The parade ended with the appearance of the band, that brought a couple of cheers from the watchers. The two joined their friends as they went to roam around, until they came across this wooden sign that says Mud Games. Going in, there were three kinds of games. Tug-of-war, tangled-rope crawling, and piglet chasing. All of which involves mud on it. There was a tiny argument on which game should the group try first, which ended with Brian proposing something.
"How about this, we'll split into two group, the same group we had when we played a game with Chloe. All of us will register as players and stay within our assigned group, treating the opposing as enemies. The team who loses will treat the winners free food. What do you guys say?" To which he was met with nods and yesses.
First game: Tug-of-war. The group was given a spare of long white shirt to keep their clothes stain-free of mud.
"You ready to lose again?" Glaiza smirked as she put on the shirt.
Rhian scoffed. "You wish."
The two groups positioned themselves, grabbing the rope, before the man in charge gave the go signal. Two teams began pulling, their bare feet digging into the mud. Rhian clench her jaw, her hold tightening on the rope as she listened to Jason's order to keep pulling from behind her. Her feet began dragging forward as Glaiza's group pulled on the rope, three of her groupmates already beyond the line. If Paul and Glaiza herself cross the line, they would win.
Rhian heard Jason's order to twist their front foot sidewards and slightly bend their upperbody backwards. The group obeyed before pulling the rope forward. Pull after pull, Rhian's groupmates cross their line until it was only Dennis left. After giving a hard pull, Glaiza's team was pulled forward and land straight into the mud. Rhian's group cheered as they won. Rhian, together with her friends, complimented Jason's smart strategy.
"Shut up." Glaiza snapped at Rhian's smirk, as she get up from the mud.
"What? I didn't say anything." Rhian defended, with a smile.
"Yeah, well you have that 'we win and you losers suck' look on your face." Glaiza says.
"That is true." Glaiza gave a playful glare when Rhian shot her a smug look.
Next game: Tangled-rope crawling. Two sets of numerous ropes are laid out like a bunch of lasers and the first team who's all members reached the other end, wins. First players are Katrina and Dennis, positioning themselves in a crawling position on the mud before they heard the go signal. One by one, each members of the group crawled their way out of the tangled ropes, with Glaiza's team on the lead. Shortly after, they claimed their victory. Glaiza shot Rhian a mocking look to which the latter shook her head in amusement.
Last game: Piglet chasing. For this game, it only required one player from each group, to which Lovi suggest something.
"How about Glaiza and Jason? That way we'll know who's really deserving to be with Rhian. Also, to determine which team wins. So, it'll be like hitting two birds with one stone."
"I'm in." Glaiza agreed.
"Yeah, me too." Jason nodded.
The group gave motivated words to both the players as they register themselves as players. Jason already step inside the pigpen but Glaiza walk towards the rich girl.
"What's the matter?" Rhian asked.
"I forgot something." Glaiza replied before giving a quick kiss on the girl's cheek. "For my good luck."
Glaiza gave her a wink before running to the pigpen. The group teased the rich girl, which brought a blush on Rhian's face. Lovi nudge her and gave her knowing look. Rhian just shook her head in amusement before she watch how the game goes.
Two piglets were on the pen and the two players began chasing them. The catch is, the mud below them were extremely sticky which made it difficult for the two to move their feet swiftly. All the while, Rhian's gaze were on Glaiza. She was worried for her since the short-haired girl was having much difficulty moving than Jason. She tuned out her friends cheering for them and was silently praying for Glaiza's win. Minutes after, her worry increases as she saw Jason almost grabbing the piglet. Before her hope could crash, mud splattered across Jason's shirt and some on his face and saw Glaiza laying down on the mud with the piglet on both her hands. Glaiza's friends cheered for her as she slowly got up, her shirt completely drench in mud while carrying the pig. The man announce Glaiza as the winner.
Her friends kept cheering for her as she approach them, giving her a hug. Rhian smiled as she witness this. Jason, on the other hand, came out with a scowl on his face, wiping the mud out of his face. Rhian's friends simply laugh at him and gave an insincere sympathy for his loss.
"Well, Jason, this only proves that you really are not deserving for Rhian. Not only that, but we'll be treating Glaiza and her friends free food. Thanks a lot, dude." Lovi gave Jason a pointed look.
"I was gonna win that, if it weren't for Glaiza splashing me with mud." Jason glared at the short-haired girl.
"Hey, it was an accident. I literally throw myself at that piglet and you just happen to be on my side... But it was worth it, seeing as you lose." Glaiza smirks at the guy.
After getting rid of the dirty shirt and washing their feet, the group decided to have late lunch. Since there were no tables available, Sam suggested that they sit on the grass. As what they all agreed upon, Rhian's team are in charge of the food.
She and her friends went from food booth to food booth to buy their meals. The rich girl cursed under her breath when she realize that she forgot to ask what Glaiza wants.
Okay, I'll just buy her favorite meal. What was it again?... Oh yes! Dinuguan with puto!
Rhian excused herself from her friends and began to look for a booth that sells that meal. 5 booths after, and there was none. She rack her brain for another Glaiza's favorite food until she got it. Going over to the past booth, she was lucky to get there in time, since there was only one left of that meal. After that, she bought another meal on the same booth for her own, not really feeling on walking to another booth for the meal she initially had planned on buying.
She went back to their spot, just in time to see her friends sitting down. Sitting beside Glaiza, she hand her food to her.
"Sorry it took long. I was gonna... gonna buy you that Dinuguan with Puto, but... there's no one selling it. So I thought... that I buy you Pork Sisig since... you know, you mentioned that it was your comfort food... so... yeah." Rhian explains between pants. She was tired from all that walking and waiting for the unsurprisingly long line.
God, I really need to step up my cardio.
She was brought back when she felt a peck on her cheek. Rhian glance at the short-haired girl and saw a sweet smile on her face. "You know, I'm okay with anything you got me. You don't necessarily had to do that."
"I want to, though." Rhian muttered softly.
Glaiza put her forehead against her, smiling as she mumbled, "Well, in that case, thank you."
Rhian grin in return and gave a quick kiss on the girl's forehead which brought again another teasing remarks from their friends. The guys, especially, kept nudging and pushing Jason, saying that he really had no chance at Rhian, which only got a glare and an eye roll from the already pissed guy.
After lunch, the group roamed around from booth to booth, buying things that interest them. Ocassionally they would stop and take pictures, either for a group photo or a funny stolen shot. Chynna and Lovi got matching henna mustaches. Katrina and Brian got teased after the latter gave the former three long-stemmed red roses. Dennis and Paul went red from embarassment when they tried hitting on the same girl and both got rejected. Jason was pushed and pressure into dancing together with the senior citizen people, which earned a belly-aching laugh from the group. Its these moments like these that Rhian truly cherish, thanking the Almighty for meeting these amazing group of friends.
Sunset came, and the group decided to watch a singing competition held on a mini stage situated on the center of the town. Rhian joined in singing as a familiar song was sung. When all the competitors had performed, the emcee says that a random person from the crowd would be selected by the spotlight. It then landed on Josh, which was cheered on by the group.
Shyly coming up the stage, he was given a mic by the emcee and whispered to her what song he'll be singing. Rhian and the others had their jaws slacked when they heard Josh's surprisingly husky voice singing Bruises by Lewis Capaldi, first time hearing the guy sing. Their eyes couldn't be more wide as he sang the chorus part, earning cheers from the crowd, especially from Rhian and Glaiza's male friends, shouting that Josh is their friend. When the song ended, Josh went down the stage and was immediately engulf in hugs from the guys. Rhian, together with the girls, also showered him with compliments.
The night is still young so the group decided to lay their mats on the grass and watch a movie from a huge screen. Halfway through the movie, Lovi, Paul, Dennis, and Jason got bored and instead played cards. Josh, Katrina, and Brian are completely engrossed on the screen, while Julie-Anne, Sam, and Glaiza were happily talking with each other.
Rhian, on the other hand, was roaming around, occassionally greeting and being greeted by her neigbours and other people she know, until she came across the booth she's been looking for. Her smile form on her lips when she saw the books stacked neatly on top of the table, a couple of book racks on the entrance of the booth. She tuned out the voices of some kids inside and went from book to book, reading the summary from the back, grabbing some that peak her interest. Carrying 3 books to the girl behind the table, Rhian fish out her wallet before paying.
Finding a bench nearby, she sat down and just gaze at the people having fun. This is why she love this town. Everyone's always having a good time and have this cheerful vibe everytime. They can get crazy, well the good kind of crazy, and not mind what others might say. Just then, Rhian's stare went dark as hands covered her eyes.
"Hey there." A familiar voice whispered on her ear which brought a chill down Rhian's spine.
"Glaiza." Rhian says before the short-haired girl remove her hands and sat down beside her, shooting her a cheeky smile.
Glaiza chuckled as she noticed the books Rhian bought. "Really can't resist them, do you?" To which the rich girl shook her head with a sheepish smile.
Their gazes went to the scene in front of them when the emcee announce that zumba would start in a few minutes. A dance instructor then appeared on the stage and a pop spanish song started playing, drawing people near the stage.
"Come, let's join them." Glaiza says as she grab Rhian's wrist and made their way towards the crowd. The dance instructor began doing basic moves while the crowd follows, including Glaiza.
"G, I don't really dance." Rhian chuckled nervously.
"Neither do I, but I don't really give a damn." The rich chuckled when she saw the girl concentrated on the following the dance.
Rhian tried to mirror the dance instructor's moves until she eventually get the hang of it. Ocassionally, Glaiza would instruct her to move her hips or twist her body more, giving her a demonstration in an exaggerated way. Rhian would only laugh at the short-haired girl's antics. Everytime the instructor told the crowd to freestyle, the two would just hold hands and jump up and down in circles, laughing since the two don't know how to freestyle. By the time third pop spanish song came up, they decided to forget the instructor and instead dance goofily among them. At some point, a small crowd form around them as they were cheered on for dancing differently.
Losing track of what song was playing, the two kept dancing by themselves, giggling and laughing as they twirl themselves and move around, sometimes bumping with other people. But Rhian couldn't bring herself to care anymore. She's having the time of her life.
Stopping abruptly when Glaiza's back hit a wall with Rhian pressed on her, making the two, once again giggle among themselves. Laughter died down and was replace by a small smile on their faces as their eyes met. Rhian took in Glaiza's features until her gaze fall on the girl's lips. Its as if its drawing her in, the rich girl leaned down a bit, their foreheads connecting. Rhian swallowed a lump in her throat when Glaiza moved closer, their noses touching and their breaths mingling. Couldn't control her urge anymore, Rhian met her lips with Glaiza's.
Her heart skip a beat when Glaiza cupped her cheeks, pulling her closer. At first the kiss was incredibly slow, the two savoring each other's lips on their own, until Glaiza surprise them both by angling her head and putting force on the kiss. Rhian groaned, her fingers slightly digging into the girl's hips, as she met the pace of Glaiza's lips with her own. Their bodies completely pressed against each other. When breathing became a problem, Rhian pulled away, resting her forehead with the short-haired girl's. Both were panting and slightly in daze.
"Wow." Glaiza whispers.
Rhian chuckled. "Yeah."
The short-haired girl smiled and gave small fluttering pecks on Rhian's lips, which brought a grin from the rich girl.
"We should... probably.. go." Rhian said in between kisses.
"Do we have to?" Glaiza muttered, before continuing showering Rhian's lips with kisses.
Rhian chuckled and grab both of Glaiza's cheeks and gave a long kiss before pulling away. "Its late, and our friends are probably wondering where we had gone. Lets go, before they look for us."
"Okay." Glaiza replied, her eyes staring at Rhian's lips. The latter smiled, before pulling away from Glaiza, grabbing her wrist and her payed books before walking back to where their friends are.
Thankfully, the group had no clue that they were gone since they were busy doing their own thing. Rhian announce that they head home, seeing as its already late and people have began cleaning, taking down the buntings and booths, while some arrange tables and stack chairs.
Walking back to the house, no words were exchanged from Rhian and Glaiza, only the occasional glances and tiny smiles were shared between them. By the time they reached the house, the two said their goodnights to their friends and immediately went to their room. They washed their faces, change into their pajamas, and finally drifted off to sleep.