Across the Seven Seas

Chapter I Part III

It's 6:30 pm and the guests are rushing into the mansion. Some faces are familiar to me yet the others, I haven't seen in my entire life. I see Flint and Clint, the twins down the street, sneakily stealing fruit salad from the refrigerator, Hannah from church, sipping wine while laughing with Tita Liezel, Kiko and Jaia, Jessica's little cousins, playing with Simon the golden retriever and Florence from the all-city jazz band, playing the piano for the guests. Meanwhile everyone is enjoying the party, Yassi and I are playing Left 4 Dead in the room in the second floor (We already ate).

"Hoy Nadine! Kailangan ko back-up may smoker zombie sa likod ko!" She held the controller so tightly. We're both sitting on the floor and leaning on the sofa.

"Papunta na p-" My health bar rapidly starts dropping after being unexpectedly surrounded by zombies. "Ay naku! Namatay pa talaga!" I place the controller on the couch.

I hear footsteps behind me but I decide to ignore it. This game is very intense I must watch! Dodge that Jockey! Shoot that Spitter! RUN RUN RUN AWAY FROM THAT WITCH WHILE SHOOTING! Must. refrain. from. cussing.

"Aye, can I play too?" A voice behind me says.

"Hindi pwede, James." Yassi says, not diverting her attention to the voice.

I turn around. In front of me stands a tall boy with dark brown hair and grey eyes. His jawline is perfectly structured, like it could chop me right now. His smile is so captivating I can't help but stare at his full lips.

"Yas, madamot ka pa rin hangang ngayon." He says, sitting beside Yassi. "Sige na, minsan lang naman tayo makasama eh, pagbigyan mo na ako." He grabs the controller that I used moments ago.

"Oy, James, ito nga pala yung kaibigan ko na si Nadine. She goes to Northvale as well. She's Canadian." She smiles at me while introducing me to the cute guy. "Nads, this is James. We used to spend our summers together. He's from Australia kasi, half Filipino, half Aussie. Oh diba, sosyal ang genes," James jokingly pushes her.

"Ah, Hi," is all I said. I was too dumbfounded by his attractive face. No, Nadine. What are you doing?

"Hey." He smiles at me for 5 seconds. "So? Yas, palalaruin mo ako o hindi?"

To escape the awkwardness that suffocated the room, I decide to excuse myself to the kitchen. I guess it's safe to say that I am ravenous for some sweets. I have a huge appetite, I have to admit. Have I said that I am a figure skater? Been skating since I was 5. A figure skater is expected to meet certain standards and one of it is to maintain a certain weight. Me? I just eat whatever I want because I barely gain weight. Gaining calories has no impact on my skating performance, so why not eat as much as I want? I rush over to the dessert table. Okay so, what do we have here? Fruits. Mango float. Leche flan. Cake pops. Cupcakes. Fruit salad. Mini s'mores jars. Might as well get one of each, except maybe more cake pops hmm like 5 maybe?"Hindi din obvious na marami ang kinuha mo ah." I hear a familiar voice behind me.

It's Bret Jackson. He's so cute. I mean okay, tall guy with chocolate brown eyes, black hair and cheekbones that make my knees weak. Oh and let's not forget the fact that he is also in my Chemistry IB class (aka smart kid) AND he plays soccer, track and field and also the musical instrument cello. I will not deny the fact that I am physically attracted to this boy but I don't like him in that way. We're still too young to know what love is. Maybe soon, but not today.

"Bret naman, ginulat mo ako dun." I hit him with my elbow. "Ang sarap kasi tignan, gusto ko i-try."

"Na try mo na yung Crème Brûlée?" He asks while chewing on a cake pop.

"Oo dun sa Canada nung pumunta kami sa Montreal. Bakit?" He grabs my hand and drags me to the huge kitchen of the Pressman's. "Hoy, shunga ka ba san mo ko dadalhin?"

"Gumawa ako ng Crème Brûlée for Tiana, you know from Chemistry IB? Gusto ko kasi i-try mo yung Crème Brûlée ko, kaya ginawan din kita." He hands me a saucer of Crème Brûlée.

"Marunong ka pala! Akin na nga yan! Ay excited na ako enebe," I accept the Crème Brûlée and take a bite. THIS . IS . SO. DANG . GOOD . HOLY . CHEESESTICKS. "Di masarap, kulang." I say instead.

He lowers his head, indicating he thinks he has failed to impress me. "Binibiro lang kita, Bret, totoong masarap ang Crème Brûlée mo." I wink at him. "Oh sige na hinahanap na siguro ako ni Yassi, tirhan ko nalang siya ng Crème Brûlée mo."

"Naglalaro kayo? Oy, sabay naman ako! Call of Duty?" Bret smiles and you can see the excitement in his eyes.

"Ayaw ni Yassi ng COD ngayon. Nakipagpustahan kasi kung sino mananalo sa COD championships, talo manuk niya, ayon, goodbye baon. Beastmode." I inform Bret and he laughs hysterically. "Left 4 Dead ang nilalaro niya ngayon."

"Sus ang basic gamers niyo naman, tara na nga!" Bret sprints ahead of me to the Yassi's room.

---Yassi's room---

"Nads, penge cake pops." Yassi grabs one of my cake pops even before I say yes. Oh Yas, typical Yas."Aye, Bret the magicman, chancing ka kay bae ah." She laughs, her attention still on the game.

"Bae mo mukha mo. Magkaibigan lang kami. Gusto mo ng Creme Brulee? Gawa ni Bret, masarap yo."  I hand her the remaining Creme Brulee. "At saka, Expert mode? Kakayanin niyo yan?" I sit on the other side of Jessica and Matthew follows.

"Tanongin mo yang mokong na yan. Uminum lang ako ng tubig pag dating ko naka play na AT expert mode pa, galing mo talaga James." I could see Yassi roll her eyes.

"Walang challenge ang Normal. Kahit yung 5 years old kaya ang Normal mode." He says, occasionally adding screams in between the words because of the game.

Yassi and James continued to play Left 4 Dead while Bret and I just kept talking to each other on the sofa. Funny thing is, I kept seeing James steal glances at me. Like I'm not cute but like if he thinks I'm cute then damn, I think I'm cute too. After 3 hours of playing Left 4 Dead (time check it's 10:00), they  finally decide to quit playing. James sits beside me now and Yassi beside Bret. Yassi introduces Bret to James and Bret offers James to shake hands but he didn't accept it. Wow, okay, rude!

Bret and Yassi started talking to each other. Laughing, giggling with constant physical abuses. Meanwhile, James and I are awkwardly sitting by each other when he finally spoke.
"Northvale, huh?" James asks me while playing with the controller. "How's good ol' Northvale?"

"It's okay I guess. I mean it could be better." I smile while catching a glimpse at him who is browsing through Yassi's PS4, still focused on the TV. "I'm new, so I'm pretty oblivious about the school's mischiefs."

"I see. But you like it here, right? Philippines? I'm contemplating whether I should stay here or in Australia. You know, I'm almost 18. Fam can't dicatate where I go anymore." He seems very distant from his family. I mean yes, okay I am very excited to be a legal adult and finally not have someone nagging me for everything but, I can't leave my family. I guess the priviledged never understands because they possess money.

"Well, James. I say you go where your family is. Happiness is where home is." I grinned at him and he finally glances at me and smiles.

"This feels like home, right here."