Ventures of Love

CHAPTER 3: First day

Arnold, Wallace, and Jericho left the camp at dawn to search for a public market for supplies. Yves was supposed to go with them, but they didn't bother waking her as she was still asleep.

They woke up too early because of Yves. Since she had difficulty sleeping that night, she tended to move around the tent. She even rekindled the fire that once died and frittered away the night.

Yves only settled in her tent when it was already three in the morning.

Geo sat on one of their camping chairs with his coffee, seizing the moment to be astonished by his surroundings. Not a lot of people can afford such a luxury.

Everyone persevered with a packed dream of going to tourist spots, whether local or international. In Geo's opinion, there is hardly anything wrong with anyone in that aspect, but wouldn't it be better if you explore new, possible tourist-worthy spots?

Geo and his family have been touring Palawan for almost a year now. It is fresh to have someone new join their activities, such as Yves. It hesitated him. Wallace doesn't want her to tag along and wants her to drop her off at the airport or the port.

Joshua debunks the idea. He also doesn't like the idea of only leaving Yves, especially since they ought to help. Joshua even argues that Yves was dazed and confused. She couldn't explain well how she even ended up in that situation.

Arnold only said that if Yves starts to get stagey and become demanding, they had to drop her off.

To cut a long story short, Yves is aboard.

So far, Geo has seen nothing strange about her. Therefore, they can keep her until she returns to her province.

Geo's leisure ended when Yves stormed out of the tent, almost jumping out. She looked abrupt as she landed on the ground.

"Good morning!" Geo cheerfully greeted.

Confused and still drowsy, Yves' eyes found the relaxed Geo. She wandered her eyes while scratching the back of her head. "I overslept, didn't I?" Yves asked in her hoarse voice.

"Come sit here." He tapped the camping chair beside him. "They left an hour ago."

Yves sat beside him and relieved her drowsiness. "I'm sorry... I couldn't sleep last night." She explained while stroking her face with her palm.

Geo let out a small laugh. "There's no problem with that. Maybe your body is adjusting to a different environment." He reassured, even though he was also sleep-deprived.

Comparing Yves from yesterday, she looked relaxed this time.

"How's the trip so far? It's beautiful here."

Yves gazed at him with sleepy eyes. "I don't know. It's my first time doing this."

Geo's eyes widen. "Really? You haven't been on vacation or something like that?"

"Mostly swimming pools, but not like this in the forest."

"Camping, you mean?"

Yves nodded while pressing her eyes. "Everything that happened to me since yesterday was my first time."

"Are you happy?" He asked as he sipped his coffee.

Yves gave herself a moment to review her situation until this morning. "I am not sure. I don't even think I will end up with your group. But it's a good experience by far."

Geo nodded. "What makes you think that we're going to help you?" He instantly recognized the changes in her reaction. "Don't worry! I am only asking questions. It doesn't mean anything. I only wanted to know, especially now that I can converse with you."

"You could've asked me yesterday."

"You spurned me."

Yves' brows crumpled.

"It doesn't matter now, anyway. So, my question?"

Geo made lots of hand gestures, which Yves noticed. She leaned her back on the camping chair, making herself comfortable in the seat.

"Gut feeling," Yves answered quickly. "I am not sure how it's possible that I can distinguish good people from bad. It's not random guessing. Are you getting what I mean? If you instantly feel something off about a person, your instinct kicks in."

Geo nodded his head and pursed his lips. "So, you sensed we're good?"

"To be honest, at first, I don't. I only wanted to get out of that place." Yves confessed, observing Geo.

"Ok." Geo nodded. "This is our way of life. We go and find initially unexplored spots. We travel Palawan, in short."

"How about home?"

"This is our home." Geo's hand sways in their surrounding. "This is where we live, and that's our house." He then pointed to the two pickup vehicles.

Yves clearly understands what he meant, but there are a few questions she would want to raise. When would they decide to go home? Don't they have a house to return to?

"Ain't that exhausting?" Yves asked.

"It is, but the freedom was there. Being able to do this is a privilege everyone can have only if we select it. Have you ever felt like being in a place that is too beautiful to justify, and had a spurt of thoughts about what it is like being alive? I want to feel that every day."

Geo let a broad smile draw to his face as if remembering the first time he'd been to paradise.

Meanwhile, Yves couldn't remember anything she could relate to the man. The recollection of memories she had was with her mother. Their dialysis schedules, and how she had to excuse herself to work, only to attend to her needs. It was a true struggle, but it was the life she had to live.

