Falling Deeply

FALLING 8: CAN YOU HEAR IT?

GALE’S POV

They told us the team building is one week. This is gonna be exciting! I am so happy that finally I can wear my swimsuit and of course i********: feed. So here I am arriving at the pick up location, oh my im so eary here I am the only one here.

“where are you girl?” I called Juliet. She’s still on her house. this girl is always late. “alright better hurry up or you won’t catch the bus.” I said and hanged up.

“babe? You’re so early here?” Pao approached me and kiss my cheeks. “im so excited that’s why” I smiled. “do you want coffee? I’ll buy you one.”

“pretty please!” I said. “okay, pretty.” He winked at me and left to buy coffee. I was just scrolling through my f*******: feed when someone shouted.

“GALE!” that’s my name. I stood up and looked at the one shouted my name. “dad?” I said. He is drunk again, what is he doing here? How did he find me here?

“dad go home your drunk.” I said. “what? drunk? I am not drank gale! What are you doing here?huh? leaving me and your mom again?! Let’s go home!!” then he grabbed me.

“dad let go! Your hurting me!” I shouted.

“let’s go! We are going home!” this is my Dad, if he get drunk he is aggressive and like this. Actually, this is not his worst.

One time when me and my friends went out to have dinner together he followed there and dragged me out of the restaurant by my hair. It was so embarrassing that my friends ignored me.

So I have no choice but to let go of that work and find a new work. That’s where me and Juliet get really close. She knows my family issues, including this one.

“dad please!let go! I have a team building I am not leaving you or mom” I cried. He always do this to me whenever he gets drunk.

My mom died year ago and he can’t move on since then. “gallana Abigail jones! We are going home!” he shouted. that’s my real name. I already forget it because of him.

“let go of her man!” pao punched my dad. “dad!” I shouted.

“wait what dad?!”

“yes he is my dad. He is just drunk. Can you help him up I’ll just call my uncle to pick him up.”

“okay.”

I called my uncle to pick my dad. Good thing he is really a good man and brother to my dad. They left. Me and pao quietly sat there waiting for others.

“I’m sorry for punching your dad.” He said.

“its okay. I understand. That’s not the first time he got punched by someone because of what’s his doing to me.” I zipped my coffee.

“is he always like that?” he asked. I looked at him, “no, he is a funny man. A good man and a father. Its just—he can’t move on from the death of my mom.”

“im sorry to hear that”

“its okay. You don’t know.”

“now I want to know you more. Is that okay?”

“sure.” Then we hugged each other.

Then finally one by one they came but what shocks me is that my besfriend Juliet is with our boss. Why are they together?

“hi goodmorning!” she smiled.

“why are you with him? I mean I saw you getting out of his car?” I asked. “can you not ask about it?”

“I already asked you. So answer me?”

She sighed, “fine. My battery’s car is dead so he drove me home last night and today.” She said. I clappe my hand, “oh my I totally forgot! He confessed right?” I smiled.

“can we not talk about it and focus on our team building?”

“that’s explained the team building. You did this. You’re the reason.” Then I chuckled.

“shut up.”

“alright everyone! We have 5 buses here its per department so we know what to do. Then it’s a 8 hours drive that’s why we are early today okay? Let’s have this team building!” everyone shouted.

“so if its per department, where are you?” I asked jules.

“in your department. The management department right?”

“no jules, you are with me.” Sir romeo said.

I cleared my throat because of that, jules rolled her eyes at me. “go sis!” I cheer her up. “shut up!”

JULIET’S POV

Here I am inside his car again, I should be in the bus not here with him. We still don’t know where are we going I mean of course this guy—I mean sir romeo knows about it since he planned this.

“I should be in the bus not here, they might think your giving me special treatment.” I said.

“then whatever. They can think all they want.” He said. Here we go again my heart again! Stop it heart! “are you hungry? I have sandwich at the bag.”

“no im good.”

“did you make me some coffee?” he asked.

“yes here.” I handed him his tumbler. He drink some. Actually I still haven’t have my coffee and I am craving for it.

“I made you some too. Its in the bag open it. In a tumbler” what? He made me coffee? This is the second time I think. I get the tumbler on his bag and drink the coffee. Oh my gosh its so good the perfect coffee I want. Its in iced also.

“you like it with ice right?”

“yes.” I nodded. “good. You can sleep for a while. This is a long drive.”

“no I can stay up so that you have me talking to you. You might fall asleep sir while driving.” I said.

“im okay, jules. You can sleep. You look like you need sleep more.” Oh dang it. I think he noticed that I didn’t get sleep much last night.

