V. Staying With Him

"Are you okay?" Jet asked Ava several times already right after they arrived at the lodging house where he was renting his room.

He no longer agreed for her to continue searching for a room where he can stay and instead went straight to where his accommodation is.

Jet has decided to let Ava stay in his room and thought that it's a much better option than allowing her to go through what she's been through today.

He notices that Ava was all silent while they were heading there, He and Ava immediately left the alley after he had found her sitting scared and cold in the middle of the road. He felt the need to approach her as it was getting dark and cold outside.

Good thing that he was able to follow her throughout the day without her noticing him.

Jet was telling Ava that she could stay in his room, she was about to protest but he doesn't allow her and insisted on Ava staying for the night and the following nights after.

"I'm o-okay, thank you."

"I called a room service so you can eat, do you want to change your clothes first? I am sure you've been tired after walking all day, you can go and wash up first. I will just go outside for a moment, I need to make a call to someone. Will you be okay here?"

Ava nodded, Jet walked out of the room and left her alone thinking what might have happened to her if Jet didn't came a while ago. She began walking towards the bathroom door and the moment she closes the door, Ava began crying.

After a brief recollection of what transpires throughout the day and what happened to her on that dark alley, she fell to her knees and cried her heart out. She was scared, that moment when she knew that there is no one to save her, and the feeling that she's all alone makes her feel weaker.

She felt helpless.

Then she recalls Myla's last words to her, right before she left.

"You don't have to go, Ava. You don't know what might happen to you if you leave? Just stay, we'll help you. I will help you."

Myla's words are like arrows piercing through her heart, she felt a pang of sudden guilt for not listening to her and thought that maybe it's not a good idea to come to Tromso after all.

If going and staying at Tromso is the right thing to do?

Edward is the first and last person she thought of while being in a situation she's in this afternoon, she wishes for him to be beside her and she begged for him to come back but she knows that it will not happen anymore.

He will not be there for her and the most painful part of all is that the fact will remain the same that he's no longer with her.

And he will never be able to be with her, no matter how hard she prays for it.

She continued walking towards the bathtub right after she finished crying. She can still feel her knees shaking from all the walking and running that she did today. She felt the need to give herself a warm bath just so she can relax and that's what she did.

She took a dip in the tub's warm water, the feeling was so soothing that she began submerging even her head to it and she was able to hold unto that position until she felt like she is slowly fading away.

-----

Ava felt the heaviness of her whole body as she tried to open her eyes, she has no idea of what happened to her or how she was able to reach the bed. All she remembers from what happened earlier is that she was in the bathtub, she was taking a bath, and then suddenly everything went black.

She has no idea or recollection of what happened to her so he asked Jet who's looking worried while staring at her.

"What happened? W-why am I here?"

"You lost your consciousness while you are in the tub. I knock on the door several times but you didn't answer. I have no choice but to go and break it from the outside. I needed to force the bathroom door open just so I can check on you."

And from where she is, Ava looked in the direction of the door Jet was talking about and saw that the handle had been broken. Once again she turned to Jet, smiled at him, and thanked him.

"Are you sure you're okay? We can go to the hospital, just to be sure that you're fine."

She just shook her head as she declines his offer.

"It's not necessary, I'm okay. I don't want to be a burden to you anymore. I don't want to cause you any trouble so I'll just stay here and rest."

"You're not a burden to me, I want to help you and I am doing this of my own free will. So you don't need to apologize for it."

"But w-why are you doing this to me? You barely know me so why do the things that you did earlier?"

"Because I wanted to help you, the moment I saw you at the airport, from there I knew that you needed some help."

"But why? Who wanted to be burdened by a stranger?"

"I guess me?" then he chuckled. "One more thing, I have decided that you'll be staying here with me, you don't have to find yourself a place to stay if that's okay with you."

Ava had just looked at Jet after hearing what he said.

"I thought about it and figured that you're just wasting your time looking for a place to stay. This room is too big for me and it has two beds also, the more reason for you to stay here. Given the fact that it's peak season here in Tromso, you might end up losing all your precious time into finding a place to stay."

Ava can no longer speak and just continued staring at him. Then she remembers again what happened this afternoon and that those things might happen again if she insisted on continuing it, so she agrees.

"Don't worry, Ava. I am harmless. And I just want you to enjoy Tromso, I am saving you from wasting your time doing nothing while there's a lot of things and place to enjoy here."

