Chapter 2

"Uhuhm!"  Ibrahil suddenly cleared his throat to snap her back to reality as she seems stunned while looking at him.

"Miss... " do you want to place your order first? Go ahead," he said arrogantly and moved aside. 

"Miss..." he repeated.

"Huh? Ahm.. no no no uhm. I'm good. Just go ahead," she snapped trying to compose herself.

She turned back grabbed her luggage and tried to go somewhere else. She was blushing out of shame!  "Forget about the juice Andrea, you can just have it later on somewhere," she said to herself and never tried to look at the guy again.

Andrea went around to look for a place to stay. She thought there will a hotel here but it turned out to be a place without even electricity. It's almost sunset. She needs to find a room now. She was looking around when she spotted a familiar face. He was walking towards her. Her heart suddenly beats faster as if there were rats inside her chest. She turned around and tried to go in a different direction.

"Do you need help?" 

She stopped walking upon hearing that baritone voice. She turned around and put a wry smile on her face. "No thanks," she answered.

"Why not ask for help if you need one? This is a strange place for every tourist like you. And it's dangerous out here at night." Ibrahil said trying to convince her. 

Andrea was still standing thinking if she will accept his help. She remembers what her grandma told her about this kind of guy. There are a lot of what if's running in her mind. "What if he's a bad guy? What if...?"

"Look, Miss, I was just trying to help, now if you don't trust me it's fine!" he took a step about to leave Andrea.

"If... If I'm not going to be a bother I'll appreciate your help," she said in a shy voice. 

"Ok then, follow me!" he said authoritatively as he walked past her.

Andrea prayed silently for her safety while walking when he suddenly stopped.

"By the way, it's Ibrahil!" he extended his arms in front of her.

She shook his hand and smiled.

"I'm Andrea," she said and pulled it back.

They started walking again.

"Andrea. Hmm, your name suits you well," he said trying to let out a small laugh trying to fill the air between them. Without getting any response he looked at her and said. "We're almost there Andrea, be careful when you walk out here at night. There's no electricity and no phone signal around. If ever you want to buy some goods and some stuff, there is a small grocery store right there," he pointed at the north side of the Island.

She looked in the direction he pointed. "Uhuh! Thank you Ibrahil, and sorry about what happened earlier at the minibar," she smiled apologetically.

"Oh, that? Forget it. It happens every time you know. A bartender, a shipper," he said while laughing.

"Oh, that bad?" she laugh at the thought.

  

They had a fun conversation without realizing they already reached the place. It is so amazing looking at those same sizes and shapes nipa huts with hanging flowering plants all over them. Dahlias and roses are everywhere. There's a well-designed deep well in the middle of the place. There are tree houses too designed as miniature castles with a hanging bridge connecting from each treehouse and of course with hanging flowering plants makes it looks like paradise. The ground has lawn grasses full of petals from the hanging plants.

"Oh my God, Ibrahil! What is this place you just brought me? Is this for real?" Andrea still can't believe her eyes. She was so mesmerized by the surrounding. 

"It's good to know you liked it. My place is even better than here," he answered. "Can you stay here for a while? Let me look for my friend, he might be somewhere around here."

"Ok then, take your time," she smiled at him as if she's saying she'll be alright. She sat at the lawn grasses as she played those petals around. It feels like home that her tiredness is gone. She grabbed her luggage and was about to open it when Ibrahil arrived. He is with a long-haired guy almost good looking as him only that this guy seems older. She stood up and walk towards them. 

"Hi! You must be Ibrahil's friend? I'm Andrea," she smiles at him while she just waved her hand.

The guy looked at Ibrahim as if he was surprised before talking to her. Something strange. She then again asked herself, "Am I really safe here?" 

"Hello, Andrea. I'm Wahid, Welcome to Biri Island," he said while he gave her a welcoming smile. 

"UGH!" Andrea throw herself to bed as she felt the tiredness after the long day. She chooses to stay in this castle-like treehouse. This really made her happy. It's almost past seven in the evening now she can't even take a hot shower after the long day. It's dark outside, she's scared going down to the bathroom to even wash herself. "Nevermind, tomorrow I will swim all day," said her mind while hugging one of the soft pillows. She dozed herself to sleep early with help of that nostalgic nightlamp. 

Andrea woke up with that loud knock on her door.

She rolled off her bed and stretched out her arms.

"Oh, seriously?!" She got up and walk through the door while yawning! She looked at the peephole first before opening it.

"Oh my goodness!" She said while in panic. Its Ibrahil! She hasn't even washed her face yet, or gargle or something! She looks like a mess for sure, how Is she going to face him? She went back to bed pretending she's still asleep. She snapped and realizes why is she acting like some kind of a teenager having her first crush? "Common Andrea!" She pinch her cheeks, got up again, grabbed her robe, and opened the door.

"Hi, good morning Andy," Ibrahil said with that broad smile. He handed out a basket full of bread and a bottle of milk.

"I brought you this, for your breakfast. I know you missed your dinner last night."

Andrea was dancing in her thoughts. "Oh, goodness what's with the nickname? He's so sweet."

