Chapter 2

Sabrina's POV

"Bree? Are you okay?" I looked at Beth when she patted my hand. That's when I came back to myself.

"Huh?"

"What happened to you? Was it like that after we left the university? Did something happen while I was gone?" he asked one after the other.

I shook my head. "Nothing happened." I'm lying.

I also don't want him to worry about me. And maybe when I tell what really happened she will report me to mom.

I also don't want to increase my mother's concern for me in the province. It might rush here to Manila in no time.

"Are you sure? You've been out of your mind for a while now? It's like your thoughts are far away?"

"It's not far... it's only an hour's flight if you take a plane." I said and smiled at him.

It hit my arm. "You, you worry me. I thought what happened to you. Don't think about aunt Susan. Aunt Lusing is there to watch over her."

"I know that. I just can't help it because I don't miss mom. It's just the two of us together and then we're apart." I just said. But it's true.

I don't want to be far from him, but I have to. And I don't know if I will regret the decision if this?

I have not yet started teaching at SU but something happened immediately that I did not expect.

I expect I will face a problem. But such an event did not enter my mind? And I didn't even think that something like this would happen inside the university.

Something bad almost happened to me! What if I start teaching? Maybe that won't happen again when they find out that I'm one of the university teachers.

"Hey! Bree?"

"You're getting lost again." Beth

"S---sorry."

"Hey, it's better that we go for a walk so that you can lose your thoughts and go to something else." it stood up. He grabbed my hand and pulled me upright.

"Come on, I know a nice place and I'm sure we'll both enjoy it." he said excitedly.

We both left and went to the place he was talking about.

He took me to an amusement park. We rode all the rides. The extreme rides we rode almost left the soul.

It's my first time in these amusement parks. The only ones I go to are the ones at the fair every time there is a fiesta in every barangay in our province.

But the games and rides at the fair are also fun. It's not as big as the one Beth and I went to.

After enjoying all the rides and games, we went home. It was too late for us to go home because we were caught up in traffic. Maybe this is one of the things I will miss in the province. No traffic and no pollution. The air is clean and fresh.

When we arrived at Beth's apartment, both of our bodies almost collapsed. We didn't even have dinner because we were tired.

"Did you enjoy our sightseeing?" Beth asked as she lay down on the sofa.

"Of course. That was my best day here in Manila." I answered him. Somehow I had fun and lost my miss for mom.

"I enjoyed it too. It's been a long time since I went for a walk at the amusement park because I've been busy with work. It's only now that I've been able to go for a walk like this." he says.

"It's good that we made the most of today's sightseeing. In the next few days you will start teaching at SU and it will be busy as well. Maybe we will be able to visit less often." he added with a yawn.

He is right. When I start teaching I will definitely be busy.

"I'm sleepy. I'll sleep with you first." He got up from his bed and walked towards his room. I was left alone in the living room.

A few minutes later, I thought about entering my room. I just took a towel and went out and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Then I went out and went back to my room and put on my pajamas.

I took the cellphone from my bag. I climbed into my bed and lay down. I opened the cellphone to text mom. After talking about the happy things that happened to me today, I put the cellphone on top of the drawer on the side of my bed.

I'm sure mom is already asleep by this time. Tomorrow he will be able to read my text message to him.

While lying down, I was just looking at the ceiling in my room. Suddenly, what happened earlier in SU came to my mind. I held my lips.

That's my first kiss!

I can't help but be annoyed by what happened. My first kiss went to a stranger!?

Annoying!

It's not because I'm an oa but because mom and dad raised me the old fashioned way.

I've been into a relationship before. And everyone who flirts with me goes through mom and dad first. They let me do what I want. Because it's also part of being a girl to have and experience what they call love.

I also had a boyfriend during my first year of college. He also courted me for six months at our house. He fetches water, chops wood and even helps dad plant rice.

He is kind, hardworking and a nice guy. Our relationship lasted for a year. Just holding hands and a kiss on the cheek. Another thing I like about him is that he respects me. Not just as his girlfriend, but as a woman. He doesn't force me into things I don't want or I'm not ready for. And he also respects my parents.

But no matter how perfect your relationship is, if you are not for each other, you will not last long. We broke up because his family moved here in Manila. Here he continued his studies. Since we broke up until now, I have not heard from him. I have moved on. I accept that we are not really for each other.

And it's just annoying because my first lip kiss went to a man I don't know! Are men really like that here in Manila? Just kissing for no reason? I took a pillow and hugged it. I lay down and buried my face in the pillow. I just closed my eyes until I fell asleep and fell asleep.

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The next day I woke up at noon. Maybe Beth and I are tired from our visit to the amusement park yesterday. I didn't catch up with Beth either because her boss called her to work.

He works as a waiter in a resto-bar. Restaurant in the morning and bar in the evening.

Beth left me some breakfast so I just ate first. After eating, he thought about cleaning his apartment and arranged the things inside. Because the things here are a bit messy and out of order. It also took me almost half an hour to clean.

Because I was working hard today, I also washed the clothes I used and I also washed Beth's. He has quite a lot of laundry piled up. He has a washing machine here so I won't have any trouble.

After washing, I just rested for a while and then took a shower. I'm going out now to buy groceries. I noticed that Beth's refrigerator was empty, apart from the vegetables that mom sent.

Also as a thank you for continuing to have me in his apartment. This is all I can share about him letting me live for free. He doesn't even want to accept my offer that I will share the rent he pays every month. He said he owes me this back for the help I gave him when we were still studying. By helping with his projects, I freed him when he had no pocket.

Actually, I'm not asking for anything in return because what I was doing was helping him before.

If he doesn't want me to share in paying the rent. This is where I will probably recover from the food.

Then, if we go grocery shopping for the things we need at his apartment, I thought of hanging out here in the plaza. It's just opposite the small grocery store I bought it from.

I also didn't do anything in Beth's apartment because I was alone. And it's not heavy what I bought. That I just miss hanging out in the plaza when I was still in the province. Every time we go to town or maybe after church, we don't forget to hang out in the plaza first. Eat street foods while talking.

While sitting here on the chair, I could see the children playing. I miss being a kid because you can do what you want without thinking about problems.

I lost my attention on the children playing and went to the sky when it suddenly got dark. The previously clear sky is now covered with dark clouds.

I immediately stood up and picked up the bag with only groceries when suddenly the heavy rain fell. I ran to a gazebo in the square to take shelter. In my haste, I even bumped into someone.

"Sorry.." I said. I continued walking to take shelter.

I first lowered the recycled bag I was carrying to the side of my feet and took the handkerchief from the sling bag I was carrying. I wiped myself.

"What is that person doing?" I looked at the boy next to me. They are the children who were playing earlier.

"Bathing in the rain, of course." answered his companion. I looked at the direction they were looking at.

A man wearing a black jacket with a hood. It stood in the midst of heavy rain. It was on its side while looking up at the sky. I couldn't see his face very well because it was covered by the hood he was wearing.

Is he the person I bumped into earlier?

I only noticed his black jacket because I was in a hurry.

"I also want to take a shower in the rain, otherwise mom might scold me." I looked away from the man and returned to the children with me.

I remember when I was little. Every time it rains, I even run away from home to join the other children to bathe in the rain. When my mother catches me, I hit her with a stick.

"Come on.. let's go home." They quickly ran away. I was left alone here.

I looked again in the direction of the man earlier. It's not there anymore.

The rain is easing a bit. So I thought of leaving and going home.