Project Paradise: Engineered to Create or Destroy?

“Alaine, I'm sorry, papa can't make it home anymore. Listen; don't ever lose the pocket watch I gave you when mama left. That's right! Mama isn't dead. One day, you will meet again. Use the ATM cards that I put in your phone wallet; the PIN codes for each are written on the white piece of paper in there. On the same paper is a written address; move and live there from now on. Remember, papa loves you very much!” “Papa, No!” Explosion grows louder and consumes everything. “No,” screamed a sweaty Alaine. Alaine woke up from the dream and pondered. “It's that day again. And, it's been 7 years yet I still have not met Mama again.” Alaine sighs and continues, “I got to get up and check the time.” The clock reads 7:05 am. “Oops! I only have less than an hour. I got to hurry up otherwise our presentation will be late.” So Alaine entered the bathroom and took a quick shower. Afterwards, she proceeds to get dress really fast; packs chilled foods for her breakfast and lunch; and runs out of the house for work. Luckily, she arrived a quarter before 8 am, so she used that time to eat breakfast; brushed her teeth after; and applied light makeup. Just in the nick of time, she got everything ready with her team. The presentation of the event plan to the event committee and client's representative proceeded with no issues. Once again, the event planning and management team led by Alaine was commended by the head of the event committee. Soon after that, the event planning and management team starts implementing the plan and heads to the function hall. “So, for the flower reservation and arrangement, I am assigning Liza. As for the food, Giselle and Christie will manage. As for the hall’s setup and the rest, it will be on Bianca and me. We are officially permitted to ask assistance from the other hotel staff so feel free to do so if needed. Let's do this;” detailed Alaine. “Yes!” came a reply in chorus from the other 4 members. 2 hours later, lunch came. At lunch, Alaine decides to eat by herself instead of the usual. The rest of her lunch break is spent by reminiscing a certain time when she was being sent to school by her father. “Papa, why do we have to move out almost all the time? Can't you just request from your boss to let you stay permanently in one branch?” asked the 16 year-old Alaine “Why? Don't you like that? You get to travel from one place to another;” answered Alaine's father. “It's not traveling at all. It's changing home every time; as though we're gypsies. It's getting even harder for me to fit into school;” retorts Alaine. “Alaine, I'm sorry that you are having such a hard time with this, but please; understand Papa. I just need some more time. One day, I promise, there will come a time when we don't have to move out anymore;” came an apologetic reply from Alaine's father. “Okay papa; that's a deal then. I'll bear with this and do my best. Don't worry; I am not angry at all. I am just getting tired of having to meet a new school environment, one after the other, but it's okay as long as you won't disappear too;” said an understanding Alaine. “I know you're still sad about mama, but you know, even if mama isn't here with us anymore, she is looking after us especially when you play the piano. Speaking of piano how is your practice for recital going?” “It's going smoothly, papa. As usual, I enjoy playing it because I can feel mama's presence with it. I'll continue playing and improving. I'll give another best recital even though, it's sad knowing that you can't personally watch me perform as always, but I'll send you a video clip of my performance so, be sure to take time and watch it.” “Again, please forgive papa for being unable to watch your live recital;” apologized Alaine's father. “It's all right papa, I understand; you're working so that I can have healthy meals; beautiful and comfy clothes; and good education.” “I'm really thankful to have this understanding daughter.” “Geez, that's only because you and mama raised me righteously.” “I guess you're right.” Both started laughing. “Look at what you told me then, papa. Just 2 years later then, you disappeared like mama did without seeing my last piano recital in high school even when you had a chance. It's even sadder when your final words to me weren't spoken in person. You said mama is alive, but where on earth is she? I sometimes think you were lying back then to prevent me from harboring grudge on mama. A year later after you died, I began thinking that mama had forgotten about me long ago and had lived happier with another family that's why she disappeared when I was 7. And that pocket watch; just what's with that?” It was then that Alaine realized that she forgot the pocket watch under her pillow since the item wasn't in her pocket. A sighing Alaine reassured herself, saying, “It's not like someone will break into my room and steal it.” A minute later, the clock chimes; signaling the end of lunch break. Alaine heads back to the function hall. The event planning and management team spends the rest of their working hours to continue on with the preparations. Everybody worked productively until the end of their shift. Only a few touch up work remains needed for continuation. Everyone went home. Bianca and Alaine's houses are just in the same direction