Chapter 7 Siargao
<Mia>
"Stop giving me that look," he said, turning his gaze back to the road.
I've been frowning at him for a while now, with an annoyed expression on my face.
The sun was already up, shining brightly, while I struggled to keep my eyes open, feeling sleepy.
He woke me up at 4 am to get ready, but of course, I didn't listen to him, so here we are, leaving at six in the morning.
"Why did you wake me up so early?" I grumbled.
We were about to embark on a trip to the airport.
"How long does it take to get to Siargao?" I asked.
I yawned and stretched my shoulders.
"Four and a half hours. You can take a nap, and I'll wake you up when we reach the airport."
He managed to book everything quickly; even the timing was early.
We only brought a few clothes because of the rush, and we planned to buy whatever we needed there.
"Why did you manage to book so quickly? I guess you have a friend who owns an agency or a connection at the airport," I guessed.
I yawned once more.
He nodded in response. See, I was right again. He always says the same thing whenever things are done swiftly, claiming to have a friend here and there.
"Did you book a hotel too?"
He's supportive of his friends' businesses. There have been times when we visited a newly opened resort owned by his friend.
Ethan nodded again in response to my question.
"Is it the Tropical Temple Siargao hotel?"
Once again, he nodded. Lomi said Yunie stayed there.
I playfully hit his arm. "Hey! Say something! You're always nodding your head."
"I'm driving," he replied curtly.
"Why can't you talk to me while driving? You're just talking, we won't crash!" I complained. "And you're so lazy to respond to me!"
He didn't speak, but he sighed again.
"Fine, do whatever you want! I'd rather sleep than talk to a stone," I muttered.
I glanced around the entire place.
"Wow, it's beautiful!" I exclaimed in awe.
We had arrived at the hotel where we would be staying.
I opened the sliding door and looked down. There were many people around.
It wasn't crowded. This villa Ethan booked had a second floor and its villas looked like huts.
"Ethan, it's gorgeous!"
Expectation vs. Reality.
I thought these hotels were buildings.
There was a small box-like swimming pool in the middle, surrounded by coconut trees.
"Fresh air. It feels so good!"
I had been excited since we got off the plane.
"The surroundings are stunning, so refreshing! So clean! So many plants!" I gushed.
"It's so beautiful!"
"Like you."
I faced him.
"Did you say something?" I asked. I heard him say something, but it wasn't clear since his voice was low.
He continued to organize our belongings.
"What time are we going to the island?" I asked eagerly, still looking around.
"Alright, since you know so much, what is Siargao known for?" I challenged him.
I faced him, watching him as he sorted our things. We didn't bring much, but he was moving so slowly.
"It's known for surfing," he replied briefly.
I clapped my hands and jumped on the bed.
"Wow, you searched!"
"I'm not. Siargao is known for surfing, it introduces surfing, and there are other activities tourists can do here, like rock climbing. Wife, everyone knows that."
He finished putting away our things. It's good, I thought he would finish later.
"I'm hungry," I said frowning.
I went back to my place earlier and looked around and the people walking.
I'm looking for someone I haven't been looking for yet. I'm not sure if he's still here or if they're surfing.
"I bought you breakfast and you didn't eat it." He commented and moved to my side. Eh, I wasn't hungry earlier and then I didn't want to eat. I might just throw up on the aeroplane.
I inhale.
"Ethan, the air is fresh! I'm not breathing polluted air!"
In the city, everywhere I breathe is polluted air.
The plants and the design of the whole area make the surroundings even more beautiful, especially the villas that look like huts.
"I'll ask about our food. Can you wait?"
He knows that I'm impatient.
"Ge, please hurry up just a little bit, I'm really hungry."
He didn't even have breakfast earlier and he even drove to the airport.
I even fought with him this morning while he was packing and arranging our things, I didn't hear a single complaint from him. As for me, I have been complaining to him for a while now.
"Drink some water first." He offers me water again.
I reluctantly took it and drank it. He still doesn't want me to stop in the water. He made me drink water every minute.
Ethan's water is life. I hope you're all there!
"Don't forget to drink water." He reminded me again.
"Don't roll your eyes at me. It's for your own good and health." He said gently. He was not angry, and there was no trace of annoyance in his voice. He gently told me that, it's soft and soothing and it's more about remembering. He was worried.
I kept my mouth shut and let him talk to whoever he was talking to. It might take an hour before we can eat because of me.
"Ethan I'm really hungry," I said.
"45 minutes." He reminded me.
