II. Welcome To Tromso, Norway

She got off the plane but she could not move from where she was standing. She could not move her feet as if it had been deliberately nailed to where she is now.

She can no longer count anymore on how many times she has asked herself if she can do this and if she can make it alone.

Without him, without Edward.

"You have to do this, Ava. You can do this... for yourself and him," she whispered to herself as she tries to convince her to move forward.

Ava looked behind her as if she heard someone whisper, that familiar voice that she heard saying she needs to do it.

She has to or else she will be forever be trapped and she will never get out of the misery she's in.

She continued looking from behind looking for someone, she was looking for him in that crowded place full of strangers. Full of people she does not know and recognizes. And as soon as she decided to walk, she heard the voice once again.

It's him, Ava knows it because she knows the sound of it. She recognizes it and she knew who's that voice is.

It's Edward's, she tries to look around hoping to see him. Even if it is too impossible, she waited and looked around trying to find him. Begging for her to see him one last time.

Then right there, in the middle of the crowd at the center of the airport lobby, she sees him. She standing, staring at her smiling while uttering the words she can hear from where she is.

"You need to do this and I know that you can do this on your own, you just have to bear everything. You need to be able to do it alone, Ava. For yourself... for us."

Ava did not waste any of her time, she came rushing to where she sees him. Hoping she gets a chance to hold him again, to embrace him and feel his warmth. And as she gets closer to him, Edward suddenly disappears.

She can no longer see him from the crowd where he was standing. She turns around, looked at every corner of that airport to find him. Then she felt her knees shake and tremble, she tried her best to stay strong but in the end, she lost it.

She fell on her knees to the floor and sob. Seeing and hearing him today made her missed him more. She longed for him and the one thing that she wanted to do was to hug him and feel his warmth.

But he's gone.

Ava took her time to compose herself, until such time that she'll be able to stand and she did that.

She was able to regain herself again, trying to accept the fact that everything that just happened earlier was just part of her wanting to see him, that is just her wanting him to be there for her.

She shook her head, fix her hair, and wiped her tears. Ava was about to get ready to get out of that place when suddenly she hears another voice, a voice unfamiliar and this time she knew it does not belong to Edward.

"Miss, watch out!" Ava was about to take her first step when she felt that she was hit by something, She could no longer avoid it anymore because it was too late when she noticed what was coming, she was hit by a baggage pushcart full of suitcases and he did not know where it came from.

She immediately lost her balance when it hit her and the next thing she knew is that she was sitting on the floor again, feeling confused and a little hurt.

She was then attended by a man whom she presumed the one who shouted earlier, making sure she was not hurt or anything.

He extended his hand to help her stand but she manages to do that on her own.

The man asked her worriedly. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you want me to bring you to the clinic?" He asked her more than one question as she helped her with her luggage.

Ava looked around as she sees people started staring in their direction. Her, hitting by a pushcart that sends her on the floor was an extreme embarrassment already. And then she turned to him as she said... "I'm fine, I'm okay."

Then the man exclaimed, "Are you a Filipino?"

She looked at him in astonishment right after he asks her then continues to answer his question to get through with it.

"Y-yes I am," she avoided his eyes and began to fix her things, and was ready to leave. "I'll go ahead." and without another word, she just left.

At that very moment, she felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance because of what happened.

She picked herself up from the floor and that's probably because of him. That very man that approached her.

She was already outside of the airport when she heard something again. Is like someone is after her.

But who could that be, she stopped as she looks everywhere. And as the voice became louder, she then recognized who's after her.

It was that same guy earlier.

"Wait, Miss. Just a moment." The man wasted no time and quickly chased after her. He even blocked her way, making sure that he'll be able to talk to her.

"What is your problem?" Ava stared at him in annoyance because of what he did but that did not stop him.

He was still catching his breath from running just to be able to catch her before she leaves.

"Are you okay, Miss?" He said in between his gasp.

She doesn't want to talk to him, she has no plans of talking to someone she doesn't know so she looks at him again then turned her back to leave.

The man came after her again, for the second time, he blocked her way and stands in front of her.

That's when she got annoyed by the fact that a stranger is bothering her. She took a deep breath, she tries her best to be as patient as possible but this guy is getting on her nerves.

"Look," she said to him while looking at his brown eyes. Her gaze is like arrows piercing through him as she makes herself clear that she doesn't want him following her. "I don't know you, so stop following me. Let's not make a fuzz out of what happened earlier and just mind your own business."

The man was stunned hearing what she said. That made him silent for a moment but was able to talk when he recovered. "W-what, I don't want to follow you. I don't mean to bother you or something like that but it's just that you have my suitc-."

"Are you deaf, is there anything unclear about everything I said?" She gave her a final stare then started walking towards the taxi bay.

And when she thought that the man had stopped following her anymore, she was shocked because he was still after her.

"Miss, I'm sorry. I don't mean to bother you but I need to get something from you." It was there that she seemed to run out of patience for this man.

So she turned to look at him, facing him with her fierce look as she tries to shove him away for the last time. "What's your problem? What do you want from me? Will you offer me something? Well, I won't buy it okay? And I'm not interested so please, just let me go and leave me alone."

"How can I leave you alone when you have my luggage with you? That is why I am following you, I am trying to explain that your luggage and mine git switched earlier right after the pushcart hit you."

"What are you saying? So you think I took your luggage? You think I'm a thief?" she was already hysterical at that moment. Thinking that a stranger is accusing her of stealing his stuff is way too much for her.

"It's not like that, Miss."

"Oh, that's what you just said, right? Do you think I did not hear you?" She continued her rant while still looking at him. She made sure that she'll be able to show him how upset she was and how annoyed she is.

