Road Trip Day 31
Location: Cagayan De Oro City

Alice Flonne's POV:

"It all started with a simple argument...
Of whether which cooking fares best...
But I didn't expect that my journey with you...
Will bring out the best of me..."

This was the content of the letter that comes with the tip that Azmina was given to me. I know that somebody that I know gives this letter...but I don't know who it is. Anyways...

"Here's your bistek. I hope you like it!" I smiled at Azmina as I handled down my dish. "By the way, Azmina. There is something I didn't ask you for so long."

"Oh, sure! Carry on." Azmina smiles back in reply. "Hurry up before I could finish this...your exquisitely tangy and delicious dish."

"Ehehehe...thanks! Well...it's just one question. Can you describe me as a friend?"

Well...that question came out from nowhere so I got no choice but to say it. I wonder how my Muslim best friend reacts to it...

"Hehehe! That's so nice of you!" Azmina giggles to my question. "Anyway, let's see...hmm...well, if there's one word that can describe you...that would be...caring. That's because you disregard my origins...to be my friend. Your unwavering personality motivated me face the odds and follow my own dream. You really cared for me...especially when those times that I became depressed when my father was kidnapped. I'm grateful to become part of your crew. Thanks, Alice."

"No problem, Azmina! Hehehe! By the way, how's your father these da-huh?"

I wasn't finished for my next question to Azmina...when two people from the direction of the park came running towards us and the food truck...it was Danica and Claire...carrying some shopping bags...

"Alice! We're back!" Claire shouts as they approach me. "Look what we've brought!"

"Wow! Cool!" Danica and Claire opened their shopping bags to let me see its content. "Beautiful dresses, jewelries, perfume, all what us girls wanted! Hehehe!"

"That's right! Hehehe!" Danica giggles while approving my statement. "By the way, Alice. You should give us something to eat. Besides, Azmina here is already eating bistek. How about my favorite dish...like nilagang munggo or something?"

"Nilagang munggo, huh? Okay, then. Just wait to be served, okay?"

"Okay! By the way, here's a tip." Claire then gives another envelope.

"Huh?! Not you, too! I already told Azmina that you may not pay for the good I'm cooking because we're friends...we already know each other, right?"

"Come on, Alice. That's your reward for keeping the food truck intact during the day." Claire refuted back.

"Hmm!!! I'm the owner of this truck, so I don't need it but...sigh...yet again, I can't resist you so...I'll take it."

I opened the second envelope...and there's almost no difference: a P1000 bill and another note...with a different content...

"Your passion has traveled us everywhere...
Where we make friends, customers and experiences that we share...
And even we fought whether who wins and who loses...
I'm envy you because you had a lot of tastes to be...well...tasted.

From that point, I already know who writes these pieces...it's Lexi. But I wonder where he is...or what he is doing right now. Besides, he didn't come back yet ever since he told me that he would use some toilet break...

Anyways again...

"Mmm!!! Smells delish!" Danica already savors the delicious smell of my nilagang munggo. "Come on, Claire! Let's go eat! I'm starving!"

Claire and Danica then partitions my dish into halves. With a serving of steaming hot rice each, my two friends enjoyed sipping and digging in to my vegetable soup dish.

"Mmm! So that's why those little kids in Isabela likes nilagang munggo." Claire then realized something. "You add something...like an essence of meat and spices in your dish. With this, kids who hates vegetables wouldn't taste the difference!"

"Well...if you convince them to eat this! Hehehe!" I punned my friends and giggled. "Anyway, thanks for the compliment. Now, you should promise me that you should never reject any of my vegetable dishes when I serve it to you, understand?"

"Yes, Alice!" Claire and Danica saluted me in response.

"Hehehe! Good! Now I really wonder where Lexi is...huh?"

Then another couple of people walking towards us...it's already nightfall and street lamps are not enough to see who is coming...little did I know that it was my Kuya Jake and Kuya Kyle...coming to me.

"Hi, little detective sis!" Kyle approached me and pats my head. "How's your day, sis?"

"Hehehe! It's so great, we serve dishes together with Lexi...and make many customers smile." I quickly replied as Jake also pats my head. "I wonder where Lexi is now. The last time I saw is was going out for some toi-pffft...ple-please stop tickling me! Hehehe!!!"

"Alright!" My brothers finally stop messing my hair while Kyle explains. "By the way, I think I saw your boyfriend...he's going into a jewelry shop....perhaps buying something for you."

"Ayeeee!!!"

"Hehehe! I see..." With my face a bit blushed, I reacted with a giggle.

"Okay, while we're waiting for him...I really expect a gift for you...ehehehe...why don't you make something for us." Jake adds to the conversation. "We already know your signature beef pares...how about something else...something you like to cook everyday?"

"Sure, Kuya Jake! I will cook you some giniling, okay? Hehehe...huh?"

Then I saw a third envelope sitting in front of me...I was supposed to ask everybody who is the one who put the envelope...but when I saw Kyle's face winking at me...I knew that this is another one of Lexi's antics about me. I better open this envelope...receive another thousand pesos in it...and read the third note that enclosed with it...

"I have done so many mistakes to you...
But you accepted me and I become only yours...
And that's why you should meet me...
For the gift that you shouldn't miss to see..."

