Roadtrip Day 14
Destination: Naga City, Camarines Sur
Travel Time: 5 1/2 hours

Alex's POV:

"Lalalala....."

Even without radio, Flonne's impromptu lullaby already make my day...

"Alice?"

"Oh! What is it, Claire?"

"You're such in a good mood today! Did Alex do something very nice to you?" Claire curiously asks her best friend.

"Yep, sure did! Hehehe!" Flonne replies with a giggle. "He helped me to stand and walk a little at the hospital before we leave."

Claire looked at me thereafter and smiled...

"Hmm? Why are looking like that?" I smiled back and asked her.

"Oh, nothing! Hehehe!" Claire dodged the question and grins at me.

Well, never mind that. We got a five and a half hour trip down streets of Quezon and eventually Bicol. Passing these roads is like passing through a nature trail...well you got a complete package: big mountains, luscious green forests and shimmering seas.

"Hey, Alice. If you want, you can lend my camera." Randomly, Danica stood up and give a digicam. "At least, you can take some pictures to reduce your boredom."

"Hehehe! Sure, sure!"

But before using it, Flonne curiously glance through the camera's gallery. She smile as she saw some sceneries way back in Ilocos Norte...perhaps she knows that it came from her big brother Kyle. But when she glances the pictures further...we saw...ourselves! Danica has stolen pictures of us?!?! Out of embarrassment, I dodged my eyes back to where I am driving as Flonne's face began to blush...

"DA-DANICA?!"

"Yes, Alice?" Danica knows what is happening right now, so she grins at Flonne.

"WH-WHY ARE THERE PICTURES OF US...IN YOUR CA-CAMERA?!"

"Oh! Ehehehe...my bad. I'm just getting fond of you two when you fight each other back then...so I take some stolen shots. Hey! Please don't mad at me! I promise...I won't take any pictures again!"

"Hmph! Make sure of that!"

After some moments, we turned the truck to the right...as the it starts to climb, Claire stood up and observed something. She is then astonished...

"Umm...Alex, did you see a signange board recently?"

"Yes..."

"And at what direction did you turn at that signage board?"

"At the right."

"Alex!!! This is the zigzag road!!!" Claire panics as she makes a conclusion. "You're just a beginner driver and you're using this road?! That's dangerous!!!"

"Huh? Why?"

"This is notorious for very stiff roads and even tighter corners! One wrong shift of the gear and we're done for!"

I looked at everyone's faces...and based from it, Claire's is the only one who worries about this place...perhaps because she the only one of us who knows this place.

"Come on, Claire. Let give Lexi a chance!" Flonne speaks up to support me. "If I wasn't injured, I can drive this place easily. But I know Lexi can do it, he will just drive this truck carefully."

"Alright, fine!" Then Claire warned me. "You better start praying, Alex, while driving here!"

Ha! How will we caught in accident if I had drive this truck with Flonne for days now...and pass that driver's test without a hinch?

With the truck's automatic transmission, I took the gear into moderation. Slow driving but always remember that safety comes first...what the? Why I'm speaking driver stuff?

We climb...and climb...and climb...until we reach the top of the valley. And we are rewarded with a view of luscious green forests.

"Coool!!!!" The girls can't stop from looking at the sceneries that surround us. No buildings, no houses or even not a single farm to be seen...only tall trees and shrubs that colored the atmosphere of the park.

And later on, they saw the backdrop of the vast forests and the far away coastline of Quezon. Hehehe! They pull out there smart phones and cameras to take some pictures of the sceneri-woah!

"Alex! Look out!!!" Claire warned me of what I'm about to pass by.

We have reached the downhill side of the valley. I used the just right combination of the gears...slowing the truck even further...and pushing the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time so that our truck can slowly descend and turn into the tight corners. Man, that was a hair-raising experience...Claire is right...one wrong move and we're gonna plunge!

"Phew...that was close..." That's what I say to myself when I made it to the end of the trail.

"Yeah...you sure did." Claire wiped some sweat from her head after passing the valley...and smiled at me.

And the next thing I see on the road is what the girls is waiting for so long...

"WOOOOOW!!!!"

And there...right before our very eyes, we saw the beautiful and seemingly endless seas...as the sun's rays reflects into it.

Alice Flonne's POV:

I can't stop myself from taking pictures of the sea. You know, I've always fond of the sea. Everytime I see it...I feel that life, though it will be tough at times, will be and always be calm and better...as long as I believe in myself...and stay strong at the end. Oh yeah...I remember...that's what Catherine told me in that pendant that she gave me in Cagayan...

Even we are apart, because of love, we can be together. Just believe on yourself...and stay strong until the end.

I reflected so much on what Catherine said...that I didn't noticed that the truck's engine stopped...

"Umm...Lexi, why do we stop here?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? You wanted to eat lunch by the seaside, right?"

I looked at the window...I see...our truck is parked at the side of the road with my window facing the sea. Oh yeah, that's right! Hehehe! I'm so excited to have lunch with my friends...and Lexi...while I see what fishes and corals...if there's any...are living here at the sea! I'm so excited!

"Come on! Let's go!" I cling unto my seat, trying to stand up and leap out of excitement...forgetting that my legs are still wobbly and numb. "I love to see the se-woah!!!"

"Gotcha!" Lexi broke my fall and caught me in his arms. "You're really energetic, huh? Alright, let's get you out of here..."

Lexi sweetly carried me outside of the food truck and let me sit at the seawall...as Danica and Claire followed suit, carrying food packs with them.

"So, what's for lunch, guys?" I curiously asked my friends.

"Tuna paella, Alice." Danica opened the pack and shows the food. "That's some leftovers from yesterday."

"Hmm! Smells delish! I'll try some!"

Lexi gives me my spoon...then I scoop some of their tuna paella...

"Hnngg! So tasty and delicious! You've passed my standard!"  I put a thumbs up to approve this dish. "You guys did this, right?"

"Yup! We help together to cook the dish!" Danica replies.

We spend the noontime eating Danica and Claire's tuna paella while sightseeing the majestic sea. We're just halfway on this nature trail but...yaaawn...I'm feeling sleepy right now. Hehehe!