The Weight of a Promise

3rd Person’s POV Louanne sat in her office, staring blankly at the glittering lights of the city outside her window. The soft hum of the air conditioner was the only sound, but her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She took a slow sip of her wine, feeling the smooth liquid slide down her throat. There was something about the city lights that soothed her, and that was why she had chosen this office. It was high above the streets, far away from the chaos, and yet still close enough to feel connected to everything below. As she stared into the night, she couldn’t help but think of the questions that had been haunting her for years. "How is he? Does he still think of me? Will we ever meet again, Drei?" The questions echoed in her mind like a broken record. She tried to shake them off, but it wasn’t easy. Her phone buzzed, breaking her train of thought. She glanced at the screen. It was a message from Kai. "Hey! Where are you? I’ve been calling you, and I thought something had happened!" Kai’s message came with an endless string of question marks. Louanne couldn’t help but roll her eyes. *Classic Kai,* she thought. Her best friend always had a way of making things sound more dramatic than they really were. "I'm fine, Kai," she replied, her voice flat as she typed. "I'm just reviewing the reports for this month. The quarter’s about to end. Why? Did something happen?" "Nothing much, I just wanted to remind you that the reunion is tomorrow. I hope you're not going to skip again," Kai's message came through. Louanne sighed, knowing she couldn't get away with not attending this time. "I know, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll go this year," she typed back. "See you tomorrow, then. Bye!" Kai said, and before Louanne could even reply, the line went dead. Louanne stared at the phone for a moment before setting it down on the table. She had been avoiding the reunions for years. It was easier to stay away, to bury herself in work. But this year felt different. Maybe it was the nostalgia, maybe it was the thought of seeing Andrei again. They were once classmates, and they shared something more than just the usual school memories. But life had changed. And even though she was more successful than she had ever dreamed, there were still moments when her heart would ache at the thought of him. **The Morning Before the Reunion** By the time Louanne arrived at her condo, it was already late. She showered quickly, not bothering to eat, and went straight to bed. Tomorrow was the reunion, and she wanted to be well-rested for the event. The next morning, her body clock woke her up at 4 AM. She had grown accustomed to waking up early, especially with the responsibilities that came with being her own boss. She had to set an example, after all. As she checked her phone, she saw a new message from Zain, her long-time friend. It had been five years since they had started their “relationship,” though Louanne had always kept things platonic. Zain, despite his feelings for her, was content with being her friend. He knew the truth—that she was still waiting for someone else, someone who might never come back. "Hi babe! Should we go shopping? I miss you!" Zain’s message popped up on her screen with a heart emoji attached. Louanne smiled softly and replied, “I miss you too. I’ll meet you when I get home.” "Sure! Enjoy yourself, and don’t drink too much. Call me anytime, you know I’m just one call away." Louanne couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt as she read his words. Zain was a good guy, and she appreciated his friendship, but there was always a part of her that was waiting for Andrei. And she knew Zain understood that. **The Reunion** The day of the reunion came, and Louanne’s nerves were on edge. As she walked into the venue, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was about to face something she wasn’t entirely ready for. *Andrei...* she thought. The mere thought of seeing him again made her heart race. As she entered the restaurant where the reunion was being held, she saw some familiar faces from her high school days. Carol, Jen, and Jack were among the first to spot her. "Hi Anne, is that really you? Long time no see!" Carol called out, her voice full of excitement. “Yeah, Anne! You actually came this year?” Jen added with a smile. "Hello! Yeah, I wanted to bond with all of you," Louanne replied, giving them a quick kiss on the cheek as she greeted them. “You’ve been so successful, Anne! You’re going to end up an old maid at this rate with all your work,” Jack teased, causing everyone to laugh. Louanne chuckled along with them. “We should go inside before they start waiting for us,” she suggested, gesturing