“What?” Troy asked incredulously.

Jordan’s face suddenly changed now that he had said it. His face appeared more problematic and he wiped his face with one hand as if to calm himself. Holy Volkswagen, he must have been holding it in for too long and now it was crushing down on him and he didn’t know what to do.

“George?” Dean asked in disbelief, wanting a confirmation.

“Of course, it is George, moron,” Troy shot at him. “It can’t very well be your Jackie or my Dannie.” He then turned to Jordan and asked, “Did you just figure it out or have you been in love with her from the start? But you just knew her!”

Jordan shook his head. He gulped down the rest of his beer as the two other guys waited for his reply. “I have known her for a long time. It’s just that she didn’t know me like I’ve known her. I hear stories about her from her dad, how she would do the exact opposite of what they wanted and all Georgina stuff you all know. Though we never got to talking a lot, I knew her better than she knew me before.”

That left everyone speechless.

The very air was left trapped in my exhaust.

“I know I have liked her since we met years ago. I just never let it get to me. We were not part of each other’s circle. Never really got to know each other in a more personal level like we did this past few weeks, but sure I knew her enough to know she’s someone I could learn to be fond of. I had admired her since I met her when we were in our teens.”

Oh man, the words were rolling out of Jordan’s lips and it was overwhelming!

“And you never told her?” Troy asked incredulously.

“Why? Have you ever told Dannie?” Dean asked him.

“Dannie’s a different case,” Troy snapped, his voice serious. He turned his attention back to Jordan. “What are you going to do now?”

Jordan scoffed. “I don’t have a freaking idea.”

TELL HER! THAT’S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO! I shouted at him. OR NO, DON’T! You can’t confess to Georgie if you have a freaking girlfriend, you moron! Tata told me to shut up and just listen.

“Wait, but you do have a girlfriend, right?” Troy said in an accusing tone.

Jordan did not answer.

“That’s one of your problems,” Dean concluded, looking at Jordan.

At that moment, I felt sorry for the guy. He just met Troy and Dean five or so weeks ago and he confessed his heart out to them. Didn’t he have real friends to talk to? I figured not because here he was, looking like a lost boy that he was.

“You’re not going to tell her, right?” he asked, his face suddenly worried.

Both men shook their head as if Jordan asked a stupid question.

“But your biggest problem is George, right?” Dean continued.

Jordan chuckled bitterly. “She has a life of her own as you can see. She doesn’t want the life I live in. Her freedom means so much to her and I am not sure I can give her much of that if ever we end up together. I’ll hold on to her more than she would to me. She’ll feel smothered.”

“You don’t know that. No one knows what’s she’s thinking or feeling,” Troy said. “She’s always been private when it comes to those things. Hell, she might be cranky now because of you. And there’s always a compromise. You can live each other’s lives like you are doing now. You can work it out if you just TALK about it.”

“But you have to do something, man,” Dean advised. “George is a big catch and if what you’re saying is right, that you have liked her for years and that you might be in love with her now, then I suggest you do something about it now before the two of you do something stupid.”

I didn’t know what to say. I was lost for words at that very moment.

Jordan had liked Georgie for years? Was that why he had been following her around before?

And now he was saying he was in love with her?

However did he manage to keep that all to himself?

Wow, the man should have a lot of emotional threshold!

Their talk went on until Troy said that everything was all up to Jordan and what he thought was right to do. Dean agreed with a comment that it was better he say something now and regret not ever saying anything. “You’ve been keeping it to yourself for years, man. And I don’t know how you managed to do that, but let me tell you…it will eventually eat you up if you don’t do something about it.”

Troy and Dean retired for the night, leaving Jordan alone to think things over.

What are you going to do now, Jordan? I asked him.

After a while, he sighed and stood up. His hand went inside one of the front pockets of his jeans and he started pacing before me, his head bent.

You remind me of Dean that night he was practicing his speech, buddy, I said.

But it seemed that he had a different speech in mind. It was speech not intended for Georgie but someone else.

When he pulled his hand out of his pocket, he was holding his phone.

I felt my engines start to throb with excitement. Okay, okay…calm down, Toto… Let’s see what the man is up to…

He worked on his phone for a while and then placed it against his ear.

It took a while before the call was answered and the moment it was, he said, “Cassie, we need to talk.”

Okay, people, who’s onboard with me? Let’s go sail the Team Jo ship!

*****

As the newly self-appointed captain of the Team Jo ship, I made up a code: Protect the ship at all cost. And we shall capture the heart of the mistress of the ship who is no other than Georgie herself.

I had received a lot of condescending comments from Vicky and Tata after I jumped ship. They said I betrayed Team Ja.

Okay, fine! I am sorry to whoever is left in that team! I betrayed Team Ja in a big way! But I am not stupid to not be a part of Team Jo now.

