Chapter 1

Bringing out blissful sighs as he stands, curving a small grin on the lips while still in this four-cornered wall gray room with his suitcase open, he can't help but think about how fast the time flew by.

It feels like only yesterday when he was spreading his eyes out, without blinking over travel blogs and forums, trying to look at the perfect place for his summer vacation. All those exhausting nights of searching and browsing the internet have finally paid off, as he has found the ideal place to linger for some damn months away from his father and their crazy hometown (not mentioning their big private business) he doesn't want to manage in the future, but as the only son of the family, no, his father only… for he is unconcerned about the whereabouts of his real mother, as if she was still alive—he doesn't give a damn.

He’s content with his father and imagining he has a mother, a strict one probably like Asian moms, most of the time—of course, he wouldn't enjoy his teenage years. If that's the case, he would have wished for a young, wild and free life for the longest time he could live in this f*cking world. Thank God it turned the other way around.

Now, he is excitingly packing his belongings, imagining and creating fake scenarios in his head about all the adventures he will have. He had already pictured himself on the sea waves riding on his surfboard. As he continued daydreaming, he shook his head as if he was having a real-time experience of the sea breeze winding his black wavy hair. For the last time, he rubbed his arm like there was real saltwater on his hairy skin. He also looks forward to meeting new people but still deciding if he will give it a shot, striking up conversations with fellow travelers and locals alike. Perhaps he will even hook up with some cool chicks, sharing laughs and creating memories that will last a lifetime, as he wishes.

As he heedlessly zips up his suitcase, he can feel his excitement overflowing. He can't wait anymore to begin on this new highlight of his life yet he is still clueless of where it will take him.

Just like an everyday routine, he wasn't able to eat breakfast together with his dad on the dining table. It was okay. He just gets two toasts, puts it inside his big mouth, biting as fast as he can. Few seconds, he grabbed the glass full of lemonade then gulped even if he's mouthful.

He saw their maids, winked at them and did not deny a sweet smile just like he used to. He waved at them before he went out the doorway, telling them he was leaving. But he forgot the car key, luckily one of the maids saw that he left it on the top of the table near the glass he used.

Before he even turned his back and made his way to return inside their white mansion, the maid already made her way and was now standing beside him.

“Sir, D’Andre, you forgot your car key.”

“Oh, thanks!” D’Andre remarked, smiling again and it spread all over his face.

He turned his back, heard some giggles from the maids and it's a normal thing to happen. He already knows all of them really have a secret crush on him.

He made his way towards the car, putting all of his baggage inside its compartment. Now, he's riding the car as soon as the engine starts. There's a phone call coming from his friend Castor.

“Hey, d*ckhead! What's up?” said D’Andre right after he answered the call.

“Party in my house tonight, you’re coming!” said Castor excitedly. He's the guy who likes to party a lot, especially in his house. But that is only possible if both of his parents are gone for the weekend.

“In your dreams,” replied D’Andre, focusing on the road and looking straight in the direction, not on the cellphone.

“What the f*ck? Whoa, driving. Are you bailing on me? Where are you going right now?” said Castor after he requested to open the camera so it would be a video call, surprised when he saw his friend driving the car.

“Oh, come on baby Casty, somewhere far from your nuisance,” said sarcastically by D’Andre as he gave a short glimpse on the screen of his phone then continued driving.

“Oh, it's your summer vacation now to El Nido,” Castor remarked, done making his coffee.

“Well, glad you remembered.” D’Andre was not focusing on the screen of his phone as the traffic was getting heavy.

“I’ll go there after the party,” said Castor right after he sipped the coffee in his cup.

D’Andre disagreed, to his horror he blurted out, “What? You won’t do that.”

“Oh, I won't.” Castor just laughed at him.

“Good.”

“Have a fucking safe trip, man! Bye!”

“Sure! Later!” said D’Andre before the call ended, “But there's no later, dude, I'm gonna enjoy my summer vacation.” He laughed his ass out, and the excitement was never this evident before.

Many hours have passed before D’Andre finally gets to his destination. He's done checking his room, placing all his stuff inside it.

D'Andre dropped into his cozy room and was instantly welcomed by the luxurious atmosphere. The room was commodious enough for him, with ceilings that he couldn't reach and vintage rectangular-shaped windows that gave all the freedom for the natural light to come in. He still thinks about how good the sunrise and sunset that he would've watched from there. The walls were coated in a calming shade of midnight blue, and it is discernible on the wooden floor the labyrinthine ethnic patterns that were etched into it.

