SIXTH TRIP

I walked back to where we came from earlier, but I could only see passers-by and street food stalls. I was thinking of texting him but I remembered I didn’t know his name and I didn’t have his number. I can't go back to the hotel because he might be looking for me, too.

I tried to walk again while searching for my sling bag where my wallet is but I panicked even more when my sling bag was no longer in my body!

“Oh my god! Why is this happening?” I hissed to myself while I’m on the verge of crying.

“Miss, are you okay? Are you lost?”

I looked at the speaker and saw the old man selling food. I tried to calm myself and think of a good situation.

"Do you know Tierra Fima?" I asked the old man.

He frowned for a moment before I answered. “Why, yes? Are you from there? It’s far from here,” he told me, shaking his head, so I lost all hope.

I thanked the old man and left. I kept walking until I heard someone shouting not far away from where I am.

“I can give you money if that’s what you want! Just give me my credit cards!” The man said.

There was a car parked there and I guess that's where the voice was coming from so I came closer. The next thing I heard was the sound of a punch so I was stunned.

“Fuck it! Go on!” I heard the man shout again in an annoyed tone.

The next thing I saw, was two men running away from that place so I quickly went to where they came from. My eyes widened when I saw him currently sitting on the ground and seemed to be hovering over his face over and over.

"Oh my god!" I shouted and quickly attended to him.

I looked across his face and winced when I saw the edge of his lip crack.

"What happened?" I hysterically asked him and help him to stand up.

He shook his head for a moment and quickly turned to me.

“What happened to you? Are you okay? Where have you been? I was looking for you!” he asked a series of questions so I was stunned to fix his button-down because it was a little messy.

"You must be the one I'm asking that," I told him in disbelief.

His jaw clenched. He rolled his face again and looked at me.

“I’m fine. Now, where have you been? I was looking for you because you suddenly disappeared. You alright?" full of concern he asked me.

I shook my head. “I got lost in that crowd and also lost my bag. My cellphone and wallet...”

“Dammit!” he cursed out of thin air so my eyes widened.

“I don’t know how we can get back to the resort. We don’t have any money,” he told me in trouble and we started walking.

I could feel his annoyance and my hunger at those times. We are far away from so many people. I don’t think it’s covered by town anymore because we can’t hear that ringing anymore and there’s hardly anyone left in that direction.

“How many hours is the flight from here to the resort? We can walk,” I suggested to him but he just laughed.

“Can you walk for almost three hours? I doubt it.”

I was blown away when I heard that. I'm used to commuting but I'm not used to walking. My legs are weak. I do not want.

“Fine. We need to find another way,” I heard him say and held my hand again as we walked towards that old car.

We stopped on the side while a man was urinating not far away. He suddenly pulled me behind the tree that was there and whispered something to me that I didn’t quite understand because he was so close to my face. I can't concentrate! Rae, what?!

“Are you with me?” he immediately said which made me look at him right away.

I gulped and nodded at him.

“All right. I'll just do it. Just wait for me there,” he commanded me in his baritone voice.

Before I could react, he left me to go to the man who had finished what he was doing. I saw the man's forehead frown for a moment before nodding in succession. Later, he came back to me smiling with the man.

“Tsk! Let's just say I've seen a lot of people like that, especially during festivals. The others don't care when there is trouble," the other man said while shaking his head.

“Let's go back to the resort first. We need to eat,” he told me softly and caressed my hand.

"I'm sorry if I let go of your hands earlier. I lost you,” he added while holding my hand tightly.

I was silent when we got in the car. Until the flight, my mouth remained shut because of what was happening. I wanted to stop him from sticking to me, but I couldn't because I didn't want him to be distracted by me. He’s a nice guy, I can feel it. I just don’t like the idea especially since I have a weird feeling about it.

When we arrived at the resort, we ate for a while at the resto. He paid the man who drove us and then took me to the hotel.

“Do you have something in mind? Are you going to do anything now?” he asked me before I entered the hotel.

I bit my lower lip when I saw his figure again. The two buttons of his polo shirt are already open, exposing his collarbone in front of me. His chest was also screaming ‘that’ so I looked away.

