Pretty Head

Chapter 5: Philippines, Here I come!

            Week dragged so fast. I’d already settled my papers and necessary requirements for my transfer. I bid goodbye to Shanty, and she seemed so sad upon my departure. I promised to keep in touch with her while I was in the Philippines. I thought saying goodbye to them would hurt like hell, but I was wrong. My pretty head had dealt with it swiftly. I did my last catwalk with Shanty along the rowdy hallways of Northville High. I’d miss this school but not those people I had bad blood with.

        Mom and dad had an agreement that I would stay with Aunt Emma in the Philippines since dad couldn’t just leave his job because he just got promoted. They promised to visit me every three months, and of course I had to stay in touch with them via Skype and other communication means. I had known Aunt Emma since I was eight years old, she didn’t have a husband nor a child. She was mom’s only sister. She was a public-school teacher and she lived alone in her house at Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

        I wonder if Aunt Emma didn’t get bored or scared living alone especially nowadays where crimes are rampant whether in a rowdy or a secluded place. The thought of Aunt Emma living alone in a secluded place made me sad and worried at the same time.

        "I love you honey. Please be good there and don’t give your Aunt Emma a hard time," said my mom as her eyes were starting to get misty.

        "I won't." I cajoled as I tucked some locks of her hair behind her ears.

        "Bye Page. Just don't forget to give us a call when you got there," my dad reminded in a calm tone.

        I nodded and gave them a hug and kissed them on their cheeks.

        I walked away from them as I waved my hands.  I didn’t want to show my sadness, so I kept a taciturn expression during the departure. I’m a grown-up now; I needed to be independent.  Sure, being apart from my parents would be so hard but I got to wing this. I fought back the tears threatening to stream down as I got inside the plane.

        I put my carry on and parka inside the compartment and plugged my earphones to keep me occupied during the flight. Suddenly, a cute guy strode in front of me. He had this athletic built and had this strong jaw like those of the male models in print ads. His black hair had a deep brown streak, but I couldn't see his eyes because of his shades. He lolled on the unoccupied seat without looking at me. Damn, am I not attractive enough to catch his eye?

        I could smell the musk scent of his cologne and he removed his shades, and sweet heavens! He was drop dead fine. He was even more handsome when he removed his shades. He had this pair of heavy- lidded eyes, those sexy smoking hot eyes that lulls you in bed. I couldn't contain the teenage hormones that washed all over me as I was smitten by his charms.

        Suddenly, he caught me ogling at him. He smiled briefly at me for a fraction of seconds, showing those pearly white teeth. Ughh if looks could kill.

        "I like the shade of your lippie," he mused and winked at me.

         He likes what?  I grounded my teeth and looked away from him and mumbled, "Thanks" wryly.  So that explained why I didn’t catch his attention. #FEDERATIONALERT.

        "Arghh I just don't understand why these people are always picking on Lady Gaga," he huffed as he flipped the pages of the music magazine.

        "They said she's an Illuminati." I countered.

        "Hell to the no! She's not, she has a good heart and writes amazing songs," he shot back, snapping his fingers and sang, "I'm beautiful on my way, because God made no mistakes. I'm on the right track baby. I was born this way!" He crooned like a diva.

        "Every fan says that," I retorted, smirking at him.

        "Well… I bet you don't like her, eh?"

        "No. I mean I'm not a fan nor a hater. I just don't care as long as it involves my pretty head." I retorted smugly. Really, I don’t give a single hoot on celebrity's chaotic life, or to anybody's business as long as it involves my pretty head.

        "Wow," he retorted, arching his brows and continued to read the magazine. Smugly talking about my pretty head could shut the hell out of every damned body in the place.

