ARAIA’s P.O.V

"Finally!" Joseph shouted, then threw the papers he’s holding in the air causing it to fly everywhere.

“Goodness, I thought we wouldn’t still make it today!” Bea scoffs.

It's only been a few minutes since we finished our exams for this semester. Everyone is happy because apart from the fact that we can breathe easy, it is a vacation tomorrow.

"I agree, especially our last professor, he arrived late and I thought we still need to come tomorrow." Kourtney looked around as she adjusted her pink shoulder bag.

I took the comb from my bag and addressed them, "it's nice to have a vacation."

Their faces lit up at what I said as if someone had thought of something.

“OMG you’re right Araia!” After saying that Bea confronted Sky, her boyfriend.

The man raised two eyebrows and wondered as he looked back at Bea.

"What?" It’s question is full of wonder.

Bea approached him and sat on his lap. This kind of scene is not new for us who are always around the two, they are always sweet to each other and they rarely quarrel. Nor is it obscene to look unlike others who have a relationship.

Bea wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck. “How about we go on a vacation?” Suggest it.

Everyone agreed but we still didn’t know where to go.

"We can't go too far, we cannot go to a strange place,right?"

Everyone agreed again. It's only been a month since something bad happened to one of our batchmates. They wandered around to have fun but a colleague had an accident, even if the circumstances were unintentional, it would be better for us to be careful especially now that we’re graduating.

“Where are we going? It's boring when we’ll visit the places that we've been to. " Hasel asked, this was my first friend in class because she was loud and friendly.

"Somewhere fun and safe." Joseph stated as he cleans the mess he made.

The direction of our heads was focused on Joseph. He returned the gaze to us with astonishment.

"Oh, why do you look at me like that?"

"Of course we shouldn't go to a place that isn't safe, come on!" Hasel, as if she’s already done with Joseph.

Joseph scratched his head and said, "Of course."

A few minutes of silence around, each of us seemed to be thinking.

“Where should we go?” Hasel asked, prolonging the pronunciation of the last letter.

Suddenly, Bea stood up thinking.

"Don't you have a vacation house in Bicol?" She asks her boyfriend.

Sky thought for a moment before speaking.

"Yeah, I just remembered."

Then, our group decided to go to Sky’s vacation home in Bicol. Sky is one of our friends who is the son of the owner of our school. He’s wealthy enough to offer us his house in Bicol. He said that we can go there since they’re not using it often anymore.

During lunch break, we talked about when we should go to his house. We planned and agreed that we should all ask for our parents ’opinion first. They also discussed what vehicle we were going to take there, and others suggested renting a car.

Joseph volunteered to be the one to answer for the vehicle we’ll be using for our ride to Bicol because they have vans that they use every time their whole family leaves, their family is quite big so they use big vehicles also.

We were dismissed earlier than expected because It is just our exam day. I went straight home because I worried that I might miss my parents again, though it happens all the time. They were doctors in a private hospital

near BGC. We rarely see each other because they are always busy and their schedule changes every time.

I remember when I was still a child, I always prayed that they would come during family days. I also pray that they will sing me to sleep every night, specially I pray every year that they will come on my birthday but that never happens. They hired me one nanny instead and continued their busy life.

Our relationship isn't that bad but they always tell me that what they're doing is for me, that they're working hard to give me a better life. I grew up as a mature child. That's why I always tell them that it's ok even though I am hurting, I always tell them that there's no problem with being alone and I understand them but the truth is my heart was broken already. I tried to talk to them about it but they just said what they always said.

I remembered, one day when my friend from our neighborhood came along to play with me, I accidentally pushed her a little but the girl was pushed back like someone strongly pushed her. Our parents scolded me, I tried to tell them that I didn’t push her hard because we’re just playing and it’s part of the game but they never believed me. They didn’t talk to me the whole day because of that, telling me to reflect on what I’ve done.

There's never a time where they spare their free time with me. It's either they will go abroad or go to their friend's house. I can't also remember waking up beside them or eating together with them. I was so broken-hearted at that time but now everything changes. I am not that child anymore and now i don't long for them anymore. I just want to see them but I don’t want their attention anymore.

When I got home, I saw one of our maids cleaning the dining table. It must be my parents’, they eat already and are going to bed now. Maybe it's better to not tell them that I'll go somewhere, they never care anyway.

I went straight to my room and started to pack my things. I texted my friends that I will come with them, then lie on my bed. This is how it is everyday. It's dinner time already but I'm not feeling hungry.

I tried to close my eyes. Before when I was still a child I used to pray every night to have a happy family but now I just want to graduate and leave our house.

I closed my eyes.

