It was not like I sleep, okay? But I was not so pleased when Georgie started me up very early to go back to the apartment.

And I thought I knew the reason why.

She didn’t want to be there when Cassie came by for a visit.

She would not have cared a few weeks ago, right?

So why in a rush now, Georgie?

We arrived at the apartment before sunrise and I wished Jam was up to talk to Georgie and take her mind away from Jordan or her girlfriend. She should get a taste of what life should be like and it was a life with the boys, her friends, her work, Jam and me, of course.

Jordan could only hurt her. So, Georgie, please don’t fall for that guy.

*****

When George entered the apartment, she almost yelped in surprise when she saw Dean and Troy sprawled asleep on the carpet.

She sighed and went toward them. She lightly kicked Dean and he groaned.

“Hey, scoot,” she ordered.

“Hmmm…” Dean said, turning his head on the throw pillow.

“Dean, move,” she said, pushing harder with her bare foot.

The guy opened one eye and he frowned. “George? What are you doing here?” Beside him, Troy moved but did not wake up.

“This is my apartment too, in case you forgot. And as far as I know, you have your own house to sleep to.”

“What time is it?” Dean asked grumpily, moving on his back to blankly stare at the ceiling.

George checked her watch. “Four AM.”

“Why did you go home early?”

“None of your business,” she snapped, dropping on the carpet beside him.

“Jackie’s too drunk last night and I had to clean up after her. I was too tired after washing the bathroom so I slept here.”

She threw Troy a look. “How about him?”

“I don’t know. Said he was too sleepy to go home.”

George sighed. “Go back to sleep.”

Dean returned her sigh. “I wish I can. Once I wake up, I stay awake. You know it’s the weekend, right? It’s our only time to sleep until the middle of the day and you woke me up. What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing’s bothering me. Don’t start being a shrink.”

Dean rolled his eyes toward her. “Come on, George. You could have gone to your room. Instead, you woke me up.”

“The carpet’s more comfortable,” she muttered.

Dean chuckled. “Lame excuse. Why did you go home so early?”

“You won’t drop it, will you?”

“No, not really. I have a lot of hours to spare urging you to tell me.”

She sighed. “It’s nothing. Jordan’s girlfriend is coming home for the weekend and she’s going straight to his place.”

He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “Okay.”

George scoffed. “That’s all you’re going to say?”

“I know you are not up for a real talk right now, George. And I don’t want to pry on your feelings or whatever. You can sort it out on your own.”

“There are no feelings to sort out.”

It took him a few seconds to answer, “Okay, if that’s what you say.”

“Go back to sleep, Dean,” she ordered, looking up the ceiling.

He got up instead, almost stumbling on Troy. “I’m making coffee and check on Jackie. You go to your room and sleep.”

George considered it for a moment. “I’ll cook breakfast.”

*****

She was finishing her cup of coffee with Dean outside the apartment when Jam came out of his own mug. He was once again naked on top, displaying his tattoos.

“Hey,” he greeted. “You should move in with the boys if you don’t intend to sleep in your own home, Dean.”

Dean chuckled. Jam walked to the concrete wall that divided his apartment from the boys’. It was actually short and extended only up to his waist. He leaned his elbows against it and looked at George with smiling eyes.

“So, what are you up to this weekend?”

“Nothing,” she honestly answered.

Dean must have sensed something so he stepped back by saying, “I should probably wake Troy.”

Jam waited until Dean disappeared back inside the apartment before looking at George and said, “How about we go on a road trip?”

George arched an eyebrow. “To where?”

“Anywhere outside of town.” He peered at her and added, “You choose the place.” When she continued to look doubtful, he said, “You don’t have to ride Nomad. We can take Toto. The gas is on me.” George looked at him, thinking. She really didn’t have any plans. But Dannie might need Toto. “And I promise I won’t kiss you again. Until you ask for it.” The grin on his face made her chuckle.

“You really want to go on this trip, do you?”

Jam beamed. “Yes, desperately.”

“I’ll have to ask Dannie first. It’s her time with Toto today and she might need him.”

