CHAPTER 21: The Long Wait Is Over

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

Eight years have passed. It was almost a decade, but the sign I’ve been waiting for to arrived from fate didn’t happened. I waited for nothing, I guess. But having Erevell by my side through all those years of waiting was definitely worth it. We are twenty-four years old now, but our friendship stays the same. Erevell never changed, so as me, I guess.

I could still remember Claire, and the promise that I made to myself that if ever fate brought us to each other again, I wouldn’t let her go. I thought I’ve just wasted eight years of my life waiting for apparently nothing but I was wrong. Because fate became cruel to me, not until this morning. I received an email, stating about our grand high school reunion and I was invited for I was their class valedictorian.

This is it, the little sign that I’ve been waiting for. I will finally saw Claire again, after almost a decade. The long wait is over now. I instantly dialed my bestfriend number to tell her about this. I’m so excited to share this to her, and proved that fate wasn’t so cruel at all. Thankfully, she picked up her phone after a few more rings.

“Hello, Gab?” Her voice doesn’t even changed a bit. It was the same, energetic, cheerful, and high pitched one. Though it was angelic for my ears.

“You wouldn’t believe what just happened to me this morning.”

“What? What is it?” she asked, her voice was full of curiosity.

“Our high school batch are going to have a reunion in the Philippines! This is it! The sign that I’ve been waiting for, Erevell!” I excitedly stated.

“Really?” She sounded weird, but I ignored it. “Good luck then, Gab. I hope this time Claire and you are going to have the best love story ever.”

“Are you okay?” I asked out of nowhere, maybe because of the fact that she sounded really weird.

“Yeah...” Her voice suddenly cracked up.

“Are you crying?”

“Nope. I’m just having some serious medication right now. I’ll just talk to you later, okay?”

“Sure...” I trailed off, unsure of my own answer.

She dropped the call, and I just sighed. Eight years had passed but still, Erevell is being sick from time to time. I don’t know why, and I’m badly curious about if for we’ve been friends since I was twelve years old yet she hasn’t told me anything about her secret and mysterious illness.

I decided to climbed down from my room, excited to tell my Mom about the news. I can finally go alone to that country right now for I was already an adult, and I have my own job too. I became one of Dad’s investors in different places here in Singapore. We are not that rich, but I could say that we are already financially stabled.

“Gab! Don’t you have a work now?” Mom asked as soon as she saw me making my way down the stairs.

Her hair was starting to have some grey colored strands, though I could still see the beauty in her eyes. She’s my mother after all, and I couldn’t even think of any woman more precious and pretty than her. If I would choose a top three, she will be my number one... And then my bestfriend, and lastly, Claire.

“It’s my day off, Mom.”

“Oh, sorry. I thought you just wanted to be absent. Your Dad will surely be mad at you if you did that.”

I chuckled, before answering her.

“I’m taking a leave, Mom. Maybe a month or two. I’m going to tell this to Dad later on.”

“And why is that?” she asked curiously.

“We will be having a high school reunion at the Philippines. I badly wanted to come so I guess I couldn’t handle our work for now.”

“Oh. Tell that to your Dad, then. I mean, tell it to him now. He hates it when you suddenly dropped your work, son.”

“I will, I will. I know he will let me.”

“I hope so too.”

I smiled, before going to our telephone to call my Dad’s office. Thankfully he answered very quickly.

“Elizar’s–”

“Dad, it’s me, Gab.”

“Oh. Son! How are you? Are you doing well at your job there?”

“Actually...” I played with my fingers feeling nervous to tell him the reason why I called. “I wanted to take a break. But please don’t worry, Dad. It will be in just a month or two. You know, we are having a high school reunion there in the Philippines so I think I will be coming home soon.”

“Really?” He sounded delighted more than annoyed. “When? Is your Mom coming too?”

“I don’t know. She looks very busy...”

I looked at Mom, and she signalled me that she won’t be able to come for she is so busy running her own business in here.

“I think she won’t, Dad.”

“Well that’s sad...” He took a deep breath before saying another word. “But still, I’m glad to know that you are going to visit me here, son. I can’t wait to see you soon. And yes, I’m granting your leave from work. Besides, you need to enjoy your life too while you’re still young. Find a wife and give me some beautiful grandchildren–”

“Dad, please stop...” I laughed and I heard him did the same thing on the other line o the phone.

“Why? You are already twenty-five, son. You’re old enough to build your own family now.”

I hope so too, because the moment I that I found Claire, I wouldn’t let her go anymore. I will continue to pursue her heart, and never stop until she finally gave me her sweetest yes. I wouldn’t give up just like what I did before.

“I’m only twenty-four, Dad.”

“It’s the same thing! You’re still old!”

I laughed, before clearing out my throat.

“Fine, fine. I’ll try to find a woman when I get there.”

“Come on, son! Just marry Erevell!” Mom shouted over, bringing up butterflies into my stomach.

“She’s just my bestfriend, Mom,” I stated.

Dad laughed at our conversation, before he bid his farewells.

“So, it’s settled then. I’ll hire somebody to clean up your room before you got here. Just text me when is your flight, son. I can’t wait to see you soon.”

“Me too, Dad. Me too.”

“Goodbye, Gabriel.”

“Bye, Dad.”

He turned off the phone as I punched my fist in the air, being glad that our conversation went smoothly than I expected it to be. He just let me leave my work! Maybe this is fate saying that I should really go and pursue Claire this time.

“So, how did it go?” Mom asked.

“He let me leave, Mom.”

“Well, that was obvious by your reaction. So, should I start helping you to pack your things up?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I’m just going to book a flight online.”

Mom chuckled, before nodding. After I booked my flight to the Philippines, my Mom helped me packed my things up. I also called Erevell, wanting to bid my farewells to her personally for my flight will only be a week from now. But she refused to meet me. She said that she still needed to see her doctor so I just let her be. Besides, I will be back soon so there is no problem in that.

A week passed. I haven’t notice how time flies so fast for I am now on my seat, waiting for our flight to end as the plane started to land on the airport. As the airplane door opened, I stood up, grabbed my luggages before I make my way down the stairs. Finally, the long wait is over. I am now back at the Philippines.