. How about his background.” He inquired, feeling hopeful that I someone had info stored up in my brain.

I thought of it for a second but then nothing really came out. “I barely know the name of the guy, what more so with his background.” I said honestly. “What’s so important about that anyway?” I asked, feeling confused as to why he suddenly questioned me about my awareness to the said writer.

“It’s not just important, it is essential. The key to understand one’s literary work is to know the writer first.” He said in a matter of fact.

He stood up and went to the nearby shelf again, taking out an old looking brown book. “In the field of literature, especially in romantic and tragic poetry, the poets have someone in their lives that was somehow connected with their works. They used them as their inspiration to write novels and poetries. And they called it their muse.”

 Now he was walking back to my direction and took his seat. “They put their feelings and emotions into writing, so it wouldn’t be so obvious. They express what they truly feel that they can’t let out freely, only in papers. Thus, making their readers feel the same intensity they felt as they created them. And if you felt that passion in their composition, that’s how you can conclude that the author is really good and effective.”

“So you mean these people write their life stories?” I asked.

“Not all, some used someone as their inspiration, or a story from another person’s life or some just a figment of their imagination. But in past centuries, writing about your love life was common. But then that was the main reason as to why we should know the writer first for us to understand their writings.”

Chad opened the brown book and placed it in front of me. “Edgar Allan Poe. There are only two women you have to know in his life, where the constant battles and controversies lie to whom a certain poetry or novel was inspired from.”

He pointed to a black and white photo of a woman in one of the pages in his book. “His wife, Virginia Eliza, whom he married at the age of 13 and he was 27 at that moment. She died at the age of 24. Seven years after the publication of Annabel Lee.”

I shifted my position closer and listened carefully. More intently, I supposed. “Next is Sarah Elmira, his first love and childhood sweetheart, as what they called it. They’re engaged at the age of sixteen and supposed to be married but then due to the interference of her father, it didn’t happen. She married someone else, leaving Poe heartbroken. But years after her husband and his wife died, they rekindled their relationship together. They decided to get married, well Poe wanted to but this time, Sarah’s children were against it. So, he died feeling rejected for the second time.”

I wondered why I found literature boring well in fact it wasn’t dull at all! The way Chad put in into words made things very interesting. It was as if the poetries or novels of the writers were a big scoop or scandal of their lives.

“So let’s start with this. Annabel Lee.” He closed the brown book and put it away, making the book he wanted me to read a while ago the only thing left at the table.

I read it silently. So surprised with myself that I found it engrossing. When I was done, I looked up only to see that Chad was looking at me intently. “So?” He suddenly asked.

“So? What?” I asked in return. Not knowing what he meant with that.

“In your opinion, among the two women I told you, who is Annabel Lee.” He shifted his position and his full body was facing me. He used his right elbow to lean at the table, his head at his palm.

I gulped at the sight of him. His built was now prominent and visible in my very eyes.

“You’re such a tease.” I said not realizing that I said it out loud!

Un-freakin-believable!

“What?” He asked, confusion evident in his feature.

Oh dear heavens! How I wish he didn’t hear that stupid musing! “I mean, I bet it’s the one who died. Virginia, right? Duh! It’s very obvious. It says here tomb and bride, which was a fact. She’s the only one who died and he marries.” I said so quickly, feeling proud of my reasoning.

“Good point. But I on the other hand think that it was Sarah. You’re only looking at the superficial things, the obvious one. Dig deeper. Aren’t you curious about the other parts? You only concentrated on the last one.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, feeling ignorant about everything he just said.

“This is like trying to read a person. For example, there are some who masked themselves with personalities that they just created, the ones they’re showing. If you somehow don’t know them, you will easily believe in the kind of life they just formed. But if you know their background, you’re finding yourself more curious about the real person behind that mask.” His words were so intense that it somehow spoke a thousand meanings.

Sounds like you.

Will you please shut it, just once?

I was busy with my internal battles that I didn’t realize that Chad had moved closer to me. I could hear my heart thumping so loud, that I was afraid that he could hear it in the closeness we have!

“Look here.” He pointed to the first part of the poetry. “It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea, that a maiden there lived whom you may know by the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me.”

Whoever said that Chad was a loser was so damn wrong! There’s no other person who could read this poetry as sexy as what he was doing right now! Damn, I was literally swooning over him and I wasn’t even kidding! 

“I was a child and she was a child, in this kingdom by the sea, but we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee. With a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven, coveted her and me.” The way he pronounced each word was unbelievable hot!

Poetry is so not dull after all!

I sighed dreamily as I watched his lips do the talking. I was out from my musing when Chad snapped his finger in front of me.

“Are you even listening, Collins?”

“Yes!” I said. “Of course.” I added.

“Okay, let’s make this interesting.” He said. Well, this was interesting enough for me. What more could he had in mind? “If you somehow convince me that this poetry was inspired by Poe’s wife, Virginia, I will do whatever you wanted me to do.”

