My Writing Room classes continue to challenge me by assigning a one-line story for each of the five emotions: joy, sadness, disgust, fear, and anger.

I chose personal topics for my mini stories. For joy, I am talking about the second time I had coffee with my now-boyfriend Allan. For sadness, I wrote about a bus ride we have shared before. I then speak about students who waste their parents' hard-earned money in disgust. For fear, I describe my state of being before each check-up with my endocrinologist (I have hypothyroidism). Lastly, I describe my daily ordeal at the MRT for anger.

In closing, I was asked to write about the last time I felt sad...

Longing for Ella

There are many dogs in Barkin' Blends, my favorite dog cafe. I can only have one favorite, and Ella will always have a special place in my heart. She is a black chiweenie, a curious mix between a dachshund and a chihuahua. I fell in love with this girl because 1) she is small enough to sit comfortably on my lap, 2) she lets me read and sip on my milk tea as she takes a nap, 3) she lickes me a lot and chooses me among the other humans, and 4) she's sweet and always recognizes me whenever I visit.

I am only allowed to stay in the cafe for a couple of hours at a time, and every time I have to conclude my session there, it is always difficult to say goodbye to Ella. I cling to her sleeping, furry body until it's time to go. I wake her up, kiss her head and tell her that I will be back soon. I then hand her back to the staff and go home to my family, who are all allergic to dogs.

I will just have to visit Ella again.