so as usual, they walk home together. As they are getting closer to home, they noticed a thick dark smoke ascending to the skies. “Alaine, are you seeing that?” asked Bianca “Come on, that's a huge smoke to get unnoticed by anyone;” replied Alaine. “Right; it seems that the fire trucks had only arrived a few minutes ago. But you know, if you look at the pattern of the smoke, the source appears to be coming from the direction of your place;” added Bianca. To which Alaine replied, “Yeah, I think so too. Wait! What, in the direction of my place?” Bianca just nods her head. Alaine dashes off to her place to confirm the smoke's source. “Hey, Alaine, wait up!” exclaims Bianca as she tries catching up with Alaine. Upon Alaine's arrival to the street where her house is, she confirms that the source of the smoke is coming from her burning house. Fire trucks are surrounding the area and the fire fighters are doing their best to get the fight under control, but alas, the fire’s really huge that it takes more than just efforts to stop it from consuming Alaine's house. The sight reminded Alaine that her pocket watch was left inside her room earlier so she approached one of the fire fighters and inquired, “Can someone come inside my room; it's at the right corner of the house, at the direction of the back door? I just need to get something really important; I accidentally left it under my pillow. “ The fire fighter retorted, “Ma'am, that's insane! It's basically suicide to try to get inside when the fire is this colossal.” Alaine replies back pleading, “But sir, I really need to retrieve that; it's the only keepsake left by my late parents.” Despite her plea, the fire fighter barked back, “Ma'am I understand your sentiment, but a person's life is surely more important that a keepsake, is it not? As you can see the fire is not yet under control so my apologies, but we cannot go by your request.” Alaine yells out, “I'll get it myself then.” And she proceeded her attempt to break in, but was stopped by Bianca who loudly elucidates, “Alaine, it's not safe so don't go. I understand where you're coming from but please, don't risk it. I know it's selfish of me as well, but if you get harmed, we'll be in trouble. Besides, your life is a priority.” Alaine starts crying and says, “If I had not overslept, I would not have left it. It's the only keepsake I have and yet, I let it disappear like that.” Bianca hugs Alaine and calmly says, “I'm so sorry that I can't do much except to comfort you with words. But, you know you can stay at my place for the night or for as long as you want, until your place gets fixed.” After 30 minutes, the fire goes under control; unfortunately though, everything but some of Alaine's clothes was ravaged by the fire. About a quarter later, Alaine was taken to the office of the town's fire protection bureau and there, she was interviewed. A little while after, Alaine was escorted out and was told by the officer that a further investigation is needed to identify the true cause of the fire since the CCTV footage they found before the fire started was all blurry. Just outside the office shows a waiting Bianca who begins asking, “So, were they able to tell you how the fire started?” Alaine just shakes her head. “I see. Its not that late yet, don't you want to have milkshake? We can sip on it while we head to my place.” Suggested Bianca but Alaine only shakes her head. Bianca continued, “Alaine, I don't really understand how you are feeling right now since I've never been in your position, but I know you're shaken. Even so, you must keep going. It's not much but I am here for you; the whole team is with you on this. I already informed them what happened, and they all expressed their willingness to help you. So, come on and let's go to my place and sort things out, okay?” Alaine replies with a nod. And the two walks their way to Bianca's place. Upon arriving, Bianca starts cooking soba noodles and toppings for their dinner. When the dinner finished cooking, both settled and ate. Right after, they cleaned up the mess and headed to bed. The atmosphere between them remained silent until Alaine breaks it, “Thank you and pardon the intrusion.” Bianca smiles, then replies, “You're welcome and don't worry, you're not intruding; it's being a guest of honor. It's an emergency and I'm sure if the same thing happens to any of us in the team, you will do just the same. So, I think I finally returned the favor?” The last remark causes Alaine to release a soft laugh and responds, “You still think of that time as a debt?” “Well, if not for your intervention back then, I would have faced humiliation and lost confidence leading to a resignation. Since then, my impression about you had changed. I thought of you at first as a stuck-up and arrogant senior, but you proved me wrong when instead of you writing an incident report about my submission of my unapproved, unsophisticated event plan, you covered for me and told the committee that you gave me the wrong disc drive out of nerves. Thanks to you, I am, we are still in the company. To show our appreciation, let us be of help to you.” Alaine replied, “Thank you, really; that made me feel a bit better than earlier. Now, now, it's getting late, let's just sleep.” Bianca agreed. And, the day ended with a ‘good night’ remark from both.