Chapter 5

"Wait!" I shouted but the two men completely disappeared into the crowd.

Where am I? This place is completely different from the street where I was hit by a car. And, where the hell is that car? How come I was safe and unharmed after that intense hit?

I quickly checked myself. I was so shocked when I saw what I am wearing. An old-fashioned dress and shoes, I got a little bruised on my elbows but there's nothing more.

"Am I dreaming?" I slapped my cheek. It's just a dream. Yes, it is a dream and I need to wake up now! I closed my eyes and continue slapping myself.

I opened my eyes and I'm still stuck in this place. The people were now looking at me with confusion. They are now probably thinking that I am crazy. Yes, my right state of mind will be gone if no one can explain to me what the heck is going on?!

Am I really in 1950? The place looks old, and the people look so old too. What am I going to do?

I walked around, there are so many people around. This place looks like a market, they are selling different kinds of stuff. I gripped on my shoulder bag- wait! I have a bag?!

I opened it and saw the notebook that Grandma Sonia gave to me. I inspect the pages and find her teen photo. At the back of it was written her name and another photo was a man who looks like Dr. Dizon but the photo said it was Henry. So, I need to find these two. I saw this man earlier, the one who helped me.

"Hello!"

I nearly slapped the person who was in front of me with this notebook. She shocked the hell out of me.

"Hi," I greeted her back.

"I saw you earlier and I think you are lost or something. This is the first time I see you here in the market. Can I help you?" she said then smiled widely.

"Y-Yeah, I'm just wondering around then I got lost. Yes, yes, of course, you can help. Thank you so much. I need to find someone, and I have no single cent. And I need shelter in the meantime. Can you help me with that?" I swear I have never been so lost like this. This is so embarrassing.

"Sure, by the way, I am Cristel Dela Fuente. I am the daughter of the village's Chief, and I am willing to help with our visitors. You can come to our house and stay there. About the money, I can get you some work here and you can borrow money from me then pay it whenever you can," she said that and smile.

"Thank you so much, you are a big help to me. I am Aliyah." I extended my hand for a handshake. She gladly accepted it.

"Come on, I will introduce you to my Papa." She pulls me in some directions.

She was kind and so jolly. She trusted me that easily. I am starting to think now that people in 1950 are trustworthy and if I compare it to my time and got lost, no one will let me come to their home and trust me immediately.

"Papa, I met a friend!" Cristel shouted.

An old man with a thin beard smile at us. The people here are so warm. I think I would love this place.

"Good afternoon, sir. I am Aliyah," I greeted him.

"Nice to meet you, Aliyah. I am Nestor Dela Fuente. I think this is the first time I saw you here in our village, right?" He nodded.

"Yes." Because I was in 2020 a little while ago and now, I'm here, in the year 1950 and so lost.

"Welcome to our village and have fun," the old man said.

"Uh, Papa. She needs some help; she was lost, and she has nothing. I already offered her to stay at our house for a short time. I will help her to get work then she will pay us afterward, right Aliyah?" Cristel looked at me.

"Yeah, I just need some help right now. Thank God that I met Cristel and you. Your daughter is a warm-hearted person," I said. I hope he will let me stay in their house.

"Alright, you can stay in our house for free, no need to pay it. We are happy to help someone like you and my daughter looks so happy right now, I can tell. She finally got a friend."

After the old man said that, he bid his goodbye and went back to what he's doing before we interrupt him. Meanwhile, Cristel decided to tour me around their small village. I think this is our province before it was developed, it's been years though.

"You can buy a lot of stuff just for a cent. Right over there was our little park. You can play and chill out." She was so excited and looked so thrilled.

"About what your father said earlier, you don't have a lot of friends?" I asked her and it made her sad.

"Actually, a lot of people of the same age as mine here are not that friendly to me. They always avoid me for some reason. They always say that I am not one of them and I should be with someone as rich as me. I am not rich; my father is just our village's chief. I really don't care about his position, I never used that to be superior. My childhood was terrible because of that. And when I turned 18, I promised myself that I will not beg people to like or even love me. True people will accept me. I also wished that I hope someone will come to me and treat me well. And then you came, although you don’t really know me in the first place."

I sighed then sat beside her. "You can't force people to like you. Just be yourself. I will not think or treat you differently even I know that you are the village's chief's daughter." In my time, they will surely love you.

"Really, that's so nice of you. I think I already love you." She hugged me tightly.

I could feel that this is her first time to have a friend. She was so happy. I can't relate myself to her. I grew up in a healthy and peaceful environment, I have many friends and my childhood was so colorful unlike her.

So, this is my chance. It will be easy for me to find Henry and Sonia, I just wish they live here, too.

"Uhm, Cristel? Do you know someone named Henry Dizon?" I asked her.

She paused for a moment. "I know one, is he the one you are looking for. Oh, do you any relationship with him? Romantic? Hmm?" She smirked.

"No. Someone just asked me to find him. She was related to someone I knew. And last, how about Sonia?" Shoot! I didn't know her surname!

"Sonia? There's a lot of women here named Sonia. You know, Sonia was a popular name for girls. What about her?" Now, she's curious.

"Nothing, they are just some familiar persons, I need to find them. Can you help me?" I looked at her and smiled.

"You know, you are so mysterious. I saw how you stumbled earlier. Lieutenant Henry Dizon just helped you and you didn't recognize him?! You are looking for him, why? Did he steal something from you?" she asked.

"No, calm down, please. I will tell you in time. Not now, I promise." I spoke.

She just shrugged off her shoulders then pointed her fingers.

"Look! Lieutenant Dizon is over there, come on! Let's meet them!" she said then pulled my hand.

"Wait!"

I'm not ready yet, my goodness!