Chapter 5 – Eastern Island

One week of research and I got nothing – from history of the whole Wonder Place up to the last war between good and evil and up to the recent news about the disappearance of Maximillian Jones. I tried to search more about the background of Maximillian Jones but there wasn’t enough information about the reason of her disappearance.

But at least I have few knowledge about the system here in Wonder Place. For instance, I know more about the Guardians who are responsible for all of this, the Protectors here where they protect the souls and the living away from the evil, the Healers who are responsible for the healing of the pain of the living, the Karmas who are responsible for the time and destiny that make all of this balance between good and bad, Soulmate people who are responsible for two souls to connect as one and lastly the Helpers who helps and guides the new soul to their journey. I also found out that for every North, South, East and West – they are one main castle on each side where the 4 Guardians were guiding on each direction.

The only forbidden place that we are not allowed to go was on the other part of the East side where the aftermath of the war between good and evil still visible to us. Nobody knows why the Guardians didn’t do anything to about it but as per Luna – it was much Damien gerous that even the Guardians didn’t dare to go there.

I closed the ancient book in front of me and rest my head on the table. I scrolled some information through my beep to shift my thoughts to something else. It’s been a week since the last time I saw Damien Hewitt too. Not that I care really. As much as I don’t want to know much about Damien Hewitt, one of the requirements to our soulmate whatever was to update each other every day. Yes. Every day. I don’t see why we have to. Our house was literally beside each other.

Based on the updates from Luna, Damien pretty much adjusted already to the Wonder Place and all of his time he was participating in Unicus Gaming Community and other events. I must admit after that incident that happened to me in front of the train station, there’s a lot of invitations and letters I received since then. Not just in Unicus Community but also some part of the North, East, West and South.

Damien was thrilled when he received some of the invitations too especially from the Wonder Place Rowing Team in the East – maybe that was the reason why he was so persistent to go to the Eastern Island.

Another notification from the Eastern Island Resort came through my IPad and I clicked it. I sighed as I scroll all the pictures from the resort up to the beach and the activities that they are going to plan for us. I turned off my iPad and focused more on the thick book in front of me but I just couldn’t fathom the idea of me of all people got back from the Earth and didn’t turn into a lost soul.

I sighed as I dropped the History of Wonder Place along with Books of Souls down and rested my head in my hands.

Regrets came back to me. I should’ve accepted the Eastern Island Giveaway – maybe some activities and relaxation will help but I dismissed that thought immediately. It is not right to completely enjoy myself into this paradise while all my loved ones were mourning because of me and also, to be with Damien is the last thing I want to do. It was not just about the force of wanting to be with him but I also can’t helped myself to get distracted whenever he is around. He was also curious about what happened to me that day about my fall and why I’m not participating in the events happening this week. As much as I want to tell him that I went back to Earth – I just can’t. I don’t know if I trust him yet and part of me doesn’t want him to get into trouble.

I went out of my house to water my plants and there, Damien with his Nike shirt and shorts - just done jogging all around the whole Unicus Community ran in front of my house.

“Hey neighbor!” he waved his hand at me as he stopped in front of my house, breathless as he catches his breath.

At his age, he seems fit and surprisingly, very humble to all of us. He is not arrogant like I thought he would. I tried my best to not get tempted by the soulmate force and his looks. Even though we are soulmates… I don’t want to change a thing. It brought me peace and relieved but I can’t helped but to notice the disappointment and hurt through his eyes.

“What’s up?” I waved back.

“The resort called me earlier asking if we are still interested. They are actually persistent.” He reasoned while taking off of his headset. “Nathan figured that we both need this for us to be companions and also to help our soul to be at peace and for us to figure out the date of our departure blah blah blah,” he complained as he copying the low voice of his helper.

“No,” I said as I placed the watering can beside the stairs of my front porch. “I already made up my mind remember?”

He sighed, “I know but maybe you’ll change your mind?”

I scoffed.

“It is also the way for us to get to know each other – we are soulmates after all.” He stated.

I looked up to him, “I already know you. We already asked each other some questions before,”

“It was only what – 4 to 5 questions?” He ridiculed. “Seriously, Cecilia. What’s up? It’s been a week since we became official.” He raised his right hand to show me the slightly visible glow of golden thread around his ring finger. “You are always inside your house and not participating in the events all around. I tried to talk to Luna but she won’t answer me.”

