CHAPTER 1

I'm Emelia Valdez Crawford, more well known as Emmie. The roller coaster ride of my entire life started when I was seventeen, a few months before my birthday. It was also that year when my parents died in a fatal accident on a plane.

May 20, 2018

"Emmie… Emmie." It was a call from her best friend Oddette. She was busy watering the newly planted plants when she heard her calling.

"Yes, I'm here in the backyard," she shouted back.

"Did you watch the news?" she asked. Her face was full of worriedness and fear.

Emmie frowned, "What news?"

“Alright, come." Oddette held her hand and led her inside the house. They went straight to the living room, Oddette picked up the television remote as she turned on the TV. It's a noontime show when a sudden flash report showed.

FLASH REPORT 236 passengers, including the two pilots, died when a plane crashed today at North Cagayan.

"It was with great shock and horror to receive the news of the plane crash

AR-1429

of North Cagayan Supreme Airline that happened today, the 20th day of May 2000 at around 5.05 PM in North Cagayan, Mountain of Sierra Nevada.

The number of deaths on flight AR-1429 includes the newly wed, and their families that are going to attend the wedding, children-including newborn baby, and two pilots. According to news reports the crash was caused by the failure of the plane's tail because of pilot error in wake turbulence

turbulence that forms behind an airplane as it goes through the air

. It is the second-deadliest plane crash in History, which occurred on June 25, 1979. The list of passengers that was on a plane is on the screen.”

She trembled when she saw the names of her parents. They were invited to attend the wedding of her cousin that was held on an Island. She was supposed to go with them but because of her final exam she did not come. She feels likes a melting candle, but before she was totally fell down on the floor, Oddette arms was there to support her. She helped her to sit on the sofa that was next to where she's standing.

Two days had passed when the dead body of her parents arrived, it's only five days before they buried her parents. Odette, her best friend, had been there next to her since the day they watched the news, until today that her parents were totally six feet below the ground.

A month has passed since she's been an orphan. Now she's alone in their house. Her relatives live in a far place, and she can't leave this place because this is the place where she grew up. Many memories of her parents were here. All she needs to do is to be strong, to survive, mostly since she's living alone. She doesn't know much about her parents family background. Even though there's a time she heard her mother telling her father to go and visit his mother. Which means it's her grandmother. She took a deep breath.

Her mother was a plain housewife while her father was working in a government office as a teller. They live a simple life. Their house was two stories with two bedrooms. Now she has decided to look for a border that can occupy the other room and share the bills in water and electricity. And since it's summer and school break, she needs to look forwork for the time being while school hasn't started. She's lucky enough because she is one of the Dean Listers. This made her eligible to receive a scholarship from their school, aside from the allowance she received from the government officials in their town.

"Are you ready?" It's Oddette’s voice. They’re going to look for a job in the city, any work that is suitable for them as a student. She's been waiting for her best friend in front of the gate. They are neighbors, Oddette was her friend since they're nursery. They both attended the same school and remained as friends until today.

They hailed a tricycle routed to the main city; it's just only half an hour's travel.

First, they applied in a fast food restaurant but there is no more vacancy. They just accepted 5 applicants who came before them. In the alley going to a tricycles’ parking area, they saw a pizza shop. Since they are hungry, they decided to go and eat a pizza. The shop is called Pizza lover. On the front door, there is a written flyer about hiring for service crew. They look at each other and smile knowing that they both have the same thought. Oddette pushed the door open as they both went inside, the place is not much crowded. Actually it's a small shop; a few sets of tables, a counter, and a small kitchen to cook the pizzas.

They saw three pairs of customers that were eating; A family with two kids, a couple, and two men sitting in the corner. The guy was wearing a Blue denim jeans,white Lacoste white t-shirt, and black high cut converse shoes. He calls up her attention with his heart shaped face,pointed nose, thin lips, and thick eyebrows with long eyelashes. She was mesmerized by his beauty.

"Hey, did you hear me?" Oddette's voice dragged her out from observing the man sitting in the corner. She rapidly averted her gaze to Oddette.