Behind Every Pages

Chapter Twenty-four

I'm feeling overwhelmed by my emotions. The man standing before me, I can't believe it. He's here, I'm certain it's him.

"Ezra," I whispered.

As I stood there, my heart raced at the sight before me. The man in front of me was a vision of perfection. His face, with its chiseled features and piercing gaze, held a timeless allure that drew me in. But it wasn't just his face that captivated me; it was his impressive height that made him a commanding presence here. Every inch of him exuded confidence and charisma, leaving me breathless in his presence.

Feeling a rush of shock and awe, I struggled to find the right words to express the mix of emotions swirling inside me. My heart throbbed in my chest, each beat a reminder of the intensity of my feelings in that moment. It was a surreal experience, standing face to face with the man whose words had inspired and moved me in ways I never thought possible. In that instant, I felt a surge of admiration and reverence for the person who had captured my imagination and heart with his literary creations.

"W-what are you doing here?" That's all I managed to say. I was speechless, unable to believe that the author I admire is right in front of me.

"I'm here to check on you, it's been a while. I haven't heard from you. I'm worried," he approached, allowing me to see his expression more clearly.

He's a strikingly handsome man. His appearance is breathtaking. I hear a loud thumping noise, like drums, but then I realize it's coming from my chest. I couldn't find the words; I felt like crying out of sheer joy.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. Tears welled up in my eyes. I didn't know, it's like all the emotions I've been holding back since Daddy was imprisoned are pouring out now. I thought I had run out of tears, but now they won't stop falling. I felt the pain again when someone asked me if I was okay.

For days, I've been holding back everything: my disappointment in Daddy, my longing for Mommy, my compassion for our situation with Luther.

I was taken aback when he moved closer and gently held my face, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears. "Hey, why are you crying?" I looked down. Why am I crying again?

"S-sorry, I can't help it." I wiped my tears. "I-it's late, why did you decide to meet now?"

"If you only knew," he grinned, leaving me puzzled.

"What? Is there a problem?" I asked, puzzled.

"The truth is, I've seen you for a long time. A-at school, I've seen you a few times." He kept his head down and couldn't look at me.

"W-what?"

"I'm sorry I didn't have the courage to meet you. Here I am, always saying I want to see you. Every time I see you, I lose the strength to approach you. I feel like I shouldn't come near you. I'm content just watching you from afar, until I saw you crying in the canteen."

"Iyon ang araw na pinagbabawalan ako," that day was so heavy.

"Yeah, I was so annoyed by myself because I really wanted you to talk to me too. I wanted to be there to comfort you, but it's frustrating because I can't do anything but watch you from a distance," his face was full of dismay.

My heart ached at what he said, why do I have this effect on Ezonme?

"H-hey, it's okay. I understand. I wouldn't do or say anything to you if you showed up, but what made you decide to meet me?" I asked.

It took him a while to answer me, he just stared at me as if memorizing every part of my face.

"Besides being worried about you, I miss you," time seemed to stand still when he said that. My cheeks and ears warmed at his words; I might be blushing!

Ezonme misses me! Seriously? It's like my tears stopped on their own because of what he said. I wanted to sit on the grass. My knees were weak.

"W-what are you saying?" I nervously chuckled. I felt even more nervous because it seemed fake.

"N-nothing," he smiled warmly and handed me a bouquet of pink roses. Our favorite flowers, Mommy's and mine. "Maybe this will help ease your troubles?" he smiled.

I accepted it immediately and smelled the roses.

We found ourselves seated inside the gazebo, where the absence of light was compensated by the gentle glow of the moon and the twinkling garden lights.

"I haven't introduced myself yet," I laughed at what he said and turned to him. "I'm Ezra Astley Valera," he extended his hand.

I accepted it. "Lestari Yvette Castellano, nice to meet you, my favorite Author." My heart was overjoyed to say that. It felt like my dreams had come true.

"Nice to meet you too, my secret number one fan," we both weakly laughed. I could stay like this forever. It feels so good. Even though we're still strangers to each other, the words we exchanged were the reason why I felt so comfortable with him. Even though I'm not used to his presence, I didn't feel any fear. The feeling of reading his books was even more profound now.

"I feel like my characters deserve more," he said seriously after we discussed the books I had read. This was something we used to look forward to talking about with lololk when we would meet, and now it's happening.

"Perhaps, but still, many liked the ending you created. It's like an open ending, where we can decide what ending we want for them," I replied.

"So, what ending did you think of?" he turned to me and looked me in the eyes. I used to feel awkward when he did that because I would get distracted by how beautiful his eyes were under his round glasses.

"That they fall in love again, but with different people," I said seriously, looking at the flowers. It was already night, but there were still a few butterflies around, which made me happy.

"Isn't that kind of sad? Is that really what you thought? I thought you were more into happy endings?" he asked.

Well, it's true. That's why I'm a fan of romance books. I feel like everyone deserves happy endings, especially considering my situation. I always look forward to happy endings for others, even though people in books aren't real, at least they get a happy ending.

"Yes, but I thought about how tragic their love story was, how many sacrifices they made for each other but still didn't end up together. It means, maybe they weren't meant for each other,"

"Why? Why do you think so?"

"It's a bittersweet realization," I continue, my voice carrying a mix of contemplation and empathy. "Sometimes, love isn't just about being together; it's also about growth, learning, and finding happiness in unexpected places." I pause, the gentle rustle of the evening breeze lending a sense of serenity to our conversation.

"Their love story may have been filled with sacrifices and challenges, but perhaps those experiences were meant to shape them into the individuals they needed to become. Falling in love with different people could be a way for them to discover new aspects of themselves, to heal from past wounds, and to embrace a future filled with possibilities."

"Maybe their paths had to diverge so they could find their true selves and learn to love in a way that was more profound and fulfilling. It's not about giving up on love; it's about allowing love to evolve and transform, even if it means letting go of what once was."

I look up at the stars twinkling in the night sky, a sense of peace settling within my heart. "In the end, love is a journey of self-discovery and growth. And perhaps, in loving different people, they could find a deeper connection to themselves and to the world around them. Sometimes, the greatest love stories are the ones that teach us valuable lessons and lead us to unexpected destinations."

"That's beautiful," he said in amazement.