A Past with an Alien

CHAPTER 15

IRIS

I stared blankly outside the glass jalousie window, lost in thought about Hector. I had dismissed my class early for an important matter and wondered why Hector had been absent for two days. I was concerned about his progress and that his class would need to catch up on new lessons.

As I reminisced about the incident at the plaza two days ago, I couldn't help but recall how harsh I was to him when I tossed those roses on his face. I hurt his feelings, but why should I be accountable for his irritation? He was incredibly irritating at that moment, and I couldn't stand it. However, I also observed that he went to great lengths to draw my attention to himself. I couldn't help but wonder if he was also interested in me, like Crey.

I took a deep breath. I put my palms on my face and cast away those thoughts. "What is wrong with me? This is ridiculous."

"Hey!" I jolted when Mira popped up from the other side of the window like a ghost. "Are you going home early?"

I put my left hand on my chest. "Let me guess. You're excited," Mira added. "But sorry, girl, I'll finish my class at six."

We had decided to stroll after class.

"I know, Mira. I have to do some business first."

"And what is that?"

"Come on! It's a secret."

She raised her index finger. "Girl, girl, girl... Do you think we had no idea that we knew all along that you were killing two birds with one stone?" She moved her face so much that she could almost kiss the glass jalousie. "If you want peace of mind, would you share the other?"

"Knock it off, Mira. I am not interested in either of those two."

"Wow, girl, wow! Tell me, what spell did you cast that almost caused these two handsome men to worship you?"

"Nothing, girl. It was just natural." I flipped my hair.

"I wanted to grab a girl's hair with a natural thing inside her," she exclaimed.

I shook my head and chuckled. Mira was crazy, yet I loved her that way. "I suggest you go back to your room. Look over there. Ma'am Batongbakal is coming."

I point my fingers at our school principal walking in the corridor from afar while doing her daily routine, inspecting every classroom. Mira panicked when she saw her and rushed back to her classroom.

I went back to my table and packed my things. I will meet them later, but first, I must leave now. I hope to catch Albert's relatives and find an answer.

***

As I finally arrived at my destination, I gracefully stepped off the tricycle and looked around. The sight before me was breathtaking. Endless rice fields were draped in a luscious green hue, sprawling as far as my eyes could see. It was a serene place, with neighboring houses standing far apart. Albert resided in the southernmost part of our Poblacion, marking the boundary between our town and the neighboring ones.

A green steel gate stood before me, leading to a two-story apartment compound. It had four doors, and Albert lived in the rightmost one. His aunt gifted it to him after working in Japan, and it was supposed to be our home after we married. The dream, however, never came to fruition, and I stood there alone, reminiscing about what could have been.

A wooden signboard caught my eye to the left of the compound, and I took a deep breath. Albert's relatives were now looking to sell the property. The place was tranquil, and there was nobody around. This was the sleepiest part of our neighborhood. On both sides of the property lay two abandoned lots, overgrown with carabao grass. A lush mix of hardwood and coconut trees surrounded the back of the property. If you ventured further, you would see a massive rice field. There was another rice field in front, making it the most isolated part of the neighborhood.