Chapter 31: 31


    "Where''s Jasmine?" One of them asked.


    Yes. Where is she?


    I mentally asked as well.


    "Oh, I just here sitting her a while ago,” one of her friends answered shrugging. “I don’t know where did


    she go now.”


    "I saw her running in the mess hall earlier, she’s following someone; a guy.” Another one answered.


    "A guy? Who?" their friend asked again.


    "I don''t know. But he''s pretty tall guy with a curly hair,” they answered.


    My heart beat faster.


    Russel was a tall and curly.


    Is that him?


    Are they together?


    Immediately, I ran to the mess hall but no one is inside there. I was about to leave when I heard a


    woman speak; it wasing from behind the mess hall


    "I thought you were going to end it with her? Then, why are you still together?" It says. The tone was


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    harsh and seemed angry.


    "I''m still buying time; I can’t just drop her like that. Please, baby, be patient a little more.” A man replied,


    he’s was gentle when he was saying that.


    My heart hurt, it felt like it was squeezed hardly. My tears started falling.


    I heard nothing after that so I slowly walked closer. And my heart hurts more seeing what they were


    doing.


    They were kissing.


    I sobbed. That caught their attention. Russel''s eyes widen, but there just doesn''t seem to be anything


    there in the woman. It''s like I never caught her kissing someone else''s boyfriend.


    "Jia." Russel called my name.


    But I turned around and ran.


    "I didn''t know I''d be able toe back here." I told myself. "I’m proud of you, Jia. Seriously, you have


    be this brave." I said tapping my chest.


    "This is where you died Jianna Astrid. And here you are, reminiscing the reason why. You''re


    awesome." My tears fell.


    The day I woke up at the hospital, I did nothing but cry. I just cried and cried until I got out and went


    home.


    They ask me Mama why but I can''t say. I cannot ept the reason. I was like that for a month, that if I


    hadn''t seen Mama cry in front of me because she couldn''t understand why I was getting pregnant, I


    wouldn''t have realized yet.


    Slowly, I stood up. I slowly lifted myself up, repeatedly trying to get back to where I was but I couldn’t. I


    became someone else. I turned into someone far from who I used to be. But that''s fine. I became


    braver and wiser. I became strong and fearless.


    But in an instant, I was back to normal. You''re weak, scared, and crying Jianna Astrid. I went back to


    Jia with a broken personality, because of her again.


    When the fire dance was over, I entered the tent again. There should be three of us here, but I don''t


    know if Ruth and Lucy will sleep here too.


    They didn''t. I woke up the next day alone. It''s only 5am and the others are still asleep. I got up and


    went out. I saw Kuya Roy burning dry leaves again.


    "Good morning, Ma''am! Good morning." He greeted, I smiled.


    "What time did they sleep?" I asked.


    "Oh no, Ma''am, it''s about midnight too. They''re still drinking." It says.


    I just nodded and said goodbye to go for a walk first.


    I want the day to end and go home. I was feeling exhausted even though I slept more than I enjoyed.


    Maybe it''s more tiring to cry than to act.


    I just walked straight until I didn''t realize I had reached the rocky ground again. Maybe it''s because of


    thinking.


    And there, I saw Russel sitting at that big rock. He saw me too but did nothing. He just sat and ran and


    looked at me. Sadness is in his eyes.


    I don''t care.


    I turned my back and left.