Why is it taking so long?
We just looked outside.
"The air is delicious, isn't it? It's delicious to the eyes of the surroundings. It's beautiful!"
It took a long time before he answered and he was just looking around.
"Do you want me to build a resort for you?" He looked at me.
"Hey! It's you! I didn't say anything and I'm not listening" I laughed.
"but it's okay." I'm joking.
He remained silent.
I don't know what he's thinking. He's hard to read, promise. You don't know what he's thinking, and it's hard to predict his actions and plans.
I was just looking at him and he caught me looking at him.
I looked away.
"Look at that cute kid!" I stopped talking and pointed to the boy wearing a life jacket. She is a woman and she walks. He even has difficulty walking. He was still balancing himself.
I felt him hold my hand. I looked at him but he wasn't looking at me anymore but his eyes were smiling.
He's handsome.
His nose is sharper when he has a side view.
"How many kids do you want?"
I stilled on his sudden question.
I WALK all over the resort. We just finished lunch and I left Ethan, I didn't wait for him, he was talking to a girl at the reception.
I was walking so I ate less.
I texted Lomi to ask Yunie where she is now.
I will really pull her curly hair when I see her.
Get ready for me!
"Wife. I asked the receptionist about the nearby island."
I didn't notice that he was already behind me deep in my thoughts.
"Where do you want to go? There are three islands here, near General Luna. The one is the Siargao Tri-hopping tour with lunch and transfer. The second one, is the Siargao Eco-day picnic tour, and last but not the least, Siargao Sugba Lagoon Kwagogan Island and Pamomoan Island day tour."
I sat on the lunge and he also sat next to me.
I think far away. I can't seem to see that girl here.
I'm annoyed again.
"It's up to you," I answered lazily.
Eco Day was the Island he chose and I just watched him go surfing and he tried to do rock climbing. I was just on one side looking around. It is unlikely that I will see him here and the many Islands. Lomi did not reply to me, about which Island did they go to. I guess I'll just go around the whole hotel again later.
It's late
Someone drove us to the hotel. I'm not sure if it's just a free delivery and it's included in the package that Ethan chose.
I walk all over the resort looking for Nemo.
I saw two women walking together.
"Yunnie?!" I screamed
I called her again and they both looked at me.
"Mia?" Yunie asked surprised to see me.
Ethan wasn't there so I was alone. He left and I don't know where he went. He was dressed in clothes, it looked like he was going out.
He just told me to wait for him and just for a moment, he said I should enjoy myself here outside first.
I looked at the girl with him.
"Maderma by the way." Yunie introduced.
"You already know him, don't you?" I didn't take my eyes off the woman.
"Alright, I'll go first, Yunnie. I'm going to take a shower." She said goodbye
It's good and she feels it.
"Why are you here?"
"Why are you with her?"
I just looked at him seriously.
No one joined us and we just looked at each other. Waiting to see who will speak first.
"Because she invited him to come with me," She explained.
She was the first to give up because he knew I wouldn't let her lose. I'm more honest than her.
"I texted you, why didn't you reply? Then why are you still with her? I think you're enjoying yourself too much and you can't bring yourself to text me anymore."
I keep from getting angry.
"Who are you with? Your husband?" Yunie mimicked the tone of my voice.
"Don't change the subject," I said firmly.
There aren't many people here and I only see a few people outside.
"I called you too and you didn't reply. So let's just quit."
I clenched my fist.
"You really want to retaliate, don't you?" I'm bored.
"You don't know what happened to me so I can't answer your calls." I took a deep breath.
This is not how I expected our meeting to be.
"It happened? Maybe something happened to you and your husband." Yunie accuses.
I looked at him in disbelief.
"Don't you trust me anymore?"
She didn't answer.
"I had an accident, okay! Ethan's uncle scolded me. We attended his niece's birthday." I explain.
"That's why I can't answer your calls because I'm recovering. Then I'll know you're here in Siargao and someone posted on your Instagram that you were with that girl?"
It's the fault of Ethan's addicted uncle.
"I went to Lorena's house, I traveled a long way even though I just got back!" I scolded.
"Really? Why are you going to die? So you can't reply to and answer my texts? When you want you can find a way." She is also just holding back.
"Yes!" I raised my voice. Because this woman's brain is narrow.
"Because Ethan's uncle almost killed me! I thought I was going to die. I got a bone fracture because he punched me."
She doesn't look at me in the eye.
"I've had enough."
What doesn't she want anymore?
"What?"
I want clarity.
