Heartless (Completed)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Are you done packing?" Jace's voice cut through the quiet of my room. We were currently surrounded by the clutter of my belongings, the contents of my sling bag strewn across the bed as I hurriedly organized them. My suitcases were already lined up in the living room, ready for our departure. Today was the day Jace and I were leaving, which meant we had risen at the crack of dawn to prepare.

"And you?" I asked, glancing at him. He had his hands stuffed into his pockets, his hair tousled and disheveled. He shrugged and then gave a small nod.

"I think it's better if I go with you, ate. You're pretty broken up; you might do something drastic over there." He smirked playfully, and I shot him a disapproving look.

"So, you were just pressured into it?" I probed.

"Not really. I think it's better for me to study abroad too. I can learn things more effectively. Who knows, I might excel there."

Jace was fifteen. If he were to study abroad, he'd likely be in Grade 10 now. As for me, whether I would spend another year as a freshman or not was still up in the air. So, I might only be in America for three years instead of four. But if I decided to stay longer, I could extend my stay for another year. We had said our goodbyes to Mom and Dad before leaving, their faces etched with concern as they repeatedly reminded us to stay safe. We embraced them tightly before heading to the airport.

We arrived at the airport right on time. Desiree was there to see me off, her arms wrapped around me in a heartfelt hug.

"Take care over there, okay? Hurry up with your studies so you can come back soon," she said, her voice trembling with a mix of tears and laughter.

I chuckled softly, "What am I, some sort of supernatural being? I can't control time, you know."

"Just make sure you're careful," she said, hugging me one last time.

I glanced at my friends, feeling a pang of sadness. I would miss them dearly. Gino, Dominic, Faye, Mikaela, Vincent, Irene, Angela, Adrian—especially Desiree. They say it's hard to leave friends behind, like a piece of your happiness goes with you, and that's exactly how I felt at that moment. But there was nothing I could do.

"Don't forget to video call us sometimes," I said, placing my hand over my ear as if making a promise.

"No problem," Dominic replied, a smile spreading across his face.

"Eliann, you take care, okay?" Adrian's voice was gentle, and I smiled back at him.

"The crybaby," Gino teased as he approached and hugged me. One by one, my friends gathered around for a group hug, their warmth a bittersweet comfort.

"Ate, let's go," I heard my brother say, pulling me gently.

I looked back at my friends' faces. Just three years away seemed like an eternity, and the thought of missing them already weighed heavily on my heart.

Once seated on the plane, exhaustion overtook me. Maybe it was the physical and mental fatigue, but I fell asleep almost instantly, oblivious to the long journey ahead. We landed at the airport at six in the evening. Jace and I immediately set out to find a temporary place to stay. With two months before school started, I had nothing planned but to explore the local nightlife and socialize. Initially, mingling with people here was a bit uncomfortable, but as time passed, I began to feel more at ease. I had made a few acquaintances—a Fil-Am guy and a pure Filipina. One was male, the other female.

"Another party?" Jace's voice brought me back to the present. In the month we had been in America, he seemed to have become stricter with me. I wasn't sure if he was still my younger brother or had turned into an older brother figure.