Chapter 1: New Home

Summer is coming to an end. School has begun in the new year, but I did not continue to enroll in my previous school. I don't like that school anymore because it's full of memories of my friends and Sam. Now, as a senior high school student this year, I can't help but think that if that accident hadn't happened, they would have been here enrolling with me today.

It's been eleven months since that accident happened, and now I'm unpacking my things in my new home.

After a long trip, we arrived at Aunt Abby's house. She's my deceased mother's sister. We didn't see much of her before because my mom's family didn't like my dad. I am also not very close to my mother's relatives because I am closer to my dad's family.

Since Dad was in another country, I decided to go to Mindoro with my aunt.

She is alone in her house because she does not have a husband or children. She's 35 years old already, but she just doesn't care if she becomes an old maid.

She's kind and caring. I was with her for a long time when my mom passed away.

"Anne, have you finished with your things?" Auntie shouted from downstairs. Her house is cool and relaxing because it's made of cement and wood.

"Yes, Auntie!" I also shouted and then left my room.

"Come on, let's eat. I know you're still dizzy from the trip, so eat first before you rest. You're going to school tomorrow. I'm sorry I can't be with you. The school here is good, and I know you'll like it. Even though it's public, the quality of education is high," she said as I prepared my food.

I just nodded and then started eating.

"By the way, Anne, after you leave school tomorrow, we will go to the seaside to visit your grandparents."

I was stunned by what she said.

"Do I need to go there?"

"Of course. I think you only saw Mama and Papa once, so of course, they missed you too."

"I thought they hated us?" I mumbled.

"What? Of course not. They didn't like your dad because he was a well-known playboy in his youthful days, but we knew he changed when he met my sister. But of course, you know Mama and Papa are very conservative, so they thought your dad would never change."

"Okay," I answered sparingly and then continued eating.

After eating, I went up to my room to take a shower. Our trip was long, and instead of boarding an airplane, my aunt and I traveled by land. I wanted to experience their ship, which is why I requested we travel this way.

Feeling dizzy from boarding the ship, I slept for a few hours during the journey. After a refreshing shower, I quickly straightened my hair, then lay down and promptly fell asleep due to exhaustion. I woke up around five in the afternoon. With Auntie not at home, I stepped outside to admire the yard. Her home has the charm of a modern province, with lovely plants adorning the front and vegetables growing in the back. A quaint gazebo sits beside the garden, sheltering a serene pond with koi fish swimming below.

I sighed, then sat down in the gazebo and looked away.

"If only they were here too. This house would definitely be very noisy."

"It's hard to get rid of what you're thinking."

I was shocked to hear that and looked around, but I saw nothing.

"Up here," said the voice, so I looked up at the mango tree on the other side of the fence.

A man was there, lying on a large tree branch. He was wearing a plain white shirt, a blue jersey jacket, and a baseball cap. He looked like a varsity baseball player.

"Who are you?" I asked in surprise.

He smirked at me and got up slightly.

"I guess you're my neighbor. Is that where you live?" he casually asked as if we were just friends.

"Yes."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Nope. Why do-!"

"Are you going to study here?" he immediately asked, cutting off what I was going to say.

"Yes. Why-!"

"When did you move here? How do you like living there?"

I raised an eyebrow at the number of questions he asked. He seems close.

"Why do you ask?" I asked with a tinge of irritation.

He just smirked and shrugged.