toward the dining area. The group made their way to the table, where they were joined by even more old friends. The reunion was being held in an upscale restaurant, and as expected, most of their classmates were successful. It was clear from the moment they sat down that the bond between the group hadn’t weakened over the years. They were all still connected by their shared memories, and Louanne found herself slipping into the comfort of their camaraderie. Just as they were about to start eating, Kai arrived. “Anyeong!” she greeted loudly, drawing the attention of everyone at the table before plopping down next to Louanne. “As usual, you’re late,” Jack teased. “Sorry, master,” Kai replied playfully. “You know how it is. My baby didn’t want me to leave.” “Ugh! I’m going to get emotional about someone else’s love life again,” Karla, their flamboyant gay classmate, joked, making everyone laugh. After a while, the group began to eat, drink, and sing karaoke. Louanne, feeling a little out of place, scanned the room with her eyes. She had already caught up with her closest friends, but her gaze kept returning to one corner of the room. She was hoping to see him—Andrei. Kai handed her a beer, and Louanne took it, trying to hide the unease in her chest. As she took a sip, she joined in on the conversation with the group. “By the way, did you guys get the invitation for Clark and Sarah’s wedding?” Jen asked, trying to include Louanne in the discussion. Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Louanne. She stayed silent, her mind drifting to thoughts of Andrei. “Naku, paano nga pala si Louanne? We haven’t been able to reach you. You’re never on Messenger, and even your f*******: and i********: is on private,” Karla pointed out, shaking her head in mock disapproval. “I don’t know, maybe Anne’s hiding something from us,” Kai added, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t be all about work, Anne,” Jack said gently. “You have everything now. It’s time to enjoy life.” “Thanks, guys. I am happy. It’s just hard to keep up sometimes, especially with work,” Louanne responded with a small smile. “But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you all.” “Promise?” Kai asked, raising her beer can in a toast. “Promise!” Louanne replied, clinking her beer with theirs. “Cheers!” they all chorused, taking a sip. But the mood shifted when Carol suddenly spoke up. “I wish Andrei were here. It would be perfect if he was,” she said wistfully. The mention of Andrei’s name made Louanne almost spit out her drink. She quickly regained her composure, but the mention of him sent a wave of emotions crashing over her. Kai tapped her on the back. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” Louanne said, forcing a smile. “Just a bit of a throwback moment.” “I know, it’s been years. No one’s heard anything from Andrei. I hope he’s okay,” Jack said, his voice a little quieter now. “Andrei, where are you?” Louanne whispered under her breath, lost in thought. **Flashback** Louanne could still remember Andrei’s smile like it was yesterday. His dark eyes, his perfect features, and the way he would always make her feel like she was the only person in the room. They were classmates in high school, but something deeper connected them. It was clear to her, even back then, that Andrei was the one she wanted. But despite their friendship, they had never been able to fully open up to each other. There was always this unspoken tension between them, something neither could express. She would never forget that day in their second year of high school when she had passed by the restroom on her way to class, feeling off and hoping the feeling would pass. She had planned to just go to class, but as she stepped into the hallway, Andrei had unexpectedly grabbed her arm and wrapped his jacket around her waist. “Lou, Sir Tolento canceled class. Do you have anything else to do? Let me walk you home,” he said, tying the jacket carefully around her. Louanne stood frozen, unable to speak, the nearness of Andrei overwhelming her senses. She could feel the warmth of his body, the closeness she had only dreamed about. “I’ll walk you home. I’m headed to Jonathan’s anyway,” he had said. But Louanne barely registered the words; she was lost in the feeling of his presence. She walked in silence, only realizing they were at her gate when Andrei waved her off with a casual goodbye. “Go inside,” he said. She watched him walk away, her heart racing. When she entered her room and checked herself in the mirror, she discovered the embarrassing reason she had been feeling off—her skirt had a spot. “Ahhh, so embarrassing!” Louanne muttered to herself, burying her face in her hands. ——END OF FLASHBACK——