6 VI. The Garden

Ava woke up at the sound of an alarm on her cellphone. She made sure to set it last night and she also makes sure she can hear it now so unlike the previous one.

She immediately turned it off after she got up and looked at Jet who's still sleeping. She tried her best not to wake him up, so she carefully rose from the bed and went straight to the bathroom. She washed her face, comb her hair then brush her teeth. She dresses quickly after and quietly walked out of Jet's room to a nearby coffee shop of the lodging house where they are staying.

It was an hour later when she returned to the lodging house, she was caught by a lot of tourists lining up in the coffee shop to have their breakfast which is why it took her more than an hour there. She just entered the lobby only to find Jet talking with the receptionist. Ava was able to take a glance at his face and she saw that he's worried and anxious. She then walks towards them and Jet immediately notices her.

He ran in her direction after thanking the receptionist. Ava became confused about how Jet looks at her with a worried expression before pulling her into his arms for a hug.

Ava was not able to talk for a minute, Jet's gesture caught her by surprise leaving her speechless. He just let her go when he realized what had happened.

Jet suddenly felt embarrassed as he gently pushes Ava away with his hands still on her shoulder. He also looked at her from head to toe making sure she's fine and that nothing happened to her while she was out.

"I-I thought you left already without saying a word." Jet explained as a justification for his action.

They are now sitting and between them is a table where she puts the breakfast she bought. In there were two pancakes per plate, two sliced mocha cakes, and two hot coffees.

Ava looked at them before she began talking and explaining why she's out this morning.

"I just came from the coffee shop right in front of the lodging house. I just thought that you've been doing so much for me since I came here and I wanna repay at least part of it by treating you with some breakfast," she then sincerely look at him then smiles after. "I'm not yet leaving, and If I do, I'll make sure that you're the first person to talk to. As if I have other friends here besides you."

Jet was relieved after hearing Ava's words. He smiles as well as he looks at the food Ava brought from the cafe nearby.

"You don't need to do anything. I told you I am doing what I am doing because I want to help you, that is why you don't need to buy me breakfast, although, I think they look delicious."

Ava began telling him to start eating and that's what Jet did. She began eating as well and both of them had a wonderful time eating.

"So, where do you plan to go?" Jet suddenly asks after putting all the trash away. They just finished eating and is getting ready to get out.

Ava then wondered what Jet is asking her that question because she knows he has plans of his own. He had already re-booked the tour he was not able to catch yesterday, she heard it from him last night.

"I canceled it last night, that tour I was supposed to be in. I canceled it last night after we got home."

Ava was surprised to learn that he canceled his schedule and she might know the reason.

Her.

"W-why did you do that?"

"To be with you, you said yesterday evening that you don't have any plans of going out here in Tromso, so I decided to just accompany you."

"Accompany me? Am I an old person to you that needs a companion?"

They both laughed after hearing what Ava just said.  

"It's not like that, I just think you can try and look around Tromso when you're with someone you're comfortable with. I can be your tour guide on different tourist spots and we can go to different places in here, we can see the aurora borea..lis." He then stops talking the moment he saw Ava blankly looking at him.

"Why? Don't you like it? Don't you like my idea?"

"No, that's not it."

"Then what is it? You looked bothered and I thought you don't like the idea of me accompanying you."

Ava shooked her head, "That's not it, I just feel sorry that you have to go through all this trouble because of me. You've been forced to share your room with me, look after me and now you are changing your plans which you already have before we met. I am ashamed and embarrassed that you have to deal with all of this."

Jet felt the disappointment in Ava's voice as she explains to him everything. He then pats her on her shoulder and smiles at her to make her feel better.

"It's okay, you don't need to worry about me. And besides, I don't see you as a burden or trouble and I am not doing this out of pity. I am doing this to help you out, and let's just say... I want you to see Tromso the way I see it."

"The way you see it?" she asked him again with curiosity.

"Yes, Tromso is a beautiful place. And while you're here, you will not think of anything else. Tromso is a great place for healing and finding yourself." He looks at Ava again with a sincere gaze. "I think Tromso will help you find what you are looking for, whatever it may be."

"Help me? You mean someone lost like me?"

