I will love you from afar

Chapter 3: Homecoming

"Hi, Ma'am, good evening!" The old maid greets me with a warm smile, the same one I remember from my childhood.

"Hello, Auntie," I reply, returning her smile. "Don't call me Ma'am. You're the one who raised me when I was young. I've missed you. It's been almost 10 years, and you didn't come with us to LA. I understand why, though—your children are here in Thailand."

She looks at me fondly, the way she always has. "Thank you for staying with us for so many years, taking good care of our family home," I say, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you, Alex. It's good to have you back. I'll prepare some food. Go ahead and get settled."
I nod and head to my old room, the place I once called my sanctuary. Lying on the bed, the ceiling above me, I let my mind wander back to her. Is she still here? What is she doing right now? The longing is overwhelming, a mix of nostalgia and regret. I want to see her, hug her, and tell her how sorry I am for disappearing the way I did.

A knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts. "Alex, your dinner is ready."

"Okay, Auntie, I'll be down in a minute."

Over dinner, I can't help but ask, "Auntie, is Sam still here?"

"Who's Sam? Oh, you mean your childhood friend?"

"Yes, Samantha... Sam for short."

"They moved to Bangkok. You don't know? Sam is a celebrity now. She's a model and an actress."

I nearly choke on my food. "Wait, are you serious? I had no idea."

Auntie chuckles. "Yes, it's true. She has a lot of followers on Instagram. How could you not know?"

"I'm not really into social media. I only use it once in a blue moon. Maybe I should start using it more often. Thanks for dinner, Auntie. I think I'll head to bed."

But as soon as I get to my room, panic sets in. Where's my phone? I frantically search for it and then immediately type her name into Instagram. Samantha. A ton of accounts pop up. How am I supposed to know which one is hers? After a few more searches, I find an article on Google. There she is—stunning, breathtaking. Sam, you take my breath away.

I start following her, liking every photo I see. I think about sending her a direct message, but the doubt creeps in. What are the chances she'll respond? She must get hundreds of messages from fans every day. And what would I even say? Hey Sam, it's me, Alex, your best friend from childhood. That sounds weird, even to me.

I stare at her photos until I can't keep my eyes open anymore, and finally, I drift off to sleep.