Their conversation ends as their attention shifts to the two motorcycles arriving.

"Wow. It looks like you are having a deep conversation." Joshua gets off the motorcycle with plastic bags in his hands. His hair was upright in front.

"What is that? That's a lot, Jo!" Standing from his seat, Geo peered at the contents of the plastic bags.

"That's not for you. It's for Yves."

Joshua smiled at Yves, who widened her eyes. She suddenly felt embarrassed.

"That's a lot..." Yves said, almost whispering, skimming the plastic bags, but not touching them.

The plastics consist of clothes, undergarments, and a pair of slippers. Yves had mixed emotions about what they bought, but the shame was more apparent.

Geo: "Did you find a market? Is it far?"

Arnold: "It's not, actually, a market. It's only a make-shift market."

Geo: "Are there clothes there?"

Wallace: "Joshua found a small thrift shop. I don't know if the lady likes what we picked for her."

Joshua sat beside Yves with a huge smile. "I bought this..." He handed her a flower-design clasp and a clip. "Maybe it could lessen your frizzy and disheveled hair."

Her lips suddenly curve into a shy smile. "You're starting to get annoying, do you know that?" She accepted the hair ornaments

Joshua wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue. His facial expression makes him cute, and the only thing Yves did was shake her head.

They spent the rest of their morning doing leisure activities. Joshua and Yves decided to launder their clothes while the other three played around and chatted in the river. They are all like children, free from problems.

By the time they had lunch, it was almost noon. Yves enjoys every moment of their company and only listens to their humor and side stories. Even though she didn't say it, Yves knew she was starting to get fond of being included in their friendship.

Imagine the fun they naturally had. For once, they didn't make Yves feel like a stranger but as a companion, which was weird because it's only been two days. How can they do that?

"Hold this..."

Wallace tied the end of the clothesline to the trunk of a tree. They have finished the laundry and are chasing the sun to dry their clothes.

"Do you have hangers?" Yves asked, which made Wallace wonder.

"No. Hang the clothes up here, but we have some clippers. I will get it, wait." When he reached the other end of the clothesline, Yves instantly handed it to him.

Yves stays around, drenched from the river. The scorching sun instantly dried her skin, and she expected to get tanned later. For someone who had a work-home pattern, moving outside was strenuous. Under the sun, easily wore herself out.

Wallace came back with a small basket of clothing clips. He then pulled a black cap over her head. Before she could react to the action, Wallace walked away. Yves only watched him return to the river.

Yves started to hang their clothes neatly. Meanwhile, the four boys were still in the river. She could even hear their noise laughing and talking loudly.

Wallace wasn't a friendly person. When he learned of Geo's willingness to put Yves under their care, he blocked it and had a heated discussion about why they shouldn't. Yves understands his reasons, and that's acceptable. He acted as a mature and cautious person regarding their security. Yves even got scared when Wallace fired her with questions.

Meanwhile, Geo was outspoken. According to Joshua, Geo was their leader—a spontaneous person who took them around each corner on his navigation app. He spoke to people compassionately and kindly. Yves partially noticed that Geo was a lecturer. He speaks with morals but does not strangle them with his wisdom. Yves finds him interesting, plus his looks.

Arnold is a typical guy in your group. He is neither quiet nor loud, which balances them. Yves noticed he's a snob, so she finds it difficult to approach him. Maybe he's not reassured with Yves. It's only been two days, Yves thought.

Have you encountered a person with characteristics that blend well with anyone? That's Joshua. He's a socializer. One thing Yves noticed was when he clashed with Geo. They often bicker.

Yves suddenly shook her head, holding her thoughts for Joshua. She wanted to say less about him because he's extra.

Speaking of the man, Joshua appeared like a hound smells its name. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Where?" Yves shakes off the excess water on the shirt before hanging it. "It's so hot. Where else do you plan to go?"

"Let's stroll!" Joshua excitedly announced and placed his arm over her shoulder. "We'll stroll around the area. Maybe we could discover the end of this river."

Yves' face crumbled. "I don't want... what if you leave me there?"

"If you don't come with me, I'll leave you here. Now, choose."

Joshua rolled his eyes.

"You should've asked me."

"Come on! It will be fun, I promise!"

"I haven't bathed yet! I am soaked!"

