Camping

The Senior High Camping came in no time. All students who are in 12th and 11th Grade are present to take part in the annual 2 days and 1 night camping day. They came in front of St. Luke High before 6 o'clock in the morning, where the buses were all lined up to send them to a designated place. Both principal and teachers assigned had a meeting to decide for the place, considering the suggestion of students who filed to the Student Council Office. In the end, they come to a mountain. Do hiking, find a camping area and perform some activity that is scheduled for 2 days and 1 night.

It's already quarter to 5 o'clock in the morning, almost half of the expected students who'll come are present. The representative of each section is the one who's assigned for the attendance while Student Council members are checking and organizing everyone so there's no problem came on the way. Georgina insist to look for 11th Grade students since they're still hard to organize while Joshua is the one who assigned to all 12th Grade. They've been busy for half an hour getting the others to ride the designated buses and checking all their attendance. So far, so good. No one's making any trouble and everything went as they planned.

Half an hour came, all students were present at last. Georgina talk to the head teacher who'll come with them and walk inside their class assigned bus. It's noisy inside. Many students show some excitement and the rest are all nervous since this is the first time for them to come in a mountain. She first saw Marga sitting with her friends in the middle, behind them were Maila and Janna. On the other side, almost in the middle part, she saw Giovanni, Kiela and Jin sitting together. In the front, there's Jace is sitting with some boys. She heaves a sigh and sits beside the teacher, who's in front.

The ride took a five long hours of drive until they reach the place. Before going to a camping site inside the mountain, both teachers and the hired guides give a precaution to them. In the middle of listening to them, Georgina can't help but look around to make sure the place is not dangerous, not until she spots something off. A familiar car stops behind the lined up buses. As soon as it stops, the driver came out to open the door on the opposite side. She frown as a figure of a woman came out. It's her mother.

"Joshua, who funded this camping event?" She asked.

He looks at the folder he's holding and scan something inside. "It says here this year the Serrano Electronics Company funded Senior High Camp."

"Serrano?"

She clenches her fist by hearing the surname.

"Go on without me. I'll follow you behind." Georgina said to Joshua about to walk but he stop her.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to confirm something before it's too late. Take care of the rest. I'll be back." She taps his shoulder and continues to walk towards her mother, who seems to relax about the situation.

Two men in black blocks her as she stops in front with a rage mood. A chuckle escape her mouth and step back couldn't believe on what's going on.

"What the hell is this all about? Are you desperate to tie me down?"

"You're a devil child, a demon. I need to make sure about my safety. There's nothing wrong with being cautious, right?"

"Don't beat around the bush and f*cking tell me what are you doing here? What are you planning to mess with now?"

"I want to watch the best scene in my own two eyes,"

"Y-you..."

"Let me tell you something, Gina... You're about to be arranged with someone. It settled and your father give his consent about this,"

Her eyes widened in surprise because of the unexpected words came out to her mouth. She clenches both fists, fighting her own self to not berserk. Despite of how she stops herself, the rage is too much to handle. After a few seconds of breathing rapidly, trying to restrain herself from doing something unnecessary, but in the end she couldn't help it and rushes towards her, but the two men stop it. Even if how many times she tries to get close, the two are just too strong for her to handle. In the end, she got pushed down on the ground.

"F*ck you! I hated the hell of you!" She said, mumbling to herself. "You can't tie me down in your own way so you find something common and easiest plan. Arrange marriage? It's an old ritual of rich people. It didn't exist in this era anymore, but..."

"It still exists. You'll accept it."

"You live up to your name, evil witch."

Georgina heave a sigh before standing up, shake out the dust on her clothes and hands.

"You come here with confidence, then I'm sure you already have a secret weapon that makes me surrender."

"Despite of being a hotheaded, you're still smart and can read the situation. If you know what will happen, then enjoy the last day of heaven. You'll fall to hell soon."

