As I peered out the window, lost in my own world, I spotted this girl in red rushing towards her car. She paused, giving herself a final check in the car window, making sure she's the epitome of perfection. She shot me another farewell before hopping into her car, muttering, "I'll be back in the evening." I couldn't help but shake my head. Ah, the wonders of the human race never cease to amaze me. I didn't wait for her to leave. Instead, I went back to the sofa and sat there, feeling utterly bored. The thought of her being so serious about her plan was just too much for me.

It's the weekend, and here I am, supposed to be relishing my first stress-free Saturday, but instead, I'm babysitting my nephew, Bambi. Not that I mind, though. I've looked after Bambi before when Jana was busy with work but today feels different. Jana doesn't have work either, and she's supposed to be home. But, where is she? Oh wait, there she is—off on a date! And guess what? It's with someone she met online. Can you believe it? And yes, this was the favor Jana asked of me — babysit Bambi while she's out exploring her online romance.

Jana had never been on a date before, so the idea of her meeting someone, especially someone she'd only just met online, caught me off guard. While I usually don't pry into my best friend's personal life, I couldn't help but wonder about the guy she was seeing. She just shared their plans for a movie and dinner date, leaving me to spend the entire day with Bambi. Other than that, I know nothing else.

Bambi was watching cartoons on TV, but he seemed bored like me. Should we go somewhere? Bambi turned to me, his eyes pleading as he asked, "Auntie, can we go somewhere fun?" How could I resist that look in his eyes?  Perhaps it could even serve as a distraction to the both of us.

"I was thinking the same. Get ready, we're going to the aquarium," I replied. Bambi's face lit up with excitement. In no time, he was dressed in his cutest jumper. "Ready to go?" I asked.

"Yes, Auntie!" he said eagerly.

I grabbed my bag and led Bambi outside. I made sure to lock the door behind us. Since Jana had her car, I decided to book a carpool ride to the aquarium. If Jana was on a date today, then I was on one too—with Bambi.

As we waited for the carpool to arrive, I stole a glance at Bambi, my mind filled with questions. What if he found out? How would he react? Would he be okay with it? With a sigh, I pushed aside my worry, choosing to trust that Jana knew what she was doing.

The carpool arrived right on time, and we reached the aquarium in less than an hour. There were quite a few people around, but it wasn't too crowded.

I bought tickets to enter the place and see some attractions. Bambi is always fascinated by sea creatures, and I could tell he was really excited as we approached the entrance.

As we got closer to the entrance, the collector stopped us and asked, "Tickets for you and your son?" he asked, peering over his glasses. His assumption caught me off guard. Do I look like someone's mom? I gave him a puzzled look, and he quickly corrected himself, "Oh, your brother?" he said, sounding uncertain. Good guess but still wrong. I glanced at Bambi, who stood by my side.

Before I could even respond, Bambi jumped in, blurting out, "No, no, she's my auntie!"

The man feigned shock — what a phony.  I've always wondered how someone could fake a reaction. Was it a talent or merely a transparent act of deception?

"Alright, I'm sorry." Hastily, he dispensed our tickets and slipped wristbands onto our arms. "Enjoy your visit," he said, lacking any enthusiasm.

He was rude so I didn't bother thanking him. I can read and see through people. I can easily discern between sincerity and pretense. Unfortunately, he seemed to fall into the latter category. Now, I can't help but wonder if life was difficult for him. Perhaps if he smiled more often, he wouldn't upset people as much. Needless to say, it was quite an unexpected start to our trip to the aquarium.

Bambi and I went straight to see the jellyfish, feeling like we were on an adventure. Then, we fed the penguins, and I was just as excited as Bambi, maybe even more. It hit me — I hadn't felt this happy in years. The last time I was here, my parents were still together. I bit my lip at the thought. Having that in mind saddens me.

Why do people end up drifting apart? Is it because their love wasn't strong enough? I once believed this to be true, thinking that perhaps some people simply aren't meant to be together. As I often say, a person could either be a blessing or a lesson. But, love isn't always smooth sailing and compromise doesn't mean sacrificing your own happiness. It's about finding balance and understanding. People drift apart because they make that choice. Choosing to stay together is always within our control.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice Bambi calling out to me. "Auntie, the sea lion show is about to start! We have to hurry!" he said, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me along. But as he tugged me forward, my glasses slipped from my face, and I couldn't see.

As I leaned down to search for my glasses on the floor, a warm hand suddenly touched mine. "Are these yours?" he asked, handing me my eyeglasses. I put it back, catching a glimpse of his face. "Phew, glad I didn't squash them. You okay?" he continued, his tone filled with both relief and concern.

I stood there, completely frozen, gazing at the man in front of me. I was too stunned to say anything. This man — I knew him. And, before I could gather my thoughts, I realized Bambi was nowhere in sight. "Sorry," I managed to say before dashing off to find my nephew. There, I found Bambi cheering as the sea lion performed some stunts. I sighed with relief — I hadn't lost him.

I looked back, the man was gone. It had been seven years, but he hadn't changed a bit. I was sure it was him. For years, I had felt like an empty vessel, waiting for something to fill the void within me. Now, a whirlwind of emotions flooded over me—happy, sad, and angry all at once.

The sea lion show lasted for half an hour. Afterward, Bambi and I grabbed a quick snack at the food court. I scanned the area, but the man from earlier was nowhere to be seen. It felt really strange to suddenly run into him again. Why him, of all people? Was fate playing tricks on me?

After we finished eating, we headed home, only to find Jana waiting at the door. She appeared slightly worried. Damn it! I had forgotten to update her.

"I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up. Where were you?" Jana asked, sounding worried.

"Sorry, I had my phone on silent," I apologized sincerely.