"Nope," he looked at the eyes before continuing to talk. "You're never lost, you just need to find it in yourself how to move-on and move forward."

"Do you mean finding my purpose, the reason why I came here?"

"Maybe, why are you here, Ava? What is it in here that you're looking for?"

Ava thought about what Jet said, she was a bit confused but she gets what he meant by everything he said to her.

She was quiet for a moment, she thought about it and couldn't find any answers to her questions. All she can think about is Edward and why he loves Tromso so much.

He could've just chosen another place to visit for their honeymoon but he insisted that they'd go to Tromso. She was not sure about his reasons but she let him decide on this since he's the one planning for everything... until the accident happened.

And she lost him.

After that incident, a lot has changed in her life. She even lost everything because she relies mostly on Edward. And now that he's gone, she's beginning to feel a familiar emptiness inside her. The emptiness she has long before they met.

"Let's worry about that later, for the meantime," Jet suddenly changed the topic and began speaking in a much more cheerful manner. "Let's just have fun and enjoy Tromso."

After Jet said that, she immediately remembered the cab driver she had been with from her first day in Tromso. She pulled out the card he gave her and handed it over to Jet, who's now confused about what to do with it.

She asked him to dial his number and have him handed to her his cellphone. She talked to Rey and arranged that he'll be their driver for today which he agrees on. After their talk, Ava handed back the cellphone to Jet. He then asked her to which she responded quickly.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Our service, we can't go around Tromso without a ride and I just got us the right person for the job."

-----

It was already past nine in the morning when they head out of the lodging house, he and Jet were still by the door when Ava saw their driver, Rey leaning and waiting next to his pick-up car.

He even waved at them as if they were acquaintances.

"Hi," Ava immediately greeted him and Rey did the same. Then he looked at Jet and greeted him as well.

Rey turned to Ava, as he stared at her again.

"I told you, you'll be needing me."

"I guess you're right."

"And I am glad that I can be of service to my people. Well, where are we going? You already have an itinerary?"

Jet looked at Ava at the same time that Ava turned to Rey. She shooked her head too, as Jet did with her, saying she had no clue to go first.

"In that case, leave it to me."

Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden

"We're here," Rey later declared while stopping the vehicle.

"Where are we?"

"Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden, one of the finest places here in Tromso. That's if you love plants."

Ava can't help but watch Rey as he explains everything. She was fascinated by the way he speaks even though she knew that what he's telling them is just basic pieces of information available on google. She just appreciates everything she's been seeing right now.

She couldn't help but be amazed by how beautiful this place is.

"The whole garden consists of twenty-five collections, which showcases different species from different regions."

Ava was listening to Rey when she saw Jet walk towards one part of the garden. She saw him stop across a wonderful clump of flowers.

"Tibetan Poppy," Ava heard Ray as they look at Jet.

"Ha?"

"That's what your boyfriend looking at, Tibetan Poppy. And that's one of the priced flowers here in Tromso."

She just flashed and amazed as he speaks while nodding her head. Then he recalls what Rey told her about Jet being her boyfriend.

"He's not my boyfriend," she exclaimed while correcting him. "He's just a friend."

"I see, but you don't look like friends at all." he just laughed as Ava turned into a red face after what she heard.

"Why do you look that way?" Later he said he was looking at him.

Ava just turned to Jet in the distance.

He also couldn't help but look at the flower it had watched before. It's just small flowers with blue petals and a yellow center, it's not like what she had seen before but it's as beautiful or even more.

She was also amazed by the fact that it's already October but there are still glowers growing given that the temperature is hitting negative degrees.

"You're free to look around inside."

"How about you? You won't go in?"

Rey simply shook his head.

"No, I've been there for God knows how many times already. Besides, you won't be lost inside. Just follow the path, there are also directions that can be followed inside. Good luck, I'll come back to pick you up later after an hour."

And before she could speak again Rey suddenly disappeared from her side, she had seen him getting back into his car, waving goodbye to her.

Ava walked a little closer to Jet, who's still looking at the small flowers in front of him. His smile didn't sweep through his lips as she gradually felt deep sorrow growing from within her.

She remembers him again, Ava remembers Edward all over again.

This could have been us, Edward.