        Throughout the flight, we talked about ourselves. He told me that his name was Rufford James and he was bound to Manila for a vacation. He said that he had a boyfriend way back in California named Austin and they had been together for almost two years. Obviously, he was a huge fan of Lady Gaga. He couldn't stop raving about her, as in the nuts and bolts about her, the exact time that she was born and the like. I uhmmed and ahh-ed at the right places and told him that I once had a friend who was a fan of hers-- Mara. I asked him who were his celebrity crushes, and he named a lot, gushing and squealing like a fangirl as his lists went like these:

1. Zac Efron- To infinity and beyond

2. Blair Redford- I'm not gonna lie he looks like my bf! (The guy from the Lying Game if you're not familiar with him)

3. Jonathan Bennett- he looked like the guy that pissed on my pants in middle school whom I had a crush on way back then.

4. Chris Pine- sandwich

5. Justin Long- sandwich

        I cracked upon the sandwich thingy and smiled wickedly at him, and he puckered his lips. I told him that among his lists, Blair Redford was my crush because I was a huge fan of The Lying Game and I found him very charismatic and appealing.

        "I'm starting to like you honey," He mused as he twitched his lips.

        "If you were into girls, I have kissed you a moment ago," I bantered.

        "Eww," he grimaced, and we laughed.

12 hours passed...

        "Can you speak Tagalog?" I asked him intensely.

        "Yup. Keri lang!" He replied in an English twang.

        "You're kidding!" I retorted gleefully as I playfully punched his arms.

        "Well, you didn’t ask me if I can in the first place," he bantered, smirking.

        "Echoserang bakla!" I grunted, folding my arms. I knew a little bit of Filipino gay lingo because of my mom, she used to speak to me sometimes in that lingo.

        I wanted to ask him where he derived and learned those gay lingo terms then it dawned on me that maybe he had learned those terms in random Filipino channels in YouTube.

        "Hey, you haven’t told me anything about your love life yet, pretty head? Are you seeing someone?  If that question didn’t sound so nosy, go ahead and answer it." He cackled.

        "It surely did sound nosy, but I don’ mind." I huffed, grinning at him.

        "And besides, I’m too pretty to date right now," I clipped smugly.

        "Is that so? Don’t be an echosera, pretty head. I have a strong feeling that you just went from a major break-up?" He speculated.

        I seriously wanted to give him a medal for being good in reading people’s minds and expression.

        "He and I are way over. He cheated on me with my friend, the one who was a huge fan of Lady Gaga. He even got her pregnant. Even so, he kept on flirting with me." I retorted.

        "Ohhhh my gosh…I’m sorry to hear that.” He said as he tapped me lightly on my shoulders.

        "Don't pity me. It’s nothing. I’ve already moved on. Besides, they are a good match—a mama’s boy and a childish biatch." I basked as I imagined Mason and Mara throwing a petty fit at each other.

        "Ohwiiee, that's the spirit honey. Don’t worry, maybe in your new school, you might find your prince charming there!" He squealed.

        I rolled my eyes. "I couldn’t care less; besides I’m already used to that-- guys chasing after me and I can't blame them." I told him brazenly.

        "So much for being conceited, pretty head. No wonder you’ve earned your schoolmate’s ire."

        "Excuse me, they are the one who ticks me off a lot. Besides, being expelled in that school doesn't make me a loser. I still held my pretty head high, and one day they will regret what they did to me that made me expel." I said feistily.

        We spent our remaining twelve hours in the flight prattling about different stuffs like The Lying Game, Angelina Jolie's mastectomy, what selfie apps do we like best and our personal bets that we’d like to bag the Golden Globe Awards 2015.

        "Going to Taylor Swift's exes, whom you got a crush on?" He asked.

        I snickered. "None. They are all asshats for breaking her heart."

        "Wow? So much for being a Swiftie? Even Joe Jonas, Harry Styles, Taylor Lautner and Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t appeal to your pretty head?"

        "Hah, I told you, I’m loyal to Blair Redford. What about you?" I replied, smirking.

        "I go for John Meyer.”

        "Great, I didn’t expect that." I basked, smiling at him.

************************************************************************

24 hours passed...

        "Touch down Manila!" Rufford crowed.

        "So, when will we get to see each other again?" I asked.

