Chapter 38
“What? No way!” Savannah shouted when she found out that I was her teammate in the forestry activity. I’m just calm because I’m trying not to get bored. I want to be kind because I don’t want to have something that will make Ismael feel bad again. I need to be like him. I should be calm, because that’s how he handles me. I just approached Savannah while she was still busy complaining. This is our punishment for our fight last night. It’s a good thing that the students didn’t believe what she said because the faculty members explained the real reason why Professor Sybill left. They said it was for his wife. I also learned the truth there. Dean Dator and other members of the faculty literally saved me from him. I thought it was my fault, so Professor Sybill got fired. I thought it was because of our secret relationship. It turns out that they want to stop the abuse that he is secretly doing at Marcus University. Professor Sybill had many victims, not just me. And they kept it from us because they didn’t want students to look down on Professor Sybill, but they had no choice but to tell it to them for the sake of me. I felt guilty because of how I behaved towards them before, and that’s why I want to behave with my best attitude now. I don’t want to cause Ismael any more headaches. “Come on! Are you just gonna stand there? They’re leaving! We have to be the first to find five flags, so I won’t be with you for long!” she shouted artfully. I just followed her into the jungle because she said there were hidden flags that we had to find to win this game. It was nine o’clock in the morning, and we were already scattered in the forest with our partners. Earlier, we did zumba. I was laughing at Ismael because he was there in the front with the other faculty members, and we were going to imitate him. “Why aren’t you talking? Are you teasing me?” Savannah stopped walking and turned to me. “No. I am focusing on finding those flags because I need money,” I answered as I passed her to jump to the tree where a flag was. I gave it to her. “Money? Why? Are your parents no longer supporting you, so you’re flirting with Professor Mondalla?” she remarked as she continued walking past me. I rolled my eyes secretly. Gosh, she’s really trying me. But I have to be calm. “Yeah, just like you said, my parents abandoned me. But no, I am not flirting with Professor Mondalla.” “Are you sure? You didn’t return to your tent last night after Professor Mondalla took you away. Tell me, what is going on between the two of you?” The muscles in my body tensed up, mostly on my fist. I want to punch her face because she’s not stopping fussing. I wanted to maintain my composure, but the words slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself. “You might get a heart attack if I tell you precisely what happened last night between us.”
Her mouth dropped. I left her in awe. That’s the only thing that will shut her up. I will let her mind run wild.
I walked ahead of her to find four more flags. I don’t care if she follows me or helps me anymore. I will lift for myself because I am the one who needs the money here because they are all rich. I need those five thousand! In addition to the salary I received from Mr. Vargas! I smiled when I saw another flag in the pile of dry leaves. I turned to give Savannah the flag. She was still in the place where I left her. Still standing and staring. I approached her to put the second flag in her hand. “Are you okay? Have you had a heart attack?” I asked jokingly. This is probably how Ismael feels when she teases me whenever I get annoyed with him. “I’m going up there to look for more. It’s up to you if you follow.” I walked away from her. I was surprised when she shouted. “I will not follow you!” She stormed off. Tsk. Just now she wanted us to be the first to find five flags; has her anger towards me returned? That’s why Ismael said that when I once asked him why he was still kind to me even though I had a very bad attitude, he said that nothing good happens when you treat those bad guys in the worst way. I don’t know who taught him that, but I now understand what he meant. I spent several hours looking for three more flags. I had a bit of a hard time finding them because one was over there by the cave, the other one was over there by the sea-over there in the boat, and I got the other one over there by the garbage can. All I have to do is find Savannah so I can get the two flags from her and add them to the three flags I have. Where the hell is she? “Savannah?” I shouted, hoping that she was just around, but maybe she came back to the tent first and left me forever. But I’ll stick around and check if she’s still there in the place where we last met. Hold on, where is the way back? I was in the middle of recollecting my memories of the path I took to be in this place when it started pouring rain. I looked at the sky. It’s getting a bit cloudy. What time is it? I should go back now. I tried to find my way out, but I kept getting back to the same place. Fuck. Am I getting lost? I took out my phone to call Ismael, but I couldn’t connect to him because there was no signal. I felt a little nervous. There’s still someone around, right? If it’s not Savannah, someone else is here to find flags, right? “Hey! Is anyone out there?” I shouted at the top of my lungs, hoping that someone might hear me, but there’s no one. I was completely drenched in heavy rain because, even in the trees, I couldn’t take shelter. I’m still getting wet. I tried to calm down, even though I am now getting scared. I feel like I’m in a loop. I didn’t know where I was going or which way back to the resthouse. I kept on biting my nails, but I just saw myself stuck like a statue. I keep on encouraging myself. I can get out of here. Someone will find me. Ismael will find me. “Ismael? Are you there?” I screamed loudly, hoping he would hear me, but it seemed impossible. The faculty is not included in this activity. He must have been there at the resthouse. “Jothea?” I stopped when I heard a woman’s voice. “Jothea? Is that you?” I was immediately brought back to reality when I realized what I heard was true-someone was calling my name. “Jothea! I’m here! C-can you help me?” Savannah shouted hoarsely. It was her, I know, but where the hell is she? And why is she screaming and asking for help? I felt nervous. “Savannah? Where are you?” I answered back to her question. “Here! I fell! Can you help me get out of here? I promised, I won’t mess with you again! Just help me out! I’m begging you! I need you here!” There was a trace of fear in her voice between deep sobs. I tried to find where her voice was coming from. And when I saw a big and deep chasm, Savannah’s miserable face greeted me. Her eyes were red from crying. Her clothes were also full of dirt, and she was drenched from the rain. “W-what are you doing there? What happened to you?” I asked worriedly. The pit she was in was deep, and I didn’t know how to get her out of it. I’m trying to think! “I slipped a while ago when I left you. This must be my karma,” she said, full of regret. “I’m really sorry, Jothea. Please don’t leave me here. I know I’ve done a lot of wrong to you, but don’t leave me here. Please…” she begged. She’s stomping her feet; that’s why I noticed that the water from the rain is now building up on the pit. I landed in the mud to extend my hand to her. “Hold me.” She tried to reach me, but my hand was too short for her. So, I tried my best to extend my arms, but still, it wasn’t enough. Shit. Shit. When I go down, maybe instead of pulling her up, she will pull me down. I can feel the slip because of the mud. “Jothea… please, please help me. I’ll do whatever you wish; just help me on this,” she begged with tears in her eyes. The nervousness is only raging in my chest more and more. “I will. I promise. I’ll take you out of here.” I went down even more to reach her hand, but the ground I was lying on was really slippery, so I was dragged too. I just closed my eyes, but immediately someone grabbed my waist, so I turned to see who it was. It was Ismael. He picked me up from falling into the deep pit. “What are you doing here?! I’ve been trying to find you!”Content rights belong to NôvelDrama.Org.