Aligning the Stars (GXG)

XXVI - Graduation

A/N: This chapter is a little bit fast-forward.

Astrea

It's been a couple of months since I started to piece myself back together.

Months of trying not to think about her, not to let myself linger in those memories. Even though every cell in my body wanted to reach out, to hear her voice again, I forced myself to let go. I pretended that night was just a fragment of the past, something buried so deep it no longer had a hold on me.

But it was a lie. A part of me still felt the weight of her absence, like an ache that never quite healed. Every time I'd see something that reminded me of her—an old playlist, her favorite café, a place we once visited—it all came rushing back, each memory sharper than the last. And yet, I stayed silent. I couldn't allow myself to go back. I couldn't undo the distance I'd fought so hard to create.

People started noticing the change in me. Friends asked if I was okay, if something had happened, but I always brushed them off with a smile that felt thin and worn. I'd learned to fake strength, to pretend that moving on was easy, even though it took everything in me not to look back.

Was I doing better?

Even if it was hard to believe—yes, I was. Slowly, day by day, I was learning to move forward, piecing together a life that didn't revolve around her. It didn't mean the pain was gone, or that I'd forgotten, but I was finally starting to find glimpses of who I was before everything.

Nasa internship na rin ako, and the busy days made it easier to keep my mind off things. My schedule was packed with deadlines, projects, and new responsibilities, all pushing me to focus on something other than the ache that lingered beneath the surface. The work was grounding, giving me a sense of purpose I hadn't felt in a long time.

Constellations will be handled by Tita Sandra for the mean time, although I still go there once my duty is over. Nagigising at natutulog ako na puro trabaho lang ang inaatupag.

Other than that, nasa photography ko naman nababaling ang atensyon ko.

Since I've become an intern at WTA Architecture and Design Studio, I've also grown interested in Photography. The moment I got in, I secured the spot of being the Photographer in most projects and documentations. My works have been published in articles, in social media and architectural projects which I didn't expect. It was fun— that it already made me feel guilty because I feel like I have been neglecting the restaurant because of it.

And it was weird because, for the first time in a long while, I felt like I had something that was mine. Photography wasn't just a job or a requirement—it became a way for me to see the world differently. Capturing moments, playing with light, framing a scene—it was exhilarating in a way I never thought it could be.

Pero sa kabila ng kasiyahan na nadarama ko, hindi ko maiwasan ang bigat sa dibdib ko. The restaurant had always been part of my life, something I shared with Tita Sandra and something that connected me to my parents. And yet, here I was, pouring my time and energy into something else, almost forgetting about the place that shaped so much of who I am.

Whenever I'd pass by the restaurant, lalo na kapag busy si Tita Sandra at ako ang hindi makapunta, may kurot sa puso ko. The guilt would creep in—what if I was letting her down? What if I was letting them down? My parents had poured their lives into that place, and here I was, choosing something else.

But Tita Sandra, being the kind of person she is, never made me feel bad about it. Instead, she would smile and say, "Astrea, you've found something you love. Don't let guilt stop you from chasing it."

The weirdest part was how much I missed it too— cooking, the hum of the customers, and even the chaos when we're jam packed. It was like two parts of me were pulling in different directions, one eager to explore and grow, and the other longing for the comfort of home.