Chapter Two

Despite remembering she allowed Jorge to call her, Haniel can see the mistake in her choice as she woked up late at night from her phone ringing in the bedside table, and her stomach lurches at the sight of the guy calling her up. She debated first whether it would be better to suffers through ignoring it or risk answering the call, sounding like an idiot to whisper in order to not alert her Mom from the next room.

In the end, she begrudgingly answers with half-hearted tone of her voice, "Do you see how it's already late and you dare to call me?"

"That's some nice greeting there", Jorge replies, and strangely, it sounded like he's pacing while making the call.

"What would you expect from me? Be happy when you disturbed me from my sleep"

"You were sleeping? Already at 12?"

She nods, then remember it's a call. "I'm not like you. I'm respecting the health of my body by sleeping 8 hours in capacity"

"Oh, sorry", Jorge says, and Haniel swear she could hear him grinning. "I mean, what could possibly be worse than me waking you up other than me waiting out here?"

"W-wait", she splutters as she abruptly sat up, her eyes looking out in the close-curtained window. "What do you mean by that?"

"Remember when I said I know your street the other day?", he offers.

"The other day? So don't tell me what I'm thinking--"

"Your Mom must love her roses this much. It's inviting me to pick one for my strict Mama"

That's when Haniel immediately jumps out from her bed and draw her curtains open a bit. "Don't you dare! What are you doing out there, Jorge Duval?", she asks, and spots him standing in the left side of their fence.

"Not a bad choice of mine", he says with a laugh. "I need someone in this moment and I thought why not call the nearest person to me?"

She doesn't answer, struck by the small flash of shock. It's almost a strange dream when she thinks about it for a moment, because a guy like Jorge isn't supposed to be there, someone like him should bother somebody else and not her, not the girl wanting to escape this small town.

"Well", Jorge says, waving his hand from where he stood, waiting for her. "what are you waiting for, Haniel? Come out here and join me", He nods at the closed front door, which she may need to pass her mother''s room before reaching it. She closed her curtains, preventing him to see her closing her eyes and coming to terms with the fact she really do need to come out there for his sake.

When she creeped out of the door a minute later, Jorge's eyes drift onto her slightly chubby figure, where she tries to hide it under a big shirt and sweat pants. He tries to focus on her slow getaway from the porch, but he can't help sneaking a glances at her face every now and then, and each time, she managed to pretend it was just a coincidental second until she's walking up to him, her stomach does a little jump entirely unrelated to the fear of getting caught by her mom.

The last time she sneaked out was with Eurielle; her bestfriend when they were thirteen to watch the fireworks display in the Independence Day at the fair. It was a one-time thing, uncomplicated and almost forgettable. They hadn't done it the next time, and though Eurielle would love to repeat it all over, and though she does find it thrilling at the same time, it all changed for her old ways since the broke out.

Now, it strikes her odd to meet a guy at night as it could be the obvious mistake in the future. It seems impossible that she lived all her life in this village never talking to Jorge when he was this tall and fit, with styled undercut blond hair and had a small mole under his left eyes, which she'd only known from the relentless chatter of the girls in their class.

She raised her phone up to his face. It occurs to her that she's been holding herself well infront of him and so she realizes, it must be because he is not her type, he's not the 'Clementine' that she would stutter to if he'd ever talked to her.

"Now what?", Jorge says, blinking at the light of her phone. "I don't care about the time. I want us to walk and talk"

"As in you're asking me to walk far from my house with you?"

"Wow", he says with a grin. "I couldn't even lift you up to think of taking you away from here"

She narrows her eyes at him as she begins to follow his steps. "Is everything a joke to you?"

"Is it not funny enough?"

"Yes"

"Yes?", He repeats with a nod, "Could I ever get longer words from you?"

She only gives a shook of her head, but she's still unaccountably confused. She'd been meaning to ask why he keeps looking like that, the way it held with such interest right now, but there's something about his lopsided grin that makes her feel this unfamiliar flatter in her stomach. And she supposed that might just be it: the surprise of it all. The surprise of Jorge Duval and the possibility of a change from him might be something good or bad, or unexpected.

"Nevermind that", he says, reaching to place a hand on her shoulder and Haniel shakes it off, pushing him away. He laughs, then looks at her again. "Ever been on a walk with a guy at night before?"

"Not even once", she says, a bit too forcefully.

He laughs at once. "Why are you making it sound like I forced you out of your house?"

"Because you did for real", Haniel says, frowning. "I'm already asleep for hours before you called me to play your chatter game. Now, what do you want?"

"To talk, of course"

"About what?"

