MONTHS passed by. I thought that I will be able to enjoy my last year in high school but I didn’t, because Nathan keep on ignoring me. I even ask for Scott’s help but to no avail. I’m slowly losing against time since I knew that once we applied for college, there is a possibility that I won’t be able to see him again.
The school festival is coming nearer and nearer, so the students became busier than the passed few days. Scott and Nathan became our leaders when it comes to creating a booth for the festival, and they are too busy planning for it so I decided to come home alone. But then, while walking near the parking lot of the school, I stopped, seeing Tyler staring at my direction, while resting upon his motorcycle. The moment that he saw my face, he immediately stood up, before walking towards me.
“Natalia...”
“Tyler...” I blankly stated, not knowing how to talk to him after so many months of that “incident.”
“Will you talk to me now?” he asked me, eyes begging for me to agree.
“Fine. Just make it quick. I have to be home early today.”
“Then I’ll take you home,” he answered.
“There is no need for that. I can do it on my own. Just tell me whatever it is that you wanted to say.”
“Carter... I just want to apologize for what I did to you before... For hurting you, and everything. I just hope that you can forgive me... And I’m also here to bid my final good bye. I will be leaving soon. My father and I will be migrating to Australia.”
“I already heard about that from Scott...”
“So? I mean... Can you please, accept my apologies? I know that I won’t be able to move on without that...”
“I can’t forgive you just like that, Tyler. And I don’t care if you will be leaving with guilt or not. I just wanted to have a peace of mind, so maybe it will be better for you to be gone,” I answered, and even I, could hear the anger by the tone of my own voice.
I walked away, thinking that maybe I’m only wasting time by talking to him. Or maybe not. Because after a few days, Scott called me, stating something unexpected.
“Tyler is leaving the country today... Last night, he ask me about you... He looks so guilty for what he did, Nat. He thought that you can never forgive him...”
“He’s leaving today?”
“Yes. He got drunk the other night... He kept on calling your name... Nat, will you do me a favor and forgive my cousin before he left? I mean... Wouldn’t it give both of you a peace of mind if you will part your ways having a closure about your past?” Scott asked me.
He’s right. I thought that letting Tyler leave will give me a peace of mind, but I was wrong, completely wrong. Allowing him to leave without accepting his apologies will only worsen things, for us not having the closure that we need. And so I dropped the call, before I decided to go the the nearest airport in town. And there, thankfully, I saw him in the waiting area, his father our of sight.
“Tyler!” I shouted, attempting to gain his attention that made him turned around to face me.
“N-Natalia?” His eyes suddenly widen in delight and shocked just by seeing my face. “What are you doing here?” he asked me, before walking towards my direction.
“I’m here because... Scott told me that you’re leaving and I wanted to forgive you before you go... I’m finally accepting your apology, Tyler... And I came here to see you for the one last time...” I admitted, biting my lower lip.
“Glad to know about that, Natalia. I thought you will never forgive me before I leave... I just wanted to clarify some things to you...” he started off, before tucking the loose strands of my hair behind my ear, just like he always did before.
“And what is that?”
“I did love you before, Natalia... For real. At first, I’m only doing all of these for the deal of Freeda and I. But when Nathan talked to me–” I instantly cut him off, hearing my bestfriend’s name in our conversation.
“Nathan talked to you?”
“Yes, he did. Before he left, Nat. He told me that I don’t deserve you if I’m only going to make you cry or hurt you in any way. So I made a promise to myself... That I will never going to do that. From that moment on, I started to love you for real... Our first kiss, that wasn’t fake, Natalia. It felt real... Well, for me I guess. I just hope that you feel the same way too.”
“Tyler...” I trailed off, unable to say anything after hearing his explanations.
“But I still hurt you, didn’t I? I should have just admitted it to you even before our Prom night. But I was just so scared of your further reaction and the fact that I might be going to lose you...”
“So you... You wanted it to be real?”
“I do... Until now. But I don’t think that I still deserve you after what I did, so it will be better for me to leave. And besides, you deserve someone better than me... Someone who will never hurt your feelings the way I did. Again, I’m sorry, Natalia Carter,” he stated.
Instead of giving him a response, I tiptoed to give him our last, tight embrace. I feel sad, knowing that he’s now leaving. But maybe this is for our own good as well. After all, college is just around the corner and we will be separated by that time. Bidding our final good byes with nothing but good memories together is the best way that we can end our past.
Tyler and I parted our ways, but the moments that we had together will be forever cherished inside of my heart. I sighed, before watching his plane went up to the sky from afar. This is not yet the end. High school is just the beginning of our lives, and I’m sure that someday, the two of us could meet again.
A week passed by. Today, everyone is looking very excited for our school festival. Even our booth leaders, Nathan and Scott is looking very delighted for the one day break from our school works. One way to relax even just for a little bit of time and explore every part of our school while celebrating and enjoying different booths organized by the students. Though I’m not really that hyped for it, because Nathan is still ignoring me like I wasn’t existing at all.
“So any suggestions for the theme color of our booth?” Nathan asked, gaining the attention of our class. Scott is standing beside of him, looking as friendly as ever.
I eventually raised my hand but he ignored it, looking for someone else instead.
“Anyone?”
“Nat, maybe Natalia has some idea,” I heard Scott interrupted, causing him to stop and look at my direction.
He groaned, as if being defeated by the lack of volunteers suggesting something for our booth.
“Fine. What is it then, Ms. Carter?” he asked.
“What about red, Nathan? I mean...” He immediately interrupted my statement, before I could been finish my second sentence.
“Red is already taken by the other group.”
“Blue?” I stated, unsure.
“I don’t like it.”
Freeda sneered on her seat, badly wanting to laugh at me for the way that Nathan is currently treating me.
“Well, for me, blue is good. I like it...” Again, it was Scott, defending me from my old best friend.
Freeda’s little squad, including Becca, suddenly rolled their eyes upon him for apparently no reason.
“It for the whole class to decide, Nathan. Not because you are our leader, you can bluntly told us that you don’t want that certain color,” I argued, making the students nodded at my idea.
“Fine. Then why don’t you try being a leader instead, Ms. Carter? Since you are being too good at it, why don’t you do it yourself?” he questioned me, making everyone turned to look upon my direction.
That’s when I remember the night of the prom. Everyone is looking at me the same way... And as if just like that, all the bad memories suddenly came back to my system, making me cry at the thought of being humiliated once again. I walked out of the room, before I could even burst out of tears. I was near in the stairs when all of the sudden, someone called my name, making me stop for one second. And it was no other than the same person who humiliated me in front of the whole class... Nathan.