I could see that he was not just curious. He was bothered. I could tell by the way the crease of his forehead form between his eyebrows and the way his scorching brown eyes looked directly to mine for some answers. I hate this. I hate confrontation and now he’s confronting me. I don’t like this at all. I need to escape from him and his questions.

“Just go home,” I said as I turned around.

He held my wrist to stop me, “Nope. You are not going to avoid this again. Is it about me?”

“Really?” I mocked him. “Do you really see me that low?”

“Well, I don’t know what happened to you. After us being official soulmates, you’re acting strange like you’re trying your best to get rid of me. What? You don’t like me as your soulmate then? I don’t like this mind gaming psychology act on me. Just tell me what’s wrong”

I tried to grasped away from his hold but he was strong, “Please Cecilia. Just tell me what’s going on.” He begged with his soft voice. “You can trust me, you know?”

Can I trust him? Can I?

He gently let me go. “I guess you don’t,”

It hurts to see him smile sadly but it is for the best – for both of us I think to have some space. For him, it looks easy to adjust here but I’m still mourning. I don’t know how he does it really – acting so normal and having fun into this place.

“I’m sorry but it is for the best, Damien” I muttered, brushing my arms awkwardly.

“Is it about John?” he whispered. “Nathan told me about him.”

I bit my lip as I looked down to the ground. “Look, Damien –“

“No. Listen to me first, alright?” he paused. “I’m not mad that you have a boyfriend before me. In fact, I’m glad about it and it’s not that I don’t want you to be my soulmate. Honestly, it’s a bit weird that this whole thing have that but I’m still surprise too. I know you still love him –“

I opened my mouth to say something but he held his palm up, stopping me from explaining my side.

“No, let me finish.” He stated. “I know you still love him and it was unfortunate about what happened to you. But we can be friends. Leonard explained to us that love is universal right? Maybe I can help you with your stuff too. I can be useful and Nathan too!” he blabbered, pointing out the chances and other possible ways.

“Look, Damien. I’m still adjusting to whatever this world or place this is and it just keeps adding up with what happened to me, from falling back to Wonder Place and having a soulmate –“ I took a deep breath, “It’s just so hard and it’s drowning me,”

I looked up to him as tears fell down my cheeks, “One thing led to another and I just want to take a break from everything!”

I sat down at my porch steps as I buried my face into my hands and cry. For the first time ever, I said the words I want to say since the first day I came here, “I hate this and I hate everything. I want to go home. I want to go back to normal and to see my family again. I wish this all a dream – a very bad dream. I just want to go home,”

Soon, a pair of warm hands held both of my hands. It slowly held my hands away from my face and there, a shyly smile appeared on Damien’s face as he wipe away my tears.

“There, there…” he hummed like I was a child. “That is why I am here, yeah? I will help you and Nathan to figure out whatever you are facing right now.”

“But Damien,” I shook my head as I hung my head low. “I don’t know,”

"You can trust me. Please trust me. Look at you - you're supposed to be out there and be happy but you're still..." he paused as he looked down as he whispered the next thing he said. "Stuck,"

"Well aren't you? Because as far as I can see you're enjoying everything here like you don't miss your family, friends...This is 

"

He pursed his lips, “Okay. I have an idea. How about we give this Eastern Island Giveaway a shot,”

I looked up at him and under my teary eyes, I gave him a death glare.

“-And from there - learn to trust me. Leonard told me about this activities for soulmates where we get to trust and work on our issues in one of the small islands there. Maybe that will help”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Nope,”

“Seriously what’s up with you and that Eastern Island?” I asked. “You can go there by yourself. Why do I have to go?”

He groaned as he stood up, “Cause!”

I waited for him to say something more but he just keep saying the word cause while shrugging.

“What?” I stared at him, frowning at this weirdo nincompoop in front of me.

“Cause!” he said again as he raised both of his hand in frustration.

I rolled my eyes but I couldn’t help but to chuckled, “You are such a baby!”

“Well, Cecilia Andrews, you are freaking blind!” he retorted.