"Well, what do you think of me? Dry?" Joshua presented himself to her. He was fully dressed and also drenched. Yves threw him a suspicious eye before nodding.

Joshua rushed her and even helped her hang the remaining clothes.

"Where are you going?" Geo's brows crumpled after Joshua asked for his permission to leave. When they went to meet them, they were chatting while seated on the rocks.

"Uh, we're going to stroll on the paved road. Can I bring Yves with me?"

Yves glanced swiftly at Joshua, who was standing next to her. His voice is sweet and kind, like one from an angel. Geo's eyes instantly filled with Yves.

"Why does it look like Yves doesn't want to?" Geo showed his white teeth, teasing Joshua. Yves didn't notice she was glaring.

Joshua lowered his gaze to her and held her shirt at the back. "You wanted to stroll, right?"

"I wasn't saying anything..."

"You're threatening her!" Geo added, this time, laughing. Wallace and Arnold were only watching and smiling along.

Although she can argue with Joshua, Yves wasn't comfortable with the other three.

"No, no! It was Yves who threatened me, saying you'll gonna leave me here if I don't take her out for a stroll."

Yves was appalled and looked at Joshua with dilated eyes. Laughter had taken its place among the boys, even Joshua, who almost slipped, trying to avoid any action she could take against him.

"Jo! Why are you like that!" Geo retorted, clapping his hands along with his laugh.

"I won't go with you! Go alone." With scant shame, she threatened to walk away, but Joshua stopped her by grabbing her shoulders.

"Joke! Joke! You're not the one to joke around, huh?" He didn't let Yves leave the circle. Yves once faced them with an impassive expression and complied with Joshua.

"I'm going to show Yves around, maybe search for the front end of this river. Something like that." Joshua tapped Yves's shoulder and gazed at her with eyebrow flashes.

Yves secretly rolls her eyes.

"Will you use the motorcycle?" Wallace asked.

Joshua nodded.

"Don't stay out late. Go home before it gets dark." Geo said with caution.

"Don't go too far. We don't know this place well. If something happens to you, we won't be able to find you forthwith." Wallace added.

"Don't be too hasty, Joshua. Yves is with you."

"Yes, sir!"

They left the camp without wasting any more minutes. Joshua drove the motorcycle out of the woods. He was saying a lot, but Yves didn't understand a thing. Yves was occupied by what her eyes perceived.

The surroundings were entirely green, and the air was surprisingly cold despite the hot weather. Yves has been admiring the beauty of nature on social media, particularly at popular tourist destinations. She often feels envious of people who are capable of going to such places. So, she ingrained in her mind that only the rich could go to places like that because they were the only ones who could afford to be there.

Maybe, she's wrong.

"Can you drive?"

Joshua suddenly stopped as soon as they reached the paved road. He turned off the engine and looked at her over his shoulder.

"Huh?

"I said, can you drive?"

Yves suddenly got tongue-tied. Joshua got off the motorcycle. "You drive."

"N-no!" Yves instantly got off the motorcycle, perplexed.

"Don't you know how to drive? It's a basic skill." Joshua looked at her as if judging her.

"I don't have a license," Yves confessed.

"But you know how to drive?"

"I'm not sure."

"What kind of answer is that?" Joshua crumpled his brows. "I felt like you knew. Drive this then."

"I-I don't--- Joshua!"

Joshua pushed her to sit on the motorcycle. "If you don't know, I will teach you. It's easy. It is an automatic motorcycle only."

"I don't have a license..."

"That's not an issue here, plus there are no checkpoints here, unlike in the Capital. We are in the mountains."

Yves looked at Joshua, pleading to spare her, but the man shook his head. He put her grip on the handlebars.

"Yves, you should not be a person who always says you don't know. Sometimes, you had to try to learn. Be teachable."

Even though she's pouting, Joshua explains how to run the motorcycle. From the basic parts to its functions.

To be honest, Yves knew that. She had operated a motorcycle before, but her problem was that she didn't know how to start it. Her uncle had taught her how before, but the engine was already on.

"Before pinching this in, remember you had to lift the kickstand first. Try it."

Yves took a deep breath and puffed her cheeks. Once the standing lifted, Yves carried the weight, maybe twice her own. "Joshua!"

He almost got carried away by the weight of the motorcycle. Luckily, Joshua was quick to help. They tried to erect the vehicle again.

"Joshua, please!"

