Chapter 3: TL

"Advanced Merry Christmas, kids! Enjoy the holidays and spend your break warmly with your family.” Cara bid goodbye to her middle school students with the smile that reaches her eyes.

"Yes, Ms. Cara! Merry Christmas!" The students replied to her in chorus, all of them handing her Christmas cards which she excitedly accepted.

Cara walked back to the faculty room, greeted her colleagues and went to her table. She was fixing her things on her table when someone tickled her on her side "Cara!"

"Haha! Mel! Hahaha! Stop- it- haha!"

Mel is Cara's co-teacher and bestfriend.

Even though she is 3 years younger than her, Cara is comfortable with Mel and gets along with her the most.

"Melanie Jensen, stop tickling me!" Cara held both of Mel's hands to stop her "Okay, I surrender! You can let go now." they both laughed and then Mel also fixed her things on her table next to Cara’s.

"Hey Cara, any sign of TL yet?"

It has been a week since Cara and her mom’s visit to the fortune teller and she told Mel what the psychic said about a man sweeping her off of her feet. TL stands for 'True Love' and it was Mel's idea to give the guy a nickname.

She had been busy these past few days because of the kids' final examinations. Cara had to organize things and finalize their grades before the winter break.

She has always been this hardworking and passionate that had no time to find a lovelife or even let the love of her life find her.

"None, I'm not looking for him and I don't know if I want this or if I’m even ready to have a relationship." Cara shrugged.

"But Cara, it has been years since your last relationship. I know that you got hurt but men aren't all the same. Is it really that or you haven’t moved on from him yet?"

Cara was taken aback, hasn't she moved on from Terence? It's true that they ended on a bad note, heck they didn’t even have a proper closure. The last time she saw him was before their high school graduation.

Holding hands.

Hugging.

Kissing.

Terence was happy, but the girl was not Cara.

That day, she came home with tear-stained cheeks but what she stumbled upon as she reached the house was her angry father with a suitcase in his hand, storming out of the house. She heard her mother screaming and crying.

“Cara?" Mel waved her hand in front of Cara’s face. Cara snapped back into reality as she shook her head before remembering Mel’s question.

"Of course I have moved on, Mel. It was a long time ago and I just don't know if I want to have another important someone in my life. Besides, I have my mom, Beau and you." Cara clung onto her bestfriend’s arm as she included Mel in her sentence. The younger yanked her arm "Ew. Don't be cheesy!" The two shared more laughter after that and went out of the school together.