Chapter 6
Fries
"Where are we going?"
Pang-limang ulit ko na atang tanong ito kay Fourth pero wala pa ring makuhang sagot. After what happened in the parking lot kanina tikom na ang bibig nito.
I only receive short glances from him and shrugs. I sighed again calming myself. Tumingin na lang sa labas ng bintana. I am not familliar to the road to where would it lead. Well, since I started hanging out with Fourtene I feel like I was freed from my prison cell. Everything is new to me. For the past two weeks he showed me the places I don't know, places that could mend my unloving heart.
I am happy.
I never once felt this hapipiness ever since, it was always scripted and dramatic. With him, I learned things that I never expect I would hear it from him.
Yesterday we stroll on an Eco-Park. It's a refreshing experience for me. Casually talking about life when one of the trees caught my attention. Nothing extra-ordinary, just a simple Pine tree. But what it caught my attention is, it is secluded to other trees.
"Such a lonely tree." I unconciously commented talking to myself.
"You think so?" tanong sa akin ni Fourtene. Slightly shock that he heard me, I nodded.
"Actually it just a random comment." I answered him.
"Well I believe nothing comes random." he said looking intently at the lonely tree. Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil doon. What he said suggest something that I can't pick up.
"How can you say so?" I ask with curiosity. He gave me side glance before answering.
"Because when I look at you lopking at the tree I could already tell what you are feeling. You are sad. Somewhat thre is a mischief loneliness in your eyes." he said truthfully. Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya at napayuko. Because what he said is a fact. Nakikita ko ang aking sarili sa katayuan ng puno. I may be sorrounded by a lot of people but I felt like there is always a distance with them. Yung feeling na andyan nga sila pero I couldn't feel them, specially my family.
"I-I d-don't know." I said stummering afraid of his honest remark.
"I have an interesting fact about trees, you wnat to hear it?" he said while moving forward. I follow his step hanggang mapalapit kami sa punong nag-iisa.
"Should I take note about it?" I said kidding just to lighten the mood. I am thankful that he diverted the topic and didn't aks me further. He let out a hearty laugh while wincing.
"Nah, I don't think that would be in need." he replied.
"So what is this fact you're about to tell me?" tanong ko. I touch the rough bark of the tree while waiting him to start.
"It's an interesting fact about how trees grow in a forest. When a tree detects a neighbor, it's whole growth process is affected. The spreading of of it's branches is slowed down to make room for the other tree. When the neighboring tree dies, growth immediately begins again." he enunciate. He look at me and take a step closer to me. He touch my hair that is blocking my face because of the wind, and tuck it behind my ear.
"Fourtene." I breathe out his name. His closenes to me making me feel strange emotions I cannot comprehend.
"Do you know what happens next?" he ask me still his hand behind my ear.
"What will happen?" I ask him instead. His eyes never left looking at me he caress my cheeks with his other hand. Napapikit ako dahil sa sensayong dulot nito. Why? Why is he makig me feel this strange emotions? What is this?
"Some branches may become misshapen but nonetheless, they fill up the vacant space. There's no need to replace that single fallen tree since the other ones in the cluster will authomatically spread out and fulfill it's original role." he answered me with adoration. I was confused back then. I didn't understand his words until we go home at nakatulugan ko na ang pag-iisip dito.
And yet, as I rewind his words to me I somewhat get it now. I've been thinking about loss and growth and the feeling of emptiness that comes with them. I've been obsessing on how to regrow certain parts of me that died--on how to fill up the space where loving parents and friends usde to reside. A part of me fears the change that comes along with growth.
Then, there's the forest--growing itself back without hesitation. No overthinking, no worrying how the new branches might differ from the origial tree, no dwelling on the discomfort of loss. And that, maybe I can learn something from this. Maybe like the trees, I just need I need to move forward without thinking too much about it. I just need to quietly accept thesudden emptiness and grow something beautiful in it's place. Or maybe, I just need someone named Fourtene Santiago.
Rememebering his words gave me a weird comfort. As we drive to the road I am seeing for the first time, golden hour embraces us. From the corner of my eye, I watch Fourth take his eyes off the road to look at me. His eyes land on me and linger there for a second, drinking the sight of me in. The light gives his eyes a strange, yet beautiful glow that illuminates a rich emotion in his eyes. Disbelief? Awe?
All I can tell that is it's an intense emotion that warms me even more than the golden light. He looks as if he can't take his eyes off me, and he doesn't want to. The world outside of this car seems to disappear, completely removed from me and Fourth inside this car, our own little world. I feel like I can do anything, go anywhere in this car with him by my side. Watching the road stretch endlessly ahead of us, a fammiliar scent envelops my senses. I realize something.
"Are we going to a beach?" I ask excitedly.
Fourth finally puts his eyes back on the road and lets out a laugh that seems to fill the car.
I was starting to think you'd never ask." he replied smirking.
We pull off the highway and into a beach I don't recognize. Several resorts line in the road and I keep wondering which one we're staying at. But we pass every single of one, driving deeper into the new place. As we drive further, the buildings seem to just get taller and and the place gets more crowd.
I blink and suddenly we're pulling under a grand awning, stopping in front of impossibly shiny glass doors. Two men in black and red uniforms flank the dides of our car, opening both our doores and lending me a gloved hand. Aware of the high class and been living with this life eversince, I gracefully accepted the hand and step out of Fourtene's car, catching a glimpse of the embroidery on the porter's stiff shirt. Valeria Realm.