“okay sir I’ll sleep.” Then I closed my eyes. But im not comfortable I think its because of the chair its not leaning down. “you can adjust the chair, jules.”

“yes sir I know. Im okay with this. Thank you” I said. Then I suddenly feel that we stop then I felt someone is moving my chair. Omg its his perfume! I can smell it! I opened my eyes and all I can see is his face.

“comfy now?” he asked.

“y-y-yes sir. Th-thank you.” I avoided his staring at me. Calm down heart! Don’t beat too much he might hear it!

“good. Sleep.” I can’t breathe like this! Why is he like this? I know he told me that I should get use to it but! How?!

AFTER 8 HOURS DRIVE

We are here.

And one word, beautiful. This place is amazing and beautiful! It’s a beach resort a very wide resort. There’s no people here because sir romeo reserved the whole resort for us.

All of my co-workers were so happy and taking pictures as soon as we got there. Specially the view in the beach. Its speechless. I could take my auntie and jully here for vacation.

“this is my parent’s land, they made it into a resort which my uncle manage it. But he will be here tomorrow. We have this place in one week, I leave the fun to you, France make this unforgettable for them.” Sir romeo said.

We all clapped. “sure sir! Okay guys we move to the reception area where they will give us our own keys to our bedroom. Let’s go!” france said.

I am here at my room, the view here is mesmerizing. I think I will see the sunset here later. I took a photo of the view and send it to aunt.

“GUYS! LETS GO TO THE ACTIVITY AREA FOR OUR DAY 1!” france shouted outside. When I was walking to activity area I saw sir romeo talking to sir pao. Oh damn that outfit he is so attractive and handsome with that.

We met each other’s eyes, he slightly smiled at me. Is he not busy? Why is here? Wait what’s his schedule today? I took out my ipad and look at his schedule.

There’s nothing? Did he planned this ahead? Why I don’t know? He already cleared his schedule for this. “jules! Over here!” gale called me. I run to her.

“this is Jasmine she is new so be gentle to her.” Gale said.

“hi.” Jasmine waved. “hi.” I smiled.

“oh girls we’re gonna have some fun here!”

I can’t stop looking at him, he is so handsome drinking that whatever it is! I should stop looking at him right? Look at these girls giggling over him.

“okay guys our first game is all about team work! So we will divide us into two groups. Which will be the stand team and ford team just like boss surname!” then everyone shouted.

We were separated as what france said. Me, gale and jasmine are on the same team. “wait, we need two more for each group. What are we gonna do about this?”

“we’re gonna play.” We all looked at sir romeo.

“what? Bro I don’t like it.” Sir pao refused. But sir glared at him which lead him to no choice. “okay fine. Let us play.”

“yo-you sure sir? This is gonna be sweat and tiring game?” france said. “yes. We’re good.” He took off his polo and he only wears undershirt. I only see him in long sleeves but not like this. I almost dropped my jaw but the girls, they already did.

“which team do you want to go with sir?” france asked. sir romeo looked around then he met my eyes again. “team ford.” He said.

My teammates shouted including gale, “hey don’t you have a boyfriend?” I whispered. “shh! No one knows!” he walks towards us and stand by my side. They all got quiet.

“we got ourselves a love birds here” one of my co-worker said.

“sir peace!”

“its okay. I’ll take it.” Then look at me. This is so embarrassing. Now they all shouting but the looks of the girls are like tiger and I am the deer.

“okay okay settle down so sir pao will be on the team stand. We are gonna start this game! Its called, treasure hunting!” they all got excited and shouting again. 

“you’re not happy?” he asked. I think he notice that im not shouting or you know, not very participative.

“i-im happy sir! Don’t mind me! I just thought you are busy to be here.” I said. “I cancelled everything. I wanna know my employees and bond with them.”

“is this still part of your-“

“yes. Change.”

I can’t help but to laugh. He is really serious about it? “don’t laugh miss jules. Im just starting.” He smiled. That smile again the purest smile of him. It makes him more attractive.

FIRST DAY: TREASURE HUNTING

We even have our own colored t-shirt. We are color red and the other team is blue. We are now here at the forest part of the resort where we find for the treasure.

There’s a price france said, it’s a surprise but a big one so I think my teammates are very into this. Well im just here reading the clue over and over again because we might forget something.

“stop reading that girl, let’s just find it in here!” gale said.

“no we might forgot something or passed something so just let me focus here.” I said.

The clue says; FINDING ME IS DIFFICULT, I AM HIDDEN IN NOT SO OBVIOUS PLACE BETTER HURRY UP OR SOMEONE WILL CATCH ME.

