To Girls You've Ever Loved | ✔️

Prologue

Dahlia Meadows, 16
I was sixteen years old when I met my first love. It was the end of my junior high school year that I started getting close to him.

The school year had reached its mid-year semester, it was a sign that school would be completed soon. It was the mysterious fellow classmate of mine, it was hard to know him since he wasn't that friendly towards anyone.
My group of classmates had surrounded me, and blurted out a suggestion to me. "We're going to a trip, but one student rejected to come. It was, I forgot his name, but we call him Mr Wildcat." I looked at them and bursted out to laughter. "What do you mean Mr Wildcat?!" I couldn't hold my laughter but his well-made nickname didn't fit him, but they had been calling him that for a long time already.

I walked out of the classroom, and walked to the rooftop. I looked at the view as I gripped my hands tightly on the fence, it was already the sunrise at the moment and I watched the sun rise down in the skyscrapers that I glanced from afar. I had also seen the vehicles passing on the bridge along the way. It was more than unreal that I had always loved looking at the city within this view. I looked at a hand, holding out a banana milk infront of me. I looked at him, and glanced. "Oh, thank you!" as I smiled, then grabbed the fizzy drink.

"Why are you here?" I got stunned for a moment I couldn't reply to him. I was stunned by his voice since this was like the first time I have ever heard it. Anyone would be so stunned if they heard someone's voice after being classmates for almost a year. His voice was so deep, but sounded so calm. I couldn't waste any more time so I replied back. "Just out for a fresh air." I looked at him, and kept smiling. "Do you always like, smile?" he asked me.

If I was to answer that, it'd be a no. I don't enjoy such things like smiling but I had to. My Filipino relatives had always complained about how stubborn I looked like when I wasn't smiling, it looked like I was mad. Since then, I had adapted myself to smile in front of others.
"Yes, I guess." I looked at him and poked the straw in the banana milk he gave me. "Why do you ask? Do you hate it?"
"I don't hate it, I'm impressed you could smile to people you don't know." I hated smiling, but the young me would've been so sad hearing that. The young me went through so many scolds and insults from my parents and relatives, teaching me those basic manners and such because I had to look presentative and elegant.

"Thank you." as I took a sip out of my banana milk. "What's your name?" I curiously asked him since it no one knew his name, I could be the first one to know his name. "Call me Wildcat. Isn't it the class nickname for me?" I looked at him as he looked unfazed. "Then, I will. Mr Wildcat." He laughed and that made me look at him, focusing my gaze on his lips curving into a smile. "Is that real laugh, or no?" I looked at him and sarcastically asked.
"You should smile, it definitely fits you." I looked as I bid my farewell to go home now, since I didn't wanna reach home late. "I'm off. My parents must be looking for me now."

"See you when we can, Dahlia."
Those words made me stop within a second. I looked at him as I turned my body sideways, I had never been mentioned by my name for a while now. It was usually "anak" (Filipino term for: daughter/son), or "president."

I smiled at him, this time it was a genuine one that I didn't had to force.
I was stupidly happy that my name had been called out, but when he called me, he put more than worth to it.
I felt like someone at least knew me, just by my name itself.

"See you tomorrow." I smiled knowing that we could meet again some time tomorrow. I was glad to know somebody, calling me by my name.

Sometimes we say goodbye knowing we'd see them again, but this time I go back to the same place.
It was all quiet, surrounded by the chirping sounds that the birds made. The sunlit, yet airy clouds passed by and rotated around the place every day yet I haven't seen him.

The crowd surrounding me again in the classroom murmured something about him. "They said he transferred." I looked, and smiled painfully.

I was now sure, the hello this time won't come ever again.
Since then, I haven't heard from him.
I'd go back to this day, turn around then make it just alright.

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Dear Diary,

Today, I was sure my first love bid his goodbye to the tomorrow where we wouldn't see each other again.
Maybe it was all a imagination but I knew that.
He will be there, always but somewhere. One day, I'll meet him.