...sigh...what mysterious ideas would my sneaky little Lexi us up to this time for me? He should better not keep me from waiting or else! Hehehe! Just kidding...I have trusted Lexi for a long time...he's the one who has more concerns about me than everybody else in the crew...when I was down in Pampanga, he lifted me up...when I collapsed in Quezon, he tendered me...and...when I always worries about my family, he's the first person that consoles...and helps me. I know that Lexi will be doing something...something that I won't never forget for the rest of my life...

Anyways...

"Here you go. This is my favorite dish, menudong giniling!" I introduced my signature dish to my brothers. "I hope you like it! Hehehe!!!"

"...munch...munch..." Quickly, Jake and Kyle digs in to my menudong giniling. "Woah! This is so great! I knew that mom taught you to cook this."

"Well...this is the one of the first dishes that mom taught me when I was a kid."

"What?! I thought it would just be beef pares?" Jake asked me.

"Well...she really wanted to taught me beef pares just in case the two of you fight again. Hehehe!" My brothers scratched their heads as I pun them. "This one is my choice...mom allowed me to choose from her cookbook which do I want to cook first."

"Wait...mom has a cookbook?!" Kyle startles with my revelation.

"Of course, silly. Why do you think mom and I have extensive knowledge in homemade recipes."

And the conversation goes on and on...not only to my brothers...but also with my friends as well...exchanging my knowledge of cooking...with some random experiences and tips that I could use of...there were teasing, there were laughing...and of course bonding...if only Lexi's here to talk more...wait! Where is Lexi?!?!

"Wait...where's Lexi?!?!"

"I don't know, Alice." Claire replies to me. "Why don't you check the park."

"Will do. Thanks!"

I hurriedly left the truck and run into the city park...I searched everywhere in the park just to find him. In the darkness...with only street lights guiding my way, I almost lost...until I found somebody...lying on the bench...I approached him...and...i-it was Lexi! Sleeping!!!

"EHEM!!!" I shouted at him to wake him up

"WHAAA!!! WHO IS IT?! Oh...it's you, Flonne."

"HUEHEHE...Dare to explain?!" I make an evil grin at him. "I've been looking for you all day, you know?!"

"Ple-please, ca-calm down, Flonne." Lexi stutters as he explains. "Co-could you ple-please sit down?"

Finding out that he is really true to his words, I comply...and sit beside him.

"Umm...aah...eeh..." Lexi struggles to think what he should say to me so...

"Lexi, I know that you are behind those notes on the envelopes so please...let's get straight to the point." I smiled at him to motivate him. "Don't worry, I won't bite. Hehehe!!!"

That's when Lexi confesses it all...

"Flonne...do you remember what you ask to me? About our future plans once we've done with this road trip? I wish to be more than that...more than hanging out with you...more than teaching me your skills...and even more than this cooking rivalry. Alice Flonne, we know that I helped you in finding your family. But for me...you're a miracle that was given to me...you helped me shaped who I am now...I care for you...I tendered for you...I protected you...you did all of these to me...and I am grateful to be your rival...and to be your friend. And for that, I wanted to ask you something...something that I will do once this road trip is done..."

Lexi then kneels before me and puts out a blue box...and when he opens it...WHAAAAAA!!!! A-AN EN-ENGAGEMENT RI-RING?!?

"Alice Flonne...can I be your perpetual cooking rival...for the rest of my life?"

WHAAAA!!! MY FACE IS TOTALLY BLUSHING RIGHT NOW!!! AND I ASSUME THAT MY FRIENDS ARE SNEAKILY WATCHING THIS!!!

"Hu-huh?!?! Wha-what is thi-this?!?! Is thi-this re-really for me?!?! Is thi-this a dre-dream?!?! If it is, wa-wake me up!!! Te-tell me, Lexi. Is thi-this real?!?!"

"Yes, Flonne." He replied to me with a smile. "You know...I have so many debt that I owe to you and this is the only...and the best way to pay all of it. My life's changed because of you and for that...thank you very much, Flonne."

"...sniff...sniff..." Tears of joy fell from my eyes...little did I know that the person that started my passion in cooking...the person that helped me endured through the thick and thin...and the person who bring me and my family together again...changed his own life because of me...and will be my companion for the rest of my life...

"Don't cry, Flonne. It's okay." Lexi hugs me very tightly. "We can still hangout with our friends...and settle our cooking rivalry every now and then...but let me accompany you. I promise you...you'll never go alone ever again."

"Hehehe...sniff...I knew it...sniff...I knew that this day will come...sniff..." I smiled brightly at him as tears continue to fall. "This...sniff...this the best gift you've ever given to me...sniff...thank you...sniff...I will never ever forget this..."

"So...again...can I be your perpetual cooking rival for the rest of your life?"

"Hehehe!!! Well, of course! Hehehe!!!" After all being said and done...I giggled as I accept his life changing offer. Lexi then puts in the ring upon my finger...then kissed me in the cheeks...

"Well...what should we do next?" I curiously ask him.

"Well...the road trip's still far from over so...maybe we should continue our rivalry. Besides, we're tied again!"

"Ha! I will win this rivalry for sure!"

"Not until I return to the food truck first!" Lexi then starts to run ahead of me.

"He-hey! Wait!"