From the author: In Chasing Waterfalls, Sarah Silvestre has always been the dependable one. That's why everyone calls her "Steady Sarah." She's responsible, mature, organized, and has her life all planned out. Until one day, everything turns upside down: first, her longtime boyfriend, Pete, breaks up with her; then, she loses her job in a corporate downsize. What's a girl to do? Pack her bags, of course. Sarah is on a quest for seven waterfalls all over the country, from Tanay, Rizal all the way to Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Her family and her best friends, Anya and Benito, all think she's crazy. But for once in her life, she's excited to be the one running away. Benito, in particular, insists on going with her. Will this be the adventure of her life? Or is she just chasing a disaster waiting to happen?

An Excerpt from Chapter 12 of Chasing Waterfalls

What just happened?

Sarah turned on a desk lamp to get her bearings. She retraced what happened. She had said something insensitive and stupid. He took a walk. When he came back, she had apologized. She was in tears. And then one thing led to another.

Or was it further back?

###

It was her prom night at her all girls' high school and she didn't want to go because she didn't have a date. Anya tried to convince her to go with her date's cousin but Sarah wouldn't hear of it. Two nights before her prom, Benito called her.

"Hey."

"Hey, Benito."

"Anya told me."

"Yeah? What'd she tell you?"

"That you won't go to your prom."

"It's no big deal. I don't believe in prom. It's overrated."

"How can you tell it's overrated if you actually haven't been to one?"

"What's your point?"

"You should go."

"You mean I should go stag? I don't know. I'd go stag if Anya didn't have a stupid date."

"You should go with me."

Sarah laughed out loud.

"What? Are you nuts? What would Charmaine say?"

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

" Are you serious, Benito? You're not just kidding around?"

"Why would I kid around about something as serious as prom?"

"It's just a prom. And I'm glad I won't have to spend on a silly dress."

"But I already have a suit to wear."

"Well, you'll really have to wear one for your grad ball."

"What a waste of a good suit if I'll only wear it once."

"Okay, not the most convincing argument to go to a prom."

"Come with me, Sarah. We'll have a blast."

"Okay."

Her mom had panicked over having to get a dress just the day before prom but they settled on one of her mom's old dresses. Her mom took out her trusty sewing machine (that was how she had saved a lot on clothes) and adjusted it to Sarah's size. It was a chiffon, knee-length, halter-top dress with an old rose color and a black velvet belt that cinched the waist. Her mom took care of her makeup.

"Ate, you look very, very pretty," Miguel said with a wide smile. She hugged her brother. She didn't want to look in her mom's direction yet because she could see her mom wiping the corners of her eyes with tissue. Then they all heard the doorbell.

"Hi, Tita Helen, you look gorgeous as usual," Benito greeted her mom.

"You are looking very handsome in your suit!" her Mom said.

"Your mom told me that you'd be wearing pink," Benito said to her, smiling. He was holding a white and pink orchid corsage.

"Awww. You didn't have to, Benito," Sarah said.

"Of course I had to! You're one of my best friends!" Her mom took a lot of pictures. Sarah still had the album full of those photos, even the ones with Miguel photo bombing them.

They rode his dad's chauffeur driven black Audi to her school. The gymnasium looked transformed with fairy lights greeting guests at the entrance. Well, the theme was Wonderland, after all. There was a photo wall where students could have their pictures taken. They took some wacky shots while waiting for Anya and her date, Sean, to show up.

They spent the whole night laughing, talking, and dancing. Sarah did not expect it to be so fun. As curfew approached, Benito asked her if she wanted to take a walk along the track field just outside the gymnasium. She said yes.

The sky was dotted with stars as she and Benito headed out.

"Did you have fun?"

"Yes, I did. Thanks for asking me to prom. I would have missed all of this."

"That was the point, you know."

"I hope you have just as much fun at your grad ball and Charmaine's prom, too."

Benito was quiet.

"Sarah?"

"Yup?"

"Thanks for saying yes, too."

"I wouldn't say no to my best friend."

He took her arm in his and they walked in companionable silence. Sarah remembered that it was a magical night, a fun night. That was it. Except for one strange thing. As they headed back to the gymnasium, Benito bent over and kissed her cheek. It definitely wasn't just a beso-beso for sure. She gave him a weird look but he just had a mysterious smile on his face.

It was that smile that Sarah was remembering. Was it that far back?

###

"Sarah?" Benito was dressed in a shirt and shorts already. His short hair was wet from the shower.

"I don't know what to say, Benito," she was looking down at the blanket on the bed. She didn't want things to be awkward but awkward they were.

"You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry if that was too much for you." Too much? Or not enough?

"It was...overwhelming."

"Sarah...I don't know if you've ever noticed. But, I've been waiting for you to be finally single."

Everything came rushing to her head. The past few weeks he'd been hanging out at her house, that weird kiss at prom night, the long string of girlfriends he'd had.

"Why didn't you just come out and say so?"

"I've been dying to. I wasn't sure if you were over Pete. Ugh. I'm sorry, I did this all wrong."

"Is it why you've been wanting to come with me on my waterfall trip?" He just smiled. "Benito?"

"Yes."

"How long exactly? Have you been waiting, I mean?"

"A very long time."

"As early as my senior prom night?"
"Well, you said your mom didn't allow you to have a boyfriend." That was true. "Honestly, Sarah?" He was looking into her eyes. Even though he was several feet away, she could feel the intensity of his look. "Earlier than that."

Sarah's mind was blown.

"The question is: do we go on or do we go home?" Benito asked.

"You don't want me to go to Iligan," Sarah reminded him.

"It doesn't mean we can't go somewhere else. Why don't we go to Camiguin instead?" She was, all of a sudden, liking the "we."

"We can go to Camiguin?"

"We can go to Katibawasan Falls. After that, we can go to Cagayan de Oro. I have relatives there."

"Well, where do you not have relatives, right?"

"Iligan."

"You have a point."

"And what about us?" Benito asked. Tough question.

"Can we take it one waterfall at a time?"

"So, it's a go?"

"Yes."