Chapter 2

Secret Place

"Are you friends with Cades' parents Mommy?" I ask, while she's brushing my long wavy brown hair in front of our mirror.

The weather is fine. It's a bit sunny, but the sun is not hotter than it was always. My mother just woke me up. I'm so sleepy today that I can't get up out of my bed. It's making me feel a bit lazy. Maybe because I slept late last night. I was busy thinking of that Cades. He's a kind of weird. He smiled at me right? And he also talked to me! But when Elizea came out of the bathroom, he was back into his fierce face without any smile!

"Yeah, we're friends since high school." She answered with a smile.

I still wonder how deep their friendship was, when they were in high school.

"Are you with Dad before?"

I pouted. Here I go again. My curiosity is really bothering people around me.

"Yeah, I'm already your Mom's boyfriend, baby. " He seems to be so happy, reminiscing those days.

"Your Aunt Lizea is already with your Uncle Eli that time, even Cades' parents." she explained and left me in front of our mirror. I am just looking at myself while thinking of many things that is getting me more curious.

Who would have thought that they will be all successful and have us? Well, I think my parents and Elizea's parents are both successful too. They can afford things, we can too. But Cades' parents are more successful, I think. To think of they are living in Canada. I wonder how wealthy their lives there.

"Did y-"

"Enough for questions, darling. We have to go and leave you with your grandma and of course, your Aunt Liza." she softly kissed me on my forehead and my Dad kissed me on my cheeks. They are both wearing their office outfits and ready to leave. We already ate breakfast. I told you, my Mom never forgets what she has to do in our house, especially to me.

"Be a good girl, huh?"

I smiled and nodded. "Always, Daddy."

"That's my girl! We have to go now, don't go far away when you play, huh?" I nodded again and watch them leave our house, riding our car.

"Margel, did you eat?" I smiled when I saw my Aunt Liza walking towards me with grandma. As usual, she's assisting her to walk because grandma's feet are too weak to walk alone.

"Yes, Aunt. My Mom cooked." I answered.

"Your Mom never forgets her responsibility in the house." they both happily laughed of how responsible my Mother is.

"Uhm, I'm going to play with Elizea, Aunt!" I excitedly told her.

"Are you going there, or they will go here?" she asks and looks at Aunt Lizea's house, maybe looking for my cousins.

"They will go here to pick me up, I'll wait here." I said and sat down on the chair.

"Okay, just tell them not to go far huh? Your parents will be mad at me if you all got lost." she worriedly reminded me.

"Of course, we won't!" we both looked behind us and there's Elizea holding her barbie. I excitedly get my barbie on the table when I saw her.

"Okay, I guess I have to let you two go now." she laughed at us.

When I go near Elizea, I saw something weird at her face.

"Bye, Aunt!" she yelled and waited Aunt Liza come inside our house before she looked at me worriedly.

"What's with that eyes?"

Her eyes are in panic. I can feel how nervous and scared she is because of her cold and sweating palm on my arm right now. Okay, what is happening?

"You have to help me, Margel." she seriously said at me.

"Help in what?" I ask wondering why.

"I can't find Cades."

"Is that yo--what?! You can't find who?!" I yelled quickly as I realized what she just said. She quickly covered my mouth with her hand.

"My parents and his are out of the house because they have to buy groceries, and they are with Elizabeth, a good thing though. But anyways, I told him that I will just get my barbie upstairs before we go and play with you, but when I go down, he is not there, Margel! HE'S NOT THERE AND I AM FINDING HIM FOR 1 HOUR IN OUR HOUSE BUT THERE IS NO CADES THERE!" my mouth widened of her explanation. She started chasing her breath after explaining it to me so fast.

I don't know what to react. Cades is missing and I don't even memorize our town. That boy is really weird. Where did he go? He doesn't even know this place!

"You're dead." I seriously said at her.

"Obviously, Margel. So you have to help me find him!" she held my hands with her cold and sweating hands because of nervous. I bit my lips and think about it. I want to help her, but we just both promised to Aunt Liza and I promised to my parents that I will not go far from our house.

"But we both prom--"

"Can we break it for once?" she begged at me with her puppy eyes.

"How are we going to find him if we don't even know this place that much? We can be also lost!"

Now, I am also panicking.

"We can find him, let's separate! I'll go find him there, and you'll go find him there!"

"Eli--"

I didn't have the chance to complain. She ran quickly to find Cades on the way she pointed at me. I deeply breathe while thinking if I am going to find Cades and help Elizea. Why do I have to be in this situation? Ugh, I guess I have to help her find him.

I started walking, looking at him around to our town. People are not outside, they must be inside their houses. Cars are not outside too, I actually don't see cars outside the houses. Elders may be at their works now, just like my parents. This is the daily lives of people here.

"Cades?" I tried calling him strongly, hoping that he can hear me wherever he is. I just hope that I can go back in our house, not being lost here. I hugged my barbie tightly. I feel scared of getting lost. To think of how silent our town right now.

I stopped when I heard a small crackle from the long thick grass beside me. The wind plays with it that causes if to move. I gulped while standing in front of it. I heard a crackle inside it. There might be someone inside it, and I am hoping that it's Cades.

I closed my eyes deeply before I separated the middle of the long grasses with my hand, fearless.

"Oh, God."

My mouth opened as I saw what is inside. I slowly and amazingly entered the place with my amazed face looking at it. Inside these long grasses, there is a very beautiful and peaceful place that no one can resist. The beauty of it will amaze everyone who will discover this. There are small grasses that will tickle your feet when you walked here, barely. In the middle of it, there is an old tree that covers people who would like to sit down and watch the view. Behind the old tree is the whole Province. From here, you will see the whole Province of us. The wind will give you a fresh mind while the view will peace your mind.

"Beautiful isn't?"

"Yes." I answered, not in myself. My eyebrows knit as I realized what I just heard.

"Cades!" I yelled with my widened eyes looking at him, standing beside me while looking at the beautiful view in front of us. He looked at me with a smile, just like how wide I saw yesterday.

"Those grass caught my attention, I love exploring secretly." he sat in the grass and calm himself with the view. What I have to say vanished when I saw how his smile stayed. I slowly sat in the grass beside him, but instead of looking at the view, my eyes chose to look at him and made him the view.

Now, I can prove how handsome he is. His jawline made him more handsome, especially in side view. I don't know why does my heart is beating like crazy that I can't explain why. It's weird and strange because I didn't feel this before to anyone else.

Just him.

"Do you want to be part of my life?" I didn't have a chance to process what he just asks because I am too distracted of his handsome face.

"Yeah."

From that day, who would have thought that I will be really part of his life?

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