        "We already have each other's number. So yeah, I'll just hit you up. It was a pleasure to meet you sis," he beamed as he pulled me into a hug.

        "Me too, I never thought that I’d get close to a super attractive gay stranger sitting next to me on a plane ride." I bantered, laughing merely.

        We bid our goodbyes after that. I knew that we’d see each other again. It felt good to have a new   friend over a journey; a journey that I’d took alone, and I felt proud of myself. I look around the arrival area to catch a glimpse of Aunt Emma.

        "Page!" Some woman squealed.

        I whirled around and spotted Aunt Emma, gingerly waving towards my direction. It was good to see her again. With her big brown eyes and stout physique; she looked older than what I expected.

        "Tita Emma?!" I chirped and hugged her and she welcomed me with open arms.

        "Wow you’re really a grown-up now, Page. You even look more gorgeous!" She lauded as she cupped my face.

        I just replied a sheepish smile and she beckoned me inside the car she had rented.

        "I hope you don’t feel bummed out in my house, you know that the village is secluded. But I have the stuffs to keep you occupied. You could have a movie marathon all you want, there’s also a wi-fi for your leisure and educational purposes. And about your new school, I’ll have you accompanied next week, you’re already enrolled there, right?"

        "Yes, Tita and thank you so much for warmly accommodating me. I promise I’ll be good."

        "You’re very welcome, Page. I’ll treat you like my own daughter as well so don’t fret and make yourself at home," she beamed. 

        Home. A sting of nostalgia filled my senses as I thought about my mom and dad, way back in Ardsley.

        "Hello Lindy, Page’s already here. We're now bound to Sta. Rosa,"

        My eyes suddenly lit up as I heard my mom's name. I asked my auntie if I could talk to her and she gladly say yes and handed me her phone.

        "Mom! I miss you and dad already," I exclaimed in half monotone.

        "Likewise honey, so how was your flight?"

        "Pretty good. I met a new friend, we’re seatmates in the plane,"

        "Wow that's good to hear though. Okay, your dad wants to talk to you,"

        "Hello dear, I miss you. I hope everything’s fine there. " Dad spoke.

        "Miss you too dad. Yeah dad, I'm good. I'll be good…not only marginally."

        "I’ll hold onto that very tightly," he jested.

        "Dad!" I laughed.

        "Shanty called a while ago, asking for you if you already arrived there,"

        "Aww that was so sweet of her, tell her that I'm well and I'm gonna talk to her as soon as I go online,"

        "Sure. We love you Page,"

        "I love you more Dad, Mom." I said full of tenderness etched in my voice.

        Then we hung up after that.

        The drive towards the town limits of Sta Rosa was smooth. We passed by the Brentville Subdivision; an exclusive subdivision for the rich snots probably, situated along the Brent International School. If only my parents could afford me to send in that school, I would be so hyped. A wicked smile played on my lips as I thought of the naughty things that I have done way back in Northville High.

        I wonder if I could pull off the nasty things I’d done in Northville if I happened to be enrolled in Brent. Ah, so much for missing being a nasty girl. Besides, I’d already promised mom and dad as well as to Aunt Emma that I’d be a good girl here and I would mean it. I’d learned my lesson the hard way.

        Suddenly, the car entered in a secluded subdivision named Newport Subdivision, I was caught off guard by the serene ambiance of the subdivision. I think I’d been here way back in my childhood days—nothing had changed; it was still peaceful and secluded. And to top it all, most of the houses seemed unoccupied. Who knew if the occupants were on abroad or somewhere in vacation.

        “Nothing has changed since then Tita, this place remained peaceful. I bet you don’t see neighbors that much? It looks deserted.”

        The driver shot me a look in the rearview mirror. I suddenly forgot his presence.

        “Well, most of the houses here is for vacation residences only every summer or during holidays and that explains why I don’t see much around neighborhood.” She answered.

        "I hope it doesn't bother you," she said flippantly.

