Today is my flight leaving for Cebu, and I have six hours left before my flight. I still can't believe it after four years, and I'll be home. I prepared my outfit on my bed and took a shower. After I showered, I heard a knock at my bedroom door. I wore my bathrobe and dried my hair with a towel, and went out to my bathroom. I saw my door opened and Maki entering the room.
"Hey Chloe," Maki greeted.
"Hey," I greeted her back.
"I knocked twice, but you didn't answer. I thought you were still in the shower."
"It's okay, I heard you knock, and I was supposedly gonna open the door," she lay down and got herself comfortable on the bed. "You're early today?" I ask.
"Yeah, I ask for an early out from work today. I would never miss driving you to the airport. And besides, I'll never allow you to let you take an Uber on your way to the airport, right?" she said. I feel important, knowing she would ask for an early out from work.
"Touché," I grin while she rolls her eyes.
Toronto Pearson International Airport…
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen: this is a pre-boarding announcement for flight 260B to Cebu, Philippines. We are now inviting passengers to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Thank you.
I stand up on my seat and look at Maki. "Hey, I just heard the boarding announcement for my flight. I should go now," I'm so thankful even though her schedule is tight for days, she still managed to come and see me off.
"So, this is it?" she smiled at me.
"This is it, see you after five months," I give her a tight hug.
She pulls away from the hug so she can see my face. "I'm going to miss you. Take care!" I nod in response. "You too, Maki. Take care, okay?" She nods, and I smiled in return. I turn around and get my two luggage and my hand-carry bag. "Wait, Chloe!" I turned around, looking confused. "What is it, Maki?" I furrowed my brows, and she took out her phone from her purse. "Let me take a picture of your ootd," I rolled my eyes and started posing for her. Maki stops taking pictures of me after four or six shots, and we both look at the photos. (outfit of the day)
"Nice," As I swipe the photos.
"I like this one," I said and pointed to the fourth photo. "Send me this one," I said. Maki airdropped my photo.
After she sends my photos, I bid goodbye to Maki. "Bye, Chloe!" she waves her hand, and I wink at her. I grab my sling bag and place it on my left shoulder.
20 hours later…
Ladies and Gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts. We'll be landing soon.
Cebu Mactan Airport…
"OMG! OMG! OMG! Chloooooe!"
I heard and saw someone: shouting and running in my direction. Bringing a ½ cardboard that says: 'WELCOME HOME CHLOE MONTES! WHERE'S MY HERSHEY CHOCOLATES?' I couldn't clearly see the face of the person. All I notice is she's a woman, but then that person suddenly got nearer and nearer. I realized that it was Evelyn, my best friend!
"Eveeeeeelyn!" I squealed and ran after her with my two luggage with me. We hugged and jumped like a five-year-old who has gotten cotton candy from their parents. "I miss you so much, Chloe!" Eve was about to cry. She pulled away from the hug and punched my right shoulder hard. "Aw! That hurts," I winced, nursing my right shoulder. "That's for taking so long to come home," she slapped my left shoulder, "Four years Chlo, four fucking years!" she pouted. I cackled, and she hit my left shoulder once again. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," I grinned. Knowing Evelyn, she wouldn't hold a grudge for too long towards me. "Let's go!" I excitedly said. "Hmph! You're lucky you're my best friend," she grabs my two luggage-bags beside me, and we start walking towards the parking lot.
"You brought a car?" I asked her.
"Of course, I wouldn't let my best friend commute," she rolls her eyes, and I chuckle in return.
We arrived at the parking lot. She put my luggage-bags at the back of her car. And we both went inside the car silently. She turns on the engine, and she asks: "Where are we headed?"
"Let's go to San Juan, and we'll just drive-thru at McDonald's. Is that okay with you?" I asked Evelyn. She nodded in response, "I know how you're excited to surprise your family and visit your nana," she said. I'm really grateful to my friends. They always have my back no matter what our differences.
"Wait, it's your nana's birthday today," she said.
"Yeah, it is," I smile faintly.
"Well, we better get there fast so we can surprise them," She says, changing the subject. Evelyn drove the car out of the parking lot in the Airport. While she was busy driving and looking at the road, I started speaking.
"Thank you, Eve," she narrowed her eyes.
"Thank you for what?" she quizzically asked.
"I just wanted to say thank you for visiting my family and nana for the last three years that I wasn't around,"
"No problem, I know how much you love your family. It's the least I can do for you, you know," I smile from ear to ear knowing, I have a friend like Evelyn.
"How about we buy her flowers along the way. I think I saw a flower shop across McDonald's a few minutes away from the airport."
"Good idea. Thanks, Eve!" I genuinely thank her.
After two hours of driving on the road, we finally arrived at my hometown, San Juan. I can see the beach from here. I feel nostalgic passing by the street where it used to be my grandma's house. And now, Dad owned it. Evelyn slowly parked her car in front of the house and turned off the engine. "Are you ready?" She randomly asked. "Of course, I'm ready," I narrowed my eyes. Why would Evelyn ask me if I'm ready? She knew how excited I am to surprise my family with my arrival. I gave her a quizzical look.
Eve rolls her eyes and says: "I'm talking about your ex," I suddenly got tense when she mentioned him.
"What about him?" I coldly asked and pretended not to feel affected.