"I don't want this anymore. You're married, so let's stop this. I don't want it anymore, I'm tired. Let's separate." She avoided my gaze.
I firmly held his hand. "What are you talking about?!"
"I just couldn't reply! Yunnie! You're doing this again!" I said, frustrated. "No one is going to separate!" I said firmly.
"How long do you plan to keep me as your mistress, huh?! You don't even love me, you can't even fight for me." There was a voice filled with resentment.
She removed my hand from his grasp.
"I did fight for you." I didn't want us to shout here. "I fought for you several times." I swallowed. "Even now, I'm fighting for us."
"You didn't... you didn't fight for me... you didn't fight for us. Because if you fought for me, you wouldn't get married. If you loved me, you wouldn't have allowed yourself to get married..." Her gaze wandered.
"You wouldn't agree to get married."
I shook her shoulders forcefully.
"Yunnie, your thinking is messed up again! Even if you were in my situation, you wouldn't be able to do anything! You know my situation is in the hands of my family..."
I needed to find Yunnie's mindset, not Nemo's.
"Please, just a little longer. We're almost there. I'm just biding my time. We'll be together soon. Hold on, please..." I pleaded.
I knew she was getting tired. I was tired too, tired of my life.
"Mia? You're here too. Yunnie, why didn't you tell me that your girlfriend was coming?"
I look to the owner of that voice.
"Hello, Kuya Adrian." I smiled at him.
Kuya Adrian kissed my cheeks.
"They're looking for you there." He gestured to Yunnie.
"No wonder you're not with Clarissa because your girlfriend is here too."
We were legal in their eyes, and they accepted us.
"Just go to the Villa, okay? I'll just wander around," he tapped my shoulder and smiled at me before he left.
We quietly headed to their Villa, which was far from Ethan and my Villa.
"Are you with Ethan?" he asked softly.
He couldn't resist. "Yes. I invited him here because you weren't responding to my texts."
We were so far apart.
"You know I can't leave without him. They'll look for me and wonder where I am."
Ethan didn't know about us.
He didn't know anything.
And we didn't know each other. We were both trapped in this marriage.
"I planned to meet up with you because they invited you to come to Siargao. But we all left before I could reach you. I thought you wouldn't keep our promises."
I pinched her arm.
"Don't be sulking. No matter what happens, I'll always come home to you, and a promise is a promise. When have I ever failed to keep my promises to you?"
We hadn't made any promises that we didn't fulfil.
"Oh, so that's why you suddenly disappeared because your girlfriend was with you," his father teased us.
"Hello, sir," I greeted him.
"God bless you, my dear."
"Why didn't Yunnie say anything about you coming?" Kuya Rino asked.
Yunie's siblings were all males. He was the only girl, but she had a tomboyish side.
I spotted Clarissa on the side. She was drying her hair and had changed her clothes.
"When did you arrive?" Kuya Rino asked again.
I just smiled at him.
"Yunnie is here too." Next to come out was his mother, carrying a bottle of wine.
"I missed you, dear. It's been a long time since we last saw you." She kissed my cheeks.
"Yunnie seems happy again," Kuya Tlenx teased.
Yunnie was spoiled because she was the only girl among their four siblings.
"Oh, Ronald, isn't it both yours and Yunnie's birthday?"
I felt shy to smile.
"Yes, that's right," he replied.
"Perfect timing. We're about to have dinner. Just share Mia's cake. Yunnie didn't mention that you were coming." She pinched Yunnie.
"Tomorrow, we're leaving. Did you bring enough clothes, Mia?" Yunie's mom asked me.
"Just enough for 3 days," I timidly replied.
"That's fine. We're staying for 2 days for our staycation," her father answered.
"By the way, where are your clothes, Mia?" Kuya Tlenx asked while munching on junk food.
Yunnie answered, "She booked a Villa, and her things are there. You know her, she's shy to ask for financial help."
I forgot about Ethan.
We all had dinner with his family, and our table was filled with laughter.
They even divided the cake to give Yunie to hold, and they asked for one candle.
Her family was so joyful. Sana all.
I celebrated my birthday with them once again.
It has been three years since I started celebrating my birthday with them.
Yunnie and I booked a Villa just for the two of us. I'll deal with my clothes tomorrow.
We're doing fine. We may have our little fights, but we always make up willingly.
"Why is Clarissa with you?" I asked.
We were lying in bed.
I'll just use Ethan's card for expenses.
"She was invited by Kuya Adrian. You know that those two are best friends."
