THE UNTAMED LUNA

CHAPTER 2: TO A NEW HOME

Emotionally, I felt the scenario for the leading man who gets hurt by his lover. He was cheated by his girlfriend and made a move to take his revenge.

I was about to finish reading the novel, until Dad announced.

"Honey, we are almost there!"

We've started going through a more residential neighborhood. The houses are beautiful. They look old, but nice. My mom called them historic houses. I can see the appeal. They have a sense of grandeur that our neighborhood doesn't possess. Mom said it would need a little work, but not much. I'm looking forward to it. Bringing back the original beauty of something can be therapeutic.

Now, we finally pulled up to a simple two-story home. It has pillars holding up the beautiful front porch. It's amazing! I never expected this. It looks like it has a fresh paint job too.

Dad really did well. He found this place on his own when he came out here to get his job interview. He wouldn't show me a picture, saying that he wanted it to be a surprise.

"What do you think?" Dad asks proudly with a big grin on his face.

"Very impressive." Mom tells him and hugs him around the waist.

"I love it, Dad! You actually have a taste." The three of us laughed.

The house is simple, and unique inside and out. Hardwood floors, and a spiral staircase with a big chandelier hanging above us. It has a big, open floor plan.

Mom and I walked to the kitchen to have a look. We both love to cook. It does not disappoint. It's a huge gourmet kitchen with marble countertops. I can tell this place is newly renovated. But they kept the charm that was probably here many years ago when it was first built. I turned in a circle, looking at everything. I ran to my dad and gave him a big hug.

"I love it!"

"This part is for you, sweetie heart. I knew this was the key for making you stay." Mom laughs when she hears it as she walks towards us in the living room.

"Solidad, Honey, This place might bring us fortune. Not as much as our house in Surigao. The property value is a little lower here. Hmm. More blessings are coming into our family. I love you, honey." Dad said, with sweetness in his voice, and kissed Mom on the cheeks.

It's a relief to hear it. I would hate for Dad to break his neck while making the mortgage. But I assume he is getting a pretty good salary at his job today.

My parents tell me not to worry about those things. But I am a worrier. It's what I do. I don't want my parents to ever have to struggle to make sure I have nice things. That's why I don't ask for much!

We looked around the rest of the downstairs and the backyard. It was open to the trees in the back. The lot was large. So, we didn't really need to worry about privacy. The trees would take care of that too. It was so peaceful. Then we headed upstairs to see the bedrooms. Mom and Dad's were gorgeous, with a walk-in closet and a suite bathroom. But I was really interested in mine.

"Go ahead, baby. I know you are excited about seeing your room." Mom told me as I ran upstairs to check it out.

"Wow! " That's all I could think when I walked in.

It was big. Twice the size of my old room. It faced the backyard and had a balcony looking over the woods. Dad's voice startled me because I was in my own little world at that point.

"Gorgeous, isn't it? I knew as soon as I saw it that this would be the perfect room for you. It even has a little window seat for reading!" Dad explained.

I looked next to the door and saw a window with the same view as the balcony.

"It's perfect." I imagined doing my homework by the window, looking out at the sunset. Dad gave me a big bear hug as Mom started talking about how we should decorate.

After inspecting the inside and outside of the house, we decided to head out to eat. There couldn't be any cooking until we could complete the kitchen supplies. It will take a few more months to save up for the purchase. Mom and dad will take care of that, as they say. We had each suitcase of necessities for tonight. It felt like we were on vacation!

However, our dinner conversation was full of speculation about our new life in Zamboanga City. Dad was replacing a much older professor who had a heart attack a couple months ago. He would be starting midyear, just like me. Mom would be joining the team at a hospital only ten minutes away. She was a psychologist. The same profession I hoped to get into. But I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. I love children. And I hope that I can help anyone who needs it.

After a long, exhausting day, we wrapped things up by inflating the air mattresses in the living room, just like we were kids having a sleepover. It was Mom's brilliant idea. I barely had time to settle in before I drifted off to sleep

I thought about starting school again in a few days!

The anxiety was still there. I would be thrown into the unknown world of school when I left my childhood friends in Surigao. Tagi has been my best friend since 4th grade. This was a huge change. A big, frightening, and thrilling change.

"Tagi, we're here in our new house. I wish you had been there beside me. I miss you, Besh." I sent her a text message with photos that I'd taken at our new house.

"Wow, it's a new blessing for your family. I'm going to visit you there someday". Tagi replied in a text.

"Sure, we will have fun here" I replied.

"Ok besh. soon. I'm going to take a leave now. I need to help my customers."

On the following day, we spent some time unpacking our things. There were still a couple of boxes that we hadn't opened yet. But Mom was very organized and kept us focused on getting things as normal as possible.

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As the sun rose on a fresh Monday morning, I greeted myself with excitement and anticipation in front of the mirror.

The start of my high school journey had finally arrived!

After a refreshing bath, I meticulously selected the perfect ensemble to make a lasting impression on my first day.

My once long, curly, reddish-brown hair now sported with vibrant highlights, adding a touch of uniqueness to my overall look. I like it, it's my hobby.

"Oh, my princess Jezz, you look so lovely, my dear," My mother exclaimed. She had always praised my appearance, even going as far as to say that I was the height of a model.

However, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of embarrassment when I thought that I was taller than some of the boys in my class at my previous school. Standing at five feet nine inches, I towered over most girls my age, and I was still growing. Some of the boys would compliment my hazel eyes, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was just a cheesy pickup line.

My best friend, Tagi, on the other hand, insisted that I was truly blessed with my looks. I found it hard to believe her, though.

"From now on, things will get busier for you. Enjoy your time at school and have fun with new friends,"

Mom said, as if preparing me for the challenges that lay ahead. She made all my favorites. Fried rice, crispy dried fish, medium eggs, and coffee, I started devouring the food.

I have always been so hungry lately. And I never realized that it was not normal.

"No worries, Mom, I just need more energy." I told Mom to assure her.

"Eat slowly... we have another bowl of fried rice," Mom said.

She notices that I ate two bowls of fried rice already, she thinks that it was too much for me. This is a nice way to start. I'm trying to help myself to gain more confidence, but to be honest, I felt nervous!