“Blind for what? My eye vision is 20/20! What the hell?”

“Oh my goodness. Just cause!”

“Will you please explain why?! You keep on saying the word cause!” I stomped my foot in irritation.

“I thought you’re smarter. Just cause!”

“Whatever. Go home, Damien.” I said as I stood up and turned around to him.

He all of a sudden hugged me behind that sent shivers down my spine. I could feel the heat starting to rise upon my cheeks.

“Dude, what are you doing?” I exclaimed, trying to shrug him off but he wouldn’t budge.

“Hugging you as a friend,” he said as a matter of fact.

“Well, let go!”

“Nope.”

“Alexander Damien, let me go this instant or else-“

“Or else what?” he interrupted me. “I’m not going to let you go until you come to me to the Eastern Island with me. You look so stress and as your soulmate, you need some vacation!”

“Fine! I’ll go! I’ll go!”

“Really?” He turned to me, dumbfounded.

“Yes,” I said in defeated tone.

“And you will participate with the activities?”

“Yes,”

He kissed my cheek before letting me go. “Thank you! I owe you one! I’ll contact Nathan and Luna.”

I just shook my head in disbelieved, “You’re impossible,”

“Well think of it as a warm up” he said excitedly.

I wrapped my arms around my chest, “A warm up? Really?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Well, I figured you’re not really an extroverted,”

“Oh shut up,” I grumbled under my breath before opening the door of my house. “You owe me big time, Hewitt”

“Are you ready, lovebirds?” Leonard asked excitedly as he showed up in front of our front porch steps, wearing his signature pink tuxedo with the heart shaped pin and bow and arrow on the left side of his coat.

“Good morning, Leonard,” Damien said.

I adjusted my sunglasses as I lazily wave Leonard without a word.

“What do we have here?” Leonard turned to me, his smile didn’t leave his round face. Sometimes I wonder if the people from the Soulmates Department required to be happy all the time.

“Ignore her, Leonard. Apparently she stayed up late last night reading Pride and Prejudice,” Damien chuckled under his breath.

“You didn’t tell me we were leaving today,” I turned to him, sending death glare to this nincompoop who was wearing a buttoned floral polo and underneath of it was a white sleeveless undershirt.

“I did! I told you we were leaving on Feb 8th!” he defended quickly.

“I thought you were just kidding! Date and time are not relevant here right?” I asked Leonard as I placed my hand on my hips.

“Here we have only the date and month but we don’t have a year,” Leonard explained.

“See? I told you so,” Damien sings teasingly as he ruffled my hair.

I groaned, “Let’s just get this over with,”

In one snap, we were already in the Eastern Island. Due to the invisible force – it made me fall on my knees but luckily, Damien grabbed me before completely falling down. I could tell Damien was surprised too due to he was breathless too.

“Oh!” Leonard exclaimed as he turned around, facing us. “I’m sorry, lovebirds! I forgot that it was your first time experiencing ‘The Swift’”

“Obviously,” I commented as I rose up. I looked at the scene around me and we were on a beach. The sand was white and smooth, the ocean were blue as the sky and I noticed that some of the souls were either sunbathing under their big umbrellas or playing fun swimming and doing some beach activities.

“Welcome to the Eastern Island! Where everything is summer!” Leonard greeted before clapping twice.

Two helpers appeared and giving us the schedule for our activity next 3 days. They are Ronnie and Lili and aside from Leonard, they are going to be the substitute of Nathan and Luna while we stay here in Eastern Island.

Leonard was now showing us through the hologram the preview of the Eastern Island Giveaway for Soulmates. The whole video showed the relaxation of two young souls with the afternoon spa in one of the small islands nearby and some previews of the activities for women, men and for couples – one of it was the one Damien told me about what it looks like a couple therapy. Screw that, I’m not going to participate that.

The good thing about this giveaway was that there are no limits. We can stay here as long as we like but sadly, Luna and Nathan didn’t come due to there was a conflict in their schedule but they told us that they will try their best to visit us and that they are just one call away through beep.

“Ronnie and Lili – you take good care of them alright?” he said to the two helpers before facing us, “So, lovebirds, that’s all for today! You don’t have schedule for the next 3 so you can do whatever you want. Just beep me if you need anything. Your bags are already in your room. Cheerio!” he waved and then he snapped his finger and he disappeared.