"We went to the aquarium, Mommy! I had so much fun with Auntie Cali. I hope we can go together next time," Bambi said.

Jana's worried expression softened. "Sure, Bambi. I'll come next time," Jana replied with a smile as she watched him go inside. Turning to me, she said, "Please keep me updated next time. I was really worried," her tone now relieved.

"I'm really sorry." I said, feeling bad for making her worry. "So, how was your date?" I wasn't really interested in knowing. I just asked hoping to shift the focus onto her.

"It was okay. The guy I met seemed a bit awkward, though. Said I was the first person he's ever met," Jana responded, her tone skeptical. "And what about you? Did you enjoy the aquarium?" she asked.

"Y-yes, I did enjoy the aquarium, but..." I hesitated, unsure if I should tell her I ran into him. Should I?

"But what?" Jana asked, curious. I decided that I should. After all, she's my best friend.

"I ran into Dom at the aquarium," I whispered as if I were sharing a secret with her.

Jana could not help but raise her eyebrows, "Dom? The guy who ditched you in college? The one who refused to meet but you later caught with someone else?" She sounded surprised. Her questions brought back memories of that frustrating time.

His name is Dom. We met in an online chat during college, but as Jana said, we never met in person. Dom said he was too shy to meet me so I patiently waited for him to come around only to find out he was seeing someone else. It was a betrayal that left a lasting scar in me that I didn't know if I could ever trust anyone again. I distanced myself from people, convinced that I couldn't trust anyone except for my best friend, who always had my back. I thought I already moved on but perhaps I hadn't. When I met Dom earlier, I realized that I still carried the pain with me.

"What did he say?" Jana asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"He didn't seem to recognize me," I replied. "But then again, it has been seven long years. Maybe he's forgotten all about me." The idea of him not recognizing me makes me feel sad. Did I mean so little to him that he couldn't even recall my face? Doubts crept in, casting shadows over my self-worth. I took a deep breath, "Perhaps it's better this way," I murmured, more to convince myself than anything else. "If I do happen to run into him again, at least it won't be awkward," I said trying to convince myself that I wasn't bothered by the thought.

Jana pulled me into a comforting hug, her warmth grounding me. "Don't let him get to you, he's just a fragment of your past," she whispered. "You're worth so much more than that." For some reason, I felt like I needed to hear that.

"Thanks, Jana," I said as I pulled away from her hug. "I'll head off now." I made my way towards my apartment door.

Before I could step inside, Jana called out once more, "Oh, by the way, HR wants to see you on Monday for the assessment. But don't worry, the post is yours. I referred you, so it's just a formality."

"Sure, I'll be there."

I sighed heavily as I closed the door behind me. I needed to distract myself from the thought of seeing Dom again. It hurts knowing he was near, yet I couldn't bring myself to face him. Was cutting him off before the right choice? I believed it was. Back then, I was dealing with my own struggles. My parents' separation had left me broken, my best friend needed me, but I was too overwhelmed by my own problems, and on top of it all, the person I trusted had betrayed me. The pain was so much that I shut myself off from everyone.

My lips tremble, holding back the tears. When was the last time I let myself cry? I can't even recall. For so long, I've tried to be strong, burying my emotions and seeking distractions to avoid facing them. But now, I can't keep running from my feelings.

Feeling heavy-hearted, I quickly went to my room and turned my laptop on. I installed the chat room app where I first met Dom, curious if it was still active and if he still is. Surprisingly, it is.

I logged in using my username, "heyitsnursecali," I hadn't deleted this account, just stopped using it after what happened with me and Dom.

As soon as I was logged in, I saw many unread messages from my online friends who had been looking for me. Among them was a message from Dom, dated just a year ago. My hands were shaking, should I open it? But, I made it this far so might as well, I should.

AmsterDom: Hey, Nurse Cali, how are you? Did you become a nurse? I bet you did. I'm still trying to understand what happened between us. Here I am waiting for you. By the way, it's your birthday today. I just dropped by to wish you a happy birthday! I hope to chat with you again when you come back. I'll wait for you.

Tears streamed down my face as I read his messages. Despite my efforts to forget about him over the past seven years, he never once forgot about me. Now, I'm starting to regret my choices. I shouldn't have abandoned him.

As I scrolled through his other messages, I was distracted by the sound of a message popping up.

pride_Chicken: Nurse Cali, you online?!

"pride_Chicken?" I asked myself. It took me a moment to recall, but then I remembered him! He was one of my closest online friends before. I couldn't help but get more emotional. It had been ages since I last chatted with him.

heyitsnursecali: Yes, I am! How's life?
pride_Chicken: Damn! It's been a while. I thought you were dead. I'm good! 'bout you?
heyitsnursecali: I'm a nurse now!
pride_Chicken: Wow, congrats Nurse Cali! By the way, have you heard the news?
heyitsnursecali: What news?
pride_Chicken: About Dom. A common friend told me he had an accident a year ago and hasn't been online since. Have you heard anything?
heyitsnursecali: Actually, I saw him earlier today. He seemed fine.
pride_Chicken: You saw him?! That's surprising. Well, send my regards. I've got to go now!
heyitsnursecali: Sure thing, take care.

I shut my laptop, left speechless by the news I heard from pride_Chicken. Could it be true that Dom was in an accident? It would make sense if he was. Maybe that's why he couldn't recognize me earlier. Perhaps he lost his memory of me.

I sighed as I lay down in bed. Should I see him again? But how? We lost touch, and I barely know anything about him besides his name. And if we do meet, should I tell him the truth about us? About how I disappeared for seven years?

I felt exhausted. It had been a long day and I needed to rest my mind. I closed my eyes, hoping to find some answers, and before I knew it, I fell asleep.