How bold of this snooty guy to think that I'd come with him just because Papa said so?

I walked back to the foyer, not a single plan to go anywhere with Snooty Guy. I thought Jessa was my worst option as my chaperone today.

I thought wrong.

My feet almost reached the end of the staircase when I felt a warm breeze blow across the room, and just a snap, Snooty Guy was in front of me, blocking my way. I raised a brow and crossed my arms.

"Hindi mo 'ko narinig?" mayabang niyang tanong kaya sumagot ako.

"Hindi mo rin ako narinig? I said . . . I am not interested," I stressed. "Tagalugin ko? Hindi ako in . . . te . . . re . . . sa . . . do. Intiendes?!"

He mimicked my pose and crossed his arms as well. "Ayoko sa maarte."

"Hindi ako maarte! Ayoko lang sa 'yo! I'm a nice person, until you exist!" I sarcastically replied. "I had an accident when I came here, and instead of feeling bad for what happened to me, naging mayabang ka pa. And for the record! I wore heels because I thought they would drop me off here in front of the ancestral house! Did you really think I'd walk in the middle of the rice field with those shoes? Sa daming beses kong umuwi rito kay Inang, that was the only time na pinatawid nila ako sa rice field!"

I forcefully pushed him on the chest before walking out, which was a very bad idea, because he indirectly told me how firm his chest muscles were and how stupid I was for thinking that he would budge from that push.

I pressed his chest so hard, and yet he didn't move even an inch. Itinulak ko lang siya pero kinailangan ko pa ring umikot sa gilid niya para lang makalampas ako at makaakyat sa second floor dahil hindi naman siya natinag. Fucking useless!

To hell with Snooty Guy!

To hell with kuya na naghatid sa 'kin!

And to hell with those construction workers na saka lang nag-ayos ng asphalt road kung kailan ako umuwi!

Pati rin si Papa na hindi man lang nagsabing after twenty-three years of my existence, sa wakas, magkakaroon na ng maayos na kalsada rito kaya lahat ng hinukay na lupa at bato, doon sa harap ng gate namin itinambak!

I fucking hate this province life.

The only time this house felt so alive was last night. And like Cinderella, after midnight struck, the gloom went back like it used to.

These vintage hallways felt so quiet today. Parang gusto ko nang magsising hindi ako lalabas ng bahay ngayon. I headed to the open window at the end of the hall, facing that side of the land where my memories stayed longer. It's been weeks since I recalled that direction, and if only Jessa and I hadn't mess with each other, I'd definitely ask her to go with me on that part of our wide "yard."

I placed my arms above the window frame and looked at the old garden at the end of this lot. When I was a kid, Billy and I used to go there before sunrise. Susunduin niya ako rito sa bahay para lang tumakas kaming dalawa. I only realized now how far that garden was from here. It was a third of a mile away, and we were only walking every morning to visit that place.

The elders had warned us not to go to that garden nang minsang hinanap kami at inamin kong nasa lumang garden kami pumunta. Billy always told me that the old rusty gate was the portal to the world of the engkantos, which is why people said we shouldn't go there. But that garden was so majestic in my memory. It felt like a dream every time we crossed that place.

I could still remember how beautiful the sun spread its rays through every tiny gap in the trees, flowers, and vines. Billy would climb up on the gate. He would offer his hand so I could climb up, too. Then we cross the so-called portal to the underworld . . . and I believed that. I believed that visiting the garden meant leaving the Earth.

The sun shone differently on that garden. I've never seen those rays of light anywhere in Manila, in Inang's house, or even in the U.S.

The speck of dust in the air that crossed every ray . . .

The smell of jasmine and other sweet nectars around us . . .

The sound of the trees . . .

How the wind blew every time we whistle . . .

Billy used to whistle, and I honestly held on to the idea of him controlling the air every time he did so.

It was a very vivid memory.

Billy's playful giggle would surround the whole garden as he walked on the rim of the old and dry fountain. It was a deep fountain, and I fully remembered how deep it was when I accidentally fell inside. I landed on the tarnished coins that were once people's faithful wishes.

I screamed in horror, trying to reach my hand on the marble edge. Even if I jumped higher, my fingers couldn't reach anything near the rim. Billy panicked. We were both crying. He was torn between offering his hand and asking for help. From the morning at seven, we cried until my shadow barely hid under my body.

In the end, he used the thickest vine he found in the garden and used it as a rope. That was when I realized why the elders didn't want us playing in that old garden.

Billy scolded me so bad. "God made a big problem when He created you pretty but bobo!" And the bobo part was the only thing that mattered to me from that line.

That didn't stop us from playing inside that place until I left. Noong nakaraan ko pa gustong pumunta roon at paulit-ulit lang din akong sinasabihang huwag pumunta roon at baka maengkanto raw ako.

As if I had no idea about that garden.

Gusto ko sanang tumakas mag-isa papunta roon, kaso natatakot naman ako. Gusto kong may kasama pa rin, just in case lang.

"Um-hmm."

"Oh my fu—" I jumped in shock and turned to face the guy who hummed. "What the fuck?!"

Snooty Guy's brows were scrunched as he looked outside the window. He placed the bottom of his palm on the wooden frame before glancing at me. "Mag-iisang buwan ka nang nakakulong dito sa bahay ni Lola Toyang, hindi ka nabo-bore?"

"Find someone I'm comfortable to go with apart from Jessa, and I'll go out."

"Wala kang ibang choice. Nasa kabilang baryo pa nakatira ang mga kapitbahay n'yo. Swapang kasi kayo sa lupa."

"Issue ko ba 'yan?" naiiritang tanong ko. "If you have a problem with land-grabbers, magreklamo ka sa parents at grandparents ko kasi kahit pambiling damit, wala ako ngayon!"

"I can tell." Then he shifted his gaze to my dress. I immediately covered my chest with my arms. He followed that with a chuckle as he shook his head.

"Don't tell me, pati sa papa ko, sobrang loyal mo kaya sunod ka nang sunod sa kahit anong utos sa 'yo."

He whistled in the middle of our conversation. I stopped talking when the cold air blew on the window and made a small twirl inside the hall, raising my flowy dress slightly, kaya inilapat ko agad ang mga palad ko sa laylayan para hindi na tuluyang umangat.

I found myself with wide eyes as I stared at him.

Did he just call the fucking air?

Was that a coincidence? Kanina pa naman mahangin kaya nga nandito ako nakapuwesto para malamig.

No, no, no, no, he didn't call the air. The air was just . . . air. It could go anywhere.

"Sige, magkasundo tayo . . ." mas mahinahon na niyang sabi, the same tone he was giving kina Manang. "Aalis tayo. Pupunta tayo sa bayan. Bibili tayo ng ilang gamit mo saka pagkain. I'll be nice. Hindi ako magsasalita ng kahit na anong offensive."

I squinted my eyes to judge him. "Why would I believe you?"

"Bugbugin mo 'ko kung ikaliligaya mo kung hindi ako tutupad sa usapan." He spread his arms, bragging about whatever he was bragging. "Come on. Pinatawag pa 'ko ni Uncle Isme sa bahay. Ang layo ng bahay namin dito, akala mo ba? Gusto mong pareho tayong mapagalitan pagbalik niya?"

"I still hate you," I said, eyes still judging.

He gave me a wicked smile and a shrug. "Sabi mo, e. Tara na sa ibaba. Huwag kang umasa ng tricycle. Mas mahal ang sasakyan ko."