Predestined

Chapter 2 - The Forest

    I woke up to a strong smell of flowers on the vase. The windows were open and the curtain danced with the breeze. It was already around after lunch. I groaned as I sat up. Resting my forehead to my hands, the door slightly opened.

        "You're awake." Tessa smiled. 

        "What happened?" I asked feeling lightheaded.

    Tessa bit her lower lip and hold the pitcher so she can give me water. 

        "You passed out last night. Pete said that you guys were in the middle of pillow fight and you got pissed." she explained. 

    I sighed. It was obviously a lie to cover up their bullying. Staring outside, I knew that it was already late. She offered her hand to help me get up on my feet. 

        "We should go out. They left you a decent meal before they went out." She said. 

    Nodding, I held her hand. I felt my cheeks heated. Tessa was kind enough to notice that. She led me to the small kitchen. The floor was dirt and not cemented at all. The dining table was made of bamboo and strings. The breeze was cold so it was very refreshing. 

    Tessa prepared a nice meal for me. I was silently looking at her. She placed the meal in front of me. 

        "Eat up." She smiled and poured water to my cup. 

        "Where did they go?" I asked. 

        "They went to help the lady of the house on the farm. I stayed here so I can make sure you're okay." 

    My eyes widened. Tessa was like an angel. 

        "I-I'm sorry to be your burden. If you want, we can follow them after I eat." I said. 

    I've never eaten with other people aside from Aunt Karina and Mrs. Elena. I did not know that it was very conscious to eat while other people were watching you indulging your food. 

        "You eat too carefully. Are you shy?" Tessa suddenly asked. 

    Coughing, I shook my head. It was too awkward for me but I don't want her to give wrong thoughts. The fact that she stayed to make sure I am okay was enough. 

        I inhaled my food twice faster than my usual. I don't want to be any more burden of Tessa.  volunteered to clean the dishes too. After that, we decided to go sit at the wooden benches under the tree that was in the front of the house. We made coffee and enjoyed the cold air.

        "Ah! So, peaceful. I would want to live here also if this place have not bad reputations." Tessa commented. 

    The hot coffee enveloped my palm. I looked at her and cannot help but to ask. 

        "Bad reputation? What do you mean?" 

        "You're not from here? This forest was dangerous. There are ancient tales and stories that the creatures of the night lurks here."

    I raised my brows and watched the greeneries below. This forest was big. It was five times the size of Central Perk in New York.

        "Isn't that too folklore? And why did the University agreed to have our immersion here if that was the case?" 

  Tessa shrugged and took a sip on her mug. 

         "We are just near the entrance of the forest, Gael. No one dared to walk around here especially at night. There are some stories that a vampire cult is in here."

   I laughed a little. I did not know that Tessa believed in this kind of childish thing. 

        "Vampire? Isn't that too fake?" I smirked. 

    Tessa smirked back and let out a small laughter. My smile grew bigger. I never thought that I can be comfortable around her. 

        "We'll never know." She smiled. 

    Our conversation was cut by the sounds of laughter coming from my groupmates. Rei was holding a small basket on her left with her right arms linked with Criselda. Pete and Dean was laughing at something at the back. They were both holding a sack of corn. 

    Rei smirked at us. I fell silent. It was too suffocating every time Dean and Pete were around. Rei put down the basket by the door and looked at Criselda. 

        "Thank you for that, Criselda. I enjoyed farming today." 

    Criselda smiled at her and welcomed her. Then, the old lady looked at me. 

        "Good thing, you are okay now. How's your feeling?" Criselda asked me. 

    I smiled a bit. Pete and Dean were both have their eyes fixated on me. They were obviously pissed at me. I sighed and let out a small polite nervous smile to Criselda. 

        "I am feeling okay. Thank you, Criselda." 

        "Good to hear that, Gael. You made me worry." 

                                    ********

    We helped on Criselda's daily task after they ate lunch. We managed to answer some questions on our Econ class. Criselda discussed the farmer's revenues and the process they went through. It was dawn when we finished. 

    I sat on the wooden bench outside, watching the most beautiful sunset that matched the green scenery. It was blood red sky that made it surreal. It was a miracle that Dean and Pete never made contact or verbal-assult me today. But I am still aware of the surrounding incase they strike their anger from what I did yesterday. 

    The end of the wooden bench made a sound. I looked at Rei who sat beside me. She was smiling as her eyes fixated on the sky. I almost choke when she suddenly looked at me.

        "You are incredibly strong." She smiled. 

    Furrowing my brows, I answered her. 

        "In case you haven't notice, I was being bullied by Pete and Dean the whole trip." I emphasized and huffed. "What made you say that?"

    I know that I lost my cool. But it frustrates me when someone tell me the things that I know is an insult. Rei was shocked by my temper. Her ghost smile permanently vanished.

        "Hey, don' get pissed. I meant it as a compliment." She defended herself. 

    I sighed and chose not to give an answer that can make it worse. I  felt guilty for snarking at Rei, who obviously said that to open a conversation with me. 

        "I meant it though. I know what happened. I was watching you in that room." She sighed. 

    Remembering the room, I can recalled that the door was closed. The only people on the room was the boys. I looked at her. She was curiously watching my reactions. She laughed and rested her back on the tree where the wooden bench was tied to. 

        "How?" That is al I can say. 

    She combed the ends of her hair. 

        "Let's say I have x-ray vision." She chuckled. 

    Talking to Rei was a bit of rollercoaster of emotions. She was playful that makes you confused or pissed. 

           "I was kidding. I watched you over there."  She tapped my shoulders and pointed at the tree adjacent to the window where we slept. 

            "You climbed on that tree?" I asked. 

            "Things you don't know about me, then." She nodded and stood up.  "You should go inside before it gets dark. It is too dangerous for humans like you to be here."

    Her eyes reflected the sun setting behind her. I was too mesmerized when I saw how it glimmered for a moment. She put her fingers in front of me and snapped it. It felt like I was hypnotized by those eyes. 

            "What do you mean by human like me? You're weird." I spat. 

    Rei smirked at my contempt.

            "You're weird to me, too. I have this feeling, we're gonna be best of friends, pretty guy." She meaningfully said before leaving me. 

                                                                *************

    It was already night when I felt that Rei has been watching me. We helped Criselda on making spring rolls for our dinner. Tessa was seated in front of me, silently putting the ingredients on the spring roll wrappers.  I turned my head to look at Rei but she was laughing with Pete. 

        "You found her pretty, huh?" Tessa teased. 

   I shook my head and continued rolling the spring rolls. Criselda was busy on frying them. We're the only two who can hear the conversations. 

        "No. It was just she's too weird to be around. Are you friends with her?" I asked. 

Tessa nodded. 

        "I met her when we're freshmen, though. Rei's very secretive when it comes to her personal life. But I know one thing about her." She said. 

        "What is that?" I asked. 

    Tessa stopped wrapping the spring rolls and looked at me. 

        "She's related to Jackson Vera." she shared.

    Jackson Vera? As in the school jock?

        "The famous jock?" I said. 

    Tessa nodded and set the spring roll on top of the others. 

        "Yeah. I heard they are cousins." She said. 

Rei looked at our direction. Tessa smiled at her. She squinted her eyes at Tessa and looked at me. She shook her head and got her attention back to Pete and Dean who's now doing arm-wrestling.