"I need to inform my head about what happened especially to my cellphone," I replied shyly to him.

“I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I wouldn’t have taken you there,” he said in his disappointed voice so I immediately shook my head.

“It's not your fault. No one knows what will happen.”

“Can I take you to Tierra Fima instead?”

I frowned at his question. What is he saying?

“Tierra Fima? It is here, isn’t it?” I asked him and he laughed.

He approached me and partially removed the hair from my face because of the wind.

“This is just a small part of Tierra Fima. I was thinking of taking you to the main Tierra Fima. Our farm,” he seriously explained to me and guided me to enter the hotel.

"What are we going to do there?"

I suddenly remembered what his sister had said to me when I woke up in his room so my imagination ran wild. I think he noticed that because I heard him laugh.

“It’s not what you think. Your day is ruined today so I wanted to take you there. Tierra Fima is a nice place, you’ll love it. Trust me,” he told me seriously but with a smile so I just nodded.

I don't think he will do anything bad to me. If there is, it would have been our first time together.

It was around 6 PM when he picked me up at the hotel. He already has a car with him because he says a large part of Tierra Fima is quite far from this resort. When I asked him what Tierra Fima was, he just said it was a farm so I thought it was really just a farm. I made a mistake when we got there.

I looked up at the huge black gate in front of us.

Casa de Acuzar

That's what's in there so my forehead furrowed. Casa? Is this his house?

"Is this your house?" I asked before we could enter.

“My family’s house. Everyone only comes home once because they are often in Manila,” he explained.

I almost dropped my jaw when we finally got inside. That's why the gate is so big because its yard is so wide. There is a large fountain in the middle and behind that is the big two-story house. The former is a mansion.

“Wow! Your family is very rich,” I told him overwhelmed when we got out of the car.

I just heard him laugh and then guided me inside. If the outside is confusing, especially on the inside! I just imagine this house every time I write because this is often the life status of my main characters. Wealthy, with vast land and assets. I never thought I would see it in person.

“Oh, you are already here. I thought you would never come home again.”

I quickly looked around at the speaker and my eyes widened when I saw the woman I had met that day. His sister.

“Oh... this is the second time that you brought someone here. I know her,” she said seriously and crossed her arms while still looking at me.

"Stop it, Max. Where are they?" He asked her so I kept looking at them.

The woman approached me and taunted me. “I said, be careful of him. Don’t fall into his trap,” she told me seriously so I keep quiet.

After a while, she suddenly burst out laughing and even tapped me on the shoulder.

"Just kidding," she said to me and looked at her brother.

“They're in the dining area, waiting for you two,” she added and looked at me again.

She just smiled at me and continued walking. I looked up at him when I heard him shake.

“She is my cousin Maxim. Don't listen to her. Let’s go,” he told me softly and grabbed me by the elbow then guided me to where.

I thought they were really siblings.

We went to their dining area. I almost wanted to just go back to the hotel when I saw who I was going to meet for this dinner. They’re all super intimidating in appearance and I’m right, their genes are really good.

“It is good that you arrived. We heard what happened to you earlier. You should never have gone there. Are you all right, hija?” the woman he introduced to me earlier as his mom asked me.

They all looked kind except for his dad who looked stiff. They don't look that old and still have class at every move. Especially Maxim who just stares at me.

“I'm fine. I wasn't hurt,” I replied shyly and turned my attention to the plate in front of me.

I don’t know how I will feel. In such situations, my social anxiety attacks me because I don't get to know other people very often. I know only those close to me.

“You’re just vacationing here, aren’t you? How did you meet my brother?” Maxim suddenly asked me that made me look at her.

I heard him sneeze next to me. “Stop asking her, Maxim. Let her eat.”

"I'm just asking. Is that bad?”

"You're scaring her!" he suddenly hissed which made everyone shocked.

I looked at him his jaw tightening with irritation. Next, I heard their parents scolding them and what Maxim said.

"I guess you just don't want her to know you more that's why you don't let me ask her questions," she added in a threatening tone so I let go of the spoon I was holding.

I guess, it is not good for me to be here. I'm just going to mess up tonight.