WITH LOVE AND HOPE

Looking out from the window, the view of the morning sun meets my heavy and started to get baggy eyes.

"Sunrise is a symbol of hope of a new beginning." The husky morning voice of Bree slightly startled me. "Good morning, my very distinguished guest. Did you have a goodnight's sleep? Or..." His brows wrinkles before while stretching the word he's about to say. "Or... Have you ever slept at all?"

"I'm fine." I'm trying to look away from him. Considering that I felt the heaviness of my eyes, it's simply obvious for him to notice that they are restless. Nevertheless, I don't want to drag him with my gloomy mood.

"Why don't we eat out for breakfast?"

"Your restaurants here open this early?"

"We're not going to eat in the restaurant, just in the little coffee shop in the corner."

With a little walk in the muddy ground, we found the store with few patrons inside. Bree ordered us each serving of sticky rice topped with brown sugar paired with a hot chocolate drink. He also ordered another serving to take out for Bella.

"I was thinking since the coast guard is holding on the travel until tomorrow, why don't I show you around? Do you like to see the view of the chocolate hills?" Obviously, Bree is trying to cheer me up.

I just nodded, yet my eyes widened in excitement with my stuffed mouth.

*****

I laugh heartily and somewhat noisily after Bree pushes me from behind, helping me get through the two hundred and fourteenth step towards the known Bohol's Chocolate Hills' observation deck. I giggle, looking at Bree, who's been sweating extensively for pushing me towards the top.

He takes out his hanky to clear out his sweat, and I unwittingly take it away from him and wipe it to his face. He stiffens, startled over my action while looking at me cloyingly. I was taken aback by his meaningful gaze, it's making me conscious, but I can't take my eyes away from his stare. It's like he's communicating with me through it, and gazing at it, is like staring against Ziggy's eyes.

Perhaps I'm slowly moving back while he advances because this time I can feel the railings at my back until there's no more room for me to move. The only one who's moving now is him, towards me and his lips towards mine. I don't know why, but I didn't resist the kiss, yet my tears fell, and my heart brakes more, remembering Ziggy's kiss.

He let go after he tasted my tears and mumbles."I'm sorry."

With my eyes closed and sobbing, I hugged him and says. "I missed you, Zig."

We go back to Bree's house, barely a word, he went to his room early and left Bella and me in front of the TV. Bella wakes me up in the morning, asking me to prepare for it's time to go back home. Even at the boat, he never comes to talk to me. Rather, one of his mates passes me a small note before I disembark.

0912-345-6789

That's my number; contact me if you'll be needing me and not Zig.

With love and hope,

Bree

I look around, hoping to see Bree before I save his number in my phone and put his letter in my wallet. Nonetheless, I didn't see any sign of him. So, I move, making my way back home.

*****

Mom is happy, although partly troubled to see me back home this early and without Zig. She had been expecting me to spend my whole summer with him. However, she didn't say anything about it. She usually never will and let me open up to her in my most comfortable time.

The very next day, I call Dina and scheduled a meeting for our Organization as soon as possible. I don't want to spend another day lamenting anymore. I want to get myself busy as much as possible. Even I can sense uncertainty in her voice, and she still agrees with my decision even though deep inside, she knows something's not right happened in my travel. But she's not the one who just let issues like that to be skipped.

As soon as we end the call, a message from Dina appears.

(Dina) Besh, what happened?

I usually reply to Dina in seconds, if not only for the fact that I don't want to talk or think about that topic anymore.

Staring at my phone, I remembered Bree's number. I flop on my bed with my stomach, ready to cast my mind back to Bohol. I need to recognize my feelings to move on, I told myself. I need to remind myself that Ziggy is no longer part of my life; I lost him, or rather, he lost himself from me. I should move on, and my life won't stop here just because he's not here. I am strong and lovable; if he didn't really choose me, then somebody will. Bree will.

I get my phone and dial Bree's number, it rings. But then I realize I don't know what to say to him. He's obviously hurt when I uttered Zig's name after kissing him. So I drop the call and put my phone away.

Not long, the phone rings with Bree's number calling. I beam, slightly excited, and grab the phone.

"Hello," I answered excitedly.

"Cloe? Is it you?" Oww, and his voice is as excited as mine.

"You guessed it right." I smiled, enfolding my pillow.

"But why did you drop the call? No, wait, I don't want you to answer that. I don't want to miss another chance. Well, you see, I been praying for you to call me, and God is too good to answer my prayer."

"That's pretty obvious since you call back instantly with just a ring," I answered with a smirk.

"Heh, you're right and now, and at once, I want to say sorry for being too insensitive when I supposed to understand you and help you gradually move on."

"I understand you, Bree, and I promise you that I will move on, and I can move on because you are here to help me do it. right"

"Happily at your service." I can picture Bree's affectionate smile in his voice. "By the way, Is it fine to visit you sometime."

"You know my place?"

"I can navigate."

He's another reason to smile behind my pain. Maybe I can, and it won't be harder for me to move on with Ziggy if Bree is there.

Day after day, when he's out from work, Bree always showed up, in my home and while I'm working with the org. and I spent almost all my free time with him. I'm starting to get used to his presence. Until the day comes that I am comfortable enough to let Dina knows what happened with me and Ziggy, which means slowly I had able to accept the situation and ready to move on.

*****

"I'm glad, that you've finally moved on and Bree is not bad either, he's handsome and there's some part of his personality that's mostly similar to Ziggy, that might be why it's easy for you to fell for him. But I still can't believe what Ziggy did to you." Dina, while busy making flower roses for the festival presentation's props.

"Dina, did you say that I'm just making up stories?" I stopped what I'm doing when I say, looking straight at Dina. I'm collecting and arranging the paper flowers and tuck them on the board.

"No, it's not that, what I mean is, we've known Ziggy for years, aren't we? And we know that he's not that kind of person."

"Yes, I can hardly believe it myself, if not only because I saw it in my own eyes and hear it in my own ears."

"But, I know whatever Ziggy had done, he always has a good reason behind it."

"I hope, his reason is good enough, to ease my pain" With a deep sigh, I'm staring into space without perceiving anything.

Dina left her work to give me a consoling embrace. We let go after we hear the voice of someone saying.

" Deliver for Cloe Gargante!" We look back to see a delivery guy, holding a bouquet of various colored roses, neatly arranged and filled with aster and leatherleaf fern, wrapped with layers of crafting paper, printed plastic, and tied with three colored ribbons.