Love beyond the distance

Chapter 2: Found the Love

Three years ago, Knoxx Augustus Velasquez came into my life.

He was a twenty-one-year-old Mass Communication student with a carefree personality and a smile that could easily make people feel comfortable around him.

Most people knew him as a happy-go-lucky guy, the kind of person who could turn a boring day into something fun.

But when he was with me, he was different.

He became softer, more serious, more careful with his words and actions.

We first met in school when we were in Grade 12.

Back then, he was afraid to approach me. I could not blame him.

I knew how people saw me before.

To many, I was the spoiled Montefalco heiress, the girl who always looked cold and untouchable.

But August was persistent.

When he finally gathered the courage to court me, the first person he asked permission from was Nanny Tina.

At first, he thought she was my mother because she was always the one beside me.

She was the one who picked me up, attended my school events, and reminded me to eat whenever I forgot.

I still remember how nervous August looked when he talked to her.

Nanny Tina almost laughed at him, but she listened.

Maybe she saw something sincere in himp.

Maybe she believed he could make me happy.

And he did.

For almost three years, August became my first love, my best friend, and the person I trusted with the most fragile parts of myself.

Our relationship was known by both of our families.

My parents supported us, and so did he.

But, of course, there were rules.

We were not allowed to stay alone in one room.

We were not allowed to sleep beside each other.

We had boundaries that both families expected us to respect.

We never complained about it.

For us, being together was already enough.

At that time, I was taking up a Bachelor of Science in Medicine.

I was in my senior year, preparing myself for medical school and chasing the future I had dreamed of since I was young.

August was also in his senior year, though we had different courses and different buildings.

Still, we always found a way to see each other.

That morning, classes had just resumed, and it was already midterm week.

I barely had enough sleep because almost all of my subjects were majors.

For days, I had been reviewing nonstop, trying to absorb every lesson, every term, and every detail I needed to remember.

I was fixing my things when my phone lit up.

From: Love ♥

Good morning, Love! I’ll pick you up there. See you!

A small smile appeared on my face.

August always wanted to pick me up from home so we could go to school together.

He said he only wanted to make sure I arrived safely.

It was sweet, but that morning, I knew we might be late if he still passed by our house.

So I quickly replied.

To: Love ♥

No need, Love. Let’s just meet at school. We might be late for our first class.

Thankfully, he did not argue.

When I arrived at school, I saw him waiting near the entrance.

The moment he saw me, he smiled and opened his arms.

I walked toward him, and he hugged me tightly, as if we had not seen each other for weeks.

“I missed you, Love,” he whispered. “Good luck on your exams. I love you so much.”

I smiled against his chest. “I missed you too. Sorry we haven’t been able to spend much time together these past few days. Good luck on your exams too. I love you.”

After that, we parted ways.

My building was on the right side of the campus, while his was on the left.

The whole day was exhausting.

Some of the questions in our exams came from topics our professors had not even fully discussed yet.

Luckily, I had done some advanced reading the night before.

Every time I finished an exam, I silently prayed.

“Lord, please let me pass. I want to graduate with honors. I want to become a Magna c*m Laude. And I want to go to New Zealand as an exchange student.”

A week after our midterms, I went to school earlier than usual.

I wanted to study before class because, for some reason, I still felt unprepared.

I had already reviewed everything, but there was a nervous feeling inside me that would not go away.

As I walked along the hallway, I suddenly saw our dean.

“Ms. Montefalco,” she called.

I stopped immediately. “Good morning, Dean.”

“I have something to tell you. Come with me to my office.”

My heart started beating fast.

Did I fail an exam? Did I violate something? Was I in trouble?

I followed her quietly until we reached her office. When she asked me to sit, I tried my best to calm myself, but my hands were already cold.

“I have news for you,” she began with a smile.

I swallowed hard. “News, Dean?”

“Yes. Do you know why I called you here?”

I shook my head. “No, Dean. I honestly have no idea. Did I do something wrong? Did I fail any subject?”

Her smile widened.

“No, Adie. You did not fail. In fact, this is good news.”

I froze.

“Our partner university in New Zealand has already chosen the students who qualified for the exchange program,” she said. “And you are one of them.”

For a moment, I could not speak.

I only stared at her, trying to process the words I had just heard.

NEW ZEALAND.

EXCHANGE STUDENT.

QUALIFIED.

ME.

“You did a very good job,” the dean continued. “Congratulations. I will wait for your decision once you have discussed it with your parents.”

Tears suddenly filled my eyes.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Is this real, Dean?”

“It is.”

“Thank you so much,” I said, my voice trembling. “Thank you for this opportunity. I really did not expect this.”

When I left her office, I was still in shock. My feet moved on their own as I walked back to my classroom, but my mind was somewhere else.