Someday, I'll Find My Way Home

Karl reaches the end.

A few days after, my parents came with my grandparents and siblings in Los Baños and I booked a cheap but beautiful room at a nearby apartment complex. They were ecstatic to watch their first-born graduate--valedictorian in their course, and a magna cum laude! All of them just had to watch me march.

I didn't stay with them and preferred to sleep in my apartment room. Candace and Paula stayed here as well since they moved out of their apartments. Candace slept next to Marvin while Paula was on my bed.

I told Paula all about what happened in Axel and I's last road trip together before we went to sleep.

The room was pitch black, and I could only see parts of Paula's face. She was next to the wall and I was beside the electric fan. She assured me that she wasn't the Axel type who's a hugger when sleeping.

We spoke in hushed voices.

"So, what will you do, Karl?" she asked me. "Can you really move on from him?"

"From the past months that I tried, I failed horribly," I said. "How did you move on from him?"

She chuckled. "I didn't. I just realized that we're better off as friends than lovers. So I kinda skipped that part."

"I wish I realize that soon, too."

"Do you want me to say what I think?"

"Okay, spill."

"I don't think you're better off as just friends."

I frowned. "Why?"

"I've never seen any two people so compatible together, just like Candace and Marvin," she explained. "He makes you better. You make him better."

"Isn't that how friendships supposed to work?"

"Yeah, but with you two, I just can't shake the feeling that the two of you should be together."

"Too bad it won't happen," I whispered to her. "I've been fooling myself for too long. I need to move on."

She pulled me in a hug.

"Take all the time you need," she said. "So you won't join us for a while when we meet up in Manila?"

I nodded. "Sorry."

"I understand. I'll tell this to Candace and Marvin."

"I'll see you again soon. I promise."

She sniffed on my shirt and told me, "Make sure you're keeping that, girl."

"Of course."

She turned her back to me after she calmed down.

"Good night, girl," she muttered.

I smiled before I turned to the other direction. "Good night."

-

I prepared my Valedictory Speech with the help of Paula a day before our Testimonials Program since I wasn't happy with what my speech turned out. I wanted this to be my last effort to be recognized before I graduate.

The Testimonials Program happened in one of our lecture halls. Graduates wore whites since after the program, the Collegiate Commencement Exercises would start.

I wore a brand new white long sleeve that I paired with a black tie and slacks. My mother didn't want me to fold the sleeves up until my elbow since that wouldn't look formal. Everyone in my family gathered at the back with their cameras on to capture every moment of my graduation. I told them it wasn't necessary, but I let them have their own fun.