Chapter 47: Tour You A Bit

Upon arrival to Sagada, the sun was almost gone.

She tried calling him on her drive back but it was her signal that was having difficulties that she couldn't contact him.

It was only until she had gotten close to Sagada that she was able to get ahold of him.

He gave her the restaurant he was currently at.

Upon seeing him sitting by the window with a cup of coffee she sighed.

"I'm sorry about this," was the first thing she had said upon getting close.

"Why are you apologizing when it was my sister who pushed me here? Don't apologize and since you are already here, why not order for dinner? You said the travel will be another hour," he then said with a shake of his head.

She nodded her head and sat down, "How was the travel?"

"Quite tiring, I was not used in using the bus that it is not as peaceful as I thought it would be," he replied.

The two started talking about how things turned out this way, until their order arrived.

"You really did go quite far for whatever it is you came here to do," he commented as they drove back to where she lives.

"It is the quietest place I could think of, that is why I came here despite the distance," she explained.

He looked outside the window and because it was already dark, all he could see were the trees at the side of the mountain and the trees down on the cliff.

"Quite a secluded place indeed," he commented.

Something she could only laugh about.

"I was a loner, so please spare me," she then said.

"I'm really tired, I got off an eighteen-hour duty and barely had time to sleep when she made come here. So wake me up once we are there," he said before closing his eyes.

The two of them were already used to the presence of one another that this was a normal thing for them already.

She glanced at him and smiled before she focused on her driving.

It was colder around here than Baguio, it was a good thing that she has a heater in her car that she turned it on to give him more comfort.

*****

"It's simple," he commented when they finally arrived.

"Yup, wanted it that way. Though I did a few changes on it while I wasn't coming here yet. After buying it, it was actually still a bit you know, too old," she explained as she led the way inside the house.

She was just glad that she had it into a two-bedroom bungalow. She wouldn't feel shy of making him sleep in the sofa.

"It is still a bit early but you are tired, so you should rest. We can talk tomorrow I guess," Amethyst said as she showed him the room he could use.

Slate didn't argue and went ahead to prepare to sleep. He was really really tired that he just wants to sleep until morning.

Seeing his look, she knew that he really needs the rest now.

'It's a good thing that the place was quiet, he'd get as much sleep as he could,' she thought.

She returned to her table before glancing back up when he came out, she had already pointed to him where the bathroom and the kitchen are.

She once again glanced up when he finally came out of the bathroom and returned to the room.

'He looks dead.'

She shook it off, she can see that he looks dead not because he was tired but also because something had been weighing on his mind for quite a while now.

'Guess, I should tour him around tomorrow, to give some breather.'

*****

The next morning, Slate woke up not with the sound of the cars or the sound of people.

But instead, he woke up with the sound of the birds chirping and the sound of the roosters cooing in the morning.

He was at first disoriented as he looked around before he realized that he was not at home. He abruptly sat up before everything returned to him.

He was pushed by his sister to check on where Amethyst had gone to.

He fixed himself up before going out of the room.

"Good morning, or should I say, good afternoon?" Amethyst greeted him when he stepped out of the room.

He didn't really focus on his surrounding when they came last night, looking around now. He could see that it was a simple place but it gives off a homey feeling.

Just like the country side in America.

"Good afternoon too, you have such a beautiful place," he replied when he saw that it was already one in the afternoon at her wall clock.

"Let me reheat the food," she stood up and walked to the kitchen.

She had prepared some vegetable soup but then Slate didn't wake up this morning that she could only reheat it now.

"What were you doing?" Slate followed her and he was referring to when she was facing her laptop outside.

"That is the reason I came here in the first place," she replied understanding what he was asking.

"Your laptop?"

"There is one thing that you still didn't realize?" she asked looking back at him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"My trauma of the pool wasn't the only trauma that I have. I also have the trauma of being unable to type in any keyboard. I had been using the pen all this time but even the past, I couldn't even use a pen."

He wanted to ask what she meant but then remembered the reason she had runaway in the first place.

The betrayal of the people that was important to her were too severe that she actually developed a psychological trauma.

"But don't worry, after leaving I had been, let's say, rehabbing myself?" she laughed after using the term.

"And now, I can type over it again but not yet as fast as how others would," she added before turning off the soup that was already boiling.

"You came here not to really look for yourself but to become someone who could help Scar," he slowly said as she returned to the living room where the dining table is as well.

Amethyst smiled, "I guess that's just how important you two have come to me that I actually decided to face so much of my past traumas."

He looked away, not knowing how to respond to her.

She smiled again, "You should probably eat. Since you are here anyway, why don't I tour you a bit?"

He thought for a bit before shrugging, "Might as well check this place out."

*****

There are only a few places to check in Sagada such as the Echo Valley Hanging Coffins, Sagada Rice Terraces, not as popular as Banaue Rice Terraces but still a beautiful place to see.

There's also the Sumaguing Cave where you can see some stunning rock formations. Also the falls, such as Bokong and Bomod-ok.

The Marlboro hills where you could watch the sunrise with the sea of clouds to accompany it. Though the most popular viewing spot for this view in Sagada was Mt. Kiltepan Viewpoint.

The two of them toured a bit of the falls and the hanging coffins before Amethyst brought him to Sumaguing Cave.