Lost in Hinterland

Chapter 1 : Their Arrival

Their mussed odyssey started when...

"Are you ready, Farrah?"

Farrah breathed deeply before nodding, as she heard Haru's blissful voice on a video call. This isn't their first time to go on a voyage, but she can't explain what she's currently feeling.

Siguro nga, excited lang talaga ako, she thought.

"We'll wait here in the car na lang, huh?" he added, with a comforting smile on his face. Binaba niya rin agad iyong tawag, upang matapos na ang kanyang pag-aayos.

But then she realized, wala naman siyang kailangang ipangamba, sapagkat kasama niya naman si Haru at iba pa nilang mga kaibigan. Bahala na, she sighed.

"Farrah? Still there?" ani Phoebe, kasabay ng marahang pagkatok sa pinto ng kwarto niya.

"Yes!" she briefly answered, while gently spraying perfume on herself. Naramdaman niya na lamang ang pagpasok nila.

"Why you're so matagal ba?" they just chuckled, as Chloe begins grumbling. Hindi na bago sa kanila ang marinig ang pag-iinarte ng kaibigan nilang 'to. "Look, oh! I'm getting haggard na," sumandal na lamang siya sa couch, at pinag-krus ang braso sa tapat ng dibdib.

"Sino ba namang tanga, Chloe? Alam mo nang magha-hiking tayo, ta's putok na putok iyang make-up mo!?" singit ni Reese sa usapan. Their friend just rolled her eyes.

Sandaling tinitigan ni Farrah ang sarili sa harapan ng salamin, without any precised reason.

"Tara na!" she firmly uttered, then hanged her bag on her shoulders.

They left her room, and went downstairs. She saw her dad typing something on his laptop. Even though he's always facing pile of paper works, hindi naman siya nagkulang sa pag-aaruga kay Farrah. He is truly a kindhearted father. No wonder why he's adored by all of his employees, and why she eminently admire him, too.

Kahit na sila lamang dalawa ang palaging magkasama.

Hindi man lang siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makasama ang kanyang ina, sapagkat binawian ito agad ng buhay, pagluwal pa lamang sa kanya. That's the sad reality she can't escape, but she learned to accept it subsequently.

"Tito, we gotta go na po!" Chloe politely told him. Nag-angat ito ng tingin at tumayo sa kinauupuan upang lapitan sila.

"Gusto niyo bang ipahatid ko na kayo kay Kuya Brody?" tugon ng kanyang ama sa kanila, he's been like this since before.

"Salamat po, pero hindi na po kailangan. Jayden brought his chevrolet po kasi," magalang na sagot ni Phoebe.

"We'll take a good care of your precious diamond naman, Tito. Don't worry," they all laughed as Reese released those words of flattery assurance.

Napakamot na lamang sa likod ng ulo ang lalaki. "Oh, sige na mga hija. Mag-iingat kayo," they all nodded to him, and went outside.

Paalis na rin sana si Farrah, ngunit marahang inagaw ng ama ang braso nito. "Mag-iingat ka, anak. Ikaw na lang ang mayroon ako."

Nang ipaalam kasi niya noong nakaraang linggo na aalis sila ngayong araw, agad tumutol ang kanyang ama. Subalit hindi naglaon, pinayagan rin siya nito-alam niya namang hindi siya pababayaan ng kanyang mga kasama. Batid din niya na nag-aalala lamang ito, sapagkat bakas iyon sa kanyang mga mata. Ayaw niyang ipakita na maging siya ay kinakabahan, kaya pilit niyang ipininta ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha.

Farrah walked towards him and embraced him tightly. "I will, Dad," she whispered. "Babalik ako dito nang ligtas. Huwag kang mag-alala." After a second, he let her go and accompanied her towards their front door.