HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 1

CHAPTER 13

They arrive shortly after 10 am, and go to check-in. The forest is pretty, large, and they are staying in one of two Eco-friendly lodges in the area. The houses in the lodges are built in a traditional style. On the inside, they were simply, yet tastefully furnished and decorated. They used a minimalist kind of interior design style, yet had modern comforts and trappings. There was a separate toilet and bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom with four separate beds. In the bedroom, there were chest drawers for keeping personal items, and a dressing table and mirror as well. There was a large sitting area, with six chairs and a television set before one entered a door that led to the other places in the house.

Every time Gina came here, she felt overwhelmed. It reminded her of how Helena and Carlos tried to kill her and her brother 16 years ago. She remembers how she got malaria and fever, before being rescued by Armando and Luisa. That place always brought back bad memories. Of course, at the time it was mostly dense jungle.

People are to rest, eat lunch at 1 pm and begin activities at 2 pm. Shortly after noon, Adrianna asks Gina if she is okay because she is quiet and looks sad but she says she is fine. At 12:30, Gina tells Emma and Adrianna that she needs time by herself and leaves to go off alone into the woods. They look at her worriedly.

Antonio sees Gina leaving, and decides to follow her. What is his beautiful spitfire upto? Gina takes a walk, and after a little distance reaches a large pool of water. She stands against a large tree, and is there for nearly ten minutes, thinking and crying a bit, when, she hears footsteps. She turns around and picks up a large rock and a long stick. She wipes away her tears and then asks who is there. Antonio says it is him, and she relaxes. He then appears. He stands near her and asks her what she thinks she is doing. He says this is a forest and there could be danger from wild animals, as well as people with ill intentions. He holds up her face and notices she has been crying.

He removes his handkerchief and wipes away her tears, and asks her what is wrong. Gina folds her hands and puts them down and says it's nothing too serious, just painful childhood memories. He looks at her and says whatever it is, was not something small if she was crying about it. She says she is okay and wasn't going to stay for long anyway. He says maybe one day, she will trust him enough to tell him what's bothering her. This makes her feel even more guilty and confused. She turns to leave but he stands in front of her and leans in to kiss her, but she pulls away.

Meanwhile, Hector comes to ask Adrianna to go for a walk with him. She wants to, and though she is afraid of Alejandro having a spy, she agrees to go out with him. They go to a nearby open area. Hector can sense she is uneasy because she is looking around. He asks her what is bothering her. She says she is worried Alejandro might have planned something like having a spy to watch them. Hector says she should not worry about that, because even if he has, that shouldn't stop her from enjoying her life because that is exactly what Alejandro wants. Adrianna looks at him. He is not his usual jovial self. He is sad, kind of like how Gina was.

He asks her if he has three eyes or two noses, and Adrianna smiles and asks him why he is asking her that. He says it is because she is looking at him, differently. Adrianna says he looks sad like Gina was. Adrianna sees the fleeting worry in his face when she mentions his sadness. Adrianna says she does not mean to pry but if he ever needs someone to talk to, she is ready and willing to listen. He thanks her, and says they should stop discussing depressing things, and he guides her in a different direction.

Adrianna says she's afraid of wild animals and of getting lost. He tells her to relax because he will take care of her. He leads her into a hidden clearing hidden by tree trunks, canopies, and long vines. Adrianna is impressed, with how beautiful this place is and with his knowledge of the area, and asks him about it. Hector pauses for a while. He hates having to lie to her, but it is necessary given how complicated things are. He says that when he, Martin, and some of their other friends were younger, they would come out here. Shortly after, they sit near each other, and he leans in to kiss her, and she kisses him back, After some time, he says they should head back for lunch.