Written In The Stars - First Draft (Published Under Immac PPH)

CHAPTER 23

Written In The Stars

Valerie's POV

"Welcome home, Miss Valerie and Miss Sabrina!"

We were at the airport after our successful and safe flight back home, Sabrina and I are accompanied by my Dad's executive assistant, she was holding a piece of paper with the words 'Welcome home!' written on it. The driver went out of the car to help us with our luggage, he placed all of them inside the compartment and after everything was settled, we all went in and he drove us back home. I looked out the window as I noticed the changes in the past 5 years, almost 6 years to be precise.

There were buildings and establishments, I could see more road signs and newly planted flowers on roadsides and more public benches. I could see how this city improved throughout the years, and seeing all of these changes made me realize that those memories from the past were all so priceless. Then, as I stared to dwell on those past memories and flashbacks, I realized that I'm just like this city... I have changed into something more wonderfully strong, but there will always be fragments of my past engraved on me.

All those years in New York has shaped me into someone I thought I could never be because I perceived myself as a person who is weak for being vulnerable. Looking back, I am aware that I have been harsh on myself for putting it last, for not validating my feelings before and for thinking that I had to be strong all the time because it was my choice. I did everything for one person, who is not and has never been present in my life for the past 5 years ever since he left, and that I had to leave too.

I heard many things about him, I kept in touch with all of my friends. From my high school to college friends like Bea, Elijah and Zein, and my childhood friend like Ria, even Mikhel. Social media exists, the distance was never a hindrance between our bond. I had kept communication with all of these people that I value so much except for Tyler. I heard he went back to this city after disappearing for two years, no one knew where he went and he never told anyone about it. It made me feel upset, if he already got home, why didn't he call? Did he even wonder where I went?

I couldn't see the happenings in his life as well because he deactivated all of his social media accounts, we had no communication at all. Whenever I ask our friends about him, they can't answer me because they didn't know too. Tyler was suddenly so hard to read, that's what Ria said. And as time went on, I stopped asking and I stopped caring. Instead, I focused on my studies and I loved myself in all the ways I never have before. Because of that, I became a better version of me, for me...

Life in New York was not easy, the adjustment period was the hardest part of living there. But as time went on, I was able to adapt to the new environment, I was able to blend with the people, I was able to claim that it could be a second home for me. Yet deep down, I know there is no better place for me than the home I have with the people I love. I had a choice, I was given options, I wasn't forced to go back nor was I encouraged to leave NYC, but I chose to go back home, because New York can never have those things that would make me feel whole, and that's the people I have left back here.

6 months have passed and I know I made the right decision of going back. I had a lot of great moments with my friends, we were all back on track. And we live better lives now, all of us grew evidently mature after all of those years of being apart and working hard for our own. There was no denying how far we have come, but even if I feel like I'm at the top of the world, there's this feeling inside me that says there is something missing. I wanted to deny and lie to myself, but at the end of the day, I know I had regrets as well. I know I longed to see him one more time.