The second I close my eyes, the memories

play, and I find myself back at the beginning

A few leaves roll in as he enters the book

store.He wears a denim jacket, with the

sleeves pushed up, a white sweater under

neath.It's the third time he's come in since

i started working here two weeks ago.

His name is Sam obayashi, the boy from

my english class.I've been starting out the

window throughout my shift, wondering

if he'd come in again. For some reason,

we haven't spoken to each other yet. He

just browses the store as i ring up

costumers and restock the shelves. I can't

tell if he's looking for something. Or if he

likes that feeling of being inside a book

store.Or if he came see me.

As I move a book from the shelf,

wondering if he knows my name, I catch

the glint of brown eyes through the gap,

looking back at me from the other side.

We're silent for a moment too long. Then

he smiles, and I think he's abaout to say

something---but I shove the book between

us before he has the chance. I grab the

crate beside me and hurry to the back

room."what's warong with me? Why

didn't I smile back?" After scolding myself

for ruining the moment, I gather some

courage to go back out and intorduce

myself. But when I return from the back

room, he's already gone.

On the front counter, I find something

that wasn't there before. A cherry blossom,

made of paper. I turn it over in my hands,

admiring the folds.

"Did sam leave here?"

if I hurry outside, I might still catch him.

But as soon as i rush out the door, the

street vanishes, and I find myself entering a

noisy cafe on the corner of third street,

nearly two weeks later.

Round tables pop up from a wooden

floor as teenagers crowd around them,

snapping pictures and drinking from

ceramic cups. I'm wearing a gray sweater

slightly oversized, and my brown hair is

pinned back and brushed smooth. I catch

Sam's voice before i see him, behind the

counter taking someone's order.The swoop

of dark hair. maybe it's the apron, but he

appears taller from behind the register.

I head for table on the other end of the cafe,

and set my things down. I take my time as

I spread out my notebooks, summoning up

courage to approach him, even if its only

to order my drink. But when i look up from

the table, he's there beside me, holding a

steaming cup.

"oh---" I'm startled by his sudden

presence. "This isn't mine."

"Yeah I know, you ordered this last time,"

sam says, setting it down anyway. "A honey

lavender latte, right?" I stare at the cup,

at the busy counter, and back at him.

"should I pay up there?" He laughs.

"No.i mean, it's on the house. dont worry

about it."

"oh."

A silence between us. Say something, julie!

"I can make you something else instead"

he offers. "No. this is fine—i mean ... thank

you."

"No problem," Sam says through a smile.

he slides his hands into his apron pocket.

"your name is julie right?" He points to his

name tag. " I'm sam."

"yeah, we're in the same english class "

"right. have you done the reading yet?"

"not yet."

"oh god," he sighs. "Me neither."

Some silence as he stand there. he smells

faintly of cinnamon. Neither of us knows

what to say. I look around. "Are you on a

break?"

Sam stares back at the counter, rubbing

his chin.

"Well, my manager isn't in today, so I guess

you could say that." He adds a smirk.

"I'm sure you deserve it."

"it would be my fifth one today, but who's

counting?" we both laugh.My shoulder relax

a little.

"is it okay if i sit here?"

"sure..." I slide my things out of the way,

letting him take the chair besides me.

"where did you move here from again?"

sam ask.

" Seattle."

"I hear it rains a lot there."

" It does, yeah."

I smile as we sit together, talking for the

first time, about school and the classes

we're taking and little things about

ourselves—he has a younger brother, likes

music documentaries, and plays the guitar.

from time to time, his eyes dart around the

room, as if he's nervous, too. but after a

few hours, we're both laughing like old

friends. outside the sun lowers itself,

turning his skin almost golden in the

window light. it's hard not to notice. it isn't

until a group of sam's friends come through

the door, calling his name, that we both

look up and realized how much time has

passed.

A girl with long blond hair puts an arm

around Sam's shoulders, embaracing him

from behind. She glances at me. "Who's

this?"

"this is julie. she just moved here"

"oh—where from?"

"seattle," I answer.

she stares at me.

"This is my friend taylor," Sam says,

patting her arm that's still around him.

"we're all about to see a movie. I get off

work in an hour. you should come."

