When Love Lasts: A Sapphic Short Story Collection

🍒 Chapter 22's previous draft

The current chapter 22 in Cherry On Top is heavily modified from this chapter in the first rough draft. I guess you can tell why -- the ending used to be told using a diary entry, which was not as satisfying. I also changed POV to have more focus on RJ in the story.

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Chloe

Dear Diary,

Hello! I've been told by Emma to start a diary. She's a psychology student and she thinks writing a journal entry daily will be "good for mental health". I'm not sure if I believe her but I'll try it anyway. Although, RJ also studies psychology, and she's never told me to do this... Whatever, Emma bought me a cute journal so daily journaling it is!

Speaking of RJ, we've been doing well in our long-distance relationship. There are ups and downs for sure; sometimes I get mad at her for ditching our daily calls for a party, sometimes she gets mad at me for not updating her about my ever-changing work schedules. But well, the fights don't last long, and we always make it a point to patch things up before the end of the week. What I've learned from this experience is that... it's all about communication. Communication, and trust. And a whole lot of work. Relationships take work, and long-distance relationships take even more work.

And life, in general, has been fine too. I really, really love my job. I mean, I've always loved baking, so being able to bake all day every day, and get paid for it is just the dream. Plus, Chef Knowles has been so encouraging and kind. He's been allowing me to help him create recipes for the VIP tea sessions (in a five-star hotel!!) and it's been so, so fun. And when the customers come back to tell us how much they enjoyed my creations, I feel even more joy.

And I guess I've been enjoying my job so much that I extended my gap year by one more year. It wasn't an easy decision, honestly, because I want to be with RJ soon, but Chef Knowles has since given me so many opportunities that it's been worth it, I think.

Oh, and he's also writing me a recommendation letter for college applications! I've decided to apply for some schools around RJ's school, as well as some culinary schools in the area. The Institute of Culinary Education has a campus in Los Angeles, and that's like the number one culinary school in America. I hope I get into at least one school, unlike two years ago...

But I'm more hopeful this time. At least this time, I'm applying with a clear goal in mind. The last time I applied, I was just following wherever RJ wants to go, which I think probably reflected in my essays and stuff; the Admissions Committee could probably see my lack of conviction and stuff. I don't know. But I'm more hopeful this time.

Everybody else in my life has been doing well as well. My mom, for example, is doing very well. I think she likes her new job, and I also think she's dating someone now? She's not telling me, but she's been coming home late and I know her job doesn't work her that hard. And no one comes back home from work with a smile like that. I could probably check her phone since she doesn't lock it, but I'll wait till she tells me herself. ;)

My friends are doing well too. Emma is now in her second year in NUS, and I think she's thinking of becoming a social worker? She has a really big heart, so I can see why she wants to do that. I support her one hundred percent. The boys are just done with their National Service, and Adrian and Logan are both going to NUS for computer science. I'm actually not sure how Logan managed to get in, but he must have been hanging out with Adrian enough to boost his intelligence. And last but not least, Jon is going to Stanford, which is absolutely crazy. He'll be with RJ in California, which I really hope to be able to join.

Oh yeah, he also broke up with Huimin. Neither of them really talk about it much, but I suspect it's because they don't want to attempt a long-distance relationship. I can't really blame them, they've seen my struggles after all. Jon even had to be a mediator in many of our fights. RJ and I pulled through all of that though, and we are still together, but it must have traumatized Jon in some ways.

Because of that, Huimin, and her good friend Audrey, have drifted apart from us, and I don't really hang out with them anymore. But I know they're doing very well in school, and that they both got an internship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently, so that's really good.

So yeah, life has been good. Love has been hard, still, but honestly? I'm grateful. Yes, I still bawl my eyes out every week while talking to RJ, because I just miss her so much, but at least I don't cry every day like I did when she first moved, so that's an improvement, right?

Ahh, I really do miss her so, so much. So, so damn much. Okay, I need to stop writing about this before I start crying into my new journal...

And I really, really hope to get into a school this time around. I'm almost 21 and I'm still not in a University or a college. Mom says everyone has a different timeline, but it still sucks when it feels that everyone is much faster than you in the road of life.

Anyway, RJ is calling. It's our daily scheduled talking time, so I'm gonna go now.

Bye!

Love,
Chloe.

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May 20, 2016, Friday.

Hello Diary,

So yeah, apparently I abandoned this daily journal immediately after my first entry. Emma is going to be so annoyed xD But I'm back with an exciting update! I actually got into the Institute of Culinary Education!!!! *dances in joy*

So I'm going to be flying to LA in three months! RJ nearly cried from the news too. We're both super happy. She's gonna come pick me up from the airport and everything. I'm so excited to finally be with her again. Oh and school of course. I'm excited to start learning again.

Life is good. :)

Bye, again! May I write here more often!

Love,
Chloe.

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A/N: And that is the last entry Chloe has ever written in her journal. Poor abandoned journal.