Episode 6

LUCAS gently tapped the cheek of the woman in front of him. He hadn’t meant to scare her earlier, he was just amused by her reaction. He knows he’s different, but despite that, he still has principles, and one of those principles is that he doesn’t eat human flesh. This is also why his parents were forced to migrate to the Philippines. Neither Lourine nor he could stomach what other people like them were doing, including his grandfather. He’s not saying his parents don’t, but as long as they can control it, they do it for him and his sister.

They chose to live in Sta. Monica, in a secluded forest far from others, where they could freely do what they wanted.

“Hey..!” He called out to the woman again. Her foot had gotten caught in a vine earlier, making her fall into the water. “Miss!”

The woman was still unconscious.

“You left me no choice..,” he said resignedly, slowly bringing his face closer to hers.

Just a little more.

... when she suddenly opened her eyes. They practically bulged out of her head when she realized how close his face was to hers.

He wasn’t going to do anything, he was just going to give her CPR.

“Pervert!” she screamed, pushing him away. She pushed hard, causing him to fall into the water.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” he snapped angrily. He had swallowed some water because of what she did.

“Arrogant and yet pervert! Are you trying to molest me?”

He didn’t know whether to laugh or get annoyed at what he heard.

“Hey, uhm what’s your name again? Max---Maxine, right?”

She had mentioned her name at the supermarket once, but he wasn’t sure if he remembered it correctly.

“I’m not molesting you,” he said, looking at her wet body. “And besides, look, there’s no difference between your front and back, you know.”

Well, that was a lie.

The woman looked at herself and her eyes widened when she saw her wet body. She was wearing a white cotton t-shirt, revealing her red bra underneath.

“Pervert!”

He closed his eyes, his face contorted. Did she have to shout?

She took off one of her shoes and threw it at him.

“Stop it!” he said, catching her shoe.

“Pervert!” She took off the other shoe and threw it at him again.

“If you don’t stop, I’m really going to deal with you,” he said, trying to contain his anger, after catching her other shoe.

“And what are you going to do?!”

“I’ll zip your mouth.”

The woman’s eyebrows furrowed even more at his words.

“Try it and see if your skin doesn’t get ripped off!”

He didn’t understand.

“You think I’ll jump for joy if you do that?!”

She seemed unfazed by his words.

“Just because you’re handsome doesn’t mean I’ll be eager to be kissed by you!”

Her mouth was like a machine gun. Nonstop.

“Even if you’re the only one left---”

“One more word from you and I’m really going to kiss you,” he warned her, and he meant it.

Her eyes widened as she stared at him. She seemed to be in disbelief. She suddenly fell. Thankfully, he caught her in time. Her loud noise forced him to use his speed.

“Well, you stopped too,” he muttered softly. He looked at her face for a moment before gently laying her down on a large rock. She wasn’t alone. He could hear footsteps coming towards them, calling her name. He decided to hide in the top of a tree.

“Maxine! Where are you?” a woman’s voice called out.

From above, he saw the woman, who he estimated was around the same age as the one named Maxine.

“Maxine, what---my God, Maxine!” The woman ran frantically towards Maxine.

___

MAXINE slowly opened her eyes. She saw Meghan. Her face was full of worry, which surprised her. She wasn’t used to seeing her like that.

“Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Why are you so wet?”

She sat up. She immediately looked for the man from earlier. To be honest, she was surprised by what he did. How did he manage to appear in front of her from the water so quickly? She hadn’t even seen him climb up.

“Hey, I’m talking to you,” Meghan said.

“D-did you see a man here earlier?”

“No. And who’s that guy?”

“I don’t know either.”

“You should get up. We’re almost out of time. We haven’t found any food yet.” Meghan then stood up.

She nodded and stood up too. She had forgotten about that. They needed to find food, or they wouldn’t have lunch later.

MAXINE wrapped her arms around herself. She had been wet for a while now and was starting to get cold. It had been an hour, but they hadn’t found any food.

“Maxine, look!”

She followed Meghan’s gaze. And her eyes widened when she realized what she was seeing.

“Food!” They were like children, screaming and jumping for joy, running towards the large tree where various kinds of fruit were laid out on banana leaves.

“There, we have lunch now!” Meghan said happily. She immediately took off her top and tied the sleeves together.

“What are you doing?” Maxine asked, confused.

“Making a container for this,” she said, referring to the fruits. “You take yours off too, so we can get more.”

“W-we’re going back to the camp area wearing just bras?”

“So? What’s the matter, it’s the millennial era, don’t be a prude. In America, women are almost naked.”

She rolled her eyes and pouted at Meghan. “That’s in America.”

“Take it off, hurry! They won’t take it, anyway. They’ll just look. Unless you have something hidden on your body. Do you have herpes?”

“Excuse me?!” she exclaimed, raising an eyebrow. Even though she didn’t have an expensive moisturizer on her body, her skin was smooth.

Against her will, she took off her t-shirt. She wanted to show Meghan that she didn’t have any blemishes!

“You’re actually sexy,” Meghan commented, looking at her body. “To be fair, your skin is smooth.”

She rolled her eyes.

“W-wait,” Meghan said after a while. She stopped picking up the fruit and looked at her.

“Why?” She stopped too and faced her. Meghan’s face seemed to lose color, which she found strange.

“I-is this a trap?”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it. Who would put this here?”

She thought about what Meghan said.

“Maybe there are cannibals here!” Meghan added, scared.

They looked at each other. And then they both screamed in fear, but they didn’t leave the fruits.

ALMOST everyone was already at the camp area when Maxine and Meghan returned. Everyone’s faces were filled with amusement and admiration when they saw the two of them. Maxine wasn’t sure if it was because of the fruits they brought or because they weren’t wearing tops.

“They’re hot!”

“Sexy..!”

Maxine felt like she was floating in the air as she walked towards the group of students who were also part of the punishment. She was uncomfortable because of what she was hearing. Meghan? She was acting like she was walking in a pageant.

“Good job, both of you!” Miss Calupe commented through the microphone. “You’re the only ones who brought back a lot.”

The whole area erupted in applause. But it seemed to get even louder when Hevo walked towards her, taking off his top.

“Wear this. You’re soaking wet, you might get sick.” He said softly, putting the t-shirt over her head.

“I-I can do it,” she grabbed the things she was carrying. “T-thanks!”

“Enough guys!” Miss Calupe reprimanded the students who were shouting. “Mr. Fontanella, go back to your place. Acting like a possessive boyfriend, huh!”

Hevo scratched his head and obeyed.

Maxine looked at Meghan, and she just teased her with her gaze.

“What?” She asked in a low voice, her brows furrowed. Her face flushed.

“What?” Meghan asked back.

“What's that look?”

“You’re blushing!” Meghan teased again.

“Okay participants, we'll have a ten-minute break. You can go back to your tent now,” Miss Calupe added.

Maxine and Meghan were inside the tent, currently changing.

“I’m still wondering. Who put that there,” Meghan said. She changed into shorts and a t-shirt.

“I don’t know either.”

“Didn’t you see anyone else there?”

She stopped what she was doing and turned to Meghan.

“Why?” Meghan asked.

“No.”

She didn’t see anyone else there except the arrogant one.

Could it be---?

She shook her head. It was impossible for the arrogant one to help her.