FLASHBACK

An elegant lady around her 40’s was holding a tray, a tray full of several types of foods. She walked in front of a door and catched her breath. It was a long walk in her mansion to reach this room. She placed her hand to the door. She was hesitating if she would knock or not. You could see it from her hazelnut eyes, all of the fear, all of the worry that she had for her only daughter. She shooked her head and knocked anyway.

“Pie, please eat something” she said, almost a whisper, her hazelnut eyes staring at the door.

As she expected, no response came from her daughter. She reached out for her pocket and grabbed a handful of keys holded of by a large ring. She doesn’t want to go to the door uninvited but for the sake of her daughter’s wellness, she will.

Mrs. Manaying has always been a business powerhouse even at her young age. She has a strong personality and she fought long enough to climb her way to the top of the business industry. The people who knew her personally knows that she doesn’t have any weaknesses. But little did they know that her only soft spot is her only daughter, Pie.

She opened the door and saw her princess, lying miserably in her king-sized bed. She was hugging a missing poster of someone named “Kimhan Burnaphan”. Mrs. Manaying knew that this person is very dear for her princess. She was aware that this person was loved by her princess a lot, and seeing that person dissapear left a pinch in her heart also. As you can see, the Manayings and the Burnaphans are long-time friends even in business.

The mother put the food on her daughter’s bedside table and quickly sat beside her.

“I love her, Mom. I’m sorry. I know you wanted me to marry a guy, but I love her and I’m going to find her” her princess confessed.

She hugged her only daughter, brushed her hair and said, “I know. I’m not angry, child. Let’s find her together”. Her heart melted when she saw Pie cry more. She knew that her daughter was suffering a lot.

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I was about to go to my first class when I decided to head to my locker first. My locker was actually just beside the ladies’ restroom so sometimes I could hear the girls talking. I really miss going to the ladies’ restroom since the men’s restroom always stinks.

I was about to open my locker when I heard something from the restroom.

“Hey, do you know Tina Jittaleela?” a girl with a low pitch voice asked.

“Oh yeah! He’s so handsome, right?” a girl with a high pitched voice giggled.

I can feel my face heat up a little when I heard that. I know that I shouldn’t take the word ‘handsome’ as a flattery but I can’t help it. I wonder if Pie thinks of me that way too, just the thought of it makes me so happy.

I continued to open my locker and then I noticed something strange. I saw a blue sticky note. I picked it up and examined it. There was something written on it.

“Meet me at the rooftop at 2 pm” the note says. I let out a heavy sigh. This happens to me a lot. I always get notes like this and when I show up, the next thing I know is girls confessing to me. I know some girls and some girls who confessed are seniors. I don’t get it. When I was considered as a girl, it’s not like this. I wonder what some girls saw in me that they like me so much. I don’t think of myself as lovable. I’m silent and a very awkward person. I don’t even talk to people that much.

2:00 PM

“Hey dude. Let’s eat with Jane and the gang” Zee said when our class finished at exactly 2 pm. I still can’t build up my mind whether I should go to the rooftop or not.

But if I go with Zee, then this is my chance to eat with Pie, right? I can’t let this chance slip by. I also want to apologize to Pie because of what happened yesterday. I wonder what she would say to me?

But what about the girl waiting for me in the rooftop? What would she feel?

I shooked my head. I’ve been very considerate going to the confessions without any failure. This time, I want my happiness. I choose to be with Pie.

I smiled at Zee and said, “Yes. I’ll go with you”. Zee smirked.

“That’s good. But I really don’t know the place that they’ve set. Let’s just find it” Zee explained, scratching the back of his head.

3:02 PM

It’s been an hour. We’re still looking for the restaurant. Jane texted that it’s really near the university but Zee and I have been exploring the whole university for a while. We stopped walking for a while to catch our breath.

“Dude, should I ask Jane to pick us up?” Zee said, catching his breath. Sweat has been running in his forehead. I wiped his sweat using my forearm. This kid doesn’t really know how to take care of himself, huh?