He, on the other hand, seems calm and apologetic. He tries his best to sound sincere as she explains everything to her. "Look, Miss. I don't want any trouble, just give me my luggage back and I'll leave you in peace."

"Luggage? What luggage are you talking about? How on earth will I have your luggage?"

The man did not say a word, instead, he pointed to the luggage she was holding and dragging earlier. That's when she immediately let go of its handle, realizing that it's not hers. It's in a different color although the size is the same, the design and print are also different.

She suddenly felt embarrassed after realizing that what the man is saying are true. Without saying a word, she handed him the handle of the luggage she was holding. The man just stared at her while taking it as he gave him her luggage as well.

Ava thanked him and right after nodded in response, she walks out from the scene without saying another word. Thinking that there are little or no chances at all that she will meet or see him again.

All she has to think about is what she'll be doing here for the next coming days.

After an hour of travel, she finally reached her destination. She's now in Tromso, Norway.

Right after getting off the cab, she was immediately greeted by the cold air. The breeze sends chills to her even though she's wearing her coat and gloves, but that didn't stop her from appreciating what she's seeing.

Then she remembers Edward again and if he had only been here with her, everything will be okay.

"Here we are. This is your lodging-house?" her cab driver said as he helped her with her things.

Unbelievably he looked at her in amazement as if he was excited to see her.

" If you don't mind me asking, are you Filipino too?"

"Yes, since birth."

He then casually asked again as he closes the trunk of the cab where her luggage is placed. "Are you alone?"

"Y-yes, I-I'm alone."

"Why?" he did not stop, astonishment begins to show on his face as he learned that she went to Tromso alone.

She couldn't help but felt sad by his question but instead of giving him an answer, she just ask him back. "Am I not allowed to be alone? Can't I just be alone?" The man continued to laugh as she asks him.

"Don't get me wrong, it's just that it's too cold here in Tromso. You might want to be with someone in this kind of weather."

"I did not come here for leisure. Thank you, you can leave now."

"I'm sorry if I offended you, I rarely get to see and have my fellow Filipinos as passengers. There are many Filipinos who go to Tromso, but most of them rent a private car. You are my second Filipino passenger today ."

"Second?"

"Yes, it's funny because he also asked me to drive him to this very same place. Who knows, you two might meet inside."

She nodded in reply.

Just as she was about to bid him goodbye, the cab driver handed him a calling card.

"Keep that, just in case you'll be needing someone who can tour you around. A driver and service perhaps. Don't worry, I don't do excessive charging, I'll even give you a discount if you want." he said as he smiles at her.

Ava let out a strained smile, It would have been different if they're gone here almost six months ago. Things would be a lot different from what it is today, back then Edward planned everything for her. This would have been their honeymoon but they decided to postpone it because an urgent matter came to his office that needs his attention. She had to wait until he's available but that will never happen, ever

"I did not come here to have fun."

"But why are you here?" supposedly it still thought and then he pointed. "Don't tell me you're a spy? Do you have any bad intentions or running away from something?" The cab driver continued to ask questions that do not make sense to her.

He even whispered to her at some point just to avoid those passersby from hearing their conversation.

"What are you talking about? I'm not a spy, okay?"

"If you're not a spy, you'll accept my card and promise me that you'll call once you need a driver or a tour guide. You don't know anyone here, you'll never know what might happen to you if you'll go alone and although the locals here are kind and generous, you still might want to consider. Just in case, you know." He then smiled at her as he goes back inside his cab.

"But I told you al-" Ava was not able to finish what she was about to say because the cab driver cut her off again.

He introduced himself as he sounded so friendly and warm.

"By the way, my name is Rey, Reynaldo Aguillar but you can call me Rey for short."

"Ava,"

He looked at her as she also began to introduce herself to him as if he was waiting for her to tell him her complete name.

"Savana Martinez, you can call me Ava... for... short."

"Nice to meet you, Ava and welcome to Tromso."

Ava just smiled and entertained Rey's warm gesture. It was so nice of him to be so welcoming even to her, a stranger who's just new to the place. He seems nice and looks decent, besides he's also a Filipino so the more that she has to trust him.

At last, Ava agreed to Rey and promised him that she'll call whenever she needed someone to drive me or show her around. That made Rey happy and so he ended up leaving her right outside the lodging house where she will stay.

She immediately enters the door and saw a girl in the lobby.

"God morgen," said the woman who seems to be the receptionist.

"Good morning. I have a reservation made here four months ago, under the name Mr. and Mrs. Edward Martinez?"

The lady then nod and looked at her computer, Ava's been waiting for five minutes already that is why she politely ask the lady again for her reservation but to her surprise... "Madame, what is the date of your reservation again?"

"Now, as in today. My husband re-booked it four months ago and we even received a confirmation from the rebooking we did."

"But your name is not in our system, I am also looking at other rebookings made in the last six months and there is no reservation under the names you mentioned."

"Impossible. Can you look at it again?" she said to her as her heart began to pound. She was sure about their reservation, she was there when Edward rebooked it.

"I already did, Madame. But your name is not on our guest list."

Ava began to be impatient, she was tired from her trip and she was hungry. She took out some papers from her bag as proof of her rebooking details but the girl insisted that her name was not really on their guest list.

"I think there was an error in our system from the time you rebooked your stay here. We also have some customers who have experienced that but we cannot do anything about it as we are all fully booked right now."

"What do you mean fully booked?"

"There are no available rooms for a walk-in customer, I am afraid you have to find another place to stay."

"What?" she uttered in disbelief as she looked at the girl in the reception with an eye wide open. "What the..."