Oh and that one was more more interesting!

“No exam papers or grades involve.” He warned me.

“Oh I have greater things in mind.” I said, readying myself to accept the challenge.

“And no nudity involve.” He said sounding so firm.

“Never crossed my mind.” I fibbed. Well, I kinda thought of it for a second. I was curious as to what his body looked like, topless, but then he might think that I was secretly drooling over him so I decided to change it. “And if somehow you did convince me that it was the other woman?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“You don’t have to do anything because I know that I could convince you.” He said so arrogantly.

It should be a crime to be arrogant and adorable at the same time. How Chad managed to be both was way beyond my imagination.

“In that first two paragraphs, it was very obvious that Annabel Lee is the one whom he loved since he was young.” He was being proud of himself as he said those words.

“And your basis is that she was a child? But Virginia was 13 when they got married. And that was a perfect age for a child.” I countered.

“But the statement says that I was a child and she was a child. Both of them. And Poe was 27 when she was married to Virginia so he wasn’t a child by then.” He pointed out.

“Go on. We’re only of the first two parts.” I said, feeling the tension in the air.

“Okay, here’s the fun part.” He said and then he continued reading. “And this was the reason that, long ago, in this kingdom by the sea, a wind blew out of a cloud, chilling my beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her highborn kinsmen came and bore her away from me, to shut her up in a sepulcher in this kingdom by the sea.”

Okay, for a brief second, I was lost. And although it was pleasing to my ear to hear Chad do the reading, I felt that I was losing. It was as if he was using that as a distraction to lure my mind out.

So instead, I was the one who read the next part. “The angels, not half so happy in Heaven, went envying her and me— Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know, in this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.”

I stopped for a brief second and looked at him, feeling triumphant of the next thing that I was about to say. “See, chilling and killing, Annabel Lee died. And just so you know, Virginia was the one who died, not Sarah.”

A grin was forming at Chad’s lips, making me think twice about the thing that I just said. Was I wrong or right?

“You just missed the previous paragraph. You just concentrated at the word killing, again.”

“But that was the essential part and the rightful clue.” I tried to reason out.

“Her highborn kinsmen came and bore her away from me, Poe was talking about Sarah’s father. When he separate the two.” He clarified.

“And how could you explain the killing? Obviously Sarah didn’t die, so your argument is invalid.” I told him in a matter of fact.

Hmm. This was getting really intense and interesting! I sounded so smart!

“The word killing doesn’t necessarily and literally mean that the muse died. It could mean something else.” Chad implied.

“Like what?” I asked in a challenging tone.

He smiled at me for a brief second before he said, “Love.”

I was literally taken aback by his word. Oh dear heavens Collins, he just said the word love! It didn’t have I in front and you in the end so calm your freakin’ nerves down!

Chad must have sensed my silence as for him to continue because that was what he did. “Sarah’s love for Edgar was so strong and so was he to her. Sarah took the separation very seriously, she was so hurt and it was as if something inside her died. That was the killing.”

I frowned at him. How could he think of that? That didn’t even cross my mind!

“Have you ever felt that way, Courtney? Something inside you died because the one you love left you or just gone?”

Surprise took over me when he asked me that question and the image of my Mom holding me in her arms when I was a child suddenly popped up into my brain.

I instantaneously shook off the image before I shed a tear that was threatening to escape from my eyes.

“So you’re expert in love now, huh? Have you ever been in love Treyson? Because you sure know lots about that topic.” I teased, trying to change the subject and lightening up the mood.

“You don’t have to be in love to know the real meaning of love, Collins.” He fired back.

“But---“ I tried to reason out, feeling curious if he had ever been in that situation before.

But Chad being Chad, immediately dismissed my upcoming interference about his life and continued reading the next part.

“But our love it was stronger by far than the love of those who were older than we— Of many far wiser than we— and neither the angels in Heaven above nor the demons down under the sea can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee.”

“What year died his wife died?” I suddenly inquired.

Chad opened the brown book and searched for it. “1842” He answered.

“And when was this poetry written and published?”

“1849 and published after Poe died.” He was quick to answer without even looking at brown book.

“See, if you’re going to look at it, he was mourning over his deceased wife. Angels in heaven and demons down under the sea he wasn’t sure himself where his wife went but then it only means that wherever she was, her soul will always remain with him.”

Wow, I sounded so clever when I said that.

“That was the obvious part of the story. Look here.” He said, and I looked at the part where his finger was pointing. “But our love it was stronger by far than the love of those who were older than we— Of many far wiser than we, he was talking about the disapproval of Sarah’s father and the will of her dead husband, saying that if she remarries again, three quarters of her estate will be gone. And the wiser ones, he was talking about her children who also disapprove of their supposed to be marriage before he died.”

I was in complete and utter shock. Seriously, how could Chad know this much? Did he spend