“Yes, I think we should” I said, smiling. Even though it’s embarassing, I really want to see Pie right now. Zee fished for her phone and so I looked around the area when something caught my attention. I noticed a signage in the second floor of an old building. It was really small so I have to walk towards the signage to see it clearly. I opened my eyes wide when I realized that it is the restaurant that we’ve been looking for.

“Zee! I found the place” I called at Zee. He turned around and his reaction was somewhat simillar to mine, but funnier.

“Let’s go. They’re waiting for us” Zee said, while grabbing my wrist and swiftly entered the restaurant. He really looks excited seeing Jane.

The restaurant was nice, despite the secluded location. I appreciate the modern furnitures and artworks attached on its wall. The tables are made of wood and on top of it lies a glass. In the middle of the wood and the glass lies stickynotes coming from the students. Some are love notes, some are random stuff. It’s more like a freedom wall, or rather, a freedom table?

“Zee!” someone called. I turned around and saw Jane, running towards Zee as she puts her arms around Zee’s neck. Wow, I was surprised. I never thought that Jane would be the clingy type since the rumors about her is not that good. Actually, the rumors around her gang is not good. I heard that they’re always cutting classes and going to clubs instead. I really don’t want to believe the rumors since I know Pie wouldn’t do that ever.

“Tina, hello. Good thing that you came over” Jane said, smiling at me. I’m still surprised at the sudden niceness that Jane is showing me.

“Yes, it’s because I promised you right?” I said, smiling back next to her.

She points at something and said, “Our table is in this way”. Zee and I nodded and walked towards their table.

When Puey saw me, he quickly stood up and chained his arms to mine and said, “Hello handsome”, and then he winked at me. I just smiled at him. I also smiled at Nerd but she was staring aphatetically to me. Okay. That was awkward.

Wait. Someone’s missing.

I glanced at the table. Jane is here. Puey is here. Nerd is here. Where is she?

Just like she’s reading my mind, Zee turned to Jane and asked, “Where’s Pie?”.

Jane turned to Puey and Nerd. “Where is she again?” she asked them. She turned back to Zee and said, “She told me that she going somewhere but I forgot where”.

My whole world collapsed when I heard her. I came here to see her and she’s not here.

Puey rolled her eyes like he’s remembering something.

“Ah!” he said as he clapped his hands. “She’s in the rooftop. I think she’s going to meet with someone”

When I heard that, I remembered the baby blue note that I saw in my locker.

Is it possible that….

Pie is the one who sent that?

I closed my eyes. . . . Is this really happening? I touched my chest. I could feel my heart beating so fast, like it’s going to tear away from my body.

“Looks like our baby’s growing so fast. Do you think they’re dating?” Jane gladly said, touching her chest.

Zee looked at me and rubbed my back and said, “Are you okay, dude?”

I shooked my head. This is not happening. I have to go back. I have to make sure that it’s not her. I wish it’s not her. I have to make sure that a random girl was waiting for me there and not her. This must be a coincidence.

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Why is this happening to me? Did I do something wrong?

I…

I just chose to be with Pie…

Why is this happening?

For once, I’ve chosen my own happiness. Don’t I deserve to be happy just this once?

I quickly opened the door leading to the school rooftop.

The sunlight illuminated my face. It’s cold here. I could see the clear skies as the cold air caresses my short hair.

I searched the deserted rooftop to look for any signs of Pie. I…

didn’t see her here…

I don’t know what to feel. If she’s not here, then where is she? And with whom? Is it true that she’s dating someone?

I felt a pinch in my heart. It hurts so much. Like my heart was being stabbed a thousand times.

I messed my hair as I looked around the rooftop. This place brings memories to me. This is the place where girls confessed to me. I rejected them a couple of times. They must be hurt, right?

I smiled at myself. Maybe this is my karma. My eyes wandered to a bench nearby and something caught my attention.

My jacket!?

I blinked my eyes, still can’t believe what I am seeing. I grabbed the jacket.

It’s really my jacket. It’s the jacket I covered Pie when she was drunk. It’s the jacket that she was wearing when I kissed her forehead. It was the same jacket that she was wearing when she’s dreaming about me. I smelled the denim jacket…

My heart beats so fast. It smells like her. So she’s the one who sent the note….

I clenched my hands into a fist, mad at myself. How can you be so stupid, Kimhan?