Yesterday's Refrain

Meeting the Editor-in-Chief

Aira stood alone in the faculty comfort room, the quiet hum of the air conditioner filling the stillness with the space. The room, simple and functional, was a refuge where she often retreated to catch her breath amidst the busyness of her days. Beige walls, worn chairs, and the faint scent of coffee that lingered in the air made it a comforting, if unremarkable, corner of the campus.

Her eyes were drawn to the mirror on the far wall, an object she had passed countless times before without much thought. Today, however, something felt different. She stopped in front of it, gazing at her reflection for longer than usual.

The woman in the mirror was no longer the same one who had left her birth city thirteen years ago. Aira studied her face, the subtle lines that had formed over the years, the quiet strength that now radiated from her. Once, she had been a naive 20-year-old, uncertain of her future and unaware of the heartbreak she would eventually face. That girl was gone, replaced by someone more resilient and confident.

Now, Aira was the campus journalism adviser—an achievement that had come after years of hard work. She was also head of the English Department, respected within the university and the city. Her career, her accomplishments, were proof of her growth.

Yet, as she stood there, taking in the reflection, there was a part of her that couldn't deny the traces of the past that still clung to her. The girl who had once been so deeply in love—perhaps too deeply. The girl who had believed in promises made in the heat of passion, only to be betrayed when those promises were broken. Jonathan's love had once consumed her, only to leave her heart shattered and her trust in ruins.

Thirteen years had passed since that chapter of her life. She had moved on, or so she had convinced herself. She had built a new life, a life free from the pain of her youth, a life where she had forged her own path. The past had become a shadow—faint, distant, and buried beneath the layers of her present.

But standing there in front of the mirror, as she kept staring at herself, waves of memories began to resurface. Unwelcome, persistent, they flooded her mind with clarity—memories she had long buried, too painful to revisit, too raw to face. She couldn't escape them, no matter how hard she tried.

Her fingers rested on the edge of the sink, her grip light but steady, as if searching for something solid to hold on to. She had worked tirelessly to create the life she had now, and yet, in this quiet moment, the past refused to let go.

Aira exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of her own reflection. She had come so far, but some parts of the past were impossible to shake off. The girl who had once been swept away by love and heartbreak still existed within her. Time had changed her, yes, but some fragments of that girl lingered—subtle, hidden beneath the layers of strength she had built.

As she stared at herself in the mirror, Aira realized that, no matter how much time had passed or how much she had grown, the past was never truly gone. It would always be a part of her, woven into the fabric of the woman she had become. And she really hadn’t expected that this day would come—

This unexpected moment when memories would come rushing back, catching her off guard...

Aira had been standing at the intersection for nearly 15 minutes, her heart fluttering with both excitement and a twinge of anxiety. The street corner in front of the public elementary school had become her quiet waiting spot, where the light breeze barely helped to settle the rush of emotions coursing through her. She had spent so much time imagining what this moment would be like—the moment when she would finally meet Jonathan face-to-face.

Despite seeing him countless times in news reports, contests, and in photos shared by mutual acquaintances, she had never had the chance to speak to him in person. Jonathan Saavedra—her high school journalism idol, the man whose name had been on the lips of every journalist, both young and old. Aira was now standing here, mere steps away from him, but it felt like she was in a dream.

She was dressed simply in a red shirt and capri pants, her long hair tied up in a bun that reached down to her hips. Her slip-ons were the only thing comfortable enough for the walk to the corner, and her shoulder bag hung loosely at her side. She’d applied only a light dab of face powder and a hint of lipstick to prepare for this moment, but nothing could mask the nerves.

Every time she glanced down at her phone, she felt a rush of emotions—fear, excitement, and even doubt. What if he doesn’t like what he sees? What if this doesn’t live up to the expectations I’ve built? It was a thought that hovered over her, making her nervous as she scanned the crowd for him. She didn’t know what to expect. She was just a fresh graduate—no real connections to the world he had conquered. And he, well, he had been a journalism prodigy from high school through college.

