Severe headache, that's what greeted Melissa upon opening her eyes. She felt her stomach churn and immediately, she leaped out of her bed and into the bathroom. She heaved and spat out everything inside her stomach.

"I'm never going to touch a bottle of alcohol ever again," she thought to herself while pulling her slumped body off the sink.

She cursed at herself when an immeasurable pain shot through her head. "Yup, no more alcohol for me," she whispered.

Slowly, she made her way towards the couch on her living room. She glanced at her phone and the red light blinking told her she missed a few calls.

She shook her head, deciding she will skip work today and rest. She made her way to the kitchen and decided, coffee is the best cure for her at that moment.

What was I thinking, Melissa murmured as she placed a pot over the stove. She reacted like a teenage girl who just had her heart broken. Jasmine was right, it has been twenty years for God's sake. She avoided Michael since the day they broke up, even went as far as distancing herself from her friends. She and him were part of thesame crowd, but due to her broken heart, she left all her friends behind, along with Michael.

Maybe, if she had the courage to accept the break up and faced him throughout those years, she could have kept some of her childhood friends. But no, she had to be a coward.

But the world will never understand what Michael meant to her. Those years when she and him were dating was the happiest and also the darkest time of her life. If she did not have Michael back then, the darkness of her house and parent's constant bickering would have swallowed her whole. Maybe, she would've resorted to suicide in order to find peace.

He was her light, during those dark hours, and when they broke up, he remained to be a shining star-a blissful memory that made her smile through every trial that came her way.

She closed her eyes and without intent, their memory came flooding back.

(November 2002)

She and her best friend Jane just came out of the school gates. Mika, their other friend from grade school who chose to study at a different high school immediately greeted them.

"Melissa, guess who wants to take you out on a date?" She asked enthusiastically.

Melissa shook her head, she must get home before night falls, or else-her deranged father will have a fit and that anger will definitely be directed to her mother. Whatever mistake she and her siblings make, the punishment will be given to their mother.

"I don't care who it is Mika, I need to get home." Melissa answered.

Mika tugged at her arm and pulled her close, she leaned to her ear and whispered, "Michael wants to ask you out."

The name immediately sent Melissa's heart in a marathon of emotions. "Michael, the Michael?" She asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Yup, and he wants to ask you out tonight!" Mika exclaimed.

All of her friends from grade school knows about her feelings for Michael, some may argue that it was puppy love, but Melissa knows it is more than that. Despite the fear of her father's wrath, Melissa bobbed her head and asked," What time does he want to meet and where?"

Mika smiled and answered, around eight tonight, by the playground infront of the church."

Melissa smiled, it is a dream. It must be a dream.

The sudden whistle of her boiling pot took Melissa out of her musings, she closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. Twenty years, but still—her memories of him are clear as daylight.

Her entire day was spent sleeping on her couch. She missed breakfast and lunch, by the time she awoke from her slumber, it was already dark. She slept for a whole nine hours.

She glanced at her phone again and decided to listen to her voice mail. Everything was about work, but there was one that knocked the air out of her chest.

The voice on the other line sou ds mature and raspy, but she recognised it. Her memory will never fail her. His voice that echoed in her head for twenty years was that of a teenage boy, but she can tell, if it matured-it will sound just like the man on her voice mail.

Unable to stop herself, she replayed the message, "Hey, I got your number from Patrick, I hope you don't mind. Did you get my invitation? It has been years, I hope you can attend this gathering, you've missed the previous one's. Anyway, i hope you can make it."

Melissa felt like the world is playing a cruel joke on her. The heavens know how much she wanted to have his attention again. Why did they allow such a thing to happen? He is her weakness. As she gazed at her phone. She deduced one thing. She will be attending that party.

The following day, Melissa and her secretary fixed all her appointments so it will not coincide with her future plans. Any pending case she had was was given to the other lawyers. The party will take ace in their hometown, a thirteen hour trip by car from where she currently live.

For the first time in god knows how long, Melissa booked an appointment to a salon, got a full body spa, bought new clothes and even had her nails painted-something that she rarely do.

Two days before the party, she met up with Jasmine. They have decided to drive by car to their hometown.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jasmine asked. Melissa bobbed her head and gave her friend a wide smile.

Her friend eyed her with curiosity, but If Jasmine noticed any change in her, she didn't voice it out.

Driving for hours is tedious but Melissa couldn't care less. She wants to see the beautiful scenery around the mountains that will lead back to their hometown. Besides, she needs to stall, it has been years since she came home. Her town—her childhood home is a place that brought out the darkest side of her—because that is where she first had her heart broken, her dreams shattered and her will defeated.