FF 11: Old-self

"There is always a reason how people are behaving the way they right now. Don't judge them without knowing that very reason." - FF11

🍁💨🍁💨🍁

It's already quarter after one in the afternoon. She was seating at the back of the SUV, reading the conversation of her friends in their group chat.

Aeron just informed them that he received a call from the police station that they found his car, abandoned at the Laguna area. He was on his way to check it out.

Neisha had a message fifteen minutes ago that she already arrived safely in Davao Airport though her flight was delayed, and on the road traveling to their town. She left the condo as early as five in the morning. Yrrah saw her text message earlier.

She sent a message to their group chat. I'm on the way home as well.

'Take care, gurlush!' Barbie replied. 'Btw, u're ✉ to spend 🎄 there still up?'

'Yes. Why?'

'Mah 💏 ✈ 2 🎰 4 D 🎄. So, 👨���🦰 free 🦅'

Her lips pouted like a duck when she saw Barbie's reply. He always used stickers in their message. Before, she had a hard time understanding it. Now, it's just a piece of cake.

My parents will travel to Vegas for the holidays. So, I'm free as a bird.

'Good. Just text me when you are coming. I can send the driver to pick you up at the bus stop.' She replied.

'Awee. I wish to come too. Maybe after Christmas?' Princess messaged.

She replied, 'Sure. Whenever you're free.'

'If my babe is coming. I'll come too. Can we go back hiking again?' Lucas asked.

'Yes. Bye for now. Gonna nap,' she replied and closed the Facebook Messenger.

She actually wanted to go back to that place. She might remember everything that had happened a dozen years ago. It shouldn't be just an unsolved mystery to her.

"Señorita, would like to eat late lunch? There's a restaurant close by that's serving delicious foods," Cez asked her. She occupied the passenger seat beside her husband.

"It's not a fancy restaurant but the foods are really great," Uly added.

She agreed and handed them some cash for their food and the coffee that bought for her. It's her treat whenever they were on the road. They also tried some foods in different restaurants along the way.

The couple was just two or three years older than her. Uly was actually the son of their cook, Manang Eva. So, they grew up together but they're not even friends, because she's aloof like a wild animal before. His mother was a single parent but she sent him to college. But he didn't finish it because he eloped with Cez and they had a cute baby girl now. Uly asked Manang Fe, also the mansion's governess, if they could work as a driver and gardener, while his wife as a housemaid. Manang Fe agreed before the older lady even informed Yrrah. That was just after her father died when she was in Manila with her ex-husband.

"How many times do I need to tell you to stop calling me Señorita?" She arched her right eyebrow, and lips curved for a grimace. Since she came back to the mansion, almost six months ago. She felt irritated to be called señorita. She's fine to be called hija by the elders or by her first name.

"It's not easy to get used to it. Remember when we were kids, you always scolded me if I didn't call you señorita," Uly said while he glanced on the rear-view mirror, with a timid smile on his lips.

"I know, right? I was a brat." A mischievous grin plastered on her lips. "But now, I am even more brat. So, I going to fire both of you if you called me señorita again. Understand?"

The couple just chuckled. Uly parked the car in front of the restaurant made of nipa hut. Even it's already the third week of December, the weather was still humid. Yrrah just wore a white sleeveless blouse patterned by tiny purple flowers paired by brown short and three-inch wedge sandals. Her smooth, peachy toned complexion stood out in her simple fashion style.

The restaurant was not an elegant, but comfortable place for travelers like them. All the windows were opened so, fresh natural air circulated and conditioned the inside of it with the help of few electric fans attached to the wood foundations of it. There are around a dozen tables for four persons. Even though it's past two in the afternoon already, the place was more than half-full.

They occupied the vacant table closer to the window. Uly and Cez volunteered to order the foods displayed at the counter. They ordered Sinigang na Sugpo (Prawn on Tamarind Soup), Kare-Kare (Oxtail Stew), fried fish, Laing, and rice.

Yrrah was not actually hungry as they ate brunch; tuna sandwiches. But when she tasted the foods, her appetite was boosted especially that she really liked the Sinigang na Sugpo. They also ordered some buko pie and halo-halo for dessert. They took out some buko pie to be given to her yaya and their other housemaids.

Yrrah closed her eyes when they continue their journey. The couple probably thought that she was already drifted into the dreamland so, they chatted in their very low voices.

"Why you and the others told me before that our señorita was a very mean person? She's actually very nice," Cez asked her husband.

"It seems that she's getting back to her old self before she had an accident..." Uly started.

🍁💨🍁💨🍁