"I didn't come here to have fun."

"And what are you going to do here all by yourself?"

He waited for her to answer but remained silent, Jet felt the sudden change in Ava's expression as the sadness in her eyes becomes visible. Then he felt bad for her as tears started falling down her eyes.

"I didn't even know what am I doing here. I just packed my bags and left home, not realizing what is in store for me here. Maybe I just wanted to be a good wife."

"A-wife? You're married?"

Ava just looked at Jet with sadness in her eyes. She suddenly felt sad when she remembers Edward when Jet said those words, it feels like a knife stabbing her in the chest over and over again.

" I mean, no offense meant but if you're already married, where is he? He should be the one accompanying you and not letting you go on your own."

"He's gone."

"W-what do you mean by he's go-" then he realized what she was trying to say and immediately apologizes to her. "I'm so sorry,"

"No, it's okay. I mean, it's not okay that he's gone now but that's true. "It was three months ago, car accident."

Jet wanted to change the topic the moment he learned what happened, he knows that it's still hurting her knowing how tragic Ava lost his husband and he no longer wants to add up to that sadness.

But Ava just continued talking and he had nothing else to do but listen to her.

"What happened to me earlier really scares me but that does not add up to how scared I am when I lost Edward and realizing that no matter how I like it, he will never be back. He will never come back."

"I'm sorry, Ava."

"Me too, but just like what they say, life must go on. The world will not stop revolving because of me and just because I am suffering doesn't mean it's the end of it. When I lost him, I have lost everything and I have lost myself in the process too. I started shutting everyone out, I felt lost and afraid. I was so scared knowing I won't have him by my side anymore."

"But you're here and the fact that you continued to live despite him not being around anymore is bravery, Ava. You dare to continue your life, to stand up and cope up with everything. That alone is something you can be proud of."

Ava shook her head several times, dismissing everything Jet said as she continued to cry.

Then Jet reminded her of their first meeting at the airport. It was when a luggage pushcart crashed unto her leaving her knocked down on the floor.

"No wonder you were so pissed that time."

"I'm sorry for acting that way to you."

"It's okay, If I were in your position, I would probably react the same way too."

He felt a little relieved especially when he saw her smile a little.

"That's why to make it up to you, I am offering you a room to stay and a travel buddy to be with while you explore Tromso."

"Explore?"

"Yes, I heard there are beautiful places here that we can go to. Also, don't forget about the highlights of all highlights when you visit Tromso,"

"And what is it?

"The northern lights. Believe me, when I say that that's the best thing Tromso has to offer, that's why I made sure to see it every year."

"E-every year? You mean you've been here before?"

Jet nodded in response to Ava's question. "Every year,"

"W-why?"

"Just like you, I have a mission,"

"M-mission?"

"I am looking for someone and I promised myself that I will not stop until I see that someone."

Ava didn't ask anymore, she thought it was too personal and too much interference of his private life if she asked him such personal information, so in the end she just nodded as if she agrees with him.

"Why are you thanking me again? What for?"

"For everything, for letting me stay here even if you are not obli-" Ava was not able to continue what she was about to say as Jet extended his hand for a handshake.

"Let's start again, from the top."

She looked at him with confusion as he was all smiles, waiting for her to reach for his hand.

"F-from the top?"

He just nodded, she then shook his hand even though she did not know what it is for. "Hi, Ms. Martinez. Jet Castillo, twenty-eight years old, a computer engineer in the Philippines, part-time tourist here in Tromso. You?"

"S-Savana Martinez, just Ava. Jobless in the Philippines, not sure what to do here in Tromso."

"In that case, let's find out why you are here." Jet smiled as he shook her hand and from then on Ava knew that she was feeling okay, at least a little okay.

-----

It was already passed midnight but Ava's eyes were still wide open, it had been a long day for her but she could not understand why she was still awake.

Her whole body and mind were tired but for some reason, she feels good about it and she's not sad anymore. It was the same feeling she felt when she first met Edward. Then she turned to Jet who is sleeping soundly from the other bed, she couldn't help but smile at the thought that he had saved him several times and even made her stay in his room. The thought of him being nice to her makes her feel good at some point.

But then she saw the bracelet she was wearing, it was the bracelet Edward gave to her on their wedding day and the only thing that is left of him.

She held it and turned her back to Jet while lying down. she even shook her head several times before talking to him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as tears began falling from her eyes once again.