What is forever, really?
Does it even exist in real life—or is it just another fantasy cooked up by romance novels, pocketbooks, and cheesy comic books?

This was the question Mariely always found herself asking, usually during moments when her thoughts wandered too far, too deep.

A hopeless romantic to the core, Mariely Faith Abad-Celestial had always dreamed of finding the one. And with that dream came the same familiar question, echoing in her mind again and again:

Are you even ready to be in a relationship, Mariely Faith Abad-Celestial?

But no—that wasn’t the real question.

The real one was far crueler.

Will anyone even like you?
Stop fantasizing already. You’re not the kind of girl men fall for—just plain. Ordinary.

There she was again, standing in front of the mirror, arguing with her own reflection.

“And my God,” she groaned, leaning closer, “are you in love, sis? Another pimple?!”

She poked at it dramatically. Ugh.

“Men nowadays want someone beautiful, curvy, tall, fair-skinned—and of course, with a flawless face,” she said aloud, eyes scanning herself with ruthless honesty.

“Look at you, Faith. Do you even meet half of those standards?”

Her reflection answered for her.

No.
Exactly.

“Stop it,” she muttered, scolding herself once more.

Forever?
Maybe she was destined to be forever single—not that it was such a terrible fate. Still, she couldn’t help laughing bitterly whenever that word crossed her mind.

“If forever were real,” she added, shaking her head as if someone were listening, “there wouldn’t be so many bitter people.”

Of course, no one was. Talking to herself was a skill she had perfected over the years.

At twenty-one, Mariely had just graduated with a degree in Secondary Education, major in Filipino. And yet—even with a diploma in hand—her dream boy still hadn’t shown up.

Maybe he’s just stuck in traffic, she joked to herself. Terrible traffic these days.

“Hey, Ely!” she said firmly. “Focus on your dream. You’re going to be the best teacher in the world, remember? You still have to pass the board exam, you idiot. So please—stay focused.”

She nodded at her reflection, delivering a full pep talk.

“You have your TOR to take care of, and your real life is about to begin. So calm your ovaries—you’re probably going to die a virgin anyway. Accept it.”

With a sigh, she walked away from the mirror. All that internal drama had made her hungry.

Mariely was a simple girl—cheerful, talkative, and always a little dramatic. Talkativeness, after all, came naturally to future teachers.

She had a beauty that wasn’t loud—the kind that crept up on you. Not tall. Not flashy. But with a heart far bigger than her body.

And in her twenty-one years of life, she had never been courted. Not once.
No suitors. No love letters. Not even a Facebook “Hey, you’re cute.”

Maybe it was because she didn’t fit the beauty standard.
Maybe not.

Will I ever meet him? Or will I end up an old maid?
The thought came again, uninvited.

“Ely, focus,” she snapped at herself.

She still had things to do. She needed to head to her school to pick up her transcript. So many responsibilities. So many adult things.

This was it—reality.

“Welcome to the real world,” she muttered, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips.