Are We Just Friends? ( Chapter 18A)

 * THE TRIP*

" Ems, ang lapit na ng birthday mo ah... San gaganapin?" tanong ni Fretz sa kanya.

"Ah eh, di ko pa alam eh..." she said lonelier than before.

" Ems, stop it already. Move on. Try..." pangungumbinsi sa kanya ni Ann.

" I'm trying but I can't." she said.

" Girls! Let's go!!!" yaya ni Ian sa kanila. " I check-in already!" dagdag pa nito.

They are going to California for 2 weeks. It is exclusively for people who are doing their best in their studies. Since mayayaman ang mga estudyante sa school na iyon, makakayanan nilang pumunta. Kasama rito si MM, Fretz, Ann, Ian, DD, Bret, Emily at Sam. Sila ang pinili ng school.

** Magkakatabi sina MM at Ann, Bret at Fretz, DD at Emily and Ian at Sam. The trip was long...**

Alas, they're finally here.

Ng makalapag ang eroplano, parang titetest si MM ng tadhana. The places where she left the bad memories, pinupuntahan niya uli ngayon. First, in the Resort. Then ngayon dito. Sa lugar kung saan siya lumaki.

" Ems, let's go and ride the car." turo ni Ann sa isang Odyssey sa harapan nila.

" It's Dad's car Ems." sabi ni DD.

Sumakay sila. Nakatulog siya hanggang sa makarating sa San Diego. Sa bahay nila DD.

Ng madaan and signage sa kaliwa na To Terracotta Mansions, mukha ng parents niya ang nakita niya.

Malapit nanaman siyang maiyak pero pinigilan  niya ito sa pagtulo. " I miss you Mom, Dad" wika niya sa sarili.

DD's house is still the same. 5 bedrooms, a living room, study room, kitchen, dining room. A garden, a pool. It's similar to their house.

" I miss this place Dee. Your study has still the same books." MM said still exploring the house.

Natawa si Ann, nakita niya ang reaksyon ni Emily. Nagseselos.

" ( Giggled) Ems, iyakyat ko muna tong gamit ko sa kwarto natin." wika ni Ann. The 3 girls decided to be in just 1 bedroom. Si Emily mag-isa. The 4 guys will split into 2.

" Ako rin." sabi ni Fretz at Bret.

" Ems, iaakyat ko na yung gamit mo." pagprepresinta ni Sam.

" Thank you Sam!" and she smiled sweetly at him.

" What's happening???" tanong ni DD sa sarili niya.

" Dee, can we go out later." tanong ni Emily.

" Sure babe. MM, tell them to unpack later we will go out. We'll go to the park." sabi ni DD na may pagkaexcited ang boses.

" What park?"

Kinindatan siya ni DD.

She get it. She hugged him and said thank you. Then go up the stairs to tell her friends.

Natatawa si DD.

" What was that?!" halatang nagseselos si Emily dahil sa boses nito.

" Nothing. It's just somewhere we used to go..." he said.

"I'm your girlfriend. Not her right?!" sabi nito na nakakunot ang noo.

Gets ni DD and sinasabi nito. Imbis na pumunta sila sa lugar na hindi pa nya napupuntahan, pupunta sila sa gustong lugar ni MM.

" Did you know what happened to her parents?" tanong ni DD.

Umiling ito.

" Did you see the signage saying Teracotta Mansions?" tanong nitong muli.

Tumango siya.

" That is the place where there house is. And when she saw the signage earlier, she remembered her parents' death." he said sadly.

" Her parents died when???" gulat nitong tanong.

" Months ago... And I know she still remember what they used to do before. That park is a special place for her. That is where I first met her. Playing with her dad in the swing. She is so happy playing with them. I can see how she is so close to them .And I know masakit sa kanya na bigla na lang mamamatay ang parents niya." he said. Nakita niya kanina ang reaction ni MM ng makita ang signage papunta sa bahay nila.

He saw the pain in her eyes coming back. He wanted to make her happy and he doesn't even know why.

His friends went down already. Their driver is ready too. They boarded the car and then went to the park.

The swing, the slides, the little waterpark, the basketball court the benches, the water fountains, the hill, the grasses, she missed this. She missed this park. She grabbed Ann at Fretz' hands and went up the little hill. The rest followed.

On the top they saw an amazing view. MM sit down. She lay down on the grass and looked at the sky. Fretz and Ann do too. But she doesn't know if the rest did too. She closed her eyes.

♫This is a day I fear,
This might be just a dream

I missed this place and things
I used to see before...

I miss my mom and dad
I miss this place
Oh...

I miss this all...♫

She sang. She didn't know. She was crying already. She opened her eyes. She stand up and looked from where she come from. Trying to look for her friends. Then she saw them playing in the little waterpark. They were like kids who didn't experience it. Then he saw someone climbing up the hill.

She watched closely. And there he was. DD. She sit down on a rock and watched him to go up.

" Why are you here?" MM asked. Wind was blowing her hair all over the place.

" Nothing. Let's go down. The others are waiting for you. We went down because we don't want to spoil the moment. I know you miss this place." nilahad ni DD and kanyang kamay.

She didn't accept it. She went down by herself. DD at her back.

She tripped. DD prevented her from falling. But he wasn't able to control his balance. They rolled down the hill, hugging each other.

WHOOSH!

And there they are down the hill, laughing and laughing.

" Babe! Are you okay?" tumatakbo patungo kay DD. Tumayo si DD. Itinayo si MM ni Sam. " You okay?" tanong ni Sam.

' Yeah" she said.

" I'm fine babe. Don't worry 'kay." hinawakan pa nito ang mukha.

" Ang hirap talaga Sam!" she whispered to him.

The others went back to the waterpark. MM went to the swing. " Mom, bakit ganun? Bakit ganun? Bakit ang daya? Sa tuwing sinusubukan ko ng mag-move on wala. Nakikita ko silang sweet. Naiinggit ako Mom!" she said to herself.

Ann went to the swing too. Her shirt was wet because of the water.

" Fun right?" tanong ni MM.

" Yeah, but you..." Ann noticed her loneliness, her jealousy. As much as she wanted to help her friend, she can't she doesn't know how.

****
They were all ready. Their things are packed. They will be going to Arizona! Woohoo!

They used the car. The trip was 8 long hours.

MM have her Ipod with her. She played some songs.

TO make herself entertained. The things she is seeing is not good for her. Their sweetness makes her sick.

They arrived at night time already. They checked in in an Inn near Grand Canyon.

" These places..." she said to herself.