As if on cue, while Georgie was looking at Jordan incredulously, Beatle drove in with Dean and Jackie who were grinning to their ears.

“What the hell is the meaning of this?” Georgie demanded when Jackie and Dean climbed out of Beatle, both wearing outdoor shoes.

“I thought you were going to tell her?” Jordan asked Jackie.

“I thought I’d surprise her,” Jackie said with a shrug after throwing him a darting look. Ha! She was still on Team Ja. For a moment there I thought she jumped ship! “Come on, George. It’s not like you never asked us to go on this hike before. Dean wanted to go so when Jordan presented the idea—”

“Presented the idea?” Georgie shot at Jordan who took a step back with his hands raised before him.

“I just mentioned to Dean that you’re going on a hiking trip to Kanlaon and that I had never been there. He said he had wanted to go there so I asked if he thought it would be okay with you if we went. When Dean asked her,” he said, pointing at Jackie, “she said you will not mind. We got our permits yesterday and now we’re here. Jackie was appointed to tell you.”

“Hey!” Jackie shot at Jordan. “Don’t point it all on me. Okay, George, look here,” she said, facing Georgie with a smile, “I just wanted to surprise you. That’s all.”

“You know, I don’t really see any problem here,” Jam said to Georgie. “The more the merrier, right?”

Georgie pursed her lips.

I was sure she was not against the idea that the group was coming. What she was angry about for certain was the fact that it was Jordan’s idea.

You ship-wrecker! You’re ruining my Jam-Georgie ship! I shouted at Jordan who only shrugged and went to my trunk to drop his bag. Great. And now I have to carry the bastard’s bag as well? How is this fair?!

“Don’t tell me Dannie is coming too,” Georgie said to Jackie.

“No, of course not. She’s really having some activities tomorrow so she cannot really go. You go ask her, she’s inside, right?”

“She’s taking a nap,” Georgie answered. “Okay, fine. Let’s go. You’re taking Beatle?”

Dean nodded.

Georgie nodded at Jordan, “You ride with them.”

Ha! Burn, Jordan, buuuuurn!

He did not argue and grabbed his bag from my trunk and went to Beatle.

It would be Jam and Georgie again.

Burn, Jordan, buuuuurn!

*****

If only Jam knew what Jordan had been doing behind his back, he would not defend him while we were on the road to Kanlaon.

“Maybe he just really wanted to go, you know. Did you ask him if he wanted to?”

No, of course not! Why would Georgie ask him?!

“You don’t understand. Just let it go.”

“But it seems that you are the one who can’t let it go. Why are you so angry that he went along?”

“Because he could have told me!”

“Well, he didn’t. And Jackie should have told you so why are you angry only toward Jordan?”

The curious look Jam was giving Georgie was different now. Oh, oh…Jam must be feeling something is off.

“Is he the reason why you won’t date me?”

Georgie stepped on the break and Jam was almost thrown off if he was not strapped to my seatbelt. “He is not. Stop whatever you’re thinking.”

“Okay, okay. Just drive carefully,” Jam said.

Georgie put me back on gear and seconds later, her phone rang. “What?” she snapped. She listened to the caller for a moment. “I just needed to get something. Stop being a backseat driver when you’re not even riding with me!” She stopped to listen for a few seconds. “What? No, I am being careful! I just needed to get something that’s why I stopped.” A few more seconds of silence and by this time, Jam was looking at her with amusement. “Then stop calling me!” She threw her phone on my dashboard and sped away.

Obviously, Jordan was not pleased that she suddenly stopped me in the middle of the road. He was riding in Beatle who was being driven by Dean behind me.

This is going to be a very long day for me.

*****

We reached the inn just before nightfall and I was impressed by how well Jordan planned everything. They also got room reservations for the three of them.

The only thing that pleased me with this trip was Beatle’s presence. At least I wouldn’t have to spend the whole two days alone in a small inn’s parking space.

Night time came and the sun rose in no time. I didn’t know what could have happened with the humans we were with, but they got up very early to go to the meeting place of the hikers.

They looked well-rested so I thought they must have gone to bed right after their dinner.

Jackie was the only one who looked sleepy when they passed us by.

They did not take us with them because that would mean they would leave us at the foot of the volcano. They took a tricycle to the meeting place with Georgie obviously not talking to Jordan who seemed quite content just being here.

Bastard. Ship-wrecker! I hope the crater swallow you whole!

*****

They were given the proper orientation by their guides before they started the hike.

There were four other hikers with them, all in one group as well and by far younger than them.

Once they were on the way it started to drizzle. The path was also quite slippery after yesterday’s rain.

George was quite used to that sort of trail, but Jordan and Jackie seemed to be having a hard time.

Dean was assisting Jackie all the way but never carried her on his back when she begged to.

Jam handled himself well enough and had been taking a lot of photos with his camera for his blog.

“Faster, Jordan,” George called out to him. He was behind her and Jackie and Dean were behind him.

“Easy for you to say,” he muttered under his breath, grabbing on to a branch to his right to help him climb the slope. “The trail’s slippery.”

One hour later and he was falling behind the group. Jackie was receiving a lot of help from Dean.

