Encounter

ALEIA’s POV (ISLA DEL FUEGO)

5 A. M…

I got up from bed and fixed it after. I opened the window of my room that’s facing the ocean and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore greeted me. I closed my eyes to feel the cool breeze. A paradise I’ve always dreamed of spending my life with. My mother’s favorite music, the sound of the ocean.

“What a beautiful morning!”I always wake up at this same time every morning to do my routine- grabbed my towel which is hung near my wooden closet and hurried to the bathroom.

I was tapping my foot on the floor while singing. One of my fave. Well, I can’t just sing the whole song but still I loved that Blank Space.

I smiled facing in the mirror while singing that song from Taylor Swift, put my hair in a messy bun, and wore my denim jacket.  Then I’m good to go.

“Ale!”I paused for a minute. Someone called me and later on I heard knocks on the door.” Ale, are you still sleeping?” the knocks become louder.

“Coming!”I responded and then walked fast to the door. This girl is so demanding and I’m afraid she will break my door if I can’t open it as soon as possible.”Morning, princess!” I greeted her while brushing my hands to her hair. She did try to avoid it.

“What took you so long? Mom is looking for you. She said the fishing boats will arrive soon. You need to be there before they arrive,” said Cleofe the 12-year-old daughter of my customer whom I run errands with every morning.

“No problem, sweetie. I was about to leave when you came. Is the truck ready?”I said referring to the delivery truck which is used for delivery.

“Yupe,” she answered and handed me the key. “by the way where’s Ryder?” Ryder is my  Kawasaki Ninja H2R motorbike. Not that expensive. I’ve been using it for ages and it became my partner in every journey. It was dad’s gift to me at least her first and last gift before I decided to live on my own. We walked to the truck and headed off to the fishing port.

“Ryder? I hid it at the back of my house. We have important matters to attend to later on.”

“So protective of that thing, ah! Ale, I heard you sing while I was waiting for you,” she continued.

“So what can you say about my voice?”I asked her after clearing my throat, my eyes still on the road.” Is it good?” She burst out laughing. Well, her laugh said it all. I smiled at the thought of that because honestly I know I’m not good at it.

“Not a chance, Ale. You suck in singing.”

“You are mocking my God-given talent little girl. You were  judging me as if you can sing very well.”

“Well, at least I’m better than you!” she said chuckling.

We buzzed off to the fishing port and waited for the boats to dock at the shore. When the ship docked, the people stumbled over to buy different kinds of fish. Others bought fish for personal consumption but most of them are vendors who will sell it in retail at a higher price. Fishing is the major means of living in Isla del Fuego. Well, aside from tourism of course. The island is gifted with many natural beauty spots that attract tourists.

I smiled while watching them. This is how simple their life is but still, you know that they are happy and contented because they are with their family. They love what they are doing. This is life to its simplest form.

“Cle.” I usually called her this way to make her name shorter.” Can I have the list? I’m going to finish it as soon as possible. There are some things that I need to do today.”She snatched from her pocket the list of people for deliveries and gave it to me.

“Where are you going later? Can I come with you?” she said in a pleading voice.

“I’m going to visit someone special. Unfortunately, I can’t bring you there,” I said then tapped her shoulder. I can just tag her along with me but I don’t want her to see my weak side. I started preparing the buckets to be delivered. I did not know that Cleofe was watching me the whole time, apologetically.

“Ale,” she murmured. I stopped for a while to look at her. “Why are you doing this?”

“What do you mean, kiddo? You look so serious,” I said and sat beside her, wiping the sweats on my forehead.

She looked at me and tried to wipe my face with my towel.” I mean all of these are a man’s thing.”I was speechless for a second. I never thought she would ask that. She was with me all these years but she never asked me that question before.

“Maybe, because I want to be strong as a man.  I don’t have any man to rely on.”I chose to keep it to myself. She is too young to understand, matters like that.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“That was a hard one, dear! Maybe because I want to be strong,” I said while flexing my muscles. She giggled until we burst out laughing.

“So sad, you don’t have muscles to brag.” This brat surely does not know how to please people. I stood up ready to start my job.

“Kiddo, I’ll go ahead. I should finish this as early as possible. Ryder and I have a date,” I joked then jumped to the driver’s seat of the truck.”Bye, Cle. Tell your mom that I’m on my way already.”I waved my hand and started the engine.

“Take care, Ale.”

While on the trip, I couldn’t help but think of Cleofe’s questions. Why is that? Why do I work so hard when I can live like a princess? Maybe it’s because I prefer a quiet life without people looking down on me. I just want to be happy even if it means that I will be all myself. Alone. With no one to hang on to.

*It was late that afternoon, when I went to the memorial park to visit my mother’s grave. The moment that I have read her name, my eyes began to water. I tried enough to suppress a cry but it was still useless.

I cried like a baby who was lost in the crowd.

Tears kept on rolling in my eyes as I began to catch my breath. I  missed my mom so much. She was the only one I have but she was not destined to live longer and today is her death anniversary. The exact date many years ago when she left me in this beautiful but sometimes cruel world.

I knelt to put the bunch of roses on her grave. “Mom, I wanted to ask you if you’re okay. But I’m afraid you’ll say you’re not that you; might even think of going back here. Uh! that would be creepy though!” I laughed while wiping my tears. “Do not worry about me. I am very much okay. Sorry if I cried, I know that you don’t want to see me crying, but how can’t I when I wanted to hug you but all I see is your name engraved on a stone?”

I stayed for a while with mom and told her stories about me as if she was in front of me listening to them. I was startled when my phone beeped. I was not expecting any call since network connection is very rare on the island.

I checked my inbox and was taken aback because of the message that I received. It was from my friend who lived in the city where I used to live too.

From: Chelo [ Lei, I’ve been trying to call you several times but you were out of reach. I hope this message will reach you. Zach and Nathalie will be engaged soon. Hope you will be okay after reading this. See you soon.]

“What a great news! Good for them!” That’s all I can do for now. As my eyes began to water again. Zach is the only man I love and I will love in this lifetime…

Secretly.