I turn to ask Fourth if he's made a mistake but he is already giving his car key to the valet. I watch him with confusion when he puls me out of my stunned state by taking my hand in his and leading me to the grand entrance, which surprise me even more. Every staff we pass bows down their head as paying respect to I-dont-know-which. Ganito ba talaga sila ka-respectful dito. I am amazed to their courtesy. I observed the tight security and high social status of the people accomodating here. I'm taking all in the lobby with a sense of awe. Everything- from the delicate chandeliers to impossibly clean marbled floors- screams wealth. It even smells fancy in here, a mix of lemon and money. I can't imagine going to this kind of place again with Fourth, unless I'm with my parents. Mabuti na lang at I dressed up a little bit fancy to match the place.
Ths is a stunning surprise.
I expected Fourth to go directly in reception desk to check us in nang tuloy-tuloy ito sa paglalakad dragging me to the elevator. May inilabas itong keycard at itinapat sa card sensor at nagsimula na kaming umakyat. Stunned and amazed to what's happening, I press myself to Fourth's side as we make our way up to the room on the top floor. Everything seems to be either trimmed in gold or passed down several centuries, but Fourth doesn't even seems to notice the grandeur of this place, na parang sanay na sanay siya dito.
We step out from the elevator and strode down he hallway and to the double-door entrance of our room. Fourth uses his key and twists the crystal handle of the door, and brace myself to see the inside. When we enter the room, I am more stunned.
"You are insane." I say as soon as recover from shock.
Fourth smiles, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, kissing the top of my head then placing his chin to my right shoulder. A sweet and merry feeling flows all over to my body. I lean to him and relax in his arms.
"And why is that?" asking me.
"Beacuse this place is also insane." I answered breatlessly to him. There is something in my stomach that I can't quiet tell.
We stayed in our positions longer as we watch together the sun setting. It's y first time watching the sun sets from a high building and I could say that it's the best experience with Fourth's behind me. It's a whirlwind for me sa mga nakalipas na araw. Being with him brings out my happiness. Sa mga nakalipas na taon, ngayon ko lang naramdman ang kasiyahag ganito.
For the past weeks that we hangout and getting to know more each other, we shared the same intuition on what really pulls us to each other. At our first date, Fourth usually the one to come up to me before and after, saying something sarcastic to get my attention. We fall into a rythm--he strikes up a converstaion, I snap back, and we start bantering in a way that some may percieve as flirty. I'd never admit to him, but talking to him becomes one of the highlights of my day.
And everytime we talk, I feel the familliarity between us grow stronger, more tangible. He finds a new ways to make me laugh everytime, and I start to understand his weird sense of humor. I find him occupying my thoughts off the classroom, and I start to feel myself feeling a bit crazy. My feelings for him seem to only build off the intense attraction I felt for him from the beginning.
I always think about him during classdays, and it proved to be more difficult than usual to concentrate. Even Grizelda was weirded to me. I am not in my usual self that is attentive and all focus in class. He clouded my mind and I hope time goes faster so that I could see him again.
The sun had already set and Fourtene decided to break the silence.
"What do you want to eat?" he ask as he strode to the intercome connected to the reception.
"I want Shrimp Alfredo Pasta and bacon, please." I said sleepily sabay upo sa sofa. Mukhang napagod ako masyado kanina sa P.E namin. I heard Fourtene's voice talking to someone while I drifted to sleep. Nagising na lang ako dahil sa tunog ng doorbell. Wala na rin ako sa sofa kondi sa kama na, inilipat siguro niya ako kanina. I heard the doorbell again kaya dali-dali akong bumangon. doon ko din lang napansin ang tunog ng shower, malamang ay naliligo si Fourtene. I opened the door and invites the person in. It is a hotel employee wheeling a full cart of covered food into our room, smiling at me politely. From my mused hair and the sound of shower, I guess I could alredy tell what is running in his mind. I blush on that thought. I thank the employee after setting our food and bid goodbye. Opening each cover, the smell of the food hits me and my stomach overrides my feelings. I realize I haven't eaten in several hours, since before Fourth picked me up, and the hunger has caught up to me. The food looks like a high class dinner; steack, mashed potatoes, broccoli, Parmesan chicken, asparagus and my ordered Alfredo pasta and bacon. Then there are less refined, but still mouthwatering dishes; chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, slices of pizzas, hot dofs, nacho fries, garlic fries, regular fries, at least five kind of french fries.
"I didn't know what you'd like aside from the pasta so I just got it all." Fourth said as he rubs his shoulder nervously as I scan my eyes over the array of food. I didn't even heard him step out from the bathroom beacuse i am focus on the food in front of me.
"That's so sweet of you." i swwon, touched by his surprise act of romanticism. I kiss his cheek appreciatively. He was taken aback from my action but quickly recovered. His eyes soften as he looks at me.
"I thought you'd be hungry after the long drive and after you wake up, so it was the least I could do for you." I hug him after he say that thanking him before turning my sights to the piles of food. I feel like a kid in a candy shop because of the giddiness I'm feeling.
"It's perfect. Thank you." I smile to him after setling myself in a chair. He did the same to the chair beside me and smiled back at me.
"Anything for you, baby." Fourth kisses the side of my head, then starts uncovering the several plates of food. That is the time I notice his appearance. He is wearing an all black outfit that screams danger and hot to me. It gives a totally different vibe to him. My mouth waters, can't decide if it's beacuse of the food in front of me or beside me.
"Are going somewhere?" I ask him while reaching the nacho fry and watch gleefully as strings of melted cheese fall from it.
"Yes. And you are coming with me." he said after cutting the steack to bite pieces and offer it to me.
"Where?" I look at him with curiosity before I accepted the meat. The steak was delicious and it melts in my mouth. He look at me with uneasiness but with determination.
"To my real world." he answered vaguely.
_-_
🐼🐼🐼