George rolled her eyes when she looked back to see that Jordan almost slipped on a slippery trail. She looked ahead and assessed the situation. Jam was doing okay. Dean was assisting Jackie ahead.

“How did I get so unlucky?” she asked herself as she turned around to walk back to Jordan. “What’s the problem?” she asked him.

“Nothing,” he said, his face red from the sun. “As I said, the trail’s slippery.”

“Let me take a look at your shoes.” She bent down before he could protest and sighed. “You wore the wrong shoes. Come on, let’s go. Just follow where I step. Find rougher areas, avoid stones with molds. Are you following me?”

“I am,” he answered behind her, his voice tired.

“This is what you get when you just suddenly decide to join a hiking trip.”

“It was a spur of the moment for us, okay? Why are you so angry?”

“Because you could have told me.”

Jordan did not answer.

“Did you expect I’d say no?”

“No to what?” he breathed out, following her track.

“For you to come.”

“Why would you say no?”

“Because weekends are only-for-me days,” she answered.

“No. I did not think that would be your reason.”

“Then what?”

“I figured you’d say no because you’d want to spend this hike with Jam.”

George scoffed. “Yeah, right. Faster, Jordan.”

“Well, is it true?” he asked breathlessly a moment later when they were back on even and drier ground and he was walking beside her.

“What?”

“That you would have said no because of Jam?”

“Don’t be absurd. I would have said no because you don’t have any experience in this sort of activity.”

“And he is more experienced,” he pointed out.

“It’s part of his job.”

He kept silent after that.

The hike to the top was a repetitive one. It would get difficult one moment and then easy the next and the process would start again. They stopped for lunch which they all cooked on their own. All of them brought their own rice to eat with dried meats to match. Almost everyone in the group brought dried food so they would not have to carry heavier bags.

“You holding up okay?” George heard Jam ask Jordan.

“Pretty good,” she heard him answer.

“I am about to die, you know,” Jackie said to them.

“You’ve been saying that since we started,” Dean told her.

“Is it too late for us to turn back?” she asked.

“You’ve been asking that an hour after we started,” Dean uttered. “Here, eat this,” he ordered, giving her a piece of dried fish. “There’s no turning back now, Jackie.”

Her friend moaned. “You’re enjoying this, are you?”

Dean chuckled. “Very much.”

*****

At first, their guides thought they would not make it in time and that they would have to camp somewhere else than intended. But because of that, the group decided against another rest so they could reach their camping site on time.

It was starting to get really dark and Jackie had been complaining a lot. There even came a point when George and Jordan passed by them with Jackie sitting on the ground and Dean pulling at her hand saying, “Come on, Jackie, or I’ll leave you here for the bandits to grab.”

“There are no bandits here!” she heard her friend cry out behind them.

“Sure there are. And if you don’t get up and start walking, I’ll just go ahead.”

“You are the worst boyfriend ever!”

Jam was showing some signs of exhaustion as well because he was no longer holding on to his camera. He was more focused on his tracks and his breathing.

George decided to stay beside Jordan who had gotten the hang of it, but still had the tendency to fall or slip every now and then.

“I am okay. You should walk with Jam,” he snapped at her when she grabbed his arm after a small slip.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked.

“Nothing. I am just saying you should spend some time with the guy. You two planned this hike together. Don’t let us ruin your date.”

She shot him a look. “This is not a date.”

“If you say so,” he murmured.

*****

They reached the camping site and had to work on their tents in the dark. George and Jackie held the flashlights for the guys as they set up the tents. All of them brought their own tents but decided back at the inn that two would suffice. George and Jackie would share the smaller tent while the guys would have to deal with the biggest tent which was Jordan’s.

No one actually made any comments to their sleeping arrangements because they were all too worn out.

George spent a few minutes to unwind with Jam who was concerned, of all people, about Jordan.

“He can handle himself.”

He shook his head. “This is new for him, you know.”

“This is also Dean’s first time. Jackie’s.”

“Dean said he had gone to a lot of hiking trips back when he was in the States. And he is taking care of Jackie.”

George looked at Jordan eating a few feet away with Dean and Jackie.

“Then he should not have gone with us.”

“You really don’t like him, do you?” Jam asked with amusement.

“It’s not that.”

“Then you do like him?”

George arched an eyebrow at Jam. “Why are you so focused on Jordan?”

Jam shrugged. “Because I see him as competition, that’s why.”

She chuckled in disbelief. “He’s just a guy my parents want me to marry. And he has a girlfriend.”

“That would not stop you from liking him if ever, or if you already don’t.”

George shook her head. “Jordan is a complicated case in my life. He is not in it because we both wanted it. Stop talking about him. And us. I thought we already talked about this?”

Jam held up his hands in defense mode. “Okay, sorry. Just saying. Anyway, I am really tired. And I think it’s better to sleep first so I could claim the best spot,” he said, pointing at the tent behind him.

George playfully pushed him away. “Go. Have a good night.”

Jam walked away with a smile. “You know, you can still change your mind about sharing the tent with me.”

“Shut up, Jam.”