"You maybe win this time, but I'll make you fall with me. See for yourself how this demon child laugh at you soon,"

After saying those words, she walks back to where the others without looking back. She's holding herself not to cry or show any weakness, not letting the evil witch have her way. This is what she's good at, holding back, accepting defeat and being fooled over again. Her mother knows what makes her kneel. Either her family or Giovanni. There's no one else. Until now, she couldn't believe how her mother hated her own daughter. She didn't do unnecessary thing to trigger, but it just happen the time she came to this world.

It's almost 12 o'clock in the afternoon when they reach the camping site. It's a wide place surrounded by a lot of trees. The wind is cold, but the atmosphere seems fine, a typical rural area vibes. In Georgina's peripheral view, she notice Giovanni glancing at her with a serious face.

Since they came after a long walk, the head teacher let them rest and eat lunch before fixing all their things and set up a tent as a group.

On the other side, Georgina walks near the area without appetite to eat anything after the clash with her mother. She just wants to think and think a lot.

"Hey, Hon." She almost jumps out of shock when someone grabs her wrist.

"S-Stealer? I almost had a heart attack. What are you doing?" She asked, shake off her hand.

"I keep calling you behind, but you seem thinking a lot."

She didn't say a single word and continue to walk while Jace follows. He looks at her back and saw how she stiffened and become wary of surrounding.

"Hon, can we talk? I want to talk to you since the day you vanish in the mall out of nowhere, leaving me with your ex current girlfriend." He asked in a gentle voice. It made her stop and remember what happened.

A silence between them occurs. You can only hear the birds chirp and rustling of leaves as the wind blows. It's a peaceful atmosphere, a good time to talk in serious stuffs.

Georgina clench her fists without saying a single word. In fact, there're many things happened since that day and it's not a problem that she can talk to anyone. She's thankful for him for always siding and helping the likes of her despite of terrible attitude. Since the first day, he insists on helping without forcing her to tell what's going on, whenever she's caught up in a difficult situation and even letting her cry and get comforted by those gentle hands. Even though they bicker whenever there's a time, Jace is a kind person. He's always considerate and understanding. Despite of it, she needs to draw a fine line between for him to not caught up in the mess.

"Do you know when you're in trouble, your face shows it all... If you can't say it, let me do." He said. "I'm not smart, but not dumb. Do you remember when I told you I can be your shoulder to cry? I'll take it back."

A tear falls down from her eyes, still facing her back towards him.

"How many times I reach out you never touch my hand and purposely turn a blind eye to that fact? Since then I realize something. There's no way I can catch up with you and Giovanni. Both of you build an iron wall around with only you and him inside. No one's allowed to enter. I don't understand it. I never wish to understand the complicated situation you're in." He said and step forward. "If you don't want me to interfere any longer, I'll stop and act like never been part of it. Sure, I have fun with you but..."

She got startled when he put on a necklace. It's not just a random one. It's the necklace she like before when they first encounter each other.

"We start in this necklace so, let's end up with this too. Let's be a normal classmates Georgina." Tears after tears fall down from her eyes like a waterfall as she could feel the warmth of Jace's hands patting her head.

He steps backward and smile before turning his back and walk towards where others without looking back. This time, Georgina didn't stop herself and cry while the head bows down. She didn't look or stop his resolve. It's not like they can't see each other, but it still hurts her. There's a difference between a classmate and friend. The fact Jace didn't choose to become her friends rather classmates means one thing. He's just telling her they can't be friends. It's not because he has a grudge, feels upset or gets revenge.

Jaceriel ended up liking her.

He crosses the line but realizes the iron wall surrounding her, analyzes everything and gets the best possible conclusion. Before he can do anything or even take a move, his own body backs out. It's terrible. She felt sorry, but the word is not enough to express it.

"It looks like you have the best farewell of your life this time," She looked behind, wiping her tears away, and saw Giovanni leaning behind the tree with a cross arm.