Jam shrugged. “Sure. Send me a text once you get an okay.”

George just nodded and went back inside.

*****

I so wanted to kiss Troy right that moment.

Dannie was hesitant to lend me to Georgie because she was going to a church activity but Troy offered Tata as replacement, saying he didn’t have any plans that day.

With a lot of poking and discussion, Dannie finally gave up and gave me up to Georgie and Jam.

Road trip!

Oh my, I was so excited.

This could lead for another point on my man, Jam!

Ha! I wanted to know what Jordan would think of that! He had the guts to spend time with his girlfriend who called me an old car.

It was a wise decision, Georgie. You called the right shot! Jam is the man for you. Just let it all go. Just let it go! Don’t hold back, okay? Team Ja is better for you. The man makes you comfortable. You are so alike you will not regret it. I would offer my seats for more kissing, you know. I am willing to suffer a great deal of awkwardness for that.

But it seemed that no kissing was going to happen because there was only more talking and laughter for the two of them. Not that I was complaining. I loved that they both enjoyed each other’s company.

They decided to go to Sipalay. It was a very long drive, but we all needed it.

Jam brought along his camera for his travel blog.

Georgie drove me, of course.

We stopped by a beach with white sands. The air was sticky, the sun was shining, but the air was cool. I wanted to get a tan. I wondered what I would look like after that. Yellow-orange perhaps? That would be a change.

As I wondered about a change of my paint color, Georgie and Jam enjoyed talking about things they both love which was traveling and doing extreme things.

“Not all women like doing what you usually do,” Jam said, looking out in the sea. They were both leaning against my hood, both feeling relaxed and comfortable. “Don’t you get afraid? I mean they are dangerous.”

Georgie nodded. “Sure I get scared, but not scared enough to not try or do them again.”

“You sure have a strong mind. Even most guys couldn’t do the things you did.”

“Strong mind and curiosity.”

“Curiosity?”

“I am curious as to what happens after one dies.”

Jam stepped away to face her fully, an incredulous look on his face. “You’re saying you would love to know what happens if you die?”

“Aren’t you? Of course, I am curious. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I don’t fear death. We’ve been dying since we were conceived after all, right? It just comes down to the how. If it’s my time, it’s my time.”

“I don’t know if I want to date after all.”

Georgie laughed. “I can’t blame you.”

He returned to her side. “I just hope you’re being careful when you go wall climbing, rappelling, bungee jumping, hiking, camping, or whatever else you love to do.”

“Of course, I am careful. I am merely curious as to what happens after I die, I am not suicidal.”

“You’re lucky I still like you after learning that I might end up being single again if we decide to date, you know.”

“Stop talking about dating me.”

“Why not? We match well. We love the same things. We are comfortable around each other. We have great potential.”

“One, we just met. There are a lot of things I still don’t know about you.”

“You can learn them once we start dating. I don’t have any skeletons in my closet if that’s what you’re talking about.”

“And I can’t trust myself with relationships. I easily get bored after some time.”

“You won’t get bored with me. We can do a lot of things together.”

“You’re selling yourself too much. But as I have said, I could easily get bored. We are so alike, you know.”

“And that’s a bad thing? People rarely meet other people who perfectly match them.”

“Why do you think I have Jackie and Dannie as my best friends? We are completely different from each other and that’s what makes us work.”

“You’re saying you’d rather date someone who is your total opposite.”

Georgie was obviously surprised when she heard that and she shook her head too fast than necessary. “No, that’s not it. I just want to be friends for now, Jam. I like you a lot. I don’t get to be around a man I can be very comfortable with. Let’s not ruin that by rushing things. What we have is fresh and I would rather want to have you as a friend at this point. I have a lot of things on my mind right now and I don’t have time to juggle a relationship with that.”

Jam looked at her for a long time without saying a word. Finally, he nodded. “Okay, my friend. Let’s do that. Let’s be special friends.”

“Jam,” Georgie said with warning.

