Hope

I was sleeping with my face lying on the table where I work when the alarm I set rang loudly. I searched for my phone using my right hand to turn it off and as I did that, I slowly open my eyes. The sight of my messy work table welcomes me. I groaned cause I'm too lazy to clean it as soon as I wake up. I, first, went to the bathroom to wash my face before wearing my gray hoodie which was lying on my bed, and my eyeglasses. 

I started walking lightly towards my first destination which is the famous cafe near my place. The employee assigned to the cashier welcomed me with a smile and asked for my order.

"One iced americano and one iced mocha," I told her.

She started punching my order and before finalizing it, she asked, "Anything else, sir?"

I was looking at the menu behind her and saw their newest product, blueberry cream cheesecake, so I decided to add it to my order.

I waited for a few minutes before I got my order. "Thank you! Come again." the male employee said in a cheerful tone.

As soon as I got out of the cafe, I started walking. I passed by many people who wear different business outfits and I remembered that around this time, many from this neighborhood are morning people due to their work. I can see some of them are walking while talking to the phone which is trapped on their shoulder and some are fixing their appearance. I sighed then started minding my own business. I felt my phone vibrate so I fished it out from my pocket and look at the recent message I received.

[I'm at the usual place. Where are you?]

I tried to reply while waiting for the stoplight to turn red for the vehicles passing by.

[Pedestrian. I'll be there at around 10 minutes.]

I put my phone back and as soon as the stoplight changes its color to red, I started crossing the street with some people who were going the same way as I am. I passed by the beach and saw many people gather there. I was curious so I asked the man nearest to the place where I am standing.

"Excuse me. Is there an event here?" I asked.

"None but many people visit this place to witness the sunrise," the man answered back.   

"I see," I muttered.

I started observing the surroundings and soon, silence ruled the place because of the sunrise happening in front of their eyes right now. Seeing them like this, they all have the same expression plastered on their faces. 

"The sunrise gives people something to look forward to," the man beside me said. "For some, maybe just for social media bragging? It can't hurt to share a good picture of this."

"Is that so?" I wondered.

"They also gather here to watch the sunset," he informed me as well. 

After the sunrise, the people gathered started to disperse until no one was left. 

I arrive at my friend's studio and gave him the coffee I bought. We ate the slice of cake I bought too and I never regretted my decision. It tastes so good. After cleaning up, we both went to our places and started painting.

My friend and I are painters. He allowed me to share the same studio as him after he learned my passion for painting. We also bought our supplies together and give each other opinions on both of our works.

I just stared at the blank canvas in front of me because I have no idea what to paint. Several ideas came but the motivation to draw them isn't coming to me so I sighed.

"What's the matter?" my friend, Austin, asked me. "Can't draw?"

I shook my head as an answer, "I have many ideas but none of them made me draw."

"That's a problem, man," Austin muttered. "Why don't go and walk around? Maybe you can see something that can make you draw."

"Sure, man. Thanks." 

I started walking to who-knows-where place. The place's entrance was a forest but after walking for a few steps, a breathtaking view. The skyline-silver lake was like an ocean that spreads all over the right places. The atmosphere can be compared to when you enter an empty chapel. Peaceful. I closed my eyes and a gush of wind blew past me and it enhances the sap sweet smell hung in the air. I slowly open my eyes and surveyed the place slowly. When I saw a large tree with a rock beneath it, I trudged towards it and sat down. I took a picture of the view because I left my sketchpad at the studio and as it wasn't enough, I observe how the group of birds rose into the air and flew far away to the mountain that can be seen from where I am.

"I want this view to be shared," I muttered to myself. 

I look up to the sky and smiled seeing that it was clearer than earlier. Maybe the guy I talked to earlier was right. The sunrise gave people something to look forward to especially those who struggle every day to make a living.

Before the day ends, I decided to watch the sunset at the beach where I witness the people watching the sunrise earlier. The number of people who came to watch the sunset is greater than the ones who watch the sunrise. All of us silently watch the sun slowly hide behind the clouds. For us, who watch this, this marked our day ended. I stayed for a few minutes before heading back to my place to eat dinner.

Weeks after that day, the art exhibition I took part in became famous because of the piece I released. I gave the piece with the title of "Hope". The piece showed the view I witness after wandering around the place where Austin's studio can be located. Many people offered a large amount of money to buy it but I decided to keep it as a memory of that day.

The day where I witness people watching the sunrise while stepping forward despite the difficulty of their situation in life. The day where I decided to be like them. Stepping forward working while hoping that every effort I exert will bear fruit.