DESTINÉE

6: FRESH AIR

" Here we are!!! Hello Nasugbu, Batangas!"

Malapit na akong masunog, promise. I was still on my jacket while looking at the sea. This is so beautiful. Gemini looked at me weirdly and pushed me in the shoulder.

" What the hell are you wearing a jacket for, Ryka? C'mon, cous! Nasugbu, Batangas na ito. Sunlight, sunrays, tanned skin. Remember? You need to live a lot!!" She looked at the view and inhaled really deeply. She raised her arms and twirled a bit like a kid. " Saraaaap!!"

" Where are we anyway?"

" Fortune Island Resort. One of my friend's parents co-owned this resort. Sabi niya, this is their labor of love."

" Yep. This resort is really their labor of love.",another voice entered the conversation. Gem turned her back and saw a short curly-haired girl wearing a bikini top and ripped maong short shorts.

" Oh my God!! Jacky!", they hugged each other and faced me. Medyo magkamukha ha, just a short-haired and short version of my cousin, to be honest. " Ryka, this is Jacky San Jose, the co-owner's unica hija." Jacky smiled at me and shook my hand.

" Hi. So ikaw pala yung favourite cousin ni Gem. Nice to see you in flesh."

" Yeah." Then somethings kicks within me. I need marijuana. I need it badly with a bit of cocaine now.

" Okay ka lang ba? You looked somewhat pale.", Jacky said. Gem walked beside me and patted my back. "Something wrong, cous?"

" No—nothing. Wala ito. I just remembered something." Something I really want, to be exact. I haven't had those drugs for days already. I bit my lip and looked at them again, smiled a bit and looked fairly at the scenery. Very beautiful but I can't concentrate on it.

When Jacky showed us the room that we'll be staying for the rest of the vacation, my mind went straight to how pretty the view is. Pastel skies. "Damn, America is nothing to this view."

"I agree. Well, what can I say? Welcome to the Philippines." Gemini looked at me and we exchanged smiles quickly.

" Gem.."

" Yeah?"

" I fucking need drugs so much."

She stared at me for a while and gave me a bittersweet expression. " Are you fucking kidding me, Ryka? One week pa lang, tigang ka na sa marijuana? Hahaha!"

" I need it so.." I was about to finish what I'm trying to point out when Gemini showed me a small packet of weed, handful of coke and a small bong. " Fuck that, Gemini. Where did you get that? I thought you already quitted this shit?"

" Hah! Just being a girl scout for you. Last na ito, okay? I just don't want you to be freaking cranky for the whole vacay." She looked at me and smiled. Seriously, with Gemini, my life would be fucking miserable. I opened the packet of marijuana and put it on the bong, lit it up and waited for the bubbles to come out.

Smoke filled the room. I just kept on with it until I cannot feel how miserable I am. I know what you're thinking. I know.

I'm not a nice person.

I never was, actually. I was the black sheep of both Monteverde and Anderson families. I was the most rebel cousin Gemini had.

I'm one of those kids your parents warned you about.

I laid a line of coke in the table and stared at Gemini for awhile while she was eating popcorn and Coke. She's watching NERVE. She caught me staring at her and offered her popcorn but I just shook my head.

" Coke,you want?", I offered her.

" I already have Coke with me. Haha!", she raised her Coke and went back to watching the movie.

Fuck my life.

Fuck this so much.

Up until now I cannot imagine how I ended up having my kind of fun here in a chill hotel room with my cousin. I should be with Cheryl now, running the streets and discovering hidden bars or old theme parks, but here I am, stuck in a world that I almost forgot to remember.

" You know what, Ryka? You need some fresh air."

" I need sleep... and more of these." I raised the packet and allowed myself to be swallowed by the smoke.

The next morning was fucking mental. Akala ko Sleeping Beauty na ang peg ( I learned that term from Gem) ko sa dami ng hinithit ko kagabi.

" Ryka,c'mon. Wake up, cous. Gising na!!!" I was awakened by my cousin's thin voice. She was shaking me until I sat in the side of the bed, still feeling sleepy and tired. " You need some fresh air! Now na talaga!"

" What are your plans, anyway?"

"Basta! Magbihis ka na and I will take you to a place where all your dreams would come true!!"

Next thing I knew was we were standing at the edge of the cliff, wearing our bikini tops and Speedo swim shorts.

" Don't tell me..."

" Yes. We'll jump this cliff to get there!", she pointed the vast blue sea. It was so beautiful yet so scary. My heart began to pound really hard.

There is no way I'll jump this cliff. Fuck no.

" You'll be alright.", she said while smiling at me and holding my hand.

" No. I will never be alright. Fuck no. Please, Gemini. Wag ako."