I'll be Home [On Going]

Chapter 3

Hope roamed her eyes around the house, still waiting for her father's presence.

'Di pa rin sya dumadating.'

She didn't utter anything to Nana for she doesn't want her to feel pity about her. 'When did he attend this kind of event anyway?' She sighed at her thought. She took her bag and sluggishly walked her way out.

"Na? Are you ready?" Hope asked casually, "Ikaw anak ang ready na ba?" Nana reverted the question while walking to the car with her. Hope smiled a little, giving her a nod and continued to walk while fixing her dress.

'It's the time of the year again.'

BSM students are all in their moving up suits, white dress for the young ladies and slacks and plain white long sleeves for the gents, as they walk in the aisle while their guardians are sitting on each side of the auditorium, watching them proudly. Silently thinking of her father while looking at her Nana, Hope can't help but smile a little. The ceremony started and everyone is clapping their hands each time the school principal congratulates each student being called to go up the stage to receive their certificate of completion. Some of them also received a medal for being an excellent student of the year.

"Naku naman anak! Ang galing galing mo! Matutuwa ang daddy mo nyan!" Nana beemed as she congratulates her proudly while they walk back to their seats. "Thanks Nana." Hope answered and smiled genuinely at Nana even though she doubts if her father is. She watches each of her batch mates walking up the stage to receive their certificates, and medals like her. Most of the students have either one of their parents or grandparents with them, relative even to wear them their medals. It seems like she's the only one who did not bring a legal guardian. Don't get it wrong, she's thankful for her Nana for joining her. It only saddens her that again, for the nth time, her father failed to attend a very important event in her life.

When the ceremony is about to end, the last thing the students performed was singing their farewell song. Everyone bids their goodbye after minutes of hugging and picture taking. She can't help but to cry also even though she only had few friends, lots of memories happened in a span of four years. And that won't be replaced by anything else. Most of them had experienced their firsts in this school, from having their first crush up to experiencing their first prom night. Highschool really is something like no other, for some.

Some of them will take their strand for senior high school in different school, some of them will migrate to take their studies abroad. She too, wanted to take her studies outside the Philippines but her father disagreed. So perhaps, she will cross the bridge when it's already time for college. She needed to earn proofs for her father to see that she's worth taking it abroad. She always wanted to take a degree in arts in Pantheon-Sorbonne University in France. She sighed at that thought and looked for her Nana.

They walked their way out of the auditorium and went back to their car. To her surprise, her father was waiting for them outside the car leaning his back on its door with arms crossed over his chest. She immediately ran and kissed him on his cheek. "You're here! Thanks Dad!" She said while hugging him from his side. Nana stares at them with a smile on her face, she's glad Aga made it.

Aga smiled tightly to his daughter "Congratulations." and said. He then opened the rear door for them before getting in the shotgun seat. "So, where do you want?" Aga asked in a flat tone. "Anything with you dad!" Hope answered happily. Nana took her hand and shook it. She looked at it giving her Nana a smiling nod before keeping her eyes outside the window.

Her father never asked what she wants to take in senior high school nor in college. She thinks of it and just informs him whenever she feels so and only if he's around. Not that he doesn't care at all, he's just so busy with his work. He couldn't even find some spare time to bring her somewhere for a tour just like the other parents do with their children.