After what happened, I took a deep breath and tried to ground myself. The room felt warm and safe with my friends around me, even though the weight of my past actions hung heavily in the air.
Appolonia gave me a reassuring smile. "Do you need anything, Tads? Water? Some food?"
I shook my head, still feeling a bit shaky. "No, thank you. I just... I need to understand how we got here."
Denver squeezed my hand gently. "We were at the mall when you had the panic attack. Luckily, I was with you. We brought you back here because we thought it would be more comfortable."
I nodded, piecing together the fragments of my memory. "I remember now. Someone hugged me, and it just... it triggered everything."
Sinton finally stepped closer, his expression a mix of concern and hesitation. "That was me. I saw you and got excited. I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's okay," I said, my voice still trembling. "I just wasn't expecting it. I... I'm sorry for ghosting you all. Things got too overwhelming, and I didn't know how to cope."
Ate Wana, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "We understand, Tads. We've all been through tough times, and we're just glad you're here now."
The tension in the room began to ease, and I felt a little more at peace knowing they were willing to give me a chance to explain.
"I want to make things right," I said, looking at each of them. "I miss you all, and I regret disappearing. I just didn't know how to handle everything back then."
Sinton nodded, his expression softening even more. "We missed you too, Tads. It's going to take time, but we can work through this together."
Appolonia chimed in, "We've all grown a lot since then. Let's focus on moving forward, one step at a time."
Denver gave me a supportive smile. "And we're here for you, no matter what. You're not alone in this."
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. For the first time in a long while, I felt hopeful about the future. With my friends by my side, I knew I could face whatever came next.
"Thank you," I said, tears of gratitude welling up in my eyes. "I don't know what I would do without you all."
They all gathered around me in a group hug, and in that moment, I knew that everything would be okay. It was the beginning of a new chapter, one where I wouldn't have to face my fears alone.
After our emotional reunion, we spent the rest of the evening at Ate Wana's place with my friends, but Sinton left because he need to do something daw, We talked about lighter things, avoiding the heavy topics for now, and it felt like a small step toward rebuilding our bond. The warmth and support from Denver, Sinton, and Appolonia gave me a renewed sense of hope. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was on the right path.
Over the next few days, I took it slow. Ate Wana, Denver, and my friends helped me adjust, though I can feel Sinton avoiding me, he's always MIA, but still offering my friends unwavering support means a lot, I know Sinton was still in the process of absorbing everything. Gradually, the anxiety of facing my past began to diminish, replaced by a cautious optimism for the future. I spent time reconnecting with them, rebuilding our friendship one day at a time.
Umalis na rin pala ako kay sa bahay nila Ate Wana, my brother let me have his condo after knowing that I'm now having a life in the Philippines again. Good thing is medyo malapit lang din kela Ate Wana, My brother is in another country, pursuing model.
