Her Second Chance

Chapter Eighteen: Goodbye's and Hello's

After meeting up with Chris, and being handed me my one way ticket to my Homeland, I immediately grabbed a cab and went back to the hotel. I quickly packed my bag and made sure that everything was there leaving the iPad, laptop out on the table where Roman will immediately see.

Licking my lips I immediately powered my laptop on and immediately created a few word documents. I will be leaving my friends, this life behind me for my family but not without saying goodbye to them. Chris didn't told me I can't leave a letter to tell them of this agreement. I know that some of them, no all of them would be hurt and angry with my decision, but I think this is the only answer for this, for everything to end.

I looked around the room again and grabbed the complimentary pen and paper and immediately wrote a note for Roman to read later, to make sure that all of them will receive the letters that I made.

After making sure that everything will be seen immediately by Roman, I sighed picked up my bags and made my way out of the hotel, my friends and families life and out of this Country and home to my old life in the Philippines again.

-*-*-*-*-

- NAIA, Philippines -

Stepping out of the airport, I looked around to see if my friend Alisson have received my message asking me to pick me up. I smiled as I saw her familiar figure in the distance and waved as I walked out of the arrival area, "Ali!" I greeted her as I quickly hugged her tightly.

"Andy!" She replied as she hugged me back, "bakit ka bumalik? Akala ko ba maganda na yung buhay mo dun?" she asked me as we started walking towards the carpark.(1)

I smiled sadly at her, "Maganda nga, pero magulo naman." I replied. "Kamusta ka na? Sina July at Joey?" I asked her about our other friends.(2)

"Yun, okay lang din sila," she replied as she escorts me towards her car, "uuwi ka ba muna sa inyo o sa apartment ka na tutuloy?" she asked.(3)

Looking around the familiar place I turned to her and said, "Sa apartment na muna, madami akong kailangang ikwento sa inyo. Tapos kailangan ko ding maghanap ng trabaho."(4)

Ali turned towards me bewildered, "So hindi ka na talaga babalik dun? Mahirap ba? Permanente ka na din dito sa Pilipinas?"(5)

"Hindi na ako pwedeng bumalik dun Mommy, madami akong masasaktan kapag bumalik ako. Uwi na tayo sa apartment, tapos ikwe-kwento ko sa inyo lahat ng nangyari sa akin."(6) I told her as we both hailed a cab and rode home.

- Apartment -

I chugged down the tall glass of cold water that I was holding, I have finally informed my three best female friends of my life back in the US and they were all stunned. At first they can't believe that Chris could actually do that, but I stayed firm and showed them the letters.

"Okay ka lang?" Joey asked me as she placed an arm around me, "Paano na yung mga naiwan mo dun?"(7)

I stared at the glass in my hands and smiled sadly, "I wrote them a letter telling them everything. That I was sorry, that I need to do this for them." I then looked at my three friends with teary eyes, "I just want it all to stop." I ended.

"So, paano ka na?" July asked me as she stared at me. "Ano na ang plano mo?"(8) she continued.

I shrugged, "Look for a job, malamang, kahit na nakaipon na ako at nakapagpundar na ako ng bahay sa probinsiya, kailangan ko pa ring kumayod. I can't always depend on the money that I saved from working in the States. Baka gamitin lang nina Patrick at Tyler para mahanap ako at pag nagkataon baka masira ko din ang buhay nila." (9) I explained.