THE NEXT MORNING, we gathered in the capital. Thankfully, they were all allowed to go. They each carried a travel bag when they arrived at our meeting place. Some of them are wearing summer clothes but others wear comfy clothes that almost look like a rug. Just to be honest though.

They arrived one by one, the last one to arrive were the boyfriend and girlfriend Sky and Bea.

They were riding in Sky's car, a porsche.

"Good morning!" Bea greeted us.

She told us that they would take Sky's car and just follow our car, after a few minutes we boarded Joseph's family's mini bus.

"Move Joseph!" Later we heard of Joseph and Hasel arguing.

"What do you want this time ?!"

"You're so big!" Hasel shouted again.

They were sitting behind us, I turned to the two and saw that Joseph had taken some small medicine.

"What's that?" Kourtney asked.

Joseph went straight to drinking water so Hasel answered.

"Well, he’s still drinking bonamine." It's an irritable answer.

Bonamine for nausea and vomiting?

"Oh what's so bad about it!" Joseph asked.

"You're like a kid!" Hasel shouted again.

The two didn’t stop, they seemed to be quarreling the whole trip. We just ignored them and slept.

We woke up when the car stopped, it stopped at a restaurant because it was already noon. Sky and Bea are already there waiting for us at the front door. They suggest that we should eat first before we continue traveling.

"Gosh, I'm hungry." Hasel complaint.

"This is it, let's eat." Joseph replied.

Hasel just stared at it wickedly and proceeded to enter the dining room, she looked like not in the mood to argue because she’s hungry.

We immediately found a seat because there weren’t too many people.

"Gosh, it's so hot!" Bea said and used her hand to fan herself.

Sky took a handkerchief and wiped Bea’s sweat.

"Must be nice..." Joseph said suddenly.

We laughed because we remembered something. It was almost as if Joseph would have had a girlfriend but it was postponed because she mistook Hasel as Joseph's girlfriend. He said she was jealous and shunned Joseph.

Eventually the food arrived and we started eating. Hasel paid for the meal, she said it’s okay because her father allegedly gave him a large allowance.

After we finish eating, we continue to travel. Since the flight took more than fifteen hours, when we arrived at the village where Sky's vacation home was, we were exhausted. It was early in the morning when we arrived. It’s just past midnight actually.

Sky's housemates greeted us and guided us to the rooms we were going to use, since the house was big we decided to sleep separately.

I learned that the one who helped us fix things was Maria, a sixteen years old.

"Thank you Maria." I was grateful to her because she guided me here.

"It’s nothing ma’am, it’s my job after all." She formally said before she turned her back to leave.

After that, I arranged my belongings to the cabinet and when I had stacked them properly I decided to go to bed.

"It's tiring."

I picked up my cell phone and looked at the messages. No message from mama or papa…

“Hay…”

Nothing’s really new…

I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep. It was almost three o'clock in the morning when I looked up, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't sleep.

Maybe because this isn’t my home.

I decided to look out the window. According to Sky, the area around this house is forest but it doesn't look scary because the caregiver took care of it. I opened the veranda, the cool breeze blew on me.

“It feels good…”

The fresh coolness of the air enveloped my body, I couldn’t imagine but it seemed like someone was inviting me to raise my hands, it seemed like I was enjoying the coolness of the air even more.

This is my first time feeling this. Maybe it’s due to the sudden change of air around me. You know, there’s a lot of pollution in the city. I closed my eyes, I don't want this moment to end, feels like this is the only time I can relax like this.

I lasted a few minutes in that position when I felt as if someone was looking at me, when I opened my eyes it stopped in the direction of the forest.

There I was surprised when I could see a shadow. The shadow didn’t come that far but I couldn’t see clearly what it was or who it was.

Even if I try to narrow my eyes in the hope that I can see better who the shadow is, I can't really see it. The shadow didn't move and seemed to be staring at me.

I became nervous all of a sudden. Who is that ?!

I seem to be stuck in my position, who is going to be in the forest at this time?

Then the shadow moved, in a second I couldn’t see it already. I tried to roam my eyes and saw it above the tree it’s standing a while ago. W-What was that?!

My eyes widened at what I saw but before I could react, the shadow suddenly jumped again, this time it was in every tree. The direction it was heading was towards the depths of the forest.

All the time I was just staring at what was happening, unable to believe what had happened, when the shadow disappeared from my sight it was the only time when I could move.

“Hahh…” I sat on the veranda floor. My body couldn't stand what I saw… Who is that? What is this? I can feel my legs shaking…

Chasing my breath, I looked again at the forest, the shadow was no longer there and the forest was very quiet as if nothing happened. Afraid of seeing the shadow again, I immediately entered my room. I made sure every door and window that could be entered was locked.

I went to bed and wrapped my body in a blanket.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night.