“catch.. me… not so obvious place. Where is that?” I said to myself. Then I saw a yellow ribbon hanging in a tree. Maybe there? So I climb on the tree and grabbed the yellow ribbon.

“it’s a key? To what?” obviously I am talking to myself.

“jules! Get down there! You might fall!” I looked down and sir is there. “no im good with climbing sir!” I shouted.

“girl! What you got there?” gale asked. I raised the key with yellow ribbon. “a key!” I shouted.

“alright get down now” sir said. I was slowly and carefully making my way down but I slipped.

“jules!”

“omg girl!”

“catch you.” Sir romeo catches me. I feel like everyone is in slow motion. I can’t really breathe when he is near or looking at me.

“let’s hurry up sir? I’ve got the key!” I said. Then he let me down. I grabbed gale and left.

“are you okay?” gale asked.

“yeah come on!” we run faster towards to I don’t know, I just wanna get out there.

“wait wait! Jules we are—“

“don’t talk let’s go!”

“but we are-“

“come on gale!”

“stop!!” she shouted. we both catching our breathe, “we..are..lost!” she said out of breathe.

“wh-what? N-no..we..are..not..”

“look around you! Where are we?” I look around and oh my gosh where are we?

“oh damn! I didn’t know that we can get lost here! This is confusing forest!” I said

“girl that’s why sir france said not to wander too much! Because some of the area is not safe and we can get lost like we are on right now!” she is panicking.

“hey hey! Breathe! You can’t panic here! Your asthma! Remember your asthma gale!” I said. Trying to calm her down.

“what we die here? No one will find our body! Oh my ghad jules I don’t wanna die!” she is now crying and hyperventilating.

I slapped her, “im sorry for that but stop crying and calm down! We are in private land so we’re not gonna die here okay? Just let me think.” I said. She nodded.

“I’ll try to contact them!” she said. “oh no! no signal!” she said. “really?” I checked mine no signal. “damn! How are we gonna get back to them?”

“umm, let’s think this through okay?”

“okay.” We sat down and think about it. Look at where my heart dragged me! Ugh!

ROMEO’S POV

The other team won. They got the treasure but gale and jules is not coming back yet. We lost them on the forest and we can’t find them.

“any luck?” pao asked.

“they’re not answering” I said.

“I think there’s no signal there.” France said. “should we call a police or…”

“no. I’ll look for them.” I said.

“I’ll go with you.” Pao said. We grabbed flashlights and go the forest to find them. “gale!!!” pao shouted. “Juliet!” I shouted.

We keep shouting their names but we can’t find them. Then I saw a watch. “that’s gale’s watch.” Pao said. I gave it to him. Then we run that way where we saw the watch. We shouted their names again hoping they’ll answer.

“bro is that a house?” he said. We flash our lights there and it was a house but its like a NIPA hut. We go there to see if they are there.

“oh s**t thank god!” we found them there but they’re both unconscious. I tried to wake jules. “are you okay?” I asked.

“hey, I found the key” she said. She looks so pale and cold, good thing im wearing a jacket. I took it off and let jules wear it.

“is she good?” I asked pao. “yes. Just a little cold” he answered. “she is too.”

“let’s go”

We carried the girls back to the resort, both of them are burning with fever and look pale.

“what happened to them?” one of my employee asked.

“we still don’t know.”

“its not even cold in here. Its kinda warm actually.”

“I think something happened to them at the forest.”

We lay them down here at the sofa in the reception area because we’re waiting for a doctor. “hi goodevening I’m a resident doctor what happened to them?” the doctor came.

“we just saw them like this.” I said.

“we need to take them to their rooms and im going to check them there. Don’t worry, I will take care them mr. standford”

ROOM

The doctor said they both got poisoned by a plant in the forest that’s why they have a high fever and look pale. I am here at jules’s room waiting for her to wake up.

“hm..” she is waking up. I approached her and help her to get up.

“are you okay?” I asked.

“what happen?”

“you got poisoned in the forest with a plant. But you’re good now just rest.” I said.

“i-im still cold.” She said. “hey, do this.” I clasped my two palms and rubbed against each other. “then put it on your face. Its warm, try it.” I said.

She tried it and put it on her face, “wow its really warm.” She said. I smiled. “do It again.” I said. “like this.” Then I put on her face. She got surprised by what I did. But—“like this?” she said and put her hands on my face.

I think I got more surprise, our face is so closed with each other. I can feel my heart beat, even hers. My mind saying to kiss her but no. I will wait.

“sir, im gonna do something stay very still.” She said. Is she gonna kiss me? She slowly put her hand on my chest then we just stared with each other’s eyes.

“can you hear it?”

“I can.”