Chapter 15: Chapter 15

I looked out at the vast farm in front of me. I close my eyes when the fresh air suddenly blows so hard that it sweeps a few strands of my hair toward my back. I smiled when I saw the green plants, especially their fruits.

"Anastacia!"

I immediately turned to the person who called me and there I saw Nanay Soledad. She was carrying a bayong and a hat while smiling and walking toward me.

“Good day, 'Nay. Are you going to the market?” I asked her and glanced at the bayong she was holding.

She took me by the arm and guided me back to the hut where we were staying. My eyes even caught a glimpse of a car that suddenly stopped at the corner toward Hacienda Lagrosa. Who could that be?

“Can I ask you something? The Lagrosa family has arrived with a few of its business partners. The Hacienda needs a lot of people,” she told me seriously, so my forehead furrowed.

“Now? I thought it would be next week?” Shocked, I asked her and hurried into the hut.

I think they were in that car. Mother Soledad told me that last week. They have lived in this province for a long time. Tatay Lucio is a farmer and Nanay Soledad works at the Hacienda. They took care of me when I was young. Dad and I used to go home to this place and every time I set foot there, I felt like I didn't want to go home to the city. I don’t know what’s in this place and it seems to draw me in.

“It's so sudden. We were also surprised. By the way, is it really okay with you? I won't force you if you don't want to,” she said again, so I smiled.

I looked at myself in the little mirror that was there. I slightly adjusted my black t-shirt and my hair was loose, then turned to Nanay Soledad.

“It's okay, 'Nay. You have helped me a lot, so I don't have a problem,” I replied to her who just laughed.

“I told you to stop mentioning that. I'll leave you. Let's just meet at the Hacienda.” She said goodbye to me and left.

I just stared at her until she disappeared from my sight. I went back to my room to change. I bit my lower lip as I looked up at her. She was still sound asleep and seemed very tired. I smiled and reached for her hair then gently stroked it.

"Ana, are you leaving?"

I almost screamed when I heard that. When I looked back at it, Lily, whose hair is still wet, was exposed to me, so I smiled. It's still combing.

“I'm sorry, Lily. I'll leave you with her for a while. I'm only at the Hacienda if there's something wrong,” I told her and glanced at her again for a moment, and then left that room.

“It's fine, what are you? I also wanted to go to the Hacienda, but my mother would sure scold me. I saw Sir Anton and his business partners, they're all handsome ones!” It exclaimed and seemed to be shaking, so I laughed.

I marched towards the bathroom to change clothes when I could still hear Lily's allusion. When I got out, she was still saying that, so I couldn't help myself.

“Have you just seen that? Do you know who?” I asked her as I adjusted myself.

She hurried to the window and looked out at the Hacienda from there. “They are all new here. I heard that one of them just came home from another country.”

When I heard that, someone immediately entered my mind. I still remember his face and his voice. I bit my lower lip and then violently shook my head. Before Lily and I could talk deeper, I said goodbye to her to go to the Hacienda.

I was just in the yard when the beautiful flowers immediately opened up to me. I can’t help but smile every time I see that part of the Hacienda. Ever since we lived in this province, I have been here often at the Lagrosa mansion and decided to take care of that. She

really likes them that's why…

“Hey, Ana! Why are you here?” Erika greeted me, so I looked at her in amazement.

“Huh? Nanay Soledad said that many people are needed because they have already arrived,” I replied to her and turned toward the back of the mansion. She still followed me.

“It is not. I mean, why are you still here? I thought you were coming back to Manila?” She asked me a serious question.

I immediately looked away from her when she said that. Erika is the only child of Nanay Soledad and Tatay Lucio. It's just my age but still doesn't have a family of her own. From the first day I came to their house, this is what she always asked me until now that a few years have passed… how many years have passed, Ana?

“Why? Don't you want us here anymore?” There seemed to be a growl in my voice. I just saw her smirk and even shook it.

“Don't you have any plans to come back? You have been hiding here for years. Aren't you tired of provincial life?” She asked me again.

I stared at my hand as we walked. I feel like the words have suddenly escaped in my brain, so I can’t answer. I don’t know what she wants to say. I'm also not sure if it's driving me crazy or if she's just really curious about what happened to me. What really happened to you, Ana?

I bit my lower lip and patted her on the arm. “We are not going back to Manila, Rik. We are fine here. I'm fine here.” I avoided her and she just laughed again.

"You just don't want to face it." I even heard her whisper, so I frowned. This woman is really annoying.

