Chasing Hope [HIATUS]

CHAPTER 16

"Congrats!" I greeted Maeve with a hug when I saw on YouTube that she had 950K Subscribers. I am so proud of her!

She started vlogging with my camera because her parents didn't want her to buy a camera, then I will help her edit the video and upload it with her. Time goes by so fast. Parang kailan lang nangyari 'yon.. it was our vacation after she graduated from JHS. Mag-o-overnight pa siya sa amin para lang makapag-vlog, magtatago kami kapag may kumakatok. I'm so glad that I was probably by her side from the beginning, I saw her improvisation, her interest in what he was doing. Gosh... I witnessed it all.

Maeve hugged me back, hinigpitan niya iyon. Nadala siguro nang pagkatuwa niya. "Hindi ko ine-expect 'to, Nad!" excited na sabi niya sa akin.

I put a smile on my lips when I saw her crying with joy. Euan hugged her so I left there for a moment, let me give them time for each other first. Lumabas na lang ako ng Tyler's at ni-romanticize ang traffic sa Katipunan. I don't have a boyfriend so that's what I always do, romanticize everything.

Kahit nasa traffic ako, iisipin ko na lang na okay lang 'yun para hindi ako ma-bad mood. But it's really annoying to think that Kiel and I haven't talked for two days, he doesn't even have a story on his Instagram so I don't know what's going on with him! And I don't even know why he doesn't talk to me... and I don't even know why I'm waiting for his message. Duh! It's just him, I don't care if we don't talk.

We have our own lives. But... I hate to admit but I kinda miss his presence. Ang boring ng buhay ko lately, we're not talking. Ang tahimik na ulit, my phone doesn't ring every minute when I'm doing something. Wala naman akong naiwan sa condo niya para bumalik doon. Wala akong excuse!

Ugh, nevermind.

I leaned against Maeve's car and opened my Instagram. I immediately saw that Pat had a new story so I clicked on it to see. My mouth turned an 'o' when I found out he was on Pop Up right now, following his story was a photo of them together; Pat, Jaethron, Fritz, Mav, and Kiel. Ngayon ko lang ulit nakita na kasama nila si Mav, usually not.

From: Ary

Nad!! Let's hang out! Pop up! Right now!! Busy ka ba?

Kumunot ang noo ko nang mabasa iyon.

To: Ary

sure! i'm with maeve and euan rn kasi, is it okay if isama ko sila?

From: Ary

Oo naman! Punta na 'ko ng pop up, sunod na lang kayo! Ingaaaaat 💗

Bumalik na ako sa loob at naabutang naglalandian na 'yung dalawa. Tapos na ba 'yung celebration?

"Where's the element?" I asked them, Maeve and Euan. Element ang tawag ko kina Andrei at Rafi, element because they cannot be separated from each other. Inseparable naman kay Euan at Maeve. Swear, these couples are never separated and are together every time! Of course, there's me. The single one or the pangbansang fifth wheel.

"Punta raw sila Pop Up, eh. Punta ba tayo ro'n?"

I shrugged and took my things. "I'm about to said that. Let's go," as always, I'm sitting in the back. I leaned my head against the window and thought about the lessons I needed. Ugh, napapagod na ako kahit iniisip ko pa lang! "What?" sagot ko kay Maeve na tinawag ang pangalan ko. Malapit na kami sa park.

"Someone said na nandoon si Syed. Tutuloy pa ba tayo?" She looked at me. I didn't answer for a minute and cleared my throat before sitting up. I nodded. "Sure ka?"

"Yeah," I gave her a smile to reassure her. What happened in the past will remain in the past, the present cannot change that. All I need to do is accept it, grow for myself, and leave all the fear of no destination. And after many years of abandoning myself in the dark, I have found hope to turn on the light again. There is a pain that comes inside me every time I remember that or see or remember Syed, but what is the reason for me to shed tears?