Her thoughts were broken when she saw him. Jonathan stepped off the bus with an ease that only someone used to the limelight could possess. He was dressed in his usual journalist attire: a simple button-down shirt, dark jeans, and those iconic Caterpillar boots. His ever-present backpack hung over one shoulder, and his sunglasses, which only accentuated his mysterious, cool demeanor, were perched on his nose.

Aira stood frozen for a moment as Jonathan walked towards her, his attention seemingly on the street around him, unaware of the figure waiting just ahead. Taking a deep breath, Aira smiled to herself. This was it. With a sudden surge of courage, she waved at him.

His eyes quickly locked onto her, brows furrowing in slight confusion. Aira’s heart skipped a beat. She knew he wouldn’t recognize her right away. After all, they had only exchanged texts, but still, it was a moment she had waited for. The nerves were now in full swing, but she had to show him—she had to give him a signal.

“Jonathan?” she called out, her voice catching in her throat.

The confusion in his eyes faded as he walked toward her. “You must be Aira,” he said with a slow smile, his voice low and measured. “I’m sorry I’m late. Traffic’s been a mess.”

She nodded quickly, her fingers tugging at the strap of her shoulder bag. “It’s okay. I got here a little early. No worries.”

Jonathan gave her a quick, appreciative glance, still unaware of the storm of emotions running through her. “I came from covering a report about a woman found floating in the river,” he said. “She was believed to have been raped.”

Aira's stomach twisted at the grim topic, but she simply smiled and nodded, as it wasn’t the time or place to delve deeper into the dark subject. Instead, she tried to keep her focus on him, fighting back the overwhelming rush of feelings that had been building up ever since they first started texting.

"Shall we go?" Jonathan asked, gesturing down the street toward the nearby McDonald's. “You must be hungry. I’ll grab us something to eat.” His tone was kind, but there was a casual ease to it that made Aira relax a little more. She couldn’t help but marvel at how normal he seemed, despite the fact that he had always been a larger-than-life figure in her eyes.

“Anything is fine,” Aira replied, trying to keep her voice steady, though the fluttering in her chest betrayed her calm demeanor.

They walked side by side in silence for a few moments, the distant sounds of the city enveloping them. She could feel the heat of her face as her mind raced, reminding herself that Jonathan was an accomplished man, someone who had seen and done things she could only dream of. The nervousness hadn’t quite left her, and the fear of being inadequate still gnawed at her.

When they arrived at McDonald's, Jonathan stood by as Aira made her choice, and he quickly ordered their meals. “I’m sorry again,” he said as they found a table, his voice genuine but filled with a kind of quiet humility. “You must’ve had a long wait. The city was just… chaotic today.”

Aira simply smiled, though her nerves still flickered beneath her calm expression. “It’s really fine,” she assured him, unsure whether she was trying to convince him or herself. "I don't mind."

The two sat in the quiet of the fast food restaurant, both of them trying to navigate the overwhelming newness of the moment. Aira was aware of every detail—his gaze, his movements, the way his hand rested on his drink as he sat across from her. She couldn’t help but feel like this moment had come straight out of a dream she never quite thought would happen.

Then, in the midst of the silence, Jonathan glanced up at her. He gave her a knowing look, and the mischievous glint in his eyes caught her off guard.

“Finally meeting you, ‘La,” he blurted out, his voice a little softer than she expected. There was a playfulness in his tone, but it was also warm. The nickname, ‘La, filled the space between them, and Aira’s heart fluttered as the words hit her like a wave.

“‘La,” he repeated, his smile gentle, before he took another sip from his drink.

Aira’s eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat. The word "La" sounded so familiar, as if it had been a part of their relationship all along. He had always signed off his texts with “I love you, La,” but to hear it in person, spoken aloud, sent a ripple through her chest.

“I love you, La.”

It was more than a word; it was a feeling—a connection. And hearing it now, as they sat across from each other in this mundane place, made her feel like a thorn in her heart had finally been pulled out.

She couldn’t stop the warmth from spreading across her cheeks, and she allowed herself to smile back. “Lo,” she whispered, using the familiar nickname she had always called him.