The Pages of Me

CHAPTER 2

Maya arrived at the coffee shop just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the city. Lani waved excitedly from the corner table, her usual bright energy contagious even from a distance. Rina sat beside her, sipping her drink, scrolling through her phone with that familiar calm.

"Girl, akala namin hindi ka na naman darating!" Lani teased as Maya approached the table.

Maya forced a smile. "Sorry, I got caught up with something."

"Or someone?" Rina raised an eyebrow knowingly, not needing to mention his name for Maya to understand what she meant.

She sat down, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. This was supposed to be her break her time away from the endless wondering and waiting but even here, the shadow of him lingered. And her friends knew it.

"Nasa'n na ba kayo? Still no contact?" Lani asked, her tone softer now, the teasing gone.

Maya shook her head, staring into her coffee as if it held the answers she needed. "Wala pa rin," she admitted. "It's been a week. Maybe longer."

Rina sighed, placing her phone down. "Maya, hindi ba nakakapagod? You've been waiting for him to change for how long? I don't mean to sound harsh, pero you deserve more than this. Alam mo 'yun, right?"

Maya felt the sting of her words, but she knew Rina was right. Deserve more. The words echoed in her mind. But what did she deserve, really? Was it too much to want someone to show up, to care as much as she did?

"Alam ko," Maya replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Pero ang hirap bitawan, eh. I keep thinking na baka bukas, he'll call. Or maybe next week, he'll finally see what he's losing."

Lani leaned in, her hand resting on Maya's arm. "You're worth so much more than what you're settling for, Maya. Kung gusto ka talaga niya, di ka niya hahayaang maghintay ng ganito. You know that."

The words hit hard, and for the first time, Maya didn't try to push them away. She wasn't just tired; she was exhausted. Waiting had become her entire life, and it was draining her piece by piece. And for what? A few fleeting moments of affection? A relationship that felt more like a guessing game than a partnership?

She stirred her coffee absentmindedly, the clinking sound of the spoon against the cup filling the silence.

"Maya," Rina's voice cut through her thoughts. "You're not asking for too much. You just want to be treated the way you deserve to be seen, to be valued. And kung hindi niya maibigay 'yun, maybe it's time you stop waiting for him to."

Maya looked up, meeting Rina's gaze. Her friend's eyes were filled with concern, but there was also a quiet strength there, a reminder that she didn't have to do this alone. For so long, she had convinced herself that she needed him to feel whole, to feel worthy. But maybe it was time to rewrite that story.

"I think..." Maya began, her voice hesitant but growing firmer with each word, "I think you're right. I've been waiting for someone who doesn't even know if he wants to show up. I keep hoping he'll choose me, pero... it's clear na kung gusto niya, ginawa na niya."

Lani smiled, a proud glint in her eyes. "Finally. Alam mo, girl, we've been waiting for you to realize that for so long. But we're here, always."

"Always," Rina echoed, reaching for Maya's hand across the table.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Maya didn't feel the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her chest. She wasn't sure what would happen next if she would finally let go or if she would still find herself wondering about him. But tonight, surrounded by people who had been there all along, she knew one thing for sure: she was done waiting for someone to love her the way she needed.

And this time, she would start with herself.

As the three of them laughed and talked about everything but him, Maya felt something shift inside her. It wasn't a sudden, dramatic change, but it was there a quiet resolve. She still had a long way to go, but for now, this moment, with her friends and a warm cup of coffee in hand, felt like a small victory.

And that was enough.