Tiffany
I happily stuck my head out of the window and smiled as I admired every place we passed by. We’ll be going home tomorrow at noon, so we’ll make the most of our sightseeing here in Baguio today.
I was momentarily startled when Travis tugged at the end of my t-shirt. We were both wearing the clothes he bought at the night market recently.
It added to the happiness I was feeling because we really looked like a couple. I didn’t expect that I would convince him to wear this outfit today.
“Sit properly and buckle up your seatbelt. Later, we might encounter some reckless drivers on the road,” he gently scolded while his attention remained focused on the road.
I grinned and adjusted my sitting position. I also fastened my seatbelt before reaching for the strawberry shake placed in the cup holder between Travis and me.
We had just come from the Strawberry Farm. However, since it wasn’t peak season for strawberry picking, we didn’t catch many strawberries there. So, we decided to explore the entire place instead. It was surrounded by various colorful flowers and vegetable crops.
I didn’t miss out on buying the strawberry ice cream being sold nearby, made from pure strawberries. The shake I was drinking now also came from the same source. But considering the price, you can still get a better deal downtown in Baguio.
Now, Travis and I are heading to Tree Top Adventure, located in Camp John Hay. It will be a long journey, but I can’t sleep due to the excitement.
“Are you sure you’re not getting sleepy? Being sluggish is not allowed there later,” he teasingly said.
I shook my head and finished my shake. “Nope. I’ve reserved plenty of energy for the activities later,” I assured him.
He chuckled. “That’s actually one of your traits that I liked. You’re always energetic, and you just won’t slow down.”
I let out a sigh because of what he said. I noticed that he seemed taken aback as he realized the words that came out of his mouth.
It may not have been his intention, but it’s a good thing that he can now bring up something from the past without feeling resentment towards it.
He didn’t speak further after that. So, I also fell silent and looked outside to preserve the harmonious atmosphere that existed between us now.
But because of that, a bigger sense of hope blossomed in my heart.
***
When we arrived at Camp John Hay, we went straight to Tree Top Adventure. But I wondered why he continued walking past the ticket booth.
I looked around. Unlike the other places we had visited in the past few days, it was deserted here. Just like what happened at Burnham Park Lake last week.
I slowly turned to him. Even though I had an idea of what was happening, it was still hard for me to believe.
“Don’t tell me; you also—”
I almost jumped in surprise when he suddenly put his arm around my shoulder.
“Whatever it is that’s running through your head, just forget it. All we need to do right now is to enjoy our last day here.”
“But—”
He extended his hand in front of us. “Shall we? It would be a waste of my rental for the entire place if we don’t make the most of our stay here.”
I stared at him, my heart wanting to break free from its place due to its fast and strong beating.
I can’t believe that this is actually happening right now. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for years.
“Let’s try the canopy ride first,” I suggested.
He nodded. “Fine with me.”
We immediately headed to the first station. Despite the slight uneasiness of the ride, I didn’t remove the camera hanging around my neck.
After being assisted by the facilitator and ensuring that all our safety gear was properly secured, we carefully sat on the waiting cable chair. I couldn’t help but let out a scream as it started moving.
But when I finally settled into my seat, I couldn’t help but be in awe of the scenery. The cable chair moved slowly, allowing us to enjoy the peaceful view of the entire park. We also felt refreshed by the cold natural breeze embracing our skin.
Even though I couldn’t use my camera in this situation, I managed to capture the picturesque view with the mini camera attached to my helmet.
As much as possible, I also refrained from looking down to avoid feeling uncertain.
It was so much fun when we tried to touch the ends of the pine tree leaves and brushed our feet on top of the trees. The sky seemed so close, as if we could reach the flying birds.
After successfully transferring to the four stations, we finally got off the cable chair. We expressed our gratitude to the facilitators and took a picture with them before moving on to the next activity.
We agreed to proceed with trekking and the skywalk adventure. We walked at a leisurely pace as our eyes were filled with the beautiful sights along the way. It helped us temporarily forget about our personal problems and work-related stresses.
There were towering trees and various types of flowers. The air here was fresh, a stark contrast to the polluted air we encounter in the city every day. In addition, we could see the towering mountains of Itogon appear so close to our eyes.
The moment we reached the Skywalk, which served as the viewing platform, we couldn’t help but stop for a moment and appreciate the beauty of nature.
“I would love to live here someday and enjoy the peaceful life it can offer once I decide to quit showbiz,” he said out of the blue.
I didn’t know why, but I suddenly felt a mix of nervousness and joy because of what he said.
I nodded while keeping my attention focused on him. “That would be great. You also deserve to reward yourself after working hard for so many years.”
A few moments of silence passed before he spoke again.
“Would you love that too?”
I felt like I stumbled upon my own thoughts because of his question. I didn’t want to think too much about it, but it seemed like he was trying to convey something with that question he threw at me.
I turned to him to answer his question, but all I saw was his retreating figure.
I sighed and just followed him. I decided to let go of what he said for now.
When we got tired of walking, we decided to try the Superman ride. As soon as we reached the tower, we climbed up the stairs to the ledge. After putting on our safety gear, we climbed onto two metal bars, where the facilitator attached our harnesses to the cable.
There were two metal bars available. One was for the back of our legs, while the other was placed in front of our arms. These bars helped us position ourselves like Superman. It was a type of zip line that pulled us backward and then forward, giving us the extreme feeling of flying in the sky.
Because we kept going back and forth to the tower, the cold breeze kept hitting our faces. I couldn’t help but close my eyes and scream in delight.
Since it was difficult to take pictures in our current position, I asked one of the facilitators on the tower to take a picture and video of us. Of course, I couldn’t pass up this adventure.
When it was over, I caught my breath as if I had just finished a long run. I had been screaming so much that my voice was almost hoarse.
“Did you enjoy it?” he asked as we got off.
“Yeah. I can’t even remember the last time I was able to relax like this.” I smiled at him. “That’s why I’m really happy I took this job.”
For some unknown reason, his face suddenly lost its expression. I shrugged it off. Perhaps he was just tired.
We moved on to the Silver Surfer ride. This activity was best enjoyed with a partner because of the specially designed ledge that accommodated two people facing each other. It was a motorized zip line with stopping and swinging motions as if you were surfing in the air.
Just like on the Superman ride, I couldn’t help but scream, especially since we were hanging in the air while the ledge moved. It felt like one wrong move, and I would fall. Luckily, I didn’t have any heart problems, and I was mentally strong when it came to these kinds of activities.
The swinging of the ledge continued until we reached the other end.
“Are you okay? Is something wrong?” I asked Travis when I noticed that he still seemed to be in a bad mood.
He sighed and looked at me seriously. “I’m just thinking that after tomorrow, you can finally leave this job,” he replied before walking away.
I was shocked by what he said. As far as I knew, we were just fine a while ago.
What the hell happened?