“What? You know there’s something special between us other than friendship, right? And while we figure out what it is, whether it is really just friendship or something else entirely, let’s consider each other as special friends. You know I like you and I am willing to go further in our relationship.”

“Well, I like you too, but I am not sure if I like you as a friend, a brother or a lover. I am not even sure if I would be able to figure it out soon so don’t get your hopes up. It is better you don’t expect. I hate it when people expect things from me.”

Bummer. I knew she’d say that. She never had any relationships that lasted for more than five months. She would always say that she could no longer feel the spark or the thrill and it was no use to continue. The guys she had dated in the past remained friends with her because she was able to make them understand. She was good at that—explaining things without hurting so much of your pride.

Before the sun started to set, they two of them decided to go home.

We did some stopovers where they would talk and eat and drink. And then we were back on the road.

It was a typical road trip.

No kissing.

No mushy stuff.

No great point for Team Ja.

But still, I managed to know where Jam stood in Georgie’s life.

She considered him special enough. And if she could get rid of Jordan as soon as she could, Jam would have a better shot.

*****

She did not ask Jordan about his weekend or how he spent it with his girlfriend when he arrived on Monday.

Jackie dropped them off in haste at Red Cross because Dannie was already running late and Dean had been waiting for her to come to the office, saying he got her coffee and it was running cold.

Since he just passed the training course, Jordan could now be trained on how to ride the ambulance. He was more interested in being a pilot, but everyone told him he should start from the basics. And plus, being a pilot would mean more trainings. Driving an ambulance was not easy task, Mike told him.

“You can go with us to our runs, but since you are now trained you better help,” George said.

“Okay,” he answered, his voice quite excited.

“Don’t you have any reports to do though? I know the board has been asking for a lot after they approved your proposal.”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I can do that later tonight.”

George shrugged and went on with her work. She had an upcoming training in two weeks out of town. She had not mentioned it to Jordan yet. Maybe she’d just surprise him so he would not have much time to argue.

Their next run was not easy for the team because rain started pouring and the location of the emergency was in one of the illegal settlers’ areas in the city so there was no official resident address to guide the team. They were only guided by landmarks and constant communication with the caller.

By the time they finally found the house and climbed out of the ambulance, they were soaked and the muddy ground was not helping as well.

George, being the second in command after the pilot, was the first to meet the frantic caller. Jordan was right behind her carrying a long board since using the stretcher was out of the question.

“What took you so long?!” the lady, drenched with rain and tears, demanded at George.

“Where’s the patient?” she asked instead.

“He’s here! We can’t wake him up!” a much older lady shouted from inside the house made of parcels of woods.

George, Jordan and Fred entered the small house. There, lying on the ground in the middle of what looked to be the common kitchen/living room/bedroom, was the sixty-something man, his eyes closed.

Grabbing her penlight, George kneeled beside the man and opened one eyelid. She checked the pupil. It was already fully dilated. “Let’s load and go,” she ordered and stepped aside to give way for Jordan and Fred.

“What took you so long?!” the same woman from outside demanded. “My father’s been unconscious for a long time and you should have been here earlier!”

“Ma’am, I know you’re upset right now, but we have an urgent matter to attend to. We’re loading your father in the ambulance and we’ll rush him to the hospital. Who’s going with us?”

“Do something now! Give him medicines! Hook him to a dextrose!”

“Ma’am, you have to calm down,” George consoled and forgot about the crying lady when she saw that Jordan and Fred were almost done. “Let’s go,” she told them. “Who’s coming with us?” she asked the patient’s wife and daughter.

“I will,” the daughter answered, glaring at her.

Once they secured the patient on the stretcher inside the ambulance, Mike sped away to the nearest hospital. “Strap down, Ma’am,” she ordered the daughter who was kneeling beside her father.

She positioned herself beside the crying lady and started CPR while Fred prepared the ambulatory bag. Jordan was about to hold the daughter’s hand to guide her to the bench beside him but the lady suddenly surprised everyone by attacking George, slapping her arm and back. “You should have come earlier!” the lady shouted at George.

George ignored her, her mind focused on counting and compression.