“Anyway, go straight to the kitchen. Just wait for Mom there. I'm just here in the living room.” She said to me, so I just nodded at her.

When she disappeared from my sight, I hurried to walk. For a moment, my eyes caught sight of a man getting out of the black car. My eyes narrowed as I looked at his face but I couldn't really see because it was facing the other direction. It is tall and has a wide back.

His t-shirt was also tight because his arm was scratched there. It was about to face in my direction but I could not see its face when I heard someone calling me from inside. When I looked back at the man, he was no longer in his original place. I just shrugged and entered the mansion.

"You're done? Aren't you going to the creek?”

My forehead furrowed at Erika's question, so I looked at her in amazement. There was a strange grin on its lips. “What am I going to do with the creek? It's late.”

“Sir Anton and his business partners were there. Don't you see how handsome they are? Especially that one man, very imported!” She was so thrilled that she just ignored me.

"How can I see, I stayed here in the kitchen all night," I whispered and prepared myself to go home.

We had just finished preparing dinner for the whole family and Nanay Soledad said we could go home. I also fully thought that I would see Sir Anton and the others but I was disappointed because Mother Soledad did not let me go. I also feel tired and I feel like I want to go to bed right away and rest.

“Let's go for a moment. Lena and the others were there. Haven't you seen them yet? You know that one of Sir Anton's business partners might like you. It's your time to shine, Ana. What a beauty you are!” It still suggests to me, so I just nailed it.

“I need to go home, Rik. She is waiting— ”

“Let's just go there for a while, promise. Just peek,” she insisted while pulling my arm.

I just scratched my head and drifted away from her. Even then I did not win with this woman.

The sun was setting when we reached the creek Erika was referring to. We could already hear the laughter from the baritone voices far away. When I glanced at Erika, her grin widened even more.

The wide and blue creek was exposed to us. During daylight, its water is only shallow but it also deepens immediately at this time. I didn't notice Lena's approach because I immediately focused my gaze on the falls. I seem to be pulled by it. I have only bathed in this creek once so I still feel excitement every time I see it.

“Can you swim? I'm going to swim, Ana." I heard Erika say by my side.

“You can swim, too, Ana. We are only here once. Sir Anton also said that they need someone with them until later because they don't know the way back,” said Lena, so I looked at her.

I would have disagreed but my attention was caught by the five men far away from us. Sir Anton was sitting beside two men next to him, one man was sitting behind them while the other one was turning in our direction, half-submerged in water. I could clearly see his rocky back and the large tattoo on his back. I’m not familiar with what that symbol means but it looks like the sun.

“Just take off your skirt, Ana. Suit yourself, you're very beautiful but your fashion style really sucks!” I even heard Erika complain to me, so I looked at her again. That was accompanied by laughter from Lena and Kevin, her boyfriend, so I stared at them.

Eventually, I followed what Erika said. Fortunately, I was wearing shorts. I hesitated about what I would do because it was only short, but I did it well in the end. It will soon get dark.

I left Erika on the side there with the two already submerged in the water. I was thrilled to walk toward the bridge passage to the falls. I still winced for fear of falling because it was wet and steep, and there was no handle yet.

"Holy cow!" I cried when one of my feet slipped.

I thought I would never fall completely but I was surprised when I suddenly fell into the water. I immediately felt the cold that bit my whole body and the pain in my back from falling from that high bridge. I tried to climb up but I was confused when I felt pain in my right foot. I'm cramping! Help!

I tried to kick my left foot but that hurt too. I tried to open my eyes and see where I was but it was already dark in that part. I’m also not sure how many minutes I’ve been submerged but I think it’s been a long time since my chest is starting to get heavier. I'm running out of breath!

Thinking that I would die under that cold water, I just closed my eyes and waited for the darkness to swallow me. But before I could completely faint, I felt warm arms wrap around my waist and I was quickly pulled up. I could feel the electricity flowing through my whole body as our skin pressed against each other especially when I touched his rocky chest.

When he picked me up, I immediately heard the scream of someone. I felt the cold rock behind me and the trembling of my knees. When I opened my eyes, the face of the man familiar to me was exposed to me.

I saw him frown as he stared at me as if unable to believe what he was seeing. Simultaneously with the pounding of my chest violently was the tension of his jaw and the bulge of his eyes as he watched me.

“It’s been uh… how many years, Anastacia?" He asked and pause for a while as if he was thinking something before turning back at me. "Right, five years…” He uttered in his hoarse voice and looked at me with his sharp, brown eyes.