<completed>Promise (Juliantina)

9

T- 2 months

As days gone by, Jul and Val text each other lesser and lesser... when they see each other in campus, all they did are exchanging a few words about their days and that's it. Val began to regret her own actions, her friends all knew about her crush on Jul, they told her not to get discouraged eventually Jul will come back to her when she feels comfortable again. Val misses Jul even though it's just a few days of knowing her. She is certain that Jul makes up the missing part of her life, she fills up the empty space in her heart and she is her everything. In order to love someone and let them be happy, you should set them free and that when she decided to let go of Jul, she let fate decide for them to meet and reconnect again.

xxxx

Jul packed her luggage and she bid goodbye to Lupe before getting into the cab to the airport. After enduring long hours of flights with all the transits and waiting, Jul has finally reached her destination after a day. She is excited to be in a new country but she will try her best to get around with minimal help. Luckily for her, she did her research before coming here, she took a cab to the school so she can settle down in the school hostel.

It was a 30 mins ride to the city area, she has reached Curtin Uni. She is amazed by the view, a big front yard with lots of oak trees, it's indeed a view worth coming for everyday. She unloaded her luggage from the cab and head towards the admin office, the people there were friendly, they knew she is an international student judging by the luggage that she was pulling along with her so they directed her the way. At least she knows that she has no trouble asking for help if she ever needs because the people are friendly and approachable.

After 20 mins of briefing by the faculty admin on the programmes and hostel, Jul was given a handbook on the rules and regulations of the school. She held onto it tightly as the faculty admin led her the way to the hostel. It's a ground level fully-furnished house which comes with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and a balcony. She was told that another 3 girls will be assigned to share the place with her so for the time being, she has the place to herself till they come on board.

She quickly calls Lupe to tell her that she has arrived safely and she gives Lupe a tour around of the house. It's a Saturday, Jul gets to rest for 2 days before the start of her 10 weeks proficiency program which commences on Monday. She thinks she can breeze through the test since she has done some of her own studying back at her place.

She hovers over her phone, wondering if she should text Val to tell her that she is in Perth already but given that they have began to drift apart, she decided not to do it. She starts to unpack her luggage and choose a side of the room to decorate as her own. She was told that there's a supermarket in the campus if she ever runs out of anything so she goes out to buy some groceries to fill up the fridge for the next few days.

On her way to the supermarket, she saw booths being set up and students were pasting up posters on pillars and notice boards. There's one caught her attention, 'SWIM CLUB, come join us regardless if you are a non-swimmer, an amateur or an experienced swim coach. WE NEED YOU!!!' Jul is thinking if she should join that club since she has been wanting to learn how to swim, she noted down the booth number for the swim club and drop by the booth to enquire more about the club.

After her grocery shopping, she managed to find her way to the booth of the swim club. There's a lady back-facing her, why does her back reminds her of someone else, isn't that Val? She was about to walk away, the lady turned around and stare right into her eyes, they looked at each other for straight 10 seconds before one of them broke the silence.

V: "Hi Jul, fancy seeing you here, how have you been? Are you here to join the swim club?"

J: "I'm sorry... Errr Val, I wanted to text you when I reached here but I didn't expect you will be here so soon."

V: "Hey Jul it's alright, there's nothing to be sorry about. I know things are not the same as before but I totally understand, hope we are still cool."

J: "Yes of course we are still cool but I really wants to apologize, I should not have "ghost" you and now i'm being awkward about it."

V: "I wanted to give you time and space for you to get comfortable again with me, you don't have to be sorry about anything and it's totally fine."

J: "Alright... are you joining the swim club too?

V: "Nah I'm just looking through, you do remember I can swim right? I might be joining the photography club."

J: "Oh yeah, by the way are you free tomorrow? maybe we can catch up..."

V: "Sure, you text me your place and I will go over."

J: "See you then."

Jul walked away, Val in fact was already on the swim team but she didn't want to tell Jul because she fears that Jul will avoid her if she knows that she is on the swim team as Jul seems interested to join the team.

xxxx