Before Raven took his flight, we are still able to accompany him to the airport. Of course, I was with Shaine. Since my parents can't make it due to work, they decided to cook mom's specialty of chicken adobo. They packed it in a transparent tupperware and asked us to give it to him before his flight. How lovely, right? They cared for Raven like he's a family to us.
We never stop talking and taking pictures until it's already time for him to go. I can't help but to hug him tight, like I don't want to let go of him anymore. His perfume lingered, as if the fragrance wants me to remember him. Don't worry, there's no way I'm going to forget such a nice guy. He will always be here in my heart and mind.
“Please be good to yourself, Ari. Now that I'll be flying to New York, I'm afraid no one's gonna teach how to handle the situation of being broken. You might drink liquor and beg for the wrong love. No, no, no. That's a big no,” he said with mixed jokes on his words.
Don't you worry, Raven. I will never do that to myself again. I may be broken these past few days, but I'm already healed now. And that sweetie is all because of you.
“Talk less, gentleman. You're gonna be late on your flight. Don't blame me if you're not gonna make it to New York,” I jested, which made him laughed.
“Bye, Raven! Don't forget to call Ari, so she's not going to miss you that much. And please avoid being close to girls. Remember you're already reserved for my friend,” Shaine chuckled while she's busy checking the photos on her gallery. She's probably choosing what's best to upload on her IG.
“Noted, ladies. I'll miss the two of you. Thanks a lot for your time, byers!” He waved his hand to us. Oh, please. He looks cute as ever.
I stared on his smile before he disappeared from our sight. Surely, I will going to miss his jolly personality. The way how he motivates me every time I'm feeling down. He's gonna be away for one week or two, but for me, it kinda feels like years. He knows how to lift my mood, that's why he will surely be missed.
Thereafter, we headed back home using my car. Just have to thank my parents for giving me such a nice gift during my debut last year. If not, it will be such a hassle to go from one place to another without your transportation. It's kinda hard to commute when you're not used to it.
“How does it feel, Ari?” Shaine asked out of the blue. This is her everyday. She's really fond of asking questions like she's a host in a talk show.
“I already miss him.” The word accidentally slipped on my tongue. I wasn't supposed to say that now my friend already sensed what I meant.
“Oh, my cupcake— You sure about that thing? My god, that's good news!” she exclaimed.
“I already said it, and there you have it. Congratulations on making me confess such a good secret, Shaine. You're the bitch now,” I jested, confirming the thought there in her mind. She asked me yesterday about it, and now I already revealed it to her. Well, nothing's wrong, actually.
“A secret? Oh, c'mon. We both know it's not a secret right from the start because it's kinda obvious. I asked you, but you denied it. Better thank me for making you confess the lie you told me.” She slightly pulled my hair, then she burst into laughter. “I got you, Ari! You can't hide anything from me.”
“Yeah because you're a lie detector.”
She is indeed a noisy girl who never ran out of topic. Once you guys stop from talking, she's gonna get back with another topic until you won't notice it anymore that you already got carried away. I was just shocked, seeing the gate of our house. I was like, woah. We just came from the airport, and now we already arrived home. That was quick, huh?
Shaine stayed for a while and insisted on helping me in doing the household chores. While I was slicing the vegetables that I'm gonna cook for lunch, she was busy sweeping the floor. I told her not to do it, but she's kinda good at forcing me to please let her clean the house. Of course, I'm a good friend, so I ordered her to wash the dishes after. To my surprise—because foremost it was just a joke—she said yes.
“So now that you like Raven… how about Shan? Will it be easy for you to forget your feelings toward your childhood friend?” she seriously asked. I'm actually waiting for her to ask me that. Thanks, I'm well-prepared to answer.
“Letting go of him is the best solution for quick recovery. Though it was hard at first, but I really have to. He's not meant for me, and that's a fact I always need to pin on my mind. Nobody said it was easy to move on, Shaine. But nobody said it's impossible.”
“I understand. But just make sure of it that you're already over with—” In the middle of our conversation, my phone suddenly vibrated, interrupting the two of us. “I'll get it.” She walked toward the table where I placed my phone and made a swiping gesture.
“Was that a message?”
“Yeah. And guess what?”
I rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed. “C'mon, bitch. Don't make me wait.”
“Fine. It's a message from Raven. He texted you, Ari! What are you waiting for? Go ahead and reply!” My god. Her voice is startling me. Can she lower it down?
“Why so thrilled?” I shook my head, chuckling. She almost threw the phone to me when she asked me to text back. Glad I'm too good at catching.