"The sad story of my life, I guess", he says. "I had a blow with my older brother, you see"

Haniel was unable to hide her surprise over the words. "And you're telling it to me because?"

"Otherwise, my friends will just offer advice of letting it go and it'll pass, like they really know Jon. It can't be fixed just like that"

"As in Jonathan Duval?", she asked, surprised to hear the name of the rumored druggie in their area.

"So I take it you've heard the rumors about him?"

"A lot", Haniel hadn't mean to say that, and now she feels her cheeks go warm. "I didn't mean to", she says, then rushes on. "Mrs. Garcia told it a lot to our neighbors and I heard it - "

"I get it. Gossipmongers are spread thick here"

Haniel nods her head quickly, completely drawn to the way he's laughing, but why does it sounds strangled? Fake even?

"I hate them if you must know", he says with a shrug. "We'd like to keep it quiet, but because of them, it got worse and Jon doesn't even like going home to hear them talking"

"Where is he staying then?"

"To his friends or to anyone kind enough to lend him a room for the night"

"How do you feel about it?", she says, observing his expression and Jorge frowns for the first time.

"I don't know", he says. "I'm glad he's always out because in that way, he'll not stress Mom and Dad but with him being out there, he's killing them with worry for him"

"That does sound worse", she replies, now focusing on their path nearing the manmade pond beside the children's playground. "But what about you? Aren't you worrying for him?"

He stops, causing for her to bump in his back as he soon gaze at the swing, then puts his hand in his pockets, and he tried to grin but failed. "I am the closest to him and you're asking me that? It's sad you know, that I can't even do anything for him"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know", Haniel says, shaking her head to stop what she really wants to say. She looks off towards the busy convenience store next to the playground. "But if you wanted something to eat, I wouldn't mind. You'll pay, of course"

"Really?", Jorge says, convinced for a moment that she's joking, but then realizes, she's serious. "Or you just don't like me to vent on you about the unfortunate moments of my life?"

"Maybe." she says, playing with the sleeve of her shirt. "Plus, I don't know what I can offer to say. I'm not a good conversationalist"

Jorge glances over his shoulder. "I like how you say what do you want to say", he says, smiling a bit. "Because of that, I'll treat you to whatever you want in there"

"Is it okay with you?", She looks over the store, displaying some new promos for the ice cream and sandwiches, many of the tables outside were occupied by the people drinking beers. Some of them turning to look on their approach and spinning right back to their friends, clearly finding them uninteresting enough to let them mind their business.

"Come on, let them be", Jorge says, and pulled her inside the store where they're suddenly greeted by the sudden rush of cold in the air.

He nods to her, walking off for the fridge just a little ways away from the slushie while she goes for the drinks section, picking a soymilk and after for the chips. But after a few minutes of wondering what to choose, Haniel felt something cold hit her lightly at the back of her nexk causing small shivers, and she spun around to find Jorge waving an ice cream sandwich close to her face.

When she looked directly to his face, Jorge was smiling down at her. "Like one? This one's my favorite here", he says and tossed her the ice cream. "What else do you want to buy? I'm sure you that's not the only thing you want"

"Are you trying to say that I'm a glutton?", she told him with no nonsense, tired of all the comments about her body from before.

"No way. Because I'm probably the glutton here", he admitted.

"Prove it", she said, winging a package of instant ramen at him, and by the time the cashier had all punched what they had buyed in the register, she's pouring down hot water from the stainless machine for coffeee.

Now the door opens behind her as she took the farthest table from the others and was waiting for the noodles to get soggy, she turns to see Jorge standing there, looking a little dazed when he heard some of the guys nearby talking about his brother. They were laughing so hard they didn't care who might hear, and Haniel is gripped by the sudden regret of inviting him where is full of this people, mindless and not thinking about their own faults but of the others.

It occurs to her how Jorge might be on the brink of something reckless from the look on his face, and she takes a quick step toward him, ready to stop him. Behind her, the ramen sat uneaten and forgotten.

"Let's get out of here", she says shortly, and Jorge looks down, realizing that she's holding onto his arm. When she pulls him back to the table, he feels miserable. She handed him the same ice cream sandwich and he snags it easily. Once he did take a bite, his whole body seems to relax, and he raises his eyebrows.

"You notice me tensing there?", he asks, and she shrugs.

He leans across the table, and for a moment, in spite of everything, he wonders if he might get closer to her than this. But instead, he got his answer too fast by Haniel frantically standing up and reasoning she needs to pee.