"it's a psychological thriller," Taylor adds.

"You're probably not into that."

We look each other. I can't tell if she's

being rude.My phone vibrates on the

table and I glance at the time. it feels like

I've woken from a daydream. "that's okay.

I should probably head home."

As I get up from the table, Taylor slodes

into my seat, making me wonder if they're

together. I wave good bye, but before I go,

I head to the front counter. when I think

sam isn't looking, I pull a paper flower from

my bag and place it beside the register.

I spent a week watching tutorials on how

to fold a cherry blossom like the one I found at the bookstore. but the steps were

too hard to follow for my untrained hands.

a lily was easier.

I zip my bag and hurry out the cofe door,

and suddenly I'm on the front porch of

my house, staring out at the lawn. the early

morning dew still hangs on the grass.

Sam's car pulls up with the window down.

He texted me the night before.

Hey. This is Sam. I just got my license!

Do you want a ride to school tommorow?

I can pick you up on the way if you want

I climb onto the passenger seat and shut

the car door. A pleasant scent of citrus and

leather hits me. 'is that cologne? Sam move

his denim jacket as i buckle myself in. A

USB cable connects the stereo to his phone

placed inside the cup holder. There's a

song playing in the background, but i don't

recognize it.

"you can change the music if you want,"

Sam says. "Here—plug your phone in."

A shock of panic hits me and I sqeeze my

phone tight. I don't want him knowing

what i listen to yet. 'what if he doesn't like it? "No this is fine."

"oh you like radiohead too?"

"who doesn't?" I say. it's quite drive through neighborhood streets. we

exchange glances frome time to time, as

I think of things to say. I look at the

backseat. A suit jacket hangs from the grip

handle. "is this your car?"

"No, it's my dad's," Sam says, lowering the

volume. "He doesn't work Thursdays, so

this is the only morning i get to drive it. l'm

saving up to buy my own, though. that's

why I'm working at the cafe."

" I'm trying to save up, too."

"for what?"

I think about it. "college, I guess. maybe

an apartment, after I move or something."

"where are you moving? you just got

here."

I'm not sure what to say.

Sam nods. "so it's a secret..."

I smile at this. Sam says. he looks at me.

"how about next Thursday?"

I hold back a laugh as we turn into the

school parking lot. even though the drive

doesn't last long, Thursday are becoming

my new favorite day of the week.

The memory changes again. lights

dance across a gymnasium floor and

music blares as i step through an archway

made of silver and gold ballons. it is the

night of the school dance and i don't know

anyone here. I'm wearing the new dress my

mom helped pick out, dark blue satin that

flows out at the waist. with mo long hair

pinned up, i hardly recognize myself when

i looked in the mirror. i wanted to stay

home, but my parents forced me to go out

and make friends. i didn't want to

disappoint them. i spent the last hour

standing againts the cold cement wall,

watching the floor fill with people dancing

and laughing. i check my phone from time

to time, pretending im waiting for someone,

but it's just an empty lock screen. maybe

this was a mistake.

something keeps me from leaving. sam

mentioned he might be here tonight. i

texted him a few hours ago but he hasn't

responded—maybe he hasn't checked his

phone yet? when the music slows down

and the crowd disperses, i leave my spot at

the wall and make my way through the

dance floor, searching for him. it takes me

a while, but the moment i see him, my heart

drops. there he is, with his arm wrapped

around taylor, slow dancing. there's a

sinking feeling in my stomach.

'why did i came here? i should have stayed

home. i shouldn't have texted him. i turn

away before anyone sees me, and rush

towards the gym doors.

the night unfolds around me as the loud

music muffles, letting me breathe easier.

the parking lot, lit up by a few streetlamps,

seems so still compared to the dance floor.

it's misty out tonight. i should head home

before it turns into rain. i thik about texting

my mom to pick me up, but it's too early.

i don't want her asking me what's wrong.

maybe I'll walk home and sneak into my

room. my heels are starting to hurt, but i

ignore the pain. as i make my way down

the parking lot, the gym door swings open

behind me, followed by a voice i recognize

immediately.

"julie—"

A/N- sa kabilang chapter ko na ipag patuloy yung prologue kasi parang mahaba haba narin ehh enjoy reading