"Are you ready to cross paths with him again? I mean, he lives a few blocks away from here, you remember?" I snicker. "Of course! I've moved on," Lie. You're a terrible liar, Chloe. I totally am not moved on from him. "Are you sure? You will see him here. Every time you visit San Juan," she worriedly asked. Am I really ready to see him again? I mean, it's been four years since the last time I saw him and heard about him. "Let's just go, Eve" I smile faintly. Thankfully, she didn't pry anymore. I sighed heavily before we both went out of the car. I looked at the veranda on my Dad's house.
I saw my cousin, Sydney, standing at the veranda along with my other cousins. They were talking and laughing at Tim's joke. I walked towards the gate. While Eve followed behind me and we let our presence be known.
"Am I late?" I stop at the stairs. I smirked, looking at my family's reactions. Sydney, Jordan, Tim, and Reece gasped when they saw me.
"Oh my god! Is that really you, Chloe?" Sydney exclaimed.
"By flesh," I smirked once again. Sydney squealed and ran towards me. We hugged like we always do whenever we see each other: we feel giddy, we squeal like our celebrity crush is with us, and we jump like we won the lotto. The other family members went out to the veranda to see what the commotion was all about.
"Chloe?" I heard my dad's voice. I turned around and saw him standing five feet apart towards me.
"Surprise!" I exclaimed. Dad walks closer and squeezes me in a tight embrace. "Dad, can't breathe," I tap his shoulders. And he quickly pulls away from the hug. I saw my sister, Riley, and I gave her a brief hug.
"When did you arrive?" Dad asked.
"Just now, Eve picked me up from the airport," I glanced and smiled at Evelyn. My family greeted Evelyn. Dad thanked Evelyn for picking me up at the airport.
"Why didn't you tell us you'll be coming home? We could have prepared a feast today for your arrival?" Dad asked.
"Well, I wanted to surprise you guys. And besides, it's also nana's birthday," (If you guys are wondering, I call my grandma 'nana')
"I miss you, Chloe," Dad confessed. It's been a while since I've heard Dad say those words. I looked at him, but he was already looking at me. I saw his trembling lips like he was about to cry.
"I miss you too, Dad. I miss everyone," I said and gave them my beaming smile. After catching up with family: we visited Nana and Mom in the cemetery and went to the church, then we headed back to my Dad's house: to have dinner.
Evelyn, Sydney, and I were staying at the veranda. "Bessy, are you staying for good?" Sydney asked.
We call each other: 'Bessy' because both of us acknowledged that we're both best friends slash best cousins. We're inseparable when we were kids back then, and even until now.
"Nope, I'm not. I'm just staying for a few months for work," I looked at her, and I saw her face frown, disappointed. "Why? Why not stay for good?" it was Evelyn's turn to ask now. "I love my job, and I like being independent," I explained.
"Chloe, I know it's not about your work or being independent. It's about him, Jaco. Isn't it? You don't want to stay here because you know you'll see him here and―"
"You're afraid," Eve cut in.
"Oh, shut up, it's not about him," I said defensively. "Why so defensive, Chlo?" Eve teasingly said. I rolled my eyes. "Just so you know, he's staying here in San Juan," Sydney confessed, while Eve smirks, hearing from the news, and I get tense. Isn't it too soon to see him again? I just literally got back now.
"I really don't care," I blurted out. You're a freaking liar, Chloe. You actually do care, crap!
"Really, you don't care?" Eve teased, and I rolled my eyes.
The three of us, Sydney, Evelyn, and I, stayed at the veranda, catching up on all the gossip happening in our lives for the past three to four years. Sydney and Evelyn saw two guys talking while passing by near the house. They didn't clearly see the faces of the two guys walking since it was dark on the street, and that was two blocks away from the house. The two guys stopped walking in front of our Dad's house and saw Sydney.
"Hi, Sydney!" The tall guy greeted my cousin.
Sydney and Eve both looked at the two guys standing near the gate. All of a sudden, Evelyn gasps at what she was seeing. The tall guy then shouted Sydney's name for the second time, and I froze.
"Hey, Jaco!"
"Andrew!" Sydney greets them. Her voice sounds uneasy. The two ladies both eyed me worriedly. "Are you okay?" Eve whispered to my ears, and I nod in return. I grit my teeth, clench my hands into a fist, putting on a brave face.
"Hi, Evelyn! What are you doing here?" Jaco asked.
I suddenly got tense. Shit! Shit! Shit! I wanted to walk away now before the guys noticed me. I stood up.
"I picked up Chloe at the airport and drove her here,"
No, no, no, why would she tell him that? She could have lied to them, Ugh! I glared at Evelyn, and she smirked evilly at me.
"Chloe?"
Jaco's voice sounds surprised as he says my name. I bravely glanced at him, but he was already staring at me, wide eyes. He was surprised to see me just as much as I was surprised to see him too. We stared at each other for a moment, and for a second, I forgot that we weren't alone.
Oh god! I missed looking at his face. Even from afar, I can still see his handsome face. I think his face is more defined and mature now than four years ago.
"Hi Chloe," he smiles at me. I inhaled sharply and froze. We stared at each other, not breaking each other's gazes. "Hey Ja-Jaco," Shit! I stuttered. Why am I so nervous to see him? He's just an ex.
"Ahem," Andrew cleared his throat. Jaco and I abruptly averted our gazes. Well, this is awkward. "Let's go, bro," Andrew said. Jaco nodded in return. Jaco looked at me one last time before they walked away.