How to Write a Novel in 7 Days [PREVIEW]

Lesson 5 - How to Expect the Unexpected

Day 3 - Thursday, May 23

Today couldn't have started any better.

I wake up before my alarm sounds and am able to accomplish my morning rituals as scheduled. Marc shows up promptly at 9 AM aboard his sleek, black car. Mom scolds me for going on dates for three consecutive days now and I miserably fail to convince her that everything is simply part of my attempt to score a publishing deal. Dad glares at me with his piercing eyes but doesn't say anything.

Everything is going absolutely fine.

Until Marc suddenly pulls over by The Bistro.

"Marc, I thought I told you that..."

"I know, I know. This isn't our destination, pero puwede bang bumaba ka muna?"

"Ha?!" Please don't tell me I'm going to be left in this place again.

"Relax, will you?" Marc laughs. He flashes me a reassuring smile. "I'm just going to have you transfer seats. No Kari today, I promise."

Transfer seats? As usual, Marc has me downright baffled. But before I could demand any answers, a tap on the window breaks any other train of thought. The people waving at me from outside are people I recognize.

"Ayan na sila," Marc says, unlocking the car doors. "What are you waiting for, Sia? Join Aya in the back and let Ian take your seat. We're wasting precious time."

Wow. Wow lang talaga.

Marc Ramirez, Ian Ramos, Aya Garcia, and Sia Valencia, all together for whatever plans Marc has under his sleeves...

If we were still in high school, our batch mates would surely be having a fit by now. They would start all sorts of rumors. Kari would spread lies about my "obvious and desperate attempts to draw attention to myself by hanging out with her boyfriend" and, just because she's Kari, everyone would believe her or be forced to act like they do. They'd treat me like trash just for the sake of pleasing the self-declared queen of the school, and I'd definitely be suffocating to my death.

In front, Marc and Ian are engaged in lively conversation. I have no idea what exactly it is they are talking about, but I get a few ideas from the bits and pieces I hear from them. Something about graduate studies, parties, and basketball. Random stuff, mostly. Being the nice guy that he is, Ian gets along with just about everybody and it looks like Marc Ramirez is no exception. Based on their conversation, they don't even look like they're catching up with one another. In fact, they look like they've always been the best of pals.

On the contrary, Aya and I, who really are best friends, aren't talking at all. Aya probably knows that I'm too preoccupied with my thoughts to want to talk to anyone, so she busies herself with her cell phone. She occasionally looks my way and smiles as if she's holding back her laughter. I figure that she finds this whole scenario amusing, she being the only person aware of my little crush on Ian back in high school. I glare at Aya for her to stop it. She shrugs in reply but keeps on smiling.

Sighing, I scoot to the left and lean against the car window. The scene outside reveals a slightly cleared up road with the morning rush hour just about over. The jeepneys are everywhere though, amazing me once again with how they seem to instantly teleport from left to right. The motorcycles are even more amazing, suddenly popping from out of nowhere.

Marc takes the next left turn and it is then that I realize where we're going.

We're headed to Manila.

Ah, Manila. The capital city of our dear country, the Philippines.

It's been a while since I've been here. Honestly speaking, I haven't been anywhere outside of Quezon City since high school ended. I didn't have to be. In college, there weren't any more of those mandatory field trips, outside-classroom activities, and other hoo-hahs they made us do in high school.