Her Hope

Epilogue

3 years later

The normally quiet streets that I have been taking for the past three years seem to be bustling today unlike usual. I guess it could be because it's two hours after the time I usually go to the restaurant at. This isn't the only thing that's different because I have also spent a little more effort choosing my outfit today; whereas every other day for the past few years, I just wore the first thing I could find in the morning because why would I tire myself choosing an outfit when I'm just going to the restaurant.

But, you could say that today is special, so it needs special preparations, for it's finally my first day at college. I know I was initially planning on just working for one year before getting a student's loan, but let's be real, these were unrealistic dreams; however, I didn't know that then. So, for the past three years I have been working at the restaurant in the morning and saving up every penny I could save, but at night on weekdays, I would sit down on the desk, that Maya gave me after she graduated, and just read through Iris's books until every word nearly got engraved onto my mind, but that's not all, for I also started actually living the way every teenager should live unlike before when I was simply surviving, and I have to say that it's all mainly because of my roommates and let's not forget Lana.

Living and interacting with all of them everyday taught me that along with saving and all, we also have to live life a little differently and that we have to grasp at every chance we could to simply enjoy. And, let's not forget that they are the ones who convinced me to take that amazing road trip with them that I would truly remember forever last summer. It was a road trip to Disney world where we spent a week just playing around and joking, but truth to be said, it deplorably made a little, and by little I mean huge, dent into my saving; however, it was really worth it.

But, play time is now over, and it's time to start a new chapter that would determine the kind of person I'll be forever. I know without a doubt that I'll do everything I can to excel at college because I've truly worked hard to get myself into that college, so I would never waste that one chance that I have.

Applying into university was a hard process because a lot of them refused to accept a person who graduated from high school with average grades three years ago when they could accept a new high school graduate with nearly perfect scores, but after so many countless interviews and arguments, I somehow managed to get myself accepted into a university that is actually fairly good.

That's why I'm now walking towards college in my brand new jeans, shoes, blouse and a smile that I don't usually have on to attend my first ever lecture in my pre-med major. And, as cheesy as this is, I also noticed something, when we are happy we start noticing things we have never seen before like the chirping of the birds or the gentle swaying of the trees due to the morning breeze, both of which are really calming if you just focus on them long enough. I discovered this as I was trying to calm myself down because who wouldn't be a nervous wreck when they're attending their first day at college.

However fortunately, all my nervousness seemed to evaporate the moment I saw the now familiar building of the university in my sight of vision. But, instead of the nervousness, doubt settled in which is honestly worse. It's no secret that I'm a really awkward person, so what if I don't fit in? Or what if I discover that being a doctor isn't what I want to do with my life? So, I just stood outside the gates thinking and arguing with myself about whether I should go in or not.

I honestly never thought that I would be in this position, but after all the time and effort I put in these past three years just to be able to stand here, I deserve this, so I don't know what is wrong now. Shaking off all of these nerves, I rook a step forward, entered through the gates and made my way to the office. After giving the receptionist my information, she handed me my schedule and informed me that I'll have to pay the first term's installment by next week which is okay with me, as I have the money ready in my bank account.

I made my way out of the office and started looking around for the hall where I'm going to attend my first lecture. Finding that hall took me more than half an hour, since this college is huge, making me glad that I listened to Lana and got to college an hour earlier. After finally finding that hall, I entered it only to be met by around fifty students who were talking and giggling together making me feel like an outsider. Ignoring that feeling, I made my way towards the third row where I sat and started taking out my notebook and pen. To make time pass, I started arranging my pens in the alphabetical order of colors which is a truly pitiful attempt at wasting time, but sometimes, you've got to do what you have to do.

I was too focused on arranging my pens that I didn't even notice the doors opening and the chatter of students dying until I heard the professor's voice greeting us making me look up at her. Suddenly, the world started closing on me, I couldn't even believe it. She was so familiar, too familiar for it to be a coincidence, could she be her? No, it is impossible, right? It was crystal clear that this women is the spitting image of the picture I have of my mom. This made me enter into panic mode, so I quickly packed up my stuff and started making my way out of the lecture hall; however, I was unfortunately stopped by the professor's voice.

"Excuse me, you can't just leave when the lecture hasn't even star- Oh my god."

The look on her face was priceless confirming my worst fear. I am ninety nine percent sure it's her.

THE END
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I know I haven't written a single author's note in any of the previous chapters because I feel like it isn't my thing, but since this was the last one, I felt inclined to write something.
This is the first story that I've ever written, and even though I know for a fact that it's not perfect and that it has some plot holes, I'm really proud of myself for writing it.
I really want to thank anyone who read this story and gave it a chance because it means a lot to me, so thank you.