*****

“How are you holding up?” George asked Jordan, sitting beside him.

He turned his head toward her, his face barely visible. But she knew he was frowning. “Why does everyone ask me that? I am here, right? I did not sustain any injuries.”

“Wow, look who’s being sensitive. I was just concerned. This is your first hike after all.”

“Then go ask Jackie. It’s her first time too.”

“Dean’s already taking care of that,” she answered, glancing at the couple talking a few meters away.

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend. And if you’re talking about Jam, he’s already asleep. And you should be too. We’ll have a long day tomorrow.”

Jordan opened his mouth to say something and she waited, but he closed it without uttering a word. She was not sure why that disappointed her. Maybe she expected him to say something that would…what? Would make them fight again? Make her punch him again?

“Get some sleep, Jordan. Good night.”

He just looked at her and nodded. She left to go to inside the tent.

*****

Jordan was already up when she woke up the next day.

She forgot to set her alarm and the sun was already up when she opened her eyes.

“Where’s everyone?” she asked groggily.

“They went to see the crater. The guides said that the trail is too difficult for us to go there today so they decided to go to this place where they could see the crater without taking the other trail.”

She knew that place. “Too bad you won’t be able to see it up close. Why didn’t you go with them?”

His face looked incredulously good that morning but he ruined it by frowning down at her. “They all left. And you were still sleeping inside the tent. Do you expect me to just leave you here alone?”

“Sort of?” she answered as she stumbled out of the tent. And she went back in the instant she felt a shiver down her spine. “Shit! It’s cold!”

She heard Jordan’s chuckle above her as he watched her scrambled back inside the tent.

“What are you doing?” she asked when he followed her inside. “Get away from me. You’re so cold!” she said, kicking him with her foot.

“George, I am feeling cold as well,” he said, avoiding another kick with a grimace.

“Then go to your own tent.”

“That tent is too large. It was okay last night when it was the three of us sleeping, but now it’s just so cold. So, take pity.” He pulled at the blanket she used that night.

“That’s mine.” She pulled it back and they did a tug-of-war. “I’ll pay for your food once we get back to the inn if you let me share,” he bargained.

“You think you can bribe me with food?” she said, pulling harder.

“Okay, I’ll gas up Toto. Full tank.”

Her eyebrow arched and her lips twitched. “Deal.”

“Deal,” he said before jumping beside her to wrap the blanket around them.

They sat side by side, hugging their legs. The entrance of the tent was still open and the cold mountain air was creeping in, but neither of them had the energy or courage to crawl and close it. The view of the foggy hills before them was intoxicating too and it would be a shame to let it pass.

“How long would it take them to go back?” he asked after a long silence and when the chattering of her teeth was gone.

“I don’t know. One hour or so. But they might be taking quite some time to take pictures, especially Jam.”

“He told me last night that he’s a travel blogger,” Jordan said.

She nodded. “He’s been earning money that way. A lot of people visit his blogs. He also writes for the local magazine from time to time.”

“He also told us that.”

“What else did you three men do last night?” she asked, turning her head to look at him with a playful, suspicious look.

Jordan’s face crunched up at the thought she was trying to relay. “You have a dirty mind.”

“You have the dirty mind, not me. I merely asked what you three did.” And then she couldn’t help but naughtily add, “It was cold last night, right?”

She leaned away when he straightened his back to turn to her, his eyes peering at her with playful warning. As a matter of fact, his full feature was full of playfulness that George couldn’t help but provoke him further.

“Have you watched the movie Brokeback—”

The remaining words were left in her lips when he suddenly leaned over to kiss her.

In an instant, the warmth that had been taking its time to envelop her had suddenly gone haywire. She had never imagined herself kissing Jordan. Not in her wildest dreams. Jam, sure she did. But Jordan?

No, she had never thought that day would come.

But it did and it was making her feel dizzy and warm.

His lips were not as hard as she had thought them to be whenever he would arrange them in a line or a purse. They were soft and pliant and wonderfully doing a great work on hers.

And she was doing the same. She was answering his kiss because she liked it, not like when she was kissing Jam. The kiss she shared with Jam was more of an exploration on her part, to weigh whether or not their lips were in sync. But this kiss, the one she was sharing with Jordan, was completely different. It was spontaneously just plain kissing.

And she found herself enjoying it.

She felt his hand go up to cradle her head at her nape and she mirrored his action. And he was easing her down until she was on her back and he was covering half of her body while he supported his own weight with his other arm.

The kiss deepened and there was no one around to stop them. It deepened and went on for too long she could barely remember when and how they started. It went from slow to testing to rough, back to slow then to playful and rough once more.

When they stopped, they were lying on the ground facing each other, nose to nose.

“I never watched that movie,” he whispered, his lips brushing against hers. She almost did not understand what he meant and it was only after she realized he was answering her unfinished question that she did.

“Okay,” was the only answer she could pick up.

Jordan caught her gaze as they both tried to catch their breath. Neither of them blinked.

“Just one more,” he rasped out before he tipped her chin up to claim her mouth.

“Okay,” George whispered against his lips, wrapping her arm around his neck.

To hell with later, she thought.