Jorge watches as she walks away, picking a paster pace across the crowded tables. Her head is ducked, and there's something hunched about her, the curve of her shoulders, the bend of her neck, that makes her seem too noticeable in her wish to not take too much attention, and he wonders why.

Why such a girl from being lively in their middle school has changed to being gloomy in highschool?

As they walked away from the convenience store, Jorge could feel the horrible awkwardness beginning to melt, like the poker expression on her face. Out there in the sidewalk guided by the occasional trees, she was herself again. And as they walked past some darkened houses, Haniel couldn't help glancing sideways on Jorge, conflicted by him staring.

He lifted up a finger and stop, pointing at a street that ran up the edge of their village. "I think that's when I first notice you", he said. "In the store near our school, checking for some maps"

"How did you know I was looking for maps?"

"I asked the saleslady and I told her you were my classmate", he explained, as if it were obvious and she raised her eyebrows. "I'm just curious of why you look so desperate to find one"

"Take a guess", she says, then steered them towards the other side of the road. Two men from a small building appears, and she certainly don't like to face them. "You're going to not expect it from me if I tell you the reason"

"Not even to your new friend?", he joked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Especially not to you", she said. "I don't even know you that well. Do you even know how I'm confused that I'm talking you right now?"

"Am I really that charming?", he said with a grin. "Or you just don't like me, Haniel?"

"You could be right"

Jorge didn't have the heart to spoil the moment over the double-edged answer, even though he was sure he wanted to comment. But there was something endearing the way she lets out a small smile, and now that it stayed for a while, he wish he could see it more thrown to him.

As they strolled towards the school gates, they could hear the television in one of the house. A few lights flickered out in the others, and when they were closer to their destination, Haniel could see the familiar gates of their local highschool, which was hidden beneath the flying posters from the air. They found a seat in the waiting shed, and read the messages inviting students to go in a summer classes.

"What will you do this summer?", Jorge said, leaning back with a happy sigh. "As for me, I'd like to try wait for all the letters from the Universities before I worked to buy all the things I need for a dorm"

"Of course, the same thing as you", she said, and she was grateful for him distracted on the posters. Otherwise, he might notice her lying through her teeth.

She hadn't really plan on waiting for the Universities she'd never attempted to take an entrance exams in the first place, and when her mother asked her, she'd been too anxious to bother her with questions that she left it never talked about. Eurielle had immediately sense her uncertainess when she invited her to the state college, insisting it will be far enough from home, but she knew that wasn't true.

Still, she wasn't exactly sure why she would lie to someone as harmless like Jorge, or why it seemed to be coming naturally these days. It's not like he will get her mind to realize what all her choices were forming into in the end.

At some point in her brooding, Jorge had moved closer to her, his shoulder touching hers and she only realized now that he's waiting for her to talk again. The quiet between them had gone for too long now and it was harder to pretend the heaviness of his gaze on her face doesn't burn on her skin.

For a moment, as she looked away from him, she forgot about Jorge being with her completely as if he's not there at all, as if he hadn't cleared his throat, as if she doesn't care about his existence all along. Her mind was muddled and full of turmoils, but somehow, he was there, catching her off guard as he wiped the lone tear from her eyes.

It was barely noticeable in the dark, but it was enough for someone who had already seen it happened before in the train, and just as sudden of his finger tracing a light touch down her cheek, she pulled back from the burning sensation.

Regardless of her resistance, he stared at her and she blinked at him, reeling from what had just happened: the nearness of him, and now, the recognition of something else in his eyes.

"Sorry", he said, and she scoots away from him. Her expression to say the least, was suddenly guarded. "I didn't know what --"

"No", she said, shaking her head, inching even closer to the edge of their seat. "Please don't make it any more awkward for me, Jorge"

"But what should I do?---"

"Please Jorge"

They were talking over each other's words, and they were both wanting to ease the other's nervousness, but there was too much still hovering between them especially in Haniel's head right now.

"Haniel--"

"Stop!", she exclaimed, unable to stop herself. She could feel the forming bud of fear in her chest.

Jorge raised his hands, a helpless gesture. "I shouldn't have done that, I know", he said cautiously. "I just thought it best to comfort you when it's obvious there's something bothering you"

"Nothing. There's nothing you can help me with if that is the reason why you suddenly want to talk to me", Haniel says, her voice colder than she'd intended to be.

"This is ridiculous", he said, standing abruptly and looked at her in frustration. "I'm just trying to be friends with you because it seems like you never liked me all this years"

Haniel pressed her lips together, stunned by how quickly she was getting riled up. Finally, she took a deep breath before jumping from the seat as well. "I should get going. I don't want to worry my Mom over this"

"Seriously, you're just leaving me here?"