“I'm thrilled because that's your boy texting you. You're so gorgeous, Ari. I remember you rejecting him, but it's still you at the end. Do you know how much he's obsessed on you?”
I don't want to claim that it's me. I mean, I can't be that feeler. He's showing interest on me, but I'm not that bitch to claim it like oh my gosh people of earth this guy loves me so much. Who knows, he'll fell out of love, right? I'm a boring person, after all.
“I don't know. Let's just check it out.”
I opened the message. Of course, he will never miss saying hi first.
Hi, Ari. Good afternoon or good evening, it depends on the time you're gonna read this. First of all, I wanna thank tito and tita for sending me this delicious chicken adobo. Hehe, what'up, beautiful? Please check your messenger, I've sent something for you.
“What could be that something he sent to me?” I asked after reading his message.
Shaine shrugged her shoulders. “I don't know. Why not open your messenger account? There's only one way to find out. But will you be mad if I told you—” she cut her sentence.
“Told me what?” I got pissed. Here she go again in her guessing part.
“What if he sent you nudes? Oh my gosh! Don't tell me you're not going to check it out?” she laughed, throwing jokes at me. She sounded like a bitch. “Or maybe his abs and muscles. Imagine how hot he is, girl.”
“Shaine!” I warned her.
“Fine,” she chuckled.
I checked my messenger right after she stopped from making fun of me. Raven said he sent something for me. I kinda doubt it is alike as you know what Shaine has said because duh he's not a pervert type of guy. And one more thing, Shaine's such a jester.
My eyes widened, not knowing if I'm gonna laugh or what. But staring at the photos he sent me, I can't stop but to feel cute about it. Oh, my— How the hell did he took all of these without me noticing it?
“These are stolen photos of you,” Shaine said as she was looking on the screen. The way she stared at it looks like she doesn't want to remove her eyes from it anymore.
“That's clearly obvious.”
I secretly smiled.
Many of the photos were taken when I was in the library. I was talking to Shaine while seeking books. Great, huh? I didn't notice him on the library before, he's really good at hiding. Others showed a picture of me in the parking lot, opening the door of my car. Then there are some shots of me having snacks in the cafeteria. That was indeed stolen. I have no idea that someone's capturing me from a distance. Raven sounded like the paparazzi, but he's the cutest of them all.
But what blows my mind is the photo of me getting out from my car and some photos when I was about to open the gate of our house. My eyes blinked, a bit wondering. How the hell did he managed to take those shots? These photos were taken maybe years or months ago if I'm right. During those days, Raven and I were still strangers to each other. The question now is, how did he manage to capture that?
One answer in my mind is that he's stalking me from school until I got home. He's tailing my car without me noticing it. He followed me from the parking lot until I reached to our house without me seeing him. I just can't believe he went through such efforts of stalking me. Hey, it's a great hassle to do that. And who do you think I am to be treated this way? I don't even deserve such effort from him. He's too good and perfect that sometimes I can't help but to say that Raven and I are not a match.
“Aw, that was so sweet! My god, girl! How to be you? Just look at— Oh my gosh, that was an effort. He is indeed in love with you and that can be seen on his actions.” Shaine's blushing, checking the photos sent to my messenger account. “I'm so happy for you, Ari. You finally met the willing guy to love you with all his heart. And that's Raven. You can't lose him this time, I'm telling you.”
I'm overwhelmed not just because of his efforts but for feeling my friend's support too. Shaine never get tired of reminding me about Raven being the best guy for me. And for that, I'm thankful. The both of them are two people in my life who made me realized many things around. They're god sent, and I was so blessed to met them.
“That's enough, Shaine. You might be jealous, and I don't want you to feel that way,” I jested and moved the phone away from her. Like what I said, she might envy how lucky I am with Raven.
“Wow! How dare you say that to me, Ari? I thought you're my friend?” she chuckled, dramatically holding her chest, acting as if she's hurt.
“Go ahead and start your drama there. I won't mind, actually.” I paced toward the sink and put the sliced vegetables on a clean basin. I washed it using the running water from the faucet while Shaine's following me from behind.
“Just joking, bitch. Of course, I'm not jealous. Who said I envy you? You deserve a guy like Raven, and I'm so happy for you.” She gave me a hug tight and kissed my hair. “You heard it right. I'm so, so, so… happy for you.”
My lips curved. “Thanks, bitch.”
Then my messenger rang. Shaine ran toward the table where I placed my phone. “You got a message from Raven.” She stood at my back and showed the screen to me.
I read it silently.
“Before you got to know me in person, I was already there a long time ago.”