She received another slap, this time right on her face.

“Hey!” Jordan’s angry voice rang out as she caught the woman’s hands in his. “Hit her again and we might end up in the precinct instead of the hospital.”

Everyone fell silent. George could still feel the sting of the woman’s slap but she had more important things in mind like saving her father’s life. She had a moment to rest while Fred worked on the ambulatory bag for the patient’s oxygenation.

“Just sit down. You’re not helping any of us by attacking one of our own. We tried our best to get to your place in time. And the lady you’re attacking is trying to save your father’s life. So please, try to stay calm and let us do our job,” George heard Jordan say to the woman before she started CPR once again.

The lady did not stop crying but she let Jordan strap her with the seatbelt.

“You want me to sub?” Jordan asked George.

“No, I am okay,” she said, her eyes focused on her hands. The ambulance ride was bumpy, but she had managed to anchor herself by stepping on the ambulance’s door. She could feel Jordan’s hand holding on to her belt to keep her from swaying. “Mike, how far are we?”

“Near. One minute,” Mike answered.

“Please save my father, please,” the lady begged beside Jordan.

No one answered.

No one was certain if the man would live. George’s chest compressions ware reflecting a pulse rate of fifty-three, but the oxygenation was not good. Fred went on to explain to the lady that what they were doing was just artificial but they were not sure if the heart could continue to beat on its own without George’s compressions.

The lady cried harder but at least she did not try to attack George again.

*****

The woman’s father did not make it after the ER tried everything they could.

Jordan was silent on their ride back to the HQ.

“You okay? That was your first death,” George said beside him.

“Yeah. I think I’m okay. Are you?”

“Yeah. It was not my first death.”

“No, I meant physically. That lady did a great job at attacking you.”

George turned her head and met his eyes. “I am okay. It’s part of the job to be the subject of their anger.”

“I was afraid you’d fight back, actually.”

She looked away and laughed. “You really think I attack people all the time, do you?”

“I have had a few experiences, yes.”

“Don’t worry. I have long accepted that in this job, I get to be a punching bag most of the time.”

“But you should know when to start defending yourself. You can get seriously hurt.”

“That’s why there’s a team, Jordan. When someone attacks one of us, the others are there to help. You did a great job back there.”

After the run, George told Jordan to get ready to go home.

“We’re going home?”

She checked her watch. “There’s only thirty minutes left. The other volunteers are here. Let’s go.”

“What’s the rush?” he asked after her. They had both changed into fresh clothes, but their shoes were still muddy.

“I need a drink.”

She heard him sigh. “I figured.”

*****

“Who are you texting? The boys?” Jordan nonchalantly asked before he took a gulp from his bottle.

“No, it’s Jam,” she answered before she realized what she said. She did not dare look up to see his reaction. But then why would she be worried about his reaction?

“Seems like you two talk a lot most of the time,” he commented.

“Yeah, of course. He’s been hanging out with us a lot lately,” she couldn’t help but say.

“And you’re planning to go hiking with him, right?”

This time, she couldn’t help but raise her eyes to look at him. “Yes. This weekend.”

“To Kanlaon?”

“She nodded.”

“How long would the hike be?”

“Why are you asking?”

He shrugged. “Just curious.”

“Two days, one night. Depends on the weather.”

“You think it’s safe to go? It might rain again this weekend.”

“We can handle ourselves, Jordan,” she said dryly, tapping with her phone to send her reply to Jam.

“Who else are going with you?”

“No one. It’s just Jam and me and other hikers that signed up for the trip.”

“You mean you don’t know who else are going on that hike with you?” he asked incredulously.

She was starting to get irritated. “We can handle it, okay? I’ve been hiking there for the last three years. And it’s on a weekend. We don’t care what each other does on weekends, remember? Like when I didn’t care what you did with Cassie last weekend.”

“We didn’t do anything. We just stayed at home and watched movies,” he answered in an instant. “How about you? What did you do?”

“Nothing,” she lied. She didn’t want to talk about their weekends. She didn’t want to hear what he did with his girlfriend. She didn’t want to explain her activities with Jam. They were even.

