Distance.

Never have I encountered such power that one person can hold from such beauty of a smile that lit up the whole entire room. I had to pull myself together; I couldn't make it too obvious, saving myself some embarrassment just in case... 

 2012. It was the year of the Black Water Dragon - apparently offered amazing opportunities, it was to expect the unexpected during the unusual year - "when mystery abounds and change happens almost constantly. " That was precisely correct. High school finally came to an end. The people who have been a part of my life since kindergarten are all departing elsewhere to other colleges. It was hard saying goodbye to everyone, knowing I won't get to see their faces daily anymore and won't probably meet again till months later, but I had to be ready to face this new adventure in my life - college. It was like I was leaving an old life behind and starting fresh from scratch. It definitely did feel that way as after two and a half years of being in a committed relationship, that also came to an end. That wasn't our first breakup but it still killed. I didn't know why Zara ended it. She gave me no proper explanation and I felt too scared to ask. I did miss her. No doubt. But why did a part of me feel a little relieved? I guess the constant arguments and the fact that we were always on and off back then just, tired me out. Especially that now we were an hour and a half away, replacing the 30 minute distance made it seem much more difficult which conflicted with our busy lives. I did still love her. Well, at least I thought I did.

Nearly four weeks had passed since I had started college and with the long college hours and the constant revision for exams made it almost impossible to have thought about anything other than all the work. From time to time I had thought about her but it wasn't painful for me anymore. Maybe it was just me missing someone to talk to on the phone at the end of the day or the feeling of missing someone who cared about me. Maybe it was just missing the idea of being in a relationship. Maybe. Either way I felt that I had moved forward and I was pretty proud of myself. On the 7th day of July, I had received the most unexpected text from Marcelina-Victoria, or Tori I should say. She was an old classmate of mine who had moved to England in Grade 2. Her and her family visited every other year and I had completely forgotten that it was the year that they were home again. Unlike before she'd used to visit CKCM to see me and the rest of her old classmates; she had never forgotten about us and we have never forgotten about her but obviously it was now different due to us being separated in different places such as in Iligan City like me, Cagayan de Oro, Ozamis City, Cebu etc. She had texted me to see if I was free that night to go swimming with some of our old classmates and her family but sadly I went back home in Kapatagan for the night. Four days later, I had received a text from her again to ask if I was free the following day to meet up, to discuss the possibility of me as her partner for her parents' renewal of vows on the 14th due to her partner backing out. It was an out of the blue and late offer but I was free that Saturday and I was glad that she had asked. 

We had met again on that following day, on the 12th. She greeted me with a hug and a welcoming hello. It was her smile that had struck me; she was more beautiful than I had remembered and she was still the same old Tori whenever she came home, as she still was able to speak visaya and actually blended in with the rest of us. During that whole afternoon, I couldn't help but look at her in every direction she faced. She had this glow, this strong charisma that kept my eyes glued to her at almost all times. We had dinner at Kyla's Bistro later on that night with her parents and the wedding co-ordinators on one table in some kind of meeting and me, Ryan (an old classmate) and Tori on another table. Although I didn't end up being her partner, as I thought the suit didn't fit me and to be honest I was a little shy so it was Ryan who got the spot, I was really glad to have spent time with her again. Two years seemed to have gone pretty quickly. I went back to my boarding house with a smile on my face. I couldn't wait to see her again.