Scarlet Strings of Love

Chapter 8: Dolor del Pasado

"Pain in the present is experienced as hurt, pain in the past is remembered as anger." —Gaelic Proverb

"Bye, Poppy!" Red said as she ran to the door. She's not really into public transportation, since the last time she rode public transportation, she was almost sent to heaven. Luxus and Ysabelle didn't mind, they just pretended it was nothing and were even talking and laughing even though they held the handle too tight that their knuckles turned white.

"Magi-ingat ka, Red," Poppy said.

"Huwag magpa-gabi!" Aunt Faith added. She ran to the university which was almost three blocks from their house. When she arrived, she saw Ysabelle getting out of a car, together with Luxus. She quickly ran up to them.

"G'day, mates!" They both turned to her. She smiled at them widely.

"Oh," Ysabelle said. "Good morning, Red." She said with a smile.

"Good morning, Red," Luxus said, smiling. Red stopped breathing for a second when she saw his smile. 

"So, what's the tea?" Red asked. The two looked baffled and it confused Red.

"Tea? What tea?" Ysabelle asked, confused. Scarlet blinked at them, frowning. "You two are always together, you eat lunch together, and you go to school together," Red said. "I thought for sure there's tea."

"Am I wrong?" she asked. Luxus and Ysabelle looked at each other and they suddenly laughed. Red is standing there, confused. Why are they laughing? Did she say something funny?

"What's funny?" she asked.

"Sorry," Ysabelle said, wiping out the tears from her eyes. Luxus was still laughing and Red blinked. She was amused at his laugh. It made his eyes significantly smaller and his shoulders were shaking a little, and she never thought she'd like that.

"Red, we're not dating. If that's what you're thinking," Ysabelle said once the laughter had subsided.

"Yeah," Luxus said, nodding. "Her car was down, and her brother is out of town. Kaya ako ang sumundo sa kanya."

"But, why didn't you just walk? Or what's your term for it? Right, commute. Why don't you just commute?"

"Because the subdivisions where we live are near, and the school is 20 minutes away from my house by car," Ysabelle explained. "Malayo kapag nilakad. Mahirap rin sumakay sa umaaga kaya nagpapasundo na lang sa kaniya. Free of charge pa."

"Oh, I see," Red nodded in understanding. "Well, I only walk to school even back down under, so I kinda got used to all the walking. Plus, it's tiring to stop at the servo."

"Servo?" Luxus sounded so confused. Red realised that some Filipinos don't know some Australian slang like Orange and Austin.

"You mean, petrol station?" Ysabelle said.

"Uhh, gas station, but yeah, it's also called a petrol station," Red said. She paused for a moment. "Wait a minute. Are you english?"

"Well, half-english, I guess," Ysabelle said, rubbing the back of her neck. Red once again was amused. These people are always full of surprises and she enjoyed learning stuff about them.

"Really?" Red said in awe. "So that's why you have that weird accent when you speak English. Where in England?"

"Britain."

"Which side?"

"Mother's."

"So... a servo in Australia is called a petrol station in British English, and it's a gas station in standard English?" Luxus confirmed.