The face, the hug, the feeling – they are not just familiar but have been longed for. It’s been three long years since Billie got sick and everything else happened. All the misunderstandings and things that both of them already want to forget have presented themselves again in the moment.“What time is your flight tomorrow?” Billie asked.“After lunch,” Zofi said.“So soon. I was hoping it would be at night,” he said.“I want to rest a bit before the next flight,” she said.Billie looks away and stays focused there.“What is it?” she asked.He shakes his head while trying to hide the sadness in his eyes with a fake smile.“You’re turning 29. We are both 29 now and one of us is already taken,” he said.Zofi understood what he meant.“It can’t be pushed back anymore this time,” he said.“Are you assuming that I am going to end up with him?” she asked bravely.“I know he’s not going to let you go,” he said seriously.“We are still getting to know more about each other,” she said nervo
Senior High School Dance, 2014Billie waits outside his van for his date. At 18, he looks so dapper in his black tuxedo and oozing with charm.Every girl that passed by him can't keep their eyes away from him. Just looking at him makes them smile and wonder what if he was their date to the ball. He really looks like a prince. Most boys can't help but feel insecure so they make sure to escort their dates immediately inside the venue.Billie looked left and right before he slightly opened the sliding door of the van. "How much time do you still need?" he asked the person inside."Oops…no picking," Zofi warned him."The ball's about to start. I think everyone's inside already," he told her.Zofi sighed. "That's the intention. We are preparing for a grand entrance just like Cinderella's. Everyone should be there to witness it," she said."Okay. I'm just reminding you that it will start any minute…..oh!" Billie couldn't finish his reminder. He's mesmerized by the look created by Z
Second Year College, 2016The bell rings signaling the end of class."Guys, don't forget your papers are due this Friday. It's been the second time the submission is pushed back. There will be no more extension after that," the professor said."Hi Trevy," Samantha greeted Trevor in a sweet tone.As usual, Trevor gets thrilled every time Samantha comes closer and especially when she calls him "Trevy". He's the typical uninteresting nerdy guy in campus and his story is as typical as he is – he's head over hills for Samantha, the it girl in school who also wants to establish the reputation of being beauty and brains that she tries to achieve by dominating the school's beauty contests and using others like Trevor to do her assignments and projects."Hi Sam," Trevor responded. He's so mesmerized."Awww….so sweet of you to call me by my nickname. Not everyone gets to call me that," she said."Really, Sssam?" he said in a trembling voice. He feels so lucky like he won the lottery just
Month after college graduation, 2018The students start to vacate the dormitory. Ms. Molly looks teary eyed seeing them preparing to leave. She is the dorm's sweet landlady who takes care of her tenants like her own little sisters or nieces. She's an only child who naturally inherited the property from her parents upon their demise.Ms. Molly is single, childless, and almost a golden girl. Despite looking younger than her age, she cannot be spared from being referred to as a spinster.Her friends are those she met in Zumba classes. They are either spinsters or widows."You don't need to hurry, Zofi. You can stay until next week free of charge. That's my graduation gift to you," she told Zofi."Oh, thanks, Ms. Molly! I've so many stuff to pack," Zofi said."So, what do you plan to do now? Vacation? Job hunt? Masters?" Ms. Molly asked. "Vacation but more of rest, I guess. I'm just not ready to plunge into what they call as the real world. I'll stay under the wings of my parents
Zofi's First Job, 2019It is like the first day of school only even better. Everything is new – shoes, bag, dress, and an ATM card! "I hope you can be settled soon. Your desk and pedestal cabinets are both new," the HR manager said. "Thank you! I feel so excited to work. It' so much better here than in school," Zofi said.The people around look to each other as if saying she doesn't know what she's up to. "Let her discover and learn on her own. For now, let her enjoy the honeymoon stage at work," one of her senior colleagues said.Come midmorning, everyone is already busy working while Zofi finds herself bored reading the company manual. She feels like she is back in school again. She decided to approach the most senior in the team to offer help."Hi, Ms. Mitch. Do you need help? Photocopying? Sorting? Filing?" she asked.Ms. Mitch smiled. "Oh, dear. Here, everyone is independent. We don't ask anyone to do things for us. Keep that in mind so you won't be taken advantage of,"
Summer, 2019"You're working on weekends now?" Billie asked Zofi.The two next door neighbors now."We have teambuilding," Zofi said."Ah, you should be ready with your ideas for mission/vision," he said."Oh, it's actually more of bonding," she said."Your HR plans teambuilding that way?" he said."Well, it's just our unit doing this. Ms. Mitch thought it would be best for the team to go out and bond on one weekend. They haven't done it for so long," she said."Okay, then. I'm the only one who's going to pick up Saatchi from the airport," he said."Why does it have to be you? I mean, does she have no relatives?" she asked."Because she's staying in our house. She's our guest," he explained."Alright. You're close," she said."You still don't you like her, do you?" he asked."Oh, I think it's the other way around," she said."Alright then, let's not meet this weekend," he said.Saturday comes. Billie waits early in the airport.He's not sure how Saatchi looks now. It's been years s
Zofi has been staring at the colorful cotton candy for a few minutes now. "Are you feeling guilty too?" Billie asked. "I feel bad for her. I didn't know she liked you that much," Zofi said. The two sit on the bench near the Ferris Wheel. The amusement park is full of young people like them who probably have not yet entirely moved on from being kids. "We could've enjoyed the rides with her. I feel her loneliness," she said. "I know. And considering the mission that we've done for others, I feel I abandoned her," he said. Zofi pats Billie's back. "Don't be so hard on yourself. It's not your fault if you don't feel the same way for her," she said. "There's too much going on inside my head this past week," he said. "I haven't been a bother to you lately so besides the situation with Saatchi, what else has been bothering you?" Zofi asked. Billie becomes quiet. "C'mon, tell me," she said. Billie sighed. "Cindy hasn't returned my calls or messages this entire week," he said.
Billie and Zofi sit on the couch looking at the TV. They're not watching. They're just staring at it. "Do you want anything to munch or drink? Softdrinks? Juice?" Billie asked. Zofi grabbed one throw pillow and hugs it. "Are we going to pass the night like this?" he asked. "Tell me why were you sad yesterday. I see you're still sad until today," Zofi asked. "Then, tell me why did you go to your parents' house," he asked. Zofi sighed. "I was devastated and I couldn't go to you because you were unreachable and I recalled you telling me last night that you already had so much in your head, I shouldn't add up to that," she said. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Is it still about her?" she asked. Billie nodded. He can't say anything after that. "You don't have to tell me now if you're not ready yet," she said. Billie is still quiet. "I think I'm hungry now. Let eat whatever you have in your fridge," she said. "Cindy married his employer," he said quickly. His eyes start to te