Just Live

Chapter 8

Matteo and Sarah spent their fourth day hiking and visiting rainforests in the inner portion of the island. Their phones and cameras were now filled with selfies and photos of each other, and with each other when a stranger would offer to take it for them.

"Would you like me to take your picture?"

They looked at the stranger before saying 'sure' in unison.

Matteo put his left arm around Sarah's shoulders while she had her right arm around his mid-back, both smiling big for the picture.

"You guys are such a good looking couple," the woman commented as she gave the camera back to them.

She wasn't the first person to say that because most of the people who offered to take their picture throughout their whole trip made a side comment about them being a couple.

Sarah just smiled shyly and nodded politely at the lady, as she always does, while Matteo answered a proud, "Thank you."

He got a gentle push from Sarah once they were left alone but he just laughed it off.

"Feel na feel mo," Sarah told him as she pinched his arm.

"Let's go," he said to her, chuckling while he put his hand on her lower back to guide her through the entrance.

Another day in Hawaii and another day of memories. Sarah and Matteo are at the Polynesian Cultural Center for an authentic luau experience. It's considered as one of the highlights of a Hawaiian trip.

The center consists of six villages named after, and dedicated to, the islands of South Pacific: Samoa, Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti and Tonga. Each village has demonstrations of rituals and traditions from each island, and some have interactive activities for tourists. There are tall palm trees that performers climb on, grass landscapes and multiple traditional huts spread throughout the center, replicating those seen on various islands of polynesia.

Sarah and Matteo were currently in the Samoan village where they were demonstrating traditional cooking and fire-making.

"Who wants to try?"

Matteo slowly turned his head to Sarah and she saw a mischievous grin.

"Oh, Matt. No. No. No. No. No," she said repeatedly while shaking her head.

"Come on, it'll be fun," he said as he raised his hand. "We'll both try!"

"Alright, come on over and get low on the ground," the guy said while he set up each station to make a fire.

"Matt! Pwede naman akong mag try to make fire at home in our backyard," he heard her say as he pulled her to where the guy was standing.

"Yes, but you can't replicate the Polynesian Center in your backyard. Hurry, try lang natin. It's now or never, diba?"

Matteo helped her sit on the larger piece of wood and get in position to effectively rub the stick against it and ignite a fire before settling down beside her. The instructor gave them instructions but Sarah wasn't hearing any of it. How could she, when she was so impressed by the guy beside her who was effortlessly making fire out of the two pieces of wood they were given?

Umayos ka, Sarah, she told herself.

She tried to make it subtle by making it look like she was trying to make a fire but her eyes were on Matteo almost the entire time. It didn't take long before she saw smoke from what he was working on, and she got even more distracted when he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. She didn't know the tropical weather in Hawaii could make someone making a fire look so attractive.