Sleep is the only thing and first popped in D’Andre’s mind to do when he saw such comfortable soft mattress. Covered and all dressed in clean white linens that codified the lofty pillows is the king-sized bed that became the centerpiece of his room, plus the mahogany wood made headboard was perfectly crafted, rubbing his feet on the plush fur throw rug that was located at the foot of the bed.

There is a seating area to a particular part of this room, the sofa is very comfortable to sit on just by imagining it. He already feels comfortable, not to mention the beautiful chairs beside the small table in front of it. That coffee table is at the center, with a small vase full of fragrant flowers that adds up to the overall elegance of this place.

The comfort room was quite spacious and impressive plus the gleaming tiles and floors. There's a regular bathtub at the side opposite to the toilet. He tried the shower if it's working and it's perfectly built. He couldn't ask for more, indeed, a beautiful summer vacation awaits him.

D’Andre heard some noises outside, he peered through the window as soon as he slid the curtain. She saw women happily laughing and sitting, in front of a bonfire. He felt the chill because he noticed that the air-conditioner of the room was already open right before he came into his room. He looked outside again, and saw the three ladies were waving goodbye to that one woman left sitting in front of the bonfire.

Maybe it's a good start for D’Andre to enjoy his summer vacation without thinking about his wealthy life and the big private business of their family that is full of problems and stress. He decided to get out of his room and go to the beach, get to know the lady so that he could have a friend.

“Hi,” said D'Andre, waving at the lady that he already caught her attention.

“Hi,” replied the lady.

“Are they your friends?” D'Andre sat down on the beach sand, now facing the bonfire and beside him is the woman she would love to get to know.

“Yeah, why?” answered the woman who is very open to talking to a stranger.

“Nothing, I... I just asked,” shrugged D'Andre, thinking that was the end of their conversation as he couldn't think of something to say.

Good thing, the lady asks, “Are you here for?”

“Summer vacation,” he answered immediately.

The woman let out a smirk on her lips, “Aren't you gonna ask me?”

“Oh,” D'Andre laughed in a slight embarrassment. He asked the woman why he was still there and why she did not go with her friends. “You know, for a beautiful woman like you, it's dangerous to stay alone here especially at night... look, it's dark.”

“Oh, don't worry. I just live here.”

“Aw, make sense.”

“I'm the niece of the owner of this resort,” said the woman, pointing out somewhere, or maybe that's the office of the owner.

“I see, haha, sorry.” D'Andre scratched his head and felt a little bit shy. Thinking if his words are still accurate for this woman.

“And you are? Pardon.” This is the moment, the woman finally is getting interested in him.

“D'Andre, you can call me Drey,” muttered D'Andre in the best type of voice he could ever speak.

The woman introduced herself too, “I'm Maiari, you can call me Mai.”

“Nice to meet you, Mai.”

“It's my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Drey,”

Afterwards they exchanged shaking hands. D'Andre stood up and he gained a reaction from the woman.

“Oh?” remarked Maiari, wondering where he will go.

“I want to swim,” D'Andre implied. “Do you want to join me?”

In no amount of time, Maiari replied, “Sure. It's my pleasure to guide a tourist boy as he might get bitten by jellyfishes.”

It gave D'Andre an astonished response, “Really? There are jellyfishes over there?”

Mai laughed teasingly, “Tsk, oh, come on! I just made that, don't buy it.”

They made their way towards the beach and they can now feel cold seawater all over their body.

“What do you want to do during your staycation here at El Nido?” asked Mai, floating in the water.

“I don't know but I think of something to do tomorrow,” said D'Andre, diverting his gaze from the moon back to Maiari.

The curious Maiari asked, “What is it? I'm willing to join you.”

“Are you for real?” asked D'Andre, making it hard to believe that the woman wanted to accompany him.

“Of course, spill it!” Mai splashed the water onto Drey's body.

D'Andre wiped the water in his face then paused before saying, “I want to... uhm, I want to try fishing tomorrow.”

“Okay, I'm gonna tell my uncle about that.” Mai assured D'Andre and now they're done swimming, heading their way towards their place. “I'll go home and hit the sack.”

“Yeah, sure! Thanks, Mai!” D'Andre waved goodbye and walked towards the opposite way where Mai goes.

“Oh, before I forgot, you have to wake up as early as four in the morning,” shouted Mai because they made a distance now.

“What? Is it true?” asked D'Andre, modulating his voice.

“Yes it is. Are you still into fishing?”

“I am. I really am!”

“Goodnight, Drey!” Mai waved at Drey.

Drey screamed on the top of his lungs, “Oh, sweet dreams, Mai!”

Mai laughingly said, “See you later!”

“Later!” Drey exclaimed, checking his phone as he walks and there saw a hundred messages but then...

... he just ignored all of them.