"Come on! Let's try again. I'll help you balance." He hopped on her back, making both his legs her training wheels. "Start it slowly."

Despite the nervousness, Yves gripped the brake lever and pressed the starter switch. The engine instantly switches on, which relieves both of them.

"Now, let go of the brakes and slowly twist the throttle. Slowly, ok? We're going to speed far if you stretch to the end. Ok?"

"If we suddenly die, it's your fault!"

Joshua gently hit the side of her head. "Silly! We won't die only if you are careful."

"I'm only saying. I am at peace there! I should've come with you."

Joshua only chuckled and tapped her to advance. Yves twists the throttle with caution. She uses her feet to balance the weight as the motor vehicle slowly advances. The speed increases continually as soon as she gets used to it.

They went straight, no direction in mind. Thankfully, not even a person was passing by.

"How to stop?" Yves suddenly shouts, eyes fixated ahead.

Joshua's eyes dilated, and his grip on Yves's shoulder tightened. "What do you mean? Wait! You're getting fast! Hit the brakes!"

"How!?"

"What do you mean, how?! Slowly! Don't twist hard!"

Suddenly, she felt a strong sense of fear and confusion. Yves wanted to let go of the handlebars, but fear consumed her that they might have an accident. In her extreme nervousness, she gripped both the brake levers.

Things went fast.

The force from the sudden break pulled both of them hard ahead. Joshua crouched behind Yves. They went off balance, rolling over at the edge of the field. Yves felt something brushing her skin before it went numb.

"Ahh, s**t!"

"Yves! Ouch!"

The bright sky reflected on her retina as her eyes fixated on it. It was blue and cloudy; hot and blind.

"Yves!"

A sudden push forced her up. All at once, the pain started to get recognized, and her body 11began to feel hot. She held her right arm as half of her body was upright. Only then did she realize that she had fallen on Joshua's body.

Joshua sat back up, slightly kicking her out of him.

No words, but their eyes met halfway.

Maybe a minute in their position until a laughter burst between them.

"You're crazy!" Joshua said, silently skimming her for serious injury. "Are you ok?"

Joshua saw some scratches on her cheeks and knees, which slightly bled. He reached for it and wiped it with his thumb.

"Ouch!" Her eyes shut in pain.

"Can you move? Is anything hurt?"

Joshua stood upright like he wasn't injured and helped her stand. He even shook out the dried leaves on her clothes. Yves noticed he also has scratches.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"Silly! It's not me you should've been concerned with. Look at you! Geo will get angry with me." Joshua's eyes wander around her. Although he hides, Yves knew he was also worried.

They ascend once again to the road. After positioning the motor, Joshua checked it for damage. Scratches served as evidence of the mishap. He mounted the vehicle and started the engine.

"Let's search for somewhere we can rinse."

"You don't want me to drive anymore?" Yve teased and hopped behind him.

Joshua chuckles and checks on her before starting the engine. "Maybe when you befriend the breaks."

"I'm sorry, ok? I told you, I can't. You're decisive."

"Why can't you drive? You're already twenty-five."

"Some people older than me don't know how to ride a bike. Don't judge me."

"If you can ride a bicycle, why can't you ride on a motorcycle? It's almost similar."

"It's not."

They wandered the paved road again, hoping for a stream to rinse in. Joshua didn't let her go easily and continued lecturing about how to ride a motorcycle.

Yves listens quietly while admiring the scenery. There are more wild trees than people. It was so different from where she came from, unpolluted air, no non-environmental establishments, unpolluted water, and freedom.

Joshua stopped beside a stream, which was flowing under the road and accommodated by a culvert, which gave them their chance of finding it.

They instantly inspect it before going down.

Yves didn't leave the culvert with her sight, feeling indifferent to the idea of whether the water was clean or not. But she shrugged her thoughts when Joshua didn't think twice to wade into it.

Yves followed him and rinsed her sticky self.

The water gushing through the concrete culvert was surprisingly cold and transparent, meaning it was occasionally visited, considering some of the plastic trash was half-buried on the gritty sand.

"Come here," Joshua called for her, beckoning her to come closer to him.

Yves did not hesitate to stand up and walk towards him. She carefully stepped along the streamline, as it would sweep her away if she were not careful.

"Can you measure the water depth on this side?" Joshua pointed to the part of the river where they stood.

"Huh? Why?"

Yves sat on the edge, keenly eyeing the spot Joshua was talking about.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed when her body splashed into the water.