The Ride of Love (JaDine FanFiction) [COMPLETED]

Twelfth Stop

-His POV-

A week has passed since that little talk with Nadine. Everything went fine for me. I suddenly have my confidence revived by that. I still haven't told her about my issues but just being with her makes me feel okay.

I once ate lunch with her and her friend, Yasmin. It was nice because they're both funny and they talk a lot.

About Ryan, I know that he's courting Nadine and it still pisses me but I can't do anything, since I have no right, yet. Yes, yet because I want Nadine to be my girlfriend. I just want to clear my issues so that I can give her what she deserves. I just hope by that time, she hasn't realized that she has feelings for Ryan.

My thoughts were interrupted by the bell which means my first class is over. I went out to the room and walked on my next class.

I entered and sat at my usual seat next to a window. Soon after, the instructor came in and discussed few lessons until he announced something.

“We will have an immersion next week, it will be a three days and two nights in a town in Quezon, you should inform your guardians by now. It is a tree planting and camping activity.” I got excited to that announcement, it will be my first time going out of Manila.

Days has passed until I realized it was Friday already and tonight we'll be going to Quezon. Yes, we'll leave by night so that we can make it early there. As what my instructor said, it's a long ride.

I arrived at our school gym around 9 pm just exact as the assembly time. I saw many students, I just realized that it was a university project for sophomores who's taking up the same subject. Then I saw Nadine at the entrance.

“Hey.” I approached her.

She smiled “Oh, nandito ka pala. Hindi mo sinabi sa'kin na kasama ka pala dito.”

“You didn't ask me and besides I haven't seen you in a while.” I laughed.

She frowned. “Yeah, yeah. Oo na.”

Soon after we climb into our buses and luckily I am with the same bus as her. I sat with Andy and she's with Yasmin on her side. We departed around 9:30 pm. The whole ride took about six hours, and all we did is to sleep. We arrived around past three in the morning in the site. The students were divided into groups for each room, six persons in it. They let us rest for a while and then to assemble around 5:30 in the morning.

We cooked our breakfast using the bonfire and did some exercise drills. The environment is very nature-like and so the instructors let us to tour around the place and told to be back for lunch.

I invited Nadine to come with me and at last she said yes. “Hmm, sige. Tulog pa naman si Yasmin eh.”

We walked through the forest part of the place. We were amazed how the trees can be that huge. “Wow! Ang ganda naman pala dito.” She blurted as we continue walking here and there.

I was amused as I saw how happy Nadine is looking at our surrounding. “You must really like forests, aren't you?” I asked her.

“Sino bang hindi? Gusto ko nga umakyat ng bundok eh!” She said as she looked up to the tall trees surrounding us.

When we got a little tired, we stayed at a little lake. She even played with the water in it.

“Haaay. Ang sarap ng ganito, ang peaceful lang at masaya.” I looked at her. She must have problems on her own too, to say something like that.

“Uhm, Nadine...” I said and sat with her.

She looked at me. “Bakit?”

“I'm just curious why you are working and at the same time studying...” I shyly told.

She smiled a bit. “Yon ba? Ako kasi nagpapaaral sa sarili ko.”

“Really? Don't you have someone to support your studies?” I asked her.

I saw a sad look from her eyes. “Binibigyan naman ako ng tita ko ng allowance, but it isn't enough lalo na't magastos din yung course ko tsaka pambayad ko pa ng rent at pagkain.”

I just realized how lucky I am. My problems are not as big as hers.

“How about your parents? Why are you not with them?” I curiously asked.

She even looked sadder this time. “My mom died when I was 14. My dad...” She paused “Ah tara na James! Baka hinahanap na nila tayo.” then she smiled forcely.

She stood and started to walk. I followed her and walked by her side. I know there is something with her and her dad, she might not say it but I can see it through her eyes. I want to know what is it that bothers her, what is it that keeps her eyes sad and what can I do to ease them.

We arrived at the site just exact to cook our lunch. After lunch we went to a small community to conduct interviews about their lives, it was per class so I wasn't able to come with Nadine. The instructors said to we need to help the community and so we must prepare something for them.

We really enjoyed our activity that afternoon that we didn't knew that we must go back to our camp site. We were really tired that the instructors prepared the dinner for us. This experience was the best so far and I'm so looking forward for tomorrow and the next after it. I didn't expect that activities like this can be really fun, I haven't done something like this back in the States.

The students entered their rooms already but I decided to stay by the bonfire, I know I'm tired but I'm not sleepy yet. It has been two months since I came here, I haven't talk to dad after I left. I wonder how was he right now. Mom told that he's just fine and he misses me too, 'though he really didn't say that... “Your dad misses you too, son. He once called to your room waking you up. He forgot you're not in there.” I sighed.

“James?” someone asked from nowhere.

***