*****

After two bottles each, they went home by riding the jeepney. Jackie and Dannie were already home by then and had dinner prepared.

During dinner, Jackie carelessly mentioned about George’s road trip with Jam last Saturday.

Jordan did not say anything but she saw the look he gave her.

She arched her eyebrow at him.

And that was the end of that.

*****

My week was not as productive as I had hoped it would be. For one, I was hoping Jam would make more moves to sweep Georgie off her feet, but he had been doing nothing but talk with her thru text or chat her up outside the apartment.

And Jordan was not helping.

He would eventually end whatever moment Jam and Georgie had by suddenly appearing carrying a bag of trash or his own computer to work outside.

He was not acting like the cold bastard that he was!

It’s unfair, dude! You get to chat with your girlfriend every freaking day. And Georgie couldn’t even have some moments alone with Jam? Where’s the justice, man?

And to make matters worse, he was getting more dedicated to being a good Red Cross volunteer. Dee couldn’t hold herself last Tuesday and Thursday by telling me tales about Jordan’s runs, most of them exciting and funny in some parts. Well, only for her it was exciting and funny.

You know, Dee my friend, I enjoyed your stories when you were telling me about Georgie and the other team members. But can you please not be so obvious with your big crush on Jordan? You don’t have any other stories to tell me but his adventures? Come on, I’m sure there are other stories!

But it was no use.

It seemed that almost everyone I knew, except Jackie who was still with Team Ja, was on Jordan’s side. They were growing fond of him and his cold attitude and expressionless face. However did that combination got to be endearing?

And Jackie was not helping as well. It seemed that she, Dean and Jordan had been talking a lot lately, mostly in private and out of earshot of everyone else, including me.

Hey, you three, what are you up to?

What else was Jordan cooking up now?

*****

As Friday neared, I was getting excited despite the disappointment I felt throughout the week.

Why? Because Friday afternoon was the time Georgie and Jam would go to Kanlaon for their Saturday hike. It had been put off too long!

Georgie and Jordan actually had a little argument about the time of Georgie’s departure. He had reasoned that it was still Friday and that she was not supposed to be on her own until Saturday. But Saturday morning was the hike and it would be tiring for her and Jam to leave in the middle of the night to go on a whole-day hike.

In the end, he gave up. “Do whatever you want,” he had said. That was suspicious, I thought.

Deep down my metallic gut, I knew he was up to something.

By Friday, I spent the whole day at Collins Corporations with Beatle who seemed excited about something he would not tell me. But I, too, was excited for my trip to Kanlaon and I was only eager when Jackie went home in a rush to drop me and Dannie off. Then Dean picked Jackie up after a few minutes and they left without a word.

Hey! Beatle, buddy! What are you all up to? I shouted after my friend but he did not answer.

I did bother think more about Dean, Jackie and Beatle because I was getting full with luggage. With me back outside the apartment, Georgie and Jam started their work.

She was loading her hiking bag inside my trunk together with Jam an hour before we were bound to leave when their plans completely changed.

Georgie had taken the day off today so she and Jordan did not have to go to the HQ because she needed to prepare for the trip. She and Jam had already booked two rooms for them in Kanlaon so they could rest before the hike tomorrow. They would leave me at the inn and go hiking and return Sunday. That was the plan. It was a perfectly polished plan.

And Jordan ruined it all.

He had taken Vicky out for a drive, as he said, after lunch and when he returned he was carrying his own camping bag.

“What’s that?” Georgie asked beside Jam, her eyes looking at Jordan suspiciously.

“My camping bag?” he answered, his face flat, not giving us a clue of whether or not he was joking.

“Why do you have a camping bag?” Georgie asked, her hands on her hips. Jam was looking at the two of them curiously.

“Didn’t Jackie and Dean tell you?” Jordan asked.

Georgie tilted her head to the side. “Tell me what?”

“We’re going to the hike with the two of you,” Jordan announced in a tone that sounded like, ‘Didn’t anyone tell you?’