Time and Again

[32] To Forgive is to Forget

Isabel waited until the noise of her classmates died down before she turned the hands of her pocket watch at exactly 12:00. It was already 2:00 in the afternoon when all her classmates went back to the manor. They packed their personal belongings. Armand was so tired to drive them back to Cebu City. He asked his driver instead to drive for them. 

“Armand thank you so much for bringing us to your manor. We appreciate your hospitality.” Leo said.

“Yes, you’re place is so beautiful. You are so lucky.” Nelly said.

“You’re very most welcome. Thank you also for coming.”

“We enjoyed our stay here.” Amanda said.

“I also enjoyed your company.”

“A new love team blossomed because of this reunion.” Patty said.

“Oh yeah.”

They all cheered and teased the new love team. While they were glorifying for the new found pair, another heart was aching for loneliness. And that heart belonged to Pretty. She was grieving for her loveless life. She went back to Cebu City early in the morning riding a bus.

When Isabel was already certain that everyone was already gone, she went out from the tree house. She started to walk towards the highway to hail a bus bound to Cebu City. When she passed at the manor, she was startled when she heard the voice of Armand.

“Isabel.”

“Armand.”

“Where have you been?”

“I took a quick look at the magnificent Inambakan Falls before I am going back to Cebu City. I felt like I will miss one-half of my life if I cannot take another glimpse of the falls.”

“Actually you missed another half of your life because you did not join us swimming into the river a while ago.”

“That’s fine. I don’t know how to swim anyway. If I happened to join your group, I might be tempted to dive into the river. So better miss half of my life than miss my whole life in case I’ll drown.”

“I never thought you also have a good sense of humor.”

Armand smiled who was greatly amused with Isabel.

Isabel’s stomach growled from hunger.

“Did you hear something growling?”

“Are you referring to a bear?”

“Nope. There’s no bear here in Ginatilan. I’m referring to your stomach. Did you take your lunch?”

“Of course I did.” Isabel lied. She hadn’t eaten anything yet since morning.

“I don’t think that you’re a good liar. Why don’t you come inside and take your lunch with me. I have not also taken my lunch yet.”

“I’d love to but I really need to go.”

“Why are you in a hurry to go home?”

“I need to go now because I might not be able to catch the last bus trip.”

“The last trip will be at 8:00 in the evening. You still have lots of time. Don’t worry I will not hold you so long. I’m going to let you go home immediately once we’re done filling your tummy. You don’t want to faint along the trip, right?”

“Well...”

“I will not take no for an answer. Come inside our house and let’s eat lunch first before you go home.”

Isabel was hesitant to go back inside the manor because she didn’t want to see Carlos Miguel again. It was hard for her to refuse to the kind offer because she was so hungry. She reluctantly accepted the offer.

“By the way, where is Pretty?”

“She went home ahead of me.”

“She also missed half of her life.”