“Hello guys! Here is your welcome drink from us!” Lili excitedly said as she passed us what it looks like a colorful drink with small umbrellas on the side of the glass. Lili was a brunette helper who was wearing a white casual dress while Ronnie – a blonde boy with blue eyes put a touch on his plain sleeves with a black bowtie. They seems nice helpers but I couldn’t help but to miss Nathan and Luna.

“What drink is this?” Damien examined the whole thing.

I took off my sunglasses and there, I examined the drink in front of us. The different colors were swirling inside the glass and oddly, they are not mixing and aside from the smell of the ocean, I could tell that the drink in front of us taste great.

“Oh, that’s the signature drink of the Eastern Island. It’s called the ‘Ohhhh’ drink. It got all the fruits in one drink. It’s not too sweet or not too sour and it depends on the soul which flavor stands out the most,” Ronnie explained.

I took my drink and without thinking, I took a sip. Different flavors swirling around my tongue and at first it was odd but all too soon, the flavor that stands out to me was the flavor blueberry.

“Ohhh, blueberry.” I gasped as I looked up to Damien who took a sip as well.

After a second, his eyes were wide in surprise as he shifted his gaze from me then to the colorful juice that he was drinking. “Ohhh. It taste like –“he frowned and took a sip again. “It taste like strawberry,”

“While you enjoy your drink, your luggage is already in your room in the Love Hotel that is located behind you,” Lili professionally pointed to us.

Love Hotel was a rectangular and tall pink building placed in between the Faith Hotel and Trust Hotel. It got balcony on every window that has the view of the whole beach. I noticed that there was another building on the other side not far from the beach.

“What building is that?” I asked, pointing at the building at the back of the 3 building in front of us.

“That is the Wonder Place Studios. It is where –“

I gasped, “SO THEY ARE ALL THERE?!”

“Whoa, who?” Damien frowned.

“Oh my God. Paul Newman, Michael Jackson, James Dean, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe!” the list of my love for celebrities were non-stop as I walked directly away from them.

Damien took my hand as he stopped me from going.

“I’m sorry, Cecilia but it is weekend today so they don’t have a work. But don’t worry – some of them probably hanging around here or in their own community.” Ronnie said.

“Oh,” I pouted in disappointment. So close.

“Don’t worry, Cecilia. You got one right here!” he spread out his arms and grinned at me.

I ignored him, “Let’s go, Lily! Show me my room please and if possible, kindly separate me with this baboon. Thank you.”

I heard Ronnie laughed from behind while Damien keep on complaining that his movie, Let’s Break Casanova’s Heart was a huge hit story again.

I interlocked my arm around Lili as she led us inside the Love Hotel. I must say that underneath the color pink building from the outside, the interior design of the whole building was splendor. It got a touch of warm yet classy design and they put a touch of pink and gold everywhere – from the chandelier up to the design of the cream wall. It was beautiful.

“Your suite is on 10th floor, Cecilia. Room 1013 while Damien is on Room 1014,” she said as she handed me my key.

“Due to the rules as a helper – we can only accommodate you here in the lobby of the love hotel but you can beep us to your iPad if you need anything. The room service is free and you can order anything you want by using the phone inside your suite.” Ronnie explained. “If you want to start your day with some drinking boost – we highly recommend the Lover drink”

“Oh count me in,” Damien wiggled his eyebrows.

“Okay but before that you must remember that the number 1 on the telephone will connect you directly to your soulmate, number 2 is for ordering another food that you want and number 3 is to call us if ever there’s an emergency.” Lili explained softly.

Then Lily and Ronnie walked back professionally by the rotating door of the Love Hotel. “Have fun, Damien and Cecilia,” they bid us goodbye.

When they were gone, Damien turned to me showing his boyish smile. “So, lover drink?”

“In your dreams! I’m going to eat breakfast,” I lazily said as I went to the opposite side of the room where the inside restaurant of Love Hotel located. “You go do what you want,” I said before dragging myself into the fancy pink restaurant and left Alexander Damien Hewitt alone in the lounge area of the Love Hotel.

