Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

**Lisa’s POV**

After all the trouble from Sheena and William, my peaceful life had returned. I was working peacefully when suddenly my best friend from college Elizabeth called. She told me that her parents had petitioned her to go to the USA. But before she can fly to the USA, she has still time to spend here in the Philippines while waiting for her petition. She was now studying at one of the biggest military computer installations in the country. And she wanted me to join her. The only catch is, I need to be a fulltime student at the camp. But before that I need to take their entrance examination.

I want to try, but it will cost me my job if I am accepted. But it was a privilege to study in this kind of military installation. I was so excited and I wanted to inform my father if he could still support me in this endeavor.

That day, I called my father if I could talk to him. “What is it, another problem?”

I was laughing. “Why is it that whenever I want to talk to you, you always think that I have a problem? Why don’t you want to see your daughter?”

“It is not like that, it just worries me.”

“So don’t be. See you tonight.” I bid him goodbye.

When we were having dinner, I told him that my friend Elizabeth had called me and I told him about the military installation scholarship. He is also excited about it, because it is one of a kind chance to study in the military installation. It is a full time scholarship so I need to be a full time student. The scholarship would run for six months. So that means I am jobless for six months.

My father agreed so I took the entrance examination. I was given the schedule of the examination day and time, so I need to request for a leave for that day.

The day of the examination has come. For heaven’s sake! I saw Leon, and he is one of the examinees of this scholarship. I don’t know if he has seen me, but I see him. I tried to avoid him by hiding at the back of the examinees. Fate really tricks me when our tables are arranged according to the examination application number. Our tables were facing each other and he was surprised to see me. He jumped over to his table and went directly to my table. We were facing each other with the table in between us. We were staring at each other and no one was willing to talk.

Our staring stopped when the proctor of the examination told us to settle at our designated table. “Can you wait for me after the examination? We have a lot to talk about.” He told me before he went to his table. I just nodded.

Most of the examinees were engineers and I am just lucky to be one of them.

After the examination, I already saw him waiting for me in the lobby of the building. I don’t know if I would smile or how I would greet him. Though his face is serious and he has lost weight. When he saw me, he smiled so brightly that I could remember the time of our first kiss. He extended his hands to my hands and he held it tight as if I was going to run.

“Can we go somewhere so we can talk?” He asked me.

Fortunately, my office where I work is just across the military camp where the examination was held. I told him that we can cross the street to where my office is and there is a snack bar in the lobby. “Ok then.” He answered.

When we walked out the lobby, he was still holding my hand until we crossed the street toward my office building. I could not reject or say anything of what he does, because I also like the feeling of me holding him. The feeling is mutual. We don’t say a word along the way to the snack bar. After we arrived at the snack bar, he ordered and he just stared at me.

I started the conversation. “How is married life?”

He was shocked at my question. “Do you seriously think that I would marry that girl? No matter what she says, something happens to us. And if ever she gets pregnant, then I would accept the child but not the mother. How sure am I that I am the father of her child?”

“I don’t want you to lie anymore and it has been a long time. What really happened to you these past three years?” With my eyes almost crying I asked him.

“That fateful day as I told you when I came to your house, we had a drinking spree with my friends so we all got drunk. As I remembered we were all gathered at one big table outside our house. When I woke up in my bed, she was already there by my side and half naked. Don’t get me wrong and hear me out first. I really don’t remember anything. I don’t remember if I took her to my room, or if she was there along with my friends. I fought with my parents about that, and they don’t support me including my studies. My eldest sister believed in me, she’s the one who supported me all this while and she enrolled me in a different school until I graduated. She is also the reason why I am here for this examination. She told me to try.”

“What happened to the girl?” I asked him.

“I don’t know and I don’t care. Before I went to your house, I had already talked to my parents and to the girl. I don’t care if they disowned me as their son, but I definitely would not marry that girl. I was about to ask you that day to elope, but I know how important you are to your studies. Though I’ve heard from my friends in school that you lost your scholarship due to what happened to us. I am really sorry for what it costs you. I know you were still mad at me. But I could only ask for your forgiveness.” He narrated

He continued. “Regarding that girl, she deceived anyone who would fall for her shenanigans. Sorry but I am not one of them. I would stand for whatever I feel and whom I loved, and that is still you Lisa. I just hope you can give me another chance to continue whatever we have left, if you are still free.”

How can I say no? He is still the one I have been longing for and wished that we could cross paths again. And here he is, confessing to all the wrong things that come across between us. I just don’t know how to say yes because I still don’t know how my father would take this if he knew.