About Time

Chapter 9

Summer 2014

Who knew that after more than a year after talking to Marge, things would change again. A lot of things can happen within a year. I went through a lot of drama, hardships and love troubles. After all the years the both of us had to go through to be friends again, I ended up ruining it again.

What if I haven't fallen in love with her again? We would still be friends by now...

What if I haven't fallen in love with her in the first place? She wouldn't have to go through all the trouble I caused her over the past 6 years.

I really am a troublesome guy, with no luck with love whatsoever. 

Sometimes, I couldn't help but think; thinking about her and if she's really happy with him. No matter how much I try to forget everything about her, it seems she still pops up in my mind. It has been a month since I last saw her. 

Not much has changed, for me anyways. For her, her relationship might have been getting stronger without me around. No matter how much pain it causes me to see her happy with someone else, I had to deal with it. 

It's her life, her choices...and I'm positive, she doesn't want any part of me in it.

As for me, I just had to accept that. Move on from it, and if I'm lucky, forget all about it. I moved past the crossroad, and chose to not compromise. Now that my summer is starting, my graduation is at my sights.

During the summer, our provinces' power plant loses it source of power, water. Since it was a hydroelectric generator, the heat would limit the plants' water source, making the neighboring provinces have rotating power outages.

It has always been like this since I started college and its one of the main reasons I hate going to summer classes, but with my graduation looming, and only minor subjects blocking my way, summer classes became my only outlet. Only waking up early was my greatest obstacle. 

Days pass and my summer went bleaker and bleaker. I was alone, even with Kirk graduating in May, he was barely on campus. I was the only one left who hung out at the cottage during breaks. It was lonely not having your batchmates around.

Without friends to help pass the time, I was left alone thinking about a lot things. Almost two months had passed and was still thinking about Marge. Despite being told by Edz and Kirk to not check on her, I still kept looking Marge up on social media.

Basically, I was stalking her, checking up on her once in a while. It hurt me deep down reading love quotes that she posts, but maybe in my own masochistic way, it was helping me accept the facts easier. 

But during the beginning of May, something about her posts changed. Like a sudden change in tone, as if she wants to get out of something. Maybe a little tussle with her boyfriend, I presumed. Deep down, something was bothering me.

I was bothered because I wanted to see her happy and not like this where she's upset about her relationship. It made me question my decision to stay away. Was he even treating Marge right? I got pissed thinking if ever that guy making Marge cry. I was pissed even more on myself because I can't do anything about it.

The days of May went on like that, and after a while, she started posting about being hurt and all that. All the while, I felt helpless. It's not easy to just ask her about it, and as much as I wanted to pry in, I didn't have the right to.

I had so many questions yet have little to no answers. Did I make the right decision to stay away in the first place? Was she really happy at all with him? What would've happened if I stayed and took her away from her boyfriend instead? Would anything change now if I told her that I still love her?

Among all the questions I asked myself, the last one was the only question I had a sure answer to. The way things have been running for her, telling her that I still love her at that moment would change nothing, simply because I would just add more burden for her.

I tried shying away the thoughts by focusing on my classes. They seemed to have helped but by the time my classes were over for the day, I had nobody to turn to except playing Dota 2. My finals examinations were days away, but I was already confident that I would pass.

Upon hearing Kirk pass his remedial exams, it was a sure win that the both of us would graduate that summer. Prior to our final exams, the three of us, Edz included were having an early celebration, since Edz won't be able to make to my graduation party.

We went to a coffee shop for once to celebrate and ordered frappe and green tea. We talked about the happenings over the past month since last we've seen each other. As we drank our frappe, Edz asked, "So, when's the date of your graduation?"

"It's on the 28th, but only if we reach at least 100 graduates for this summer.", I told Edz.

Kirk added, "I know it needs to reach a hundred graduates but they should be a little considerate about this, it's our graduation for Chrissake."

"Yeah, we wouldn't get another opportunity like this ever. It's a one time deal.", I added.

"Well, what is the university gonna do if it really doesn't reach a hundred?", Edz asked.

Kirk and I looked at each other with a worried look, then Kirk said, "The ceremony would be pushed to October. We would still be considered graduates of the university, but we would only have a ceremony on October."

"It sucks, really. The bright side of it, however, is if Kirk and I would become licensed professionals by October, the university would have to call our names on stage with our respective titles.", I laughed at the idea upon telling them about it.

"Haha, good point, Ralph. We still have to see though, maybe our ceremony would push through.", Kirk said.

I raised my plastic cup still filled with frappe and said, "Cheers to us."

"Cheers!", Kirk and Edz said in chorus.

Graduation Day: May 28th, 2014

It was a day so surreal, I still can't believe it happened. After the tribute to parents that morning, the graduation ceremony started by 2 P.M. in the afternoon. As I marched one last time towards the stage of our university, I can't help but think of everything that has led to this moment.

"From the College of Engineering and Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering..."

As the only one graduating from the engineering department, I didn't have to wait in line to get my diploma. My name was called and hands were shook, I took my diploma and raised my head up high. It was a bittersweet moment, because I wanted to graduate with my batchmates in tow, instead, I graduated alone. Still, it made me proud to be the last man standing.

As the ceremony came to a close, it was time to go back home. Without turning my back, I bade goodbye to my alma mater.