“HOW many local bands were invited to perform at the festival?” Caroline asked Hyacinth as they were walking towards the location of Hot Air Balloons.
It was her first time to see an air balloon in a close range. And it looked amazingly beautiful. Different styles of colorful balloons seemed to promise freedom when lifted in the air. Many people were gathering and taking their own selfies with the aircraft that they like the designs. Caroline imagined herself being carried in the air by balloons. Flying her away from the nightmares that hunt in her sleep.
“Well, the online posters say that there will be seventeen bands. The number stands for the year twenty-seventeen,” Hyacinth said. “Look, I think that’s Arman, the Upside Down lead vocalist.”
Caroline looked at the group of people surrounding the young guy in a denim jacket and ripped jeans. He’s cute, but not enough to get Caroline’s attention. And, he’s too young for her. “He’s the type of guy that gets my best friend’s attention, right?”
Hyacinth frowned. “Nah, I like billionaire men, or at least looked like a billionaire.”
Caroline chuckled. “That’s why you hang out with Mr. Lee. He looked like a billionaire.”
“I’m just doing it for you,” she snorted. “Your not so excellent attendance records piled up in his desk. And if he got time to review them, you’ll be out.”
Caroline was aware of her lousy attendance record in their company. She had tried resigning and transferring to other companies. Still, Hyacinth was doing a great job of hindrance her every plan. There were times that she wanted to change her career and be a different version of herself. She tried to move to other cities or live in a province. But, those moments were just temporary, and her best friend knew that. Those were the times that she feels unsure to herself, of what she really wanted in life, or what she really is. And in those confusing moments in her life, Hyacinth was always there beside her, ready to pull her out of uncertainties.
“I’m getting tired of this job. Convincing and persuading people to get a house that will call their home,” Caroline rolled her eyes. “I don’t even know how it feels like to have a home. Ironic, right?”
Hyacinth gave her a look that she hates to see in her eyes. “Caroline—”
“Ah, stop it, I’m fine,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I just find it funny sometimes. I don’t know how I convinced some of my clients to buy a new house, or a property for their family, even if I haven’t experience having a family.”
“Because you’re good at sympathizing with them. You know our clients’ soft spot, and you were using your experience when you were a child to connect with them because you knew how it feels like to be away from home for a long time.” Hyacinth touched her hand and gave it a relaxing squeeze. “Caroline, today is different from yesterday, and tomorrow promises us a new day. To have a better tomorrow, you have to live your life today, and to do that, you have to leave everything that happened yesterday.”
Caroline smiled at her friend. “I’m doing my best to do that… but how am I able to forget them if those memories are still hunting me?” she asked. “They appeared in my dreams every time I feel… alone.”
Hyacinth pulled her hand from her. “Your nightmares visit every time you end your relationship with your latest victim. And, I conclude that to stop those nightmares, you should stop having a romantic relationship with anyone.”
Caroline’s brow furrowed. “How am I going to do that? Men run after me.”
“It’s because you’re letting them,” she snorted. “If you stop showing interests to them, they’ll stop swooning over you. Men are men, and they can’t help themselves to hurt their women’s feelings, even they love them so much. They just couldn’t make themselves loyal like a dog.”
Hyacinth is right. One of the reasons she broke up with Lucas Santiago was the rumor she read on an online article about him. The business tycoon T. Santiago was dating a young celebrity in the network. He was known as one of the investors. Caroline didn’t ask Lucas if it’s true. She was scared to see the truth, so she dealt with her negative emotions all by herself. That’s when her unstable emotions started again.
Caroline sighed. “I know that the problem is in me…” she murmured. “It’s because of my unstable emotions—”
“That triggers by infidelity,” Hyacinth finished. “Caroline, I’m just worried about you and your mental health.”
Caroline scowled at her friend upon hearing the last words. “What are you trying to say?”
Hyacinth grinned. “Nothing! Let’s just enjoy the festival.” She inhaled the fresh air of the field. “We’re supposed to be having an early morning exercise here, but you woke up late—”
“It’s because we got drunk last night!” she retorted. “I told you to don't go at the bar—” Caroline froze in her steps. “Wait, it’s him!”
Hyacinth stopped on her side. “Who?” she asked, and follow her gaze. “Where?”
Caroline ran towards the group of people, but Hyacinth caught her arms and stopped her. “It’s Benjamin!” she said, not taking her eyes off the man.
“Wait, Benjamin? The guy you mention last night that helped us to get home?” Hyacinth asked again, her hand is still grasping her arm.
Caroline nodded. “And, the same guy that made my childhood a little brighter,” she said with a smile. She freed her hand from her friend’s grasp and ran towards Benjamin’s direction.
***