Because of my overwhelming devotion to Team Jo, Vicky and Tata were happy enough to forgive me. Of course they were happy. They were solid Team Jo fanvics. 

It was a Sunday and we were back at the apartment. Jordan seemed not to have any plans of going home.

“It is your week starting tomorrow,” he said to Georgie when she asked him why he was still at the apartment.

Cut the man some slack, Georgie. He just broke up with his girlfriend last night! I followed it up with a hearty engine chuckle that only Tata and Vicky could hear.

That was the start of Vicky’s question. Being the only car to be left behind, she was hungry for the whole story. Beatle was quiet, just butting in whenever Tata and I would exaggerate things.

In short, we finally managed to tell her the breakup story.

Jordan called his girlfriend, Cassie and asked if they could talk. He wanted to go to Manila and talk to her personally, but Cassie must have said he should just say what he wanted to say over the phone. The girl must have already seen it coming because the moment Jordan said, “I think we need a long break. Not just the one we are having right now,” the call did not last long. Jordan finished the talk with, “I’ll come and talk to you once I get the time. I want to explain everything in person.”

He was such a gentleman, right? Who wouldn’t jump ship after hearing that?

*****

George was still not talking much and everyone could sense it.

Troy would try to include her in their conversations, but it was no use.

Dannie shot him a stingy look as warning and he eventually gave up.

She couldn’t even explain herself if they ever try to ask her. She was trying to figure out a lot of things, but at the same time she was also ignoring and denying a lot. In the end, she decided she’d just let it all go. See what would happen. Her time with Jordan was getting near. Maybe when that day would come, things would start to clear up.

And hopefully, things would return to normal. Her family would come to understand her and just let her be. She would continue with her work. She might have more time to spend with Jam.

It would be better because that was her kind of normal. That was how things should be from the very start.

Jordan should not be in the picture.

So, for the meantime, she’d have to bear his presence and the complicated emotions he brings.

It’s just the thrill of that day, she would tell herself whenever she’d be reminded of the kiss they shared inside the tent. I would not have allowed it under other circumstances.

“You should really go home now,” Dannie said to Troy. “You’ve been camping in our apartment longer than necessary.”

“Why can’t you shoo Dean away too?” Troy complained from the carpet.

“Dean brings food, he helps around, he keeps quiet and most of all, he is not a pain in the ass,” Dannie answered stingily.

George sighed, focusing on her work and trying to shut the noise around her. Jordan was sitting beside Dean, both of them playing with their phones while Jackie and Dannie were preparing dinner.

“Hey, Jordan, it seems as if Dannie wants you to bring food, help around, keep your silence and not be a pain in the ass,” Troy cried to Jordan.

“What?” Jordan asked absently.

Dannie stormed toward Troy and made a move to kick him until he shot to his feet. She grabbed the remote from his hand and said, “If you’re not going home, then go wash Toto.”

“Come on, Toto will not look any way different even if—” he stopped when Jackie, George and Dannie snapped their heads toward him. “Okay, fine. I’ll clean Toto and pray he’ll look like Tata afterward.”

“Go home!” George, Jackie and Dannie chorused.

“Okay! Gosh. I’ll go clean him up.”

“Can I have Toto until Thursday?” George asked her friends when Troy disappeared outside with a bucket, cloth and car soap.

“Why?” Jackie asked.

Jordan looked up from his phone, his eyes unreadable, but she knew he was curious as well.

“I’ll be going out-of-town for a training in Siquijor,” she answered simply.

“Siquijor?” Jordan finally asked.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“And you just broke the news now?” he asked with disbelief.

Dean was arching an eyebrow at her. Jackie and Dannie were looking at her as if she was a new roommate they didn’t recognize.

“What?” she asked everyone. “I always announce stuff like this. What’s with the exaggerated reaction?”

She knew the reason behind that. She had been silent and withdrawn for the past few days and now she suddenly wanted to go to Siquijor? Even she would think it was weird if it was not her.

“You could have at least told me,” Jordan said. “You know I will be spending the week with you.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” she said with nonchalance. “You can just stay here. Or you can go home. I’ll be back by Thursday.”

His jaw clenched as he continued to look at her, his expression unchanged. “Fine. I’ll come with. You don’t have to bring Toto. I’ll bring my car.”

“We can’t bring a BMW to Siquijor. Don’t be absurd.”

“Fine. Then I’ll leave my car here for Jackie and Dannie to use.”

“Really?” Jackie asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

“I can drive you to and from work like I do every other weekend,” Dean told her dryly. “I don’t want the BMW to be a victim of your reckless driving,” he added.

“I’ll drive safely,” Jackie retorted.

“No, I’ll drive the car,” Dannie finally butt in. “So you can take Toto, George.”

She forced a smile on her lips and said, “Thanks.” Then she turned to Jordan saying, “Pack for a four-day set of clothes.”