That’s what I did for the whole weekend. Avoiding my soulmate, eat breakfast straight and back to my room researching again from the Book of the Dead. Sometimes, I head out to the beach swimming for like 30 minutes then back again inside my suite. My motivation to solve whatever this is keeps me up all night and it was tempting to give it all up but the yearning to be back on Earth drove me mad to solve or think of some way to escape again from Wonder Place.

I touched my gold necklace while looking out the window. The view of the beach somehow makes me feel relaxed and happy but my thoughts shifted to Alexander Damien Hewitt. I kind of feel guilty of avoiding him ever since we went here. What’s the big deal of my avoidance? Seriously! Sometimes I wonder if I’m a normal being. Why can’t I trust him? Why am I so worried? Is it about the soulmate thing? If it is, then it’s freaking annoying.

Yes I told him that I will go and participate with our stay here but our Soulmate Activity doesn’t begin yet. I don’t want to be with him – sometimes he is annoying and he kind of reminded me of John which infuriates me even more. Best thing to do is to avoid him. Yes. That’s a good idea.

While I was in the middle of understanding the war between good and evil – there were still something missing. I still have a lot of questions on how did this happened and how did the ancient curse became so strong that it got pass through the sacred place of Wonder Place. I mean – how did this ancient curse started in the first place? And in all of that – how in the world that it was possible that it got anything to do with me not being a lost soul after all that?

I looked into other books as well to try and understand my case. It just wasn’t right. I’m only a mortal and how come out of all people on Earth and out of all soul here on Wonder Place – it was me?

Is there a possible reason that there was a glitch in all of this?

I wrote down on the piece of paper the word glitch while circulating it repeatedly while I was thinking. Is it possible that I can do it again? But how?

Then an idea came right out of me. I walked through the kitchen of my suite and grabbed a glass. Surely it is possible to recreate the actions that I did before getting back to Earth. I filled in the glass with water and stared at it.

Now what?

What actions I did to trigger the whole thing? First warning was the scent of dead roses, then the feeling of choking or drowning then blackness. But all I did was drinking a glass full of water.

After how many attempts of concentrating and some meditating – there was a 3 knocks on my door. I walked through the door and peeked through the small hole. It was Damien.

I opened the door and he was wearing his white and green football jersey and a black cap.

“Let’s get some sunshine now, Love!” he announced but all of a sudden he looked away, covering his eyes. “I know you are hot, Cecilia but you don’t have to be a show off,”

“What do you-“I looked down and I gasped. I covered myself with my blue silk robe automatically. I was only wearing a too revealing black nightwear. Sometimes I hate you, Victoria Secret.

“So I’ll just uhh,” he scratches the back of his head awkwardly, “I’ll just wait you in the lobby yeah?” then he runs off.

“WAIT – I DIDN’T SAY YES!” I shouted but he ignored me.

I closed the door loudly and went straight to my dresser. I grabbed the first thing that I saw and went out of my suite along with my sunblock and my sunglasses.

That was so embarrassing! Stupid me for forgetting about everything! Seriously!

I went straight through the lobby and there I saw Damien talking to the lady with light brown hair. I couldn’t help but to feel bothered by the sight of it. I noticed that the woman was in her early 20s probably same age as we are. I looked down at her hand and I saw that she already found her soulmate. She gave him something to him before going straight to the Love Hotel Restaurant.

“What’s that all about?” I asked him but his facial expression changes to serious.

“What are you wearing?” he asked, looking up and down at my white sunny dress.

I frowned as I twirled around, “It’s a sunny dress,”

“Says who?”

“Ralph Lauren,”

“Well cover it up,” he scowled as he put on some sunglasses.

“Relax! I have my shawl with me.” I said, showing him my crochet shawl. “So who is the woman earlier?”

“She invited us for a beach party later,” he said, giving me the pink invitation with our names on it.

I looked down at the pink invitation and read the names of the hostess out loud.

“Emery Johnson – Smith and Aleck Smith.” I muttered as I turned around the card, showing me the list of activities of the party. “They look alright, I guess,”

“They are from the West side but they want to celebrate here in the Eastern Island. So do you want to go?” he asked.

“Sure,” I shrugged while giving him back the invitation card. “As long as there’s a free food,”