Chapter 9

"THE one there is already in love." Maggie teased her.

"No!" Alyssa refused, She didn't want to admit to her friend how she felt for Carlos.

"Your answer sounds like it's out of your nose," Maggie added and stood up. "You look good together, you're both beautiful and handsome, you're both talented. Most of all, you have the same passion!"

Alyssa also got up and followed her friend who was already sitting on the bed. Alyssa also sat next to her.

Maggie opened both arms and lay down on the bed.

"Don't worry Maggie, when Carlos becomes my boyfriend you'll be the first to know," Alyssa said almost in a whisper as she stared at the ceiling.

Maggie sat up in bed at what she heard.

"You said you didn't like Carlos, but you hoped Carlos would be your boyfriend," Maggie laughed out loud.

Alyssa seemed embarrassed. She took the pillow and slapped it on her friend

Maggie also picked up a pillow and slapped Alyssa as well. And when they got tired they rested.

WHILE on the porch. Roommates Maureen and Charlotte are resting.

Charlotte snatched something from her pocket of denim shorts. A pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

"When did you start smoking?" Maureen asked Dianna.

"When I was fifteen, I think," Charlotte replied.

They were standing, Charlotte moved slightly away from Maureen. Charlotte took a cigarette stick, using the lighter she was holding she lit the cigarette.

"Would you like to try?" She asked Maureen.

"No thanks!" Maureen refused. "Does your parents know you smoke?"

Charlotte smoked a cigarette and blew the smoke up.

"No!" Charlotte shook her head. She leaned against the railing of the porch, facing Maureen. "They're both busy at work, we're together at home, but we don't see each other," Charlotte mentions her parent.

"I have a good relationship with my parents, but they are in another country now for their business trip. I'm with my sister but she also rarely stays at home because my sister loves adventure. I don't have a class at school yet, I've had a boring day so I've decided to come here to San Victoria."

"My parents didn't know I was here in San Victoria." Said Charlotte. "They don't care about me. Only business is important to them." She seemed to be upset. She took another cigarette stick to light it but Maureen stopped her immediately.

"Why?" Charlotte wondered.

"Isn't that Daisy?" Maureen said uncertainly, at the same time pointing to the garden which was quite a distance from where they were.

Dianna's gaze followed Maureen's direction.

"Yes, that's Daisy." Charlotte agrees.

"Why is she alone?" Maureen again.

"Maybe she's embarrassed to talk to Alyssa and Maggie, you know those two, they can't be separated."

"Anyway, you're right. Let's go." Maureen invites Charlotte to go to the garden.

"Okay," Charlotte replied and put the cigarette case and lighter back in the pocket of her shorts.

The two girls left the porch and went down the stairs. They saw the two young men in the living room, they looked serious in what they were reading.

"Where are you going?" Noel asked the two girls as they passed them.

Charlotte stopped stepping. "We're just going to the garden,"

Noel folded the newspaper he was reading. He planned to join them but Carlos stopped him immediately. "Just stay here, come with me. Let the girls talk."

"Yes Carlos is right, just stay here. We're just going to Daisy, in the garden." Charlotte said and stepped away from them, Maureen was already ahead of her because she was disgusted with Noel.

Noel did nothing, so he reopened the newspaper he had just read.

Where is the page I'm reading? he whispered to himself as he searched for the page he had been reading earlier.

"I've seen it," Noel exclaimed when he saw the page he was looking for. Carlos turned to look at it.

"What are you reading? Maybe your reading something obscene?" Carlos asked curiously.

"No, I'm reading news," Noel answered and started reading.

"Can I read it?" Carlos said and took a look at what Noel was reading.

Noel immediately avoided the newspaper he was holding.

"Don't bother me, Carlos," Noel stopped once pushing slightly on Carlos' chest. "I'm just only reading the news,"

Noel started reading again. He chose to read a part of the newspaper that was written about romance.

Carlos just shook his head and read again.

DAISY was talking to her older brother on her cellphone, he said their father was rushed to the hospital because of a mild stroke. According to him, their father's condition was fine, but she still couldn't help but feel worried.

"I will talk Sir Gregorio later, I'll be home tomorrow," Daisy said to her brother on the other line.

"Just finish the few days you've been there. Dad is fine." Her older brother said.

"I'm worried about dad," Daisy said in tears. Using her fingers, she wiped her teary eyes.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of Dad. Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes, please, let me talk to dad," Daisy replied.

After a while, Daisy was talking to her Father.

"Don't worry about me, Hija. I'm fine." Her father said on the other line.

Daisy cried when she heard her father's voice.

"Dad, maybe you ate pork fat again, please avoid the things the doctor forbids you." Daisy heard her father's weak laugh.

"Because your mother is good at cooking." Her father's joke. Daisy heard her older brother's weak laugh.

"Mom seems to be the one to blame!" Her older brother groaned. Somehow she also felt a little less nervous.

"Just end your vacation there in San Victoria. We're excited Daisy, to see the masterpieces you're making there." Her father was referring to her paintings.

"As long as you promise to get well soon, dad?"

"Yes Hija, go ahead and daddy is a little sleepy. Always be careful there, don't go hungry, don't go anywhere." Reminder to Daisy of her father.

Daisy nodded even though her father couldn't see it.

"Yes dad, I love you, dad. Just tell mom and Drew that I miss you all!"

"We miss you too, be careful there, I love you!"

"Bye Dad!" Daisy said goodbye. She turned off the cellphone.

"How sweet!

Daisy jumped in shock when someone suddenly spoke behind her. Maureen and Dianna were the ones she saw.

"You surprised me," Daisy smiled at them. She put the cellphone she was holding, in the pocket of her dress.

The two girls sat on the bench, Daisy also sat next to Charlotte.

"Why do you look sad?" Maureen asked. "Shouldn't you be happy because you talked to your dad?" she added. Because they heard the last thing daisy said, she mentioned the word "Dad,"

"I just couldn't help but worry for my dad, he was rushed to the hospital."

"What happened to him?" They asked Daisy at the same time.

"Mild stroke," Daisy answered shortly. She reached for the white flower, Daisy touched it carefully. "My dad seems to be fine, but I told my dad maybe I'll go home tomorrow."

The two girls were saddened to hear from Daisy.

"You're leaving us too," Charlotte said as she played with the small plants with her right foot.

"I'm still not sure, I will ask permission from Sir Gregorio tonight that I will return to Manila tomorrow."

"Maybe Sir will let you, those two didn't even say goodbye," Maureen said referring to the two fellow students, Sofia and Miguel.

"My dad wants me to finish the few days I have to stay here. But I'm afraid that my dad might have another heart attack. I can continue studying painting even if I'm in Manila."

"Maybe just go home, you also won't be able to focus on what you're going to do here if your Dad's condition is on your mind," Maureen said.

Charlotte agreed with Maureen.

The two girls also understand Daisy's feelings for her Father.

Charlotte admitted to herself that she lacked the care and love of her parents, but she never wanted anything bad to happen to them. She loves her parents even if they have a different way of proving that they love her too.

"Are you going to get some air so you came here to the garden?" Daisy changes the subject.

"Charlotte and I were on the porch earlier, we noticed you were alone here in the garden so we went to see you," Maureen replied. "Hmm, we thought you might be embarrassed to talk to your roommates."

"To accompany you here," Charlotte replied.

Daisy smiled at them.

"Thank you, but the three of us are fine in the room. I left them in the room, they're having a good time. My older brother called, so I'm here in the garden." Daisy smiled.

The two nodded at what Daisy said. Until they discussed Daisy's plan to go home. She was supported by two fellow students.