"What else should I do?", she counters back.

He stared at her for what felt like a long time before offering a forced smile. "Well, thanks for making the time to keep me accompanied"

She nodded. "Thanks for everything"

"Yeah", he said, his voice hollow. "Do not make it sound like a goodbye"

And with that, Haniel Riego left him there like a stranger again to him, setting off for her home and just as he had in the past, he stays there, wishing she would look back yet she didn't.

*******

She woke up this morning feeling tense all over; her neck and shoulder were sore, and there was a dull throbbing at the back of her head. It wasn't just the graduation, or the fact that she'd soon be packing things this weekend; it was that this whole week would mark the official end of Haniel Riego's existence in their small town.

Haniel knows her decision isn't the better option. Her family will be worried to death the day after of her disappearance. The truth is, she doesn't even want to think of them seeking help to the police who would've probably broadcast it for the whole country to go in search for her. Dad's obviously happy now with his baby, and for the most part, Mom would be better off with only Danny in her care. But even so, this plan of hers will put another burden to her loved ones that wasn't supposed to experience another, and she isn't sure she's ready to watch her Mom in another breakdown.

In the end, though, she hadn't really had a choice.

And so this morning, just three more days away from leaving all her problems, she goes to School in a rotten mood. Everything had gone smoothly, not until she'd noticed Jorge stealing glances on her way and the news of Clementine going home too early in the afternoon.

Later, of course, the Internet connection refused to budge from it's turtle movement and prevented her from watching youtube to avoid doing it in the living room. And all the while, Danny keeps on complaining how he can't play in his deskstop. So when she entered the kitchen and finds her leftover pizza was eaten by someone, she was in no mood for her Mom's inquiry about what she should wear in the graduation.

"I don't know", she snapped. "How the hell should I know!?"

"I'm just asking", Mom said, raising her eyebrows innocently, and Haniel gaves her sour look. "What happened to get you in this mood?"

"I don't know"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know"

There was a note of warning in Mom's voice after. "Haniel. Talk to me nicely"

"I mean, why should I be the only one who has to feel this at all? I don't understand why you and Daniel could be fine with everything that's going on"

"It'll be alright", Mom said after a moment, her voice softer. "It really will. You have to give it time or not think about it at all"

Haniel whirled around to face her. "How can it be fine? When all this years, we've been blinded by his lies and now what?"

"We have to move on, Haniel. We don't have to --"

"No way", she said sharply, cutting Mom off without a thought. "And you want me to still be in contact with him?"

"It's not like he'll be calling everyday", Mom said again.

Haniel grabbed her jacket and step towards the back door. "Well, it's not like I'm very bothered by the thought of wanting to escape this reality"

"Escape what?", Mom asked wearily, and Haniel - still buzzing with a kind of anger that made her feel worse and better at the same time - reached out to fling open her way out.

"Everything. You. Dad. Danny. And all this people I know", she said, not even really sure why she was saying it, except that she was bitter, frustrated and sad. "I don't like this kind of life anymore"

They stared at each other, the awful tensing silence settling between them like so many burderns in their shoulders, and after a minute, Haniel stepped out of the door, opting to stay out of the house for a while.

Now, sitting in one of the table inside the Internet Cafe, her hand hovers over the mouse. She takes a deep breath before sliding it to click on the google, searching for the nearest bus stop to their house. Her heart was pounding to show the available places she could work for before going to the big city.

The words she spoke earlier to Mom are still echoing in her mind, and she feels a sharp sting of regret, hoping that she didn't somehow give her a clue or managed to upset her about the outburst.

As she starts to leave the Internet shop, she sees Clementine approaching. For a moment, she thinks he might pass her without even recognizing her, but when he spots her something shifts, and he's back again to looking straight in the entrance, acting as if he hadn't made an eye contact with her.

Afterward, when she heads back to their house, she scans the block she knew where Jorge Duval lived, but he's nowhere in sight. Rather than stay and wait for him to say her sorry for the night before, she circles back to another street then starts wandering the sidewalk until she finally reached her home.

As she silently walks back to her bedroom, Haniel realizes she's almost too anxious at this point about her getaway. It feels like she's been planning it for a lifetime now, and there's so much ahead to worry for; her family, money, bills, and the panicky feelings that comes when she finally sets off for her escape route. But for now, she just want to lay on her bed, close her eyes and sleep.

To be set free for a long time, sent across the dreamland and forget everything without any effort, and even now, it seems even too far-fetched in her troubled mind.