CHAPTER ONE: THE NEW BEGINNING

Mariely only woke up to the sound of her cellphone because someone was calling her. She fumbled around looking for her cellphone, which was just in her drawer. She only used one eye because she was blinded by the light from her cellphone.

She looked at the person calling her. Mariely sighed and sat up straight, even yawning before she answered.

"Mom," she greeted on the other line. "Why, Mom?" She asked an additional question.

"When are you coming back here?" Her mother asked.

"Mom, I'll be able to come home too once I get my T.O.R." She explained.

"When will you get your T.O.R.?" Here she goes with another question.

"On Monday, Mom." She answered sparingly.

"Okay, once you get your T.O.R. Just tell me, okay? This way, we can send you money to buy a ticket." It said.

"Mom, I told you in my text yesterday that I have enough money to come home." She said she was annoyed with her mom.

"Don't forget to eat there!" Her mother continued to give her instructions over the phone.

"Okay, okay! Okay, bye." Her mother is being too persistent again, so she needs to hang up the call before their conversation goes anywhere else.

"Take care, bye." The call was immediately ended. Mariely just sighed because her mother was treating her like a child. She just shook her head and got up since she couldn't fall back asleep.

After a few days, she immediately obtained her transcript of records, and she quickly bought a ticket so she could catch a plane and go back to their province as soon as possible. Mariely didn't tell her parents; she wanted to surprise them. 

She just smiled at her thoughts. After she finished packing her things, she immediately went to the airport so she wouldn't miss the plane she was taking to them.

Before, she endured traveling long distances to study. All her sacrifices and hardships to become a student were also tinged with joy because she was graduating from college. But she will miss everyone who was her student. 

Mariely will now face a world full of challenges; she is nervous with a mix of excitement. What was on her mind was that she could help her family.

Although she hasn't yet experienced a lasting commitment, she feels content helping her parents...

She must have fallen asleep from thinking about the possibilities that could happen to her. If she becomes a professional teacher in front of her students.

She only woke up to an announcement that they were about to land. She peeked out the window and couldn't help but smile at the familiar view, which hadn't changed at all. She happily got off the plane and looked for transportation to the bus terminal. She happily looked around. Their house is far, so after she took the bus, she still needed to ride a motorcycle.

Instead, she'll ride the motorcycle home. She saw his older brother. Smiling at her.

Mariely just raised an eyebrow at him. Does he know I'm coming today? It was asked in her mind then. I didn't tell anyone I was coming today, did I? She said, frowning.

Her older brother had already approached and messed up her hair, laughing.

"Oh, what's so funny?" She asked again, her face scrunched up in a frown.

"I'm just happy that my youngest sibling has arrived." Her older brother replied to her question.

"Wait a minute, how did you know I was coming today?" She asked next and was a little bit confused.

"Oh? You don't know?" He took something out of his pocket. He looked at his phone and showed her post on Facebook today that she was going to travel.

"I'll read it to you. Going somewhere? My flight is today; I can't wait to go home." Her brother actually read that out loud, which made him laugh.

Mariely just facepalmed. She had forgotten that she updated her status, so her brother knew she would be coming.

"Why did you forget again?" Her brother asked when he had sobered up from laughing.

"Sorry, brother, if I forgot. I'm just excited." Mariely said goodbye to her brother and got into his car with her belongings.

Her brother, who was following her, chuckled softly and got into the car to drive. They were sitting next to her older brother in the front seat. Mariely was just frowning because her surprise plan had failed again. 

She only realized that the engine had started and was running. 

"Can I see your T.O.R. for a moment?" He added, looking at the road.

"I don't want to! You're going to laugh at me again!" She said and pouted.

"Regardless of your actions, I will still see your T.O.R." Her brother looked at her and smirked meaningfully.

She knows her older brother's behavior. She is simply too close to her brother to find comfort. So sometimes he knows what's going through her mind. She has a sibling she can lean on when she has a big problem.

Her brother is an architect. He's smart, and she can say his older brother is handsome. She sometimes wondered if they were really siblings. Because she's not that beautiful.

"We're here." She was teased by her brother.

Mariely immediately saw their house. She immediately got off the vehicle and collected her belongings. She wants to see her mom and dad now. 

She went right away. She saw her mother preparing food.

"Welcome home, my child." Her mother was immediately greeted with a welcoming smile.

"You shouldn't have surprised us. You're the one who's surprised." Her father laughed.

She just scratched her head and greeted her parents.

"Marie!" A familiar voice called.

Mariely turned around immediately. She was immediately greeted with a hug from Nadia, the girlfriend of her brother Gill.

"Nadia," she just said.

"I missed you." Nadia said and broke free from her embrace.

She just scratched her head back then. "Nadia, I'm not a child anymore." She said so.

"You're still too young for me." It said.

"Come on, Nadia. You're just like my brother here."

Nadia just laughed. At that point, her brother had already entered the room.

"Come on. So Mariely can eat." Her mother said so.

Despite the small celebration, Mariely is already filled with joy. She looked at the two lovebirds in front of her: her older brother Gill and his partner Nadia. They've been a couple for a long time; she witnessed their fights and affection even when she was in high school and college. She smiled. Because it insists that forever really exists.

"When is the wedding?" She suddenly asked the two.

"Hmm... when you become a professional teacher." Her brother replied.

"So, focus on your review and pass the board exam so there can be a wedding." He said this jokingly.

"Wow? What does that depend on me?" She asked sarcastically.

Nadia just laughed at them.

"Because that's the plan, how can you concentrate on your review? We don't want to bother you because we're going to make you a bridesmaid." It said.

"Wow, that's intense. It's okay with me though." She said so.

"Eily," her brother called.

"Don't get a boyfriend for now; you still need to take care of our child." He even teased her.

"You're so mean!" She even frowned at her brother.

They were laughing back then. It was a happy day when she came back to the house filled with love. 

It got dark quickly, and she was already resting in her bed. She misses her bed. 

She suddenly thought it felt wonderful to be home again.

Home sweet home! She said to herself, and then she slept soundly.