SWNOVELXO Chapter 10: I Will Fight
Meliza's POV
After I put my luggage in the trunk, I hugged and kissed my mother goodbye. She embraced me back for a long time. Then, Mom slowly released me from her arms and opened the back passenger's door for me.
She thanked Ruby's dad for picking me up and waved her hands as the car drove away from our narrow driveway.
"Are you excited?" Ruby asked as she turned her head and looked at me in the back seat with excitement all over her face.
"Not really," I replied, leaning back in my seat.
"Why? Aren't you eager to see the farm?" She asked.
"Of course I am, but I don't like to work there again, and you know why," I replied.
"Hey, don't worry about them, Meliza. I am here for you; we will fight them together if we have to," my best friend replied, and her father cleared his throat as he looked at Ruby sideways.
"Girls, I trust you will not get in trouble while working at Adriana's farm. My friend's family is running the farm, and I don't want you to get involved in any fight." Ruby's dad said, and I smiled.
"Ruby exaggerated the situation. Don't worry, Uncle Ed, we are good girls. We don't like fighting," I responded.
"Okay, you better behave yourselves, or I won't allow you to work on that farm again. I don't want you to tarnish my reputation. I backed you up; there was a long lineup of applicants since the farm offers the best salary all over the country for part-timers and the best place you could ever work and enjoy your summer at the same time." Uncle Ed declared.
"They offer training and have different activities, so you will not get bored, " he added, and I agreed.
It was a training ground for us to prepare for our future. We worked in rotation, and we could be on the plantation for one week, and on the second week, we would be assigned to the factory and then to the office.
They only accept students who need part-time jobs for the summer. We were required to bring our report cards as proof that we were studying. They want us to have a bright future, and if we get lucky, we can work in their company in the capital after graduating from college.
That is why Ruby's father wanted us to have a good record so that we could easily apply to Adriana's Agricultural Corporation in the future.
After we bought the tickets, I said, "Thank you, Uncle Ed, for driving us to the train station. "
"You are always welcome, Meliza, " he replied, smiling at me.
"You take care, girls!" He said, kissing Ruby's cheeks as we mumbled our thanks. And he finally waved his hand before he turned his heels and walked out of the station.
We followed the crowd inside and sat on one of the terminal benches while waiting for the train. It was early morning, but the station was packed with tourists and commuters.
We boarded the train and settled into our seats. We faced each other, and my best friend leaned her head against the glass window as she fell asleep in her seat. I couldn't sleep at all because I had always been fascinated by the beautiful scenery before us.
The green scenery outside the train window unfolded like a vibrant and full-of-life living painting. Rolling hills stretched endlessly, their lush carpets of grass shimmering under the soft sunlight. Trees stood tall and proud, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze, creating a soothing rhythm as the train hummed along the tracks.
I loved watching the patches of farmland as we neared, dotted with colorful wildflowers and meandering streams reflecting the sky's soft hues. In the distance, I could see the mountains loomed, their peaks dusted with mist, while closer to the tracks, birds flitted from bush to bush, adding movement to the serene landscape before us.
It was a moment of tranquility, where nature seemed to flow seamlessly past the train, a reminder of its timeless beauty and quiet power. I wished I hadn't come here for work but to enjoy my summer with my family.
I always loved summer when I was a kid, when I didn't need to work my butt off, when things were simple, and I was carefree. I didn't know back then how hard it was for my mom to leave us every time she went to work, and she only left us to our elderly neighbor, whom I thought was our real grandma.
Ruby finally opened her eyes as we approached our stop. She stretched her limbs and smiled at me.
"Aren't we there yet?" She asked as she peeked through the window.
"Not yet, but we are almost there," I replied.
"I am super excited. I had been waiting for this summer for many months, and I felt so happy that it had finally come, and here we are in San Fernando." She responded, and I tried to smile back at her since I didn't want to ruin her moment.
"Why are you so excited to come back here? You used to fight with your father whenever he mentioned a summer job to you." I replied.
"Things changed last summer when I realized Vince is the one for me. We didn't have the chance to get to know each other, but I will make sure he will notice me this time," she excitedly said while I felt uncomfortable.
"You like him?" I asked.
"Yes, I like him so much, Iza. It wasn't because his family owned Adriana's farm, but because of what he is inside out; he is very handsome and down to earth, and I couldn't wait to see him again." She responded while I felt guilty.
My last encounter with Vince was intense, and he was one of the reasons why I didn't want to work at the farm this summer. It became complicated now that Ruby confessed her feelings for Vince. It was awkward, and I couldn't tell her that Vince confessed he liked me.
"Oh, no! Vince is here at the train station! I couldn't believe this!" Ruby exclaimed, and I followed her eyes. My body felt cold as I found Vince and Jonathan walking towards us with smiles on their faces.
"Hello, ladies! Welcome back to San Fernando!" Vince said as he looked at me.
