21 Days in the Philippines

13 - Driving To New York (Part 1)

"Kaitlin, Kaitlin, wake up."

There was an earthquake.

"Kaitlin, wake up!"

I opened my eyes as fast as I could but my lids moved at a snail's pace.

Oh. It was just Cara shaking me. No earthquakes.

"What?"

"You need to leave. You don't want to be late for your interview, do you? You still have a long way to drive."

I gradually sat up, rubbing each eye with the back of my hands.

"MapQuest says that it takes 42 hours and 45 minutes to get to New York from here. And you don't have the money for a plane ride, neither do I. If I have some, I would've been more than happy to lend you but I don't so you need to drive really..."

Cara's voice seemed to go on and on. I can't take a plane. I have no money. I can't just take a plane and ride there for a bloody interview. It's not as if it's a cab or something. I need to take my car. It's a good thing I didn't result to selling it. It comes in handy. I need to get my butt moving now.

"...so you better get moving now," she ended.

"Cara?"

"Yeah?" she said, biting another side of her apple. Where did that come from?

"Could you check where I could spend the night? I need at least 2 overnight hotels, even if they're just some cheap inns, I think they're much better since I'm wearing a tight belt right now. I can't spend too much."

"Got it. Just promise me to e-mail me when you can, alright?"

"Okay. If you could find me a cheap place with wi-fi connections," I smiled.

"Sure thing."

She began to get off my bed when I said "Thank you."

"No prob!" she called on her way out.

I picked up my phone and it brought a smile on my face when I saw my phone empty. There was no new messages. I deleted the old ones, knowing that they won't be of need anymore. I guess everything has its own perks, even if it's getting fired.

"Hey, Stranger." I said, the moment he picked up.

"What are you calling for this early?" he said groggily, probably woken up by my call.

"I'm on my way to New York," I said cheerily.

"What?" he sounded much more awake now.

"It's approximately a 43-hour drive so I need to get going."

"What--do you even have a car?" he sounded as though disagreeing with the idea.

I told him about the two-hundred-thousand-dollar-car.

"Oh. But, where are you going to stay?" he sounded worried.

"I asked Cara to look for two cheap inns I could stop over. Since it's a 43-hour drive."

"You know it isn't safe. What if you get in trouble again?" now he sounded furious.

I wasn't sure what I heard. "What?"

There was a strained silence.

"I won't let you get into trouble," he said gravely, but I ignored it.

"What do you mean again? I've never been in trouble." I was thinking about the night at the alley. "I didn't tell you about me almost getting mugged at the alley."

"You got mugged in the alley?!" he sounded even more furious.

"No, I didn't." To my dismay, he wasn't Alex. I know, I know. I'm such a fool to think that he was Alex. "Some guy saved me."

"Well, do you even know him?"

I shrunk in terror to the sound of his voice, but instead of making him stop, I want to hear him worry more. It was the kind of care that I never heard from anyone. My parents weren't that worried. They already knew me so well. They know that I can handle myself and that I'm responsible enough, but Stranger...he knew there was something else to me. A vulnerable side that could be penetrated by fear.

"Not really. He's a waiter at The Grand Pacific Hotel then, he turns out to be the owner of the place. Such a liar."

There was a pause. "Do you hate him now?"

"I don't know...I guess I can't since I owe him my life."

"Well, on the contrary, I don't think he lied."

"What?" I don't believe this. "Are you siding with him?"

"No. And no, I'm not saying this because I'm a guy. I mean, you didn't ask him if he was an owner, did you?"

I paused. He was right. "No."

"Then, he didn't lie. He just kept his identity a secret."

"Uh-huh. Like you."

There was silence.

"Would you be mad at me if you finally knew who I was?"

I thought for a moment. "Why would I be mad at you? Did you lie about being a playboy hunk?"

He chuckled. My favorite music genre. "No. I didn't lie. I just...you might just...nothing."

I felt a bit nervous, wondering who he really is. "Look, I have to start packing."

"You're only in New York for two days, Katie. You're not like those girls who packs, like, their whole wardrobe just for a weekend, are you?"

I laughed for the first time, a real carefree laugh. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not. I just need to find the best outfit for my interview."

"Oh. Right." I heard him slap his forehead. "You're interview's on Saturday, right?"

I sighed, feeling slightly nervous already. "Yeah."

"Well, good luck with that."

I smiled. "Thanks. I'm gonna need lot's of it."

He smirked. "I doubt it."

***

I studied the map again, trying to get it right while the traffic light is on red. Before I left, Cara and I had breakfast at the Sweet Dreams. She told me two cheap hotels with wi-fi connections at least 1000 miles away from each other. New York is 2878 miles away from Los Angeles. The journey scared me. I've never driven that far before. I mean, hey, I'm new at this. I have received angry car beeps on the highway because I still drive quite slow. Being place to place like a homeless person scared me the most. I have no one and nothing to hold on to. My future, as you can see, is pretty much empty right now. I don't feel like I'm engaged because Brylle is always busy. And if I make an attempt to call, he'll say "I'm kind of busy right now. Can't you just wait until I call you?".

I stopped to eat lunch at some shawarma stand in Arizona then, I went back to driving. I arrived at a hotel in Albaquerque where Cara had already booked me a room.

My head felt so heavy and my eyes felt like closing. Dinner didn't sound so interesting at all. I decided to check my e-mail the next day instead. I brushed my teeth and splashed water on my face. I can't wait to get myself onto that bed.

Sorry, Cara. I know promised to send you an e-mail when I get here but zzzzzzz...