Scenes from SparkNA

Scene from Chasing Waterfalls by Justine Camacho Tajonera

From the author: In Chasing Waterfalls, Sarah Silvestre has always been the dependable one. That's why everyone calls her "Steady Sarah." She's responsible, mature, organized, and has her life all planned out. Until one day, everything turns upside down: first, her longtime boyfriend, Pete, breaks up with her; then, she loses her job in a corporate downsize. What's a girl to do? Pack her bags, of course. Sarah is on a quest for seven waterfalls all over the country, from Tanay, Rizal all the way to Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Her family and her best friends, Anya and Benito, all think she's crazy. But for once in her life, she's excited to be the one running away. Benito, in particular, insists on going with her. Will this be the adventure of her life? Or is she just chasing a disaster waiting to happen?

An Excerpt from Chapter 12 of Chasing Waterfalls

What just happened?

Sarah turned on a desk lamp to get her bearings. She retraced what happened. She had said something insensitive and stupid. He took a walk. When he came back, she had apologized. She was in tears. And then one thing led to another.

Or was it further back?

###

It was her prom night at her all girls' high school and she didn't want to go because she didn't have a date. Anya tried to convince her to go with her date's cousin but Sarah wouldn't hear of it. Two nights before her prom, Benito called her.

"Hey."

"Hey, Benito."

"Anya told me."

"Yeah? What'd she tell you?"

"That you won't go to your prom."

"It's no big deal. I don't believe in prom. It's overrated."

"How can you tell it's overrated if you actually haven't been to one?"

"What's your point?"

"You should go."

"You mean I should go stag? I don't know. I'd go stag if Anya didn't have a stupid date."

"You should go with me."

Sarah laughed out loud.

"What? Are you nuts? What would Charmaine say?"

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

" Are you serious, Benito? You're not just kidding around?"

"Why would I kid around about something as serious as prom?"

"It's just a prom. And I'm glad I won't have to spend on a silly dress."

"But I already have a suit to wear."

"Well, you'll really have to wear one for your grad ball."

"What a waste of a good suit if I'll only wear it once."

"Okay, not the most convincing argument to go to a prom."

"Come with me, Sarah. We'll have a blast."

"Okay."

Her mom had panicked over having to get a dress just the day before prom but they settled on one of her mom's old dresses. Her mom took out her trusty sewing machine (that was how she had saved a lot on clothes) and adjusted it to Sarah's size. It was a chiffon, knee-length, halter-top dress with an old rose color and a black velvet belt that cinched the waist. Her mom took care of her makeup.

"Ate, you look very, very pretty," Miguel said with a wide smile. She hugged her brother. She didn't want to look in her mom's direction yet because she could see her mom wiping the corners of her eyes with tissue. Then they all heard the doorbell.