Best Part

PART 16

HER POV

I sighed.

I'm currently staring at Travis. After we talked, he suddenly fell asleep. Maybe he was so exhausted that he fell asleep. I covered him with a blanket and sat beside him.

Now, I understand why he said all those hurtful words to me when he was drunk. He was scared it might happen again. He was afraid that everything would repeat itself.

It's painful, but I have to understand him because I know he wouldn't have said those things without a reason. I understand now.

"You really had a painful past, Travis... that's why, I can't blame you for being like this." Slowly, I gently stroked his face.

"I had no idea what you had been through... I-I never thought it was that hard. I didn't realize how painful your situation was. I'm sorry to hear that, Travis. I'm sorry for not being there when you needed someone to understand you. I came too late, I'm sorry... but I'm here now." I combed his hair.

From the very beginning, I knew he had a good heart. It's just that it turned to stone because of the pain he had felt. There really comes a point in our lives when we change because of the pain we experience.

A change like that isn't healthy. A change where we want to distance ourselves from everyone because we're afraid of getting hurt, being replaced, or being cheated on. A change that we think is the best choice for us.

But that's not the change we need. We need to change ourselves. No one else. We need to change because we need to improve ourselves.

We don't need to change for the people who hurt us. We don't need to change for the people who replaced us. We don't need to change for the people who left us. We need to change for ourselves. For the sake of our own selves.

"Travis, I'll just go home." I sighed when he moved for a bit and held my hand tighter.

"I'm... I'm s-sorry, Travis... I-I need to go home." I gently pulled my arm from his hold. I walked closer to the door but before I could lock it, I took a glance at him.

"I'm here, Travis. Thank you for trusting me."

I went home.

He's the type of person who wouldn't tell you if you're important in his life, but he'll show you. If there's a man of words, there's Travis Goosen... the man of action.

He won't tell you if he trusts you, but he'll share his problems and secrets. He won't tell you that you're important in his life, but he'll make you feel special to him. He won't tell you that he doesn't want to leave, but he'll do everything just to make you stay.

That's what Travis has that I know he won't tell me. He's a secretive yet expressive person. I believe Travis can still rise. I believe he will continue to chase his dreams for his family and himself. I believe in his abilities.

I WOKE up feeling sleepy. It's Saturday. I need to go to the orphanage. As I was going down the stairs, I was surprised when Mama greeted me with a hug. I furrowed my brow.

"M-Mama? What--"

"Congrats, honey! You don't need to keep it a secret anymore! I know you're already graduating!" I saw Papa behind her holding a key.

"Here's your key. Honey, Papa is so proud to have you." My eyes grew wide. Tears instantly filled my eyes. I never expected that despite my grades, they still gave me a gift.

"P-But, Mama... I don't deserve this. I-I didn't graduate with flying colors..." Mama hugged me again. A warm hug from a mother that I've longed for.

"Emily, you don't have to pressure yourself. It's okay if you didn't reach the grades we expected... what matters most is that you learned. The most important thing is that you grew up to be a good person." I didn't know if I deserved parents like them.