She knew he was trying to control his anger and he did that by momentarily closing his eyes. “Fine,” he finally said before going back to his game.

*****

The ride to Dumaguete was tiring, mostly for me and Georgie. But it was also very silent.

Come on, man, talk to her! I urged Jordan. But he was not hearing me. He only spent most of the ride looking out at the scenic view outside my window.

Georgie was not making it easier.

What’s the problem, Georgie? Can’t you just be good to Jordan?

Sometimes, Jordan would ask a question such as, “Where are we going to stay?”

And Georgie would answer, “Salagdoong.” And that would be the end of the conversation.

And when the silence would linger for too long and she would start to feel uncomfortable about it, she would say, “Have you called Tippy? Ask her if Mallows has been fed yet.” And Jordan would heed her orders. Then she would follow it up with, “You should ask after Mallows often while you’re away.”

Yeah, they would talk about places and dogs. Sweet, right?

But that changed when we reached Dumaguete. I was starting to actually get anxious about the Siquijor trip because I had heard both amazing and scary stories about the island. There were rumors that it was full of aswangs or flesh-eating human monsters, but others had claimed that it was a wrong conception because they were not aswangs  but real witch doctors and fortune tellers. And the place was like a paradise.

Whatever I was feeling at the moment was forgotten when Georgie’s mood turned sour.

“What’s wrong?” Jordan asked when Georgie came back from the ticketing office. She was frowning against the rays of sunlight and she slammed my door the moment she climbed in.

“We missed the barge. We’ll have to wait for two more hours.”

“Okay,” was all Jordan said.

George rolled her eyes at him. He was being too passive. Hey, Jordan my boy, you should at least use this chance to talk to her. “And that’s all you’re going to say,” Georgie sighed.

“Let’s go find some place for coffee,” he suggested.

*****

It was a good thing that they found an outdoor café in front of the Boulevard and parked me right in front of them to shield them from the sun. I was willing to sacrifice my pretty rear just so I could hear everything they were going to talk about.

“Okay, spill it out, George,” Jordan finally said after a few minutes of lingering silence over ice cold coffees.

Aaawww…he’s calling her George now. Isn’t that sweet?

“Spill what?” she asked with a look of confusion. I knew better. And Jordan my boy knew better.

“Come on, George. You’ve been different since that afternoon with my friends. Or maybe since that day in Kanlaon,” he uttered matter-of-factly.

That’s it, Jordan. Go for it. Tell her! Tell her you want to be with her. That might just wake her up. Go on. And tell her you broke up with your girlfriend. Don’t forget that one important detail. It is what matters most to these women, trust me, bro.

But the conversation was taking a different route as Georgie answered, “It’s nothing.”

“Do you feel guilty about it?”

Man, you’re being too blunt. Take it slow. Sloooooow.

“Well, if you must know, yes, I am feeling guilty,” George snapped at him, finally being honest. “You know why? Because you have a girlfriend. And your friends know about it.”

I told you, man. That’s the important thing for these girls.

Jordan sighed, frowning against the light. “I agree that what we did in Kanlaon might have been a mistake, but I did like what we did. I rather enjoyed it. And,” he added, holding up a hand to stop her from butting in, “I did feel guilty about it. I am trying to sort things out—”

“You don’t have to tell your girlfriend about it,” Georgie snapped at him. “There’s nothing to tell. Okay, look here,” she said, squaring her shoulders and forcing a smile on her face, “why don’t we just forget about everything? Let’s just continue on with where we had been since that trip? And I will try to not be so cranky or moody. Deal?”

It was obvious that Jordan did not like that idea. He opened his mouth to speak but Georgie held up her hand to stop him.

“Let’s just not talk about this, okay? I am already stressed about missing the barge and delaying our schedule. For now, I just want to have a nice cold coffee while waiting for the barge so I can go on with the training. Once that’s done, we’ll go home Thursday. Nothing has to change.”

Oh, believe me, Georgie…A LOT of things has changed whether you like it or not. Including the team I am in.

Jordan looked like he had more things to say but he kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to piss Georgie off further.

Try again later, dude.

“Let’s just make the most out of this trip,” she said before taking a sip from her glass.

That perked up Jordan and me. Make the most out of this trip?

You bet we would!

This is our chance, Jordan my boy. Let’s change the freaking ‘nothing-has-to-change’ line of hers, shall we?

An island.

An amazing place.

Witch doctors and fortune tellers all around.

A paradise.

Possibly a room to share?

Me, the ever supportive captain of the Team Jo ship.

The beautiful Georgie.

It’s a great package, my boy.

Are you ready? Because I am! 

A/N:

I rarely post an author's note in my chapters because I don't really like it but I feel like doing it tonight so here it goes... I am nearly done with this story and I can't wait to write about the exciting things to follow. Will post the next chapter soon but for now, I will spend some time writing for Saving Hope. Thanks for reading and hope to see you all next update.