"Good morning!" 

She took the basket from him while having that beaming smile on her face. "Thank you Ibrahil, so kind of you! Can you wait for me downstairs let me just fix myself, and then let's eat together?" she offered.

"I'd love to do that but I actually need to go now, I have some errands to do at my villa so maybe next time?" He said while scratching the back of his neck.

"Good!" Said her mind. She still needs to shower and it will take some time.

"Oh, ok. See you around then," she said as she waved goodbye.

He started going down the stairs when he looked back again. "By the way, you looked good today Andy, see you around!" he smiled and left

She closed the door and giggled.

"OMG!!!" 

After taking a bath, she ate her breakfast, assembled her DSLR camera, and arrange her things in her backpack. Extra clothes, towels, swimmies, lotion, wallet. All check! 

She was wearing a simple white shirt pairing brown shorts with white sneakers with a white cap. This is gonna be a tough but happy day. She left her place after asking permission from Wahid. Her landlord.

She started taking pictures at the camp where she was staying. It was such a beautiful place. She walked around the Island and went to the beach. She sat on the white sand while taking some pictures around. She smiled while looking at the other tourist around and took some pictures of their happy faces. "I won't mind staying in here forever, this place is such a beauty," she said to herself. After taking some more pictures she stood up and shake off the dust from her bottom. She started walking around and found herself on that minibar again.

" I hope he's not here," she uttered almost a whisper.

"Who?" said the baritone voice from her back

She quickly turned around. 

"It's me you're referring to right?" Ibrahil told her while smiling. "Well, I apologize I'm here, I guess you need some bartender!" he said joking. 

"Oh, yeah I guess I need you! I mean, a bartender!" she said while laughing. 

She walked towards the counter to order a drink for two. She looked at Ibrahim, he really is perfect. Her heart started being abnormal the first time he looked at him. She can't understand why he's giving her butterflies.

"Ma'am, here's your order," said the bartender interrupted her thoughts.

"Thanks," she smiled at him.

She handed the other juice to Ibrahil. 

"Now you're giving out free drinks huh," he chuckled.

"You're welcome!" she said sarcastically.

"You wanna go for a swim?" Ibrahil asked.

"Yeah, sure! But before that, I have to take some pictures around. I want to go to the other side and see what lies in there. And, also inside the forest." She said with confidence.

"Wow, so you might need a bodyguard then since you don't know what lies in there.."

"Maybe you know, since you're an Islander. You can just tell me then and I definitely don't want to disturb you or something," she said carefully that she's scared her tongue might betray her again. She is scared of herself whenever she's with him. So, it is better to keep her distance.

"Well then since you're curious, let me tell you that some tourists who entered in there didn't make their way out so maybe they became an Animal's prey or a good fertilizer. I'm not saying this to scare you but I'm just telling the truth.." 

"Alright then, let me find that out myself. I appreciate your honesty anyways." She walked past him with confidence. 

Ibrahil just watches her back shaking his head. 

"Such a hard-headed!" He uttered! He was just trying to scare her so that she won't go that way. 

Andrea entered the forest with excitement. Ibrahil failed to scare her, she knew he was just bluffing. Although she wants him to be around but she's totally bothered by his presence. She can't think straight whenever they're together. She took out some red laces from her pocket. She will use it as a marker so that she will find her way out.

"Well, it's all about tactics Ibrahil," she said while tying the lace in a tree branch.

Andrea finds everything amusing. She gets excited by taking pictures from one subject to another. She went further inside. See if she can get more photos. While roaming around she saw different kinds of animals. Butterflies in different shapes and colors. She even saw a...

"Unicorn!? Seriously?"  She followed the beautiful creature while pressing the shutter consistently. She was so amazed like is she in a fucking fairytale or something? She stopped when she realized she lost it.

"W-why do it just vanished like that.. in a thin a-air?" She held on to her knee while panting!

            

                                    ***

Ibrahil secretly followed Andrea into the forest. He watches her from afar and he was quite impressed by her tactics. "My heart chooses the right girl," he said grinning. Everything seems like a slow-motion for Ibrahil while looking at her. Why is it that everything feels different about this woman? She isn't even supposed to see him. He was under his invisible power yesterday at the bar. But she saw him. She even poked him. Now, she even chased that unicorn when she couldn't be seeing it. She sees things she shouldn't be seeing. There is something special about her. Whatever it is he needs to discover it. Because he can feel it, she is more than meets the eye.

As he can see her taking pictures around, he can see how she's being amazed about everything in the forest. She's taking pictures even at the tiniest bug. She looks so amusing to him. 

                                     ***

  

Andrea grabbed her camera and tried to get the best angle when she saw a red-tailed black snake clinging to a branch of a tree. 

"Oh hello there serpent!"  the animal got distracted when she accidentally stepped into a dry tree branch.

"Oops!" She lost her balance and it was too late for her to avoid its attack when suddenly, she felt a hard thing covering her body. When she opened her eyes it was Ibrahil. His arms wrapped around her body. Blood dripping from his neck maybe because of the snake bite. Her whole body trembled with fear as she looked at him in pain. She fainted!