Chapter 3 PERFECT HIDING PLACE

When Laura got home, she felt even more exhausted. Her body ached all over, and she felt dizzy. If she could have avoided going to the farm, she would have. But she was worried about her aunt's insults.

She locked the door and went to her room to lie down.

When she's sick like this, she feels lonely. She's isolated because that's what her aunt wants. No one checks on her except for her cousin Trevor. He's the only one who shows her kindness. If it weren't for him, she would have a harder time going on with her life.

Her life is simple and filled with sadness. It's hard to live without parents because sometimes, your own relatives are the ones who make your life difficult.

Like what's happening in her life now.

Her life wouldn't be like this if she had parents to take care of her.

If she could only do something about it...

When Laura lay down, she fell into deep thought.

How old is she, anyway?

She's only seventeen.

It's the prime of her life, when she should be happy, but that's not what's happening because she's a total orphan. Everyone knows her aunt took her in when her parents passed away, but they also know how her aunt treats her.

She's heard rumors that her aunt only took her in because of her father's money, but she just shrugged it off because her parents weren't rich.

She closed her eyes, and tears fell.

She felt helpless and had nothing to do but cry.

The physical pain and resentment took over, and the young woman fell asleep.

**********

"Hey, this is delicious. Want to try?"

Aaron looked up at the young woman who approached him.

It was Juliana, the daughter of his employer at the farm, and Laura's cousin.

To avoid embarrassment, he accepted the ensaymada she offered. "Thanks," he said, placing the bread on the chair.

"Eat it, please..."

Aaron shifted uncomfortably as Juliana sat beside him, and because she was so close, he caught a whiff of her cologne.

"Maybe later, I'm still full. You should go back to your mom, or she might scold you."

"You don't have to worry about that, okay? She won't get mad at me."

He nodded, stood up, and walked away from the young woman.

He didn't want trouble, so he would avoid Juliana, who was openly showing interest in him. He walked towards a mango tree and lay down in its shade. He chose that spot because he knew Juliana wouldn't follow him.

Juliana is a good catch, but he's not a cradle snatcher, and he wouldn't like her even if she looked like Joyce Jimenez, plus the boobs. Maybe because she didn't work under the sun like Laura that's why Juliana's skin was smooth and fair.

He thinks about Laura.

Modest and shy.

Based on what her cousin Trevor, his friend, has told him, he can say that she's hardworking and intelligent – qualities he likes in a woman.

"What? Is my sister bothering you again?"

"No, not really." He lay down, plucked a blade of grass, and put it in his mouth to play with.

He loves the air in the province because it's fresh and doesn't stick to his skin like it does in Manila.

"You're into Laura, aren't you?" He laughed at his friend's question. "What are you laughing about? Am I wrong?"

"What's with you, bro? Your cousin is still young. I'm not into young girls."

"Let's change the subject, bro." His friend mimicked his pose. "Don't you plan on going back to your place?"

He didn't answer the question right away. He looked up and watched two birds playing freely on a branch of the tree they were under.

"Whatever happens, happens," he said.

"Where's your place again?"

"In Tondo. Haven't you been to Manila?"

His friend shook his head. "I want to go there, but my parents won't let me, so I'm stuck in here. I don't want to insist on leaving because they need help with our farm."

"Aren't you still studying?" He knew that both Trevor and Laura were smart. Trevor was already in college, while Laura was graduating from high school.

"Yes, that's another reason why I don't want to go to Manila. It's better if I have a license in my course before I leave this place. What about you? I don't know much about you. We've known each other for months, but the only thing I know is that you're a construction worker in Manila."

Aaron shrugged. "There's nothing interesting about my life. Besides being a jobless guy in Manila, I was also imprisoned."

His friend fell silent because of what he said. The truth was, he had told him about his imprisonment before. He asked why, but he didn't answer.

As much as possible, he didn't want to think about that thing because it stirred up negative emotions in his chest.

He wanted to escape everything, which is why he ended up in the province of Leyte.

San Lorenzo, Kawayan, Biliran.

In this place, he found peace.

He saw how simple and how happy the people were, despite being far from civilization. People in this place lived through fishing and farming.

There was no electricity, so

they didn't receive any news from Manila.

A perfect resting place for him...

A perfect hiding place...