"Hi, Vince and Jonathan! Thank you for picking us up," Ruby excitedly said, giving Vince one of her sweetest smiles.
"It's my pleasure, Ruby," he responded, glanced at my cousin, and returned his full attention to me.
"May I?" He asked as he took the luggage from me.
"No need, Vince, I can carry my own suitcase," I responded, tightening my grip on the carry strap. But he was able to snatch it from my hand, and I could see the look on Ruby's face as I let go of my luggage.
My best friend was upset but tried her best to conceal it from us as she started talking with Jonathan as we walked towards the car.
"Are you okay?" Vince asked after I fastened my seatbelt. I couldn't believe he had requested me to sit beside him in the front seat instead of Jonathan.
"Yeah, I'm just tired from our trip," I responded, pretending to be asleep the entire ride to Adriana's farm.
The white three-story farmhouse looked so beautiful even from a distance. It has a wrap-around porch, and lovely landscaping stretches around the house. The Bermuda grass is well-maintained by the gardeners.
Vince quickly climbed out of his pick-up truck and opened the door for me. Then, he sent me to my assigned room.
"Thank you, Vince. But I think you brought me to the wrong quarter." I declared as my eyes widened in shock after he opened the bedroom door.
"I used to share a room with Ruby, but why she went with Jonathan on the other side?" I asked.
"Well, you are promoted this summer," he responded.
"What do you mean I am promoted?" I asked, creasing my forehead, waiting for his explanation.
"You will be doing paperwork, and you don't need to go to the mango or vegetable plantation to help pull weeds or spray fertilizers or help the harvesting." He responded.
"Why me?" I asked in disbelief.
"Come on, Iza, I don't need to tell you why; you can answer your own question." He answered with irritation.
"I need an explanation, Vince; no matter what you do for me, I will never accept you as my boyfriend; my answer would still be a no." I declared, and I could see the pain that registered on his face.
"You are smart, and you ace the training last year. Besides, I will never do something like that to have your attention, Meliza. I don't want to bribe you." He answered as he looked with pain on his face.
"I will win your heart by being me, and I will pursue you until you say yes," Vince added confidently.
"You are only wasting your time on me," I replied. I wanted to beg him to stop because it would lead us nowhere, and I wanted to work on the farm peacefully.
"Am I?" he asked as he approached me, and I could smell his intoxicating scent, which made me blush.
I couldn't deny Vince was smoking hot and handsome, and my mom adored him, but I didn't have the time to date.
"Yes!" I replied and sidestepped and walked inside the spacious room.
"It hurts, but I don't easily surrender, Meliza." He whispered while my face felt warm because of his nearness.
"Can I see you later?" He added, and I felt relieved he had taken a step back.
"Do I need to work now?" I asked back without answering his question.
"No, you and Ruby will start tomorrow. Nina will brief you about your scoop of work. You are a supervisor now, and I know you will like your new job." He responded.
"I will be waiting for you at the stable at five o'clock. I know you love watching the sunset. I will bring you to your favorite place," Vince added, and I shook my head.
"I don't feel well, Vince," I lied, even if I wished to say yes since I miss watching the sunset in the hills.
"I am sorry, I understand. Take a rest, and see you at dinner. Maybe we can go there this weekend." He declared, and I weakly smiled at him as I nodded my head.
I let out a sigh of relief after Vince left my room. I collapsed into the bed and didn't realize I had dozed off to sleep, and it was already dark when I woke up.
I got many messages and missed calls from Vince and Ruby and realized it was past ten in the evening. I couldn't believe I overslept and didn't hear them knocking on my door.
I didn't want to eat, but my stomach grumbled, and I felt hungry. I stood up, combed my hair with my fingers, and made my way to the kitchen, thinking everyone was already sleeping at this hour. My steps faltered as I neared the kitchen and heard voices talking and laughing.
"I am curious about this girl you were talking about. Is she really that beautiful?" Someone asked, and I don't know why my heart raced just hearing his voice.
His voice was unfamiliar, yet I wanted to get inside and know him.
"Well, Meliza looked like an angel, but beware because she is not what you think she is; she will only use you because she loves playing games with boys." Nicole's familiar voice answered.
"Yes, that is so true, and mind you, Iza only wanted someone from a wealthy family, so don't ever think of courting her because you will never win her heart even if you are so handsome and hot," Crystal added, and I curled my fists as I leaned on the wall as the girls giggled.
"Yes, for me, you are the most attractive among the boys here, and you are more handsome than those actors in TV shows, but no matter how you look, you will not pass by Meliza's standard even if we call her a loser!" Nicole stated.
"You are saying this girl is a social climber and a gold digger?" The young man asked.
"Yes!" The girls chorused in reply, and I slowly turned around, trying not to make a sound.
I was starving, yet I lost my appetite. I felt so angry and hurt. It dawned on me that I would never have a peaceful summer job because of them, but I would not let them win this time. I will fight and show those girls I am not a loser.