        "No Tita, I’m just curious." I said, raising my palms.

        We pulled over in front of a two-storey bungalow type of house loomed in a garden lot where several flowers sprawled around that gave a majestic charm of the lawn.

        "Wow …it’s so gorgeous." I remarked, hypnotically.

        "Thanks Mang Cesar," my aunt said to the driver as she gave his tip. The driver just nodded and smiled tentatively and pivoted in his heel to go back inside the car.

        "I'm glad that you love my mini-garden. It became my leisure since then. Oh! by the way, I wanted you to meet my helper, Nadz, later." She retorted.

        When we got inside her house, my astonishment increased exponentially on her floral murals in the living room, with an invigorating shade of lime green as the base color of the wall and baby pink florals painted on the ceilings— such an eye candy. Needless to say, Aunt Emma had a penchant for flowers, if she wasn’t a teacher, she’d might be a florist today.

        "Ma’am Emma, you’re already here!" greeted the ombre-haired helper who looked like in her mid-twenties.  You wouldn’t mistake her as a helper for she was so drop dead gorgeous—she even looked like a model in the go-see. She was wearing a high-waisted denim short and a pink camouflage crop top. 

            Wow huh?  So much for being dressy as a helper. She stood 5'5 ft and had this slim physique and these pair of chinky brown eyes that made her facial features soft. She also had an aristocratic nose and her eyebrows were on fleek. I wondered what maid agency she came from. She was too beautiful to be a maid, she could even appear in a tv ads or print ads.

        "Nadz, this is Page Rickard, my niece who would study her senior highschool years here.” My auntie beamed that yanked me away from my reveries about her.

        "Wow our beauty is on the same level, Ms. Page," she mused.

            I arched my brows upon hearing that.

            I hate the audacity of this girl.

             "Excuse me?" I muttered smugly.

            "Ahehehe, I’m just kidding. If my eyes were only bluish as yours, our beauty would be on the same level.”

            Wow the nerve of her huh?  Yes, she is beautiful but I’m more beautiful than her, case closed. I wanted to give her a snarky retort or great comeback that would make her take a pill on her self-esteem if Aunt Emma wasn’t around here. I disliked her right away, screw her.

        I grinned devilishly at her, mentally cursing her audacity.

         "Nice to meet you Nadz." I mumbled with a sour grin.

        "Okay Nadz, help Page on unloading her baggage upstairs." My auntie ordered.

        "At your service Ma’am!" She replied gleefully, shooting me a wink.

        As we got inside my room, I couldn't help but to squealed in delight! Posters of Blair Redford gaped at me! Blair Redford in every corner of my room! I can't contain my happiness; I fangirled of his poster where he was only wearing denim jeans, exposing his well-toned six packs abs.

        "Easy Ms. Page, it’s just posters." Nadz chimed in as she unloaded my stuffs.

        "I don't care. I love him! I’m pretty sure you don’t know him." I shot back like a grade schooler.

        "Excuse me, I know him! He was the lead guy in The Lying Game," she retorted with a tinge of disdain.

        Oh…she actually knew him.

        "So? I don't care though, you may now leave me as you please. Thanks.” I shot back with my lioness pride.

         "FYI Ms. Page, I was the one who took an initiative to print all these pictures of him because Ma’am Emma told me that you have a huge crush on him. And since I also know him, I with a good heart took the initiative to print all these hot pics of him, just for you.”

            I wished for the blackhole to swallow me whole right now. I couldn’t even look at her as I felt embarrassed by what I’d heard. Instead, I just shot a glance at Blair Redford’s poster—the badass one when he was donning a leather jacket.

        “With due respect Ms. Page, you’re not the only one who’s updated in all stuffs and most of all, you’re not the only one who is pretty inside this house. Try to be more sensitive with people’s feelings next time.” Nadz chastised and sauntered off, leaving me aghast.

        With that, I groaned in frustration as she left. I grounded my teeth with her brazen attitude.

            Uh-oh, looks like my pretty head had found her match!