Friday, my last day. I wake up early. I take a shower and I dress up. But before I leave I look back to my first day here in the Philippines, I remember how excited I am to be here and to see beautiful places and now I was about to go. Time really flies so fast but I enjoyed every single day that I spend here and in Cebu and Andrew was the best part of my journey. Nine am, I was about to go when my door knocks. I thought it was the hotel staff until I heard a familiar voice, it was Andrew.
“ Hello, Justine are you in there”? He ask
“ I was here. What’s going on”? Why are you here? I ask continuously
“ I will drive you to the airport”. He said
“ okay, thank you then.” I said gladly and I start to pack my things and he carried my things into his car.
We ride in his car and my time with him is fading. After an hour he drop me off in front of the airport when I was to go Andrew hug me so tight that I couldn’t resist. Before I leave I gave him a letter that I wrote after we dance in a small island of Cebu and he starts saying.
“ Justine, I think I’m falling in love with you”. He whisper in my ear
“ I was did too, but we we’re apart.” I said in a slow voice.
“ yeah I know, but we gonna make it through”. He said
He grab wilo and talk to him.
“ Wilo, can you take care of Justine for me. Make her smile when she’s lonely, hug her when she miss me. And when she sleep make her comfort, can you do it for me wilo”? He ask with a tears in his eyes.
And before I leave Andrew make a deal for both of us.
“ Three months from now September seventeen 2009, meet me again. In Mactan church before the sun set. Will you be there”? He ask me
without thinking of anything, I said yes. “I will be there.”
“ okay, that’s a promise”. He said
And he hug me again and this time I hug him too. But before I leave, he hand me over a memory card and I turn around and never turn again into him.
That is the most painful goodbye I have ever been.
With a heavy heart I left the Philippines but I was still happy because we met and we had a great time together. I hug wilo so tight in my travel time and I arrive at Oregon Saturday night. I call my mom to tell that I was in Oregon and I spend the night in my apartment. I was about to sleep when I remember the memory card that Andrew gave. I put it on my laptop to see what’s inside and I see my random pictures from my vacation. He make me a collage from the day we met until the day we went to amusement park. I am so happy and sad also because I’m starting to miss him so bad but I never regret meeting him. I miss him so much but I couldn’t do anything because we both decided to never give our contacts and our last names with each other until we see each other again on September seventeen.
The next day, I go home to my parents and give them the things that I buy for them. Mom’s love it and dad already use the guitar that I brought. Dinner time with my parents, they start asking me about my vacation. I told them how beautiful the place and how beautiful their beaches and I also told them how delicious their foods but I never told them about Andrew. I wasn’t ready to tell them about him, they may not understand me but I was planning to tell them before I went to meet him again.
Before I sleep I went to ask my mom about dad.
“ how do you know that dad is the man you want to marry”? I ask my mom silently
My mom with a sweet smile, she told me with a sweet voice.
“ you’re dad is a simple man, he makes me smile everyday. He makes me cry sometimes but he never make me quit. He is my best friend. I told him everything and he understands me. He is my extension when I couldn’t do more he was there. I was in loved with him since the day we met and I was more in love now to him when we grow old.
That time I think about Andrew. How happy I was when I was with him that I want to stop the time just to be with him. I never felt like this in my past relationship. I was into him.
The day when Justine left, Andrew read the letter that Justine gave. He read it loud, he read it in the rooftop under the moon with stars to listen.
Dear Andrew,
Thank you for making my vacation great. I had so much fun with you. Thank you for dancing with me that night, it was so romantic and I love it. Thank you for listening to my stories and for making me feel like I was worth it. In the small island I really want to be with you but I was too shy to say. In the airplane way back to Manila when you were telling your story I wanted to hug you that moment but I was so afraid to do. When we’re together there’s always a boundary between us but I love to be with you. You were the best part of my vacation. Remember when you asked me to pray before I lit the candle that you gave to me. You were part of my prayer. I prayed to God that this man beside me, make him mine God.
And Andrew starts to cry.
Can I stay with you for the rest of my life. And before I end this letter there’s one more thing I want to confess. Wilo was not mean for friendship. Wilo was stands for “with love”. Sorry I lied about that. Thank you then, until we meet again and if we do I will whisper in your ear the words that I’ve been dying to tell.
Until me meet again,
With Love, Justine
Andrew spend the night longing for Justine. He cry remembering her and he smile missing her so bad. He tried to search Justine but there was no Justine like her. He lay down in his bed while looking in the wall and imagine the beautiful face of her and he start to get lonely.
If I could turn back the time, I will stop it when we were dancing in the night. I will hold her hands for so long and never let her go that night. I will sing a song for her and lean her arms on me. If I could stop the time when we were in Ferris wheel I would just to be with her for another minute. If I could stop the time when she was leaving I would definitely do that because I want to be with her for another day. But I couldn’t and I am here longing for her smile, her voice that feels so sweet and serenity and her face that look so gorgeous and stunning.