Chapter 4: Her and Him
12 years later...
"Congratulations to the new graduates of batch 2018-2019!" The speaker cheerfully said and loud cheers and applause from the crowd erupted.
The graduates throw their caps on the air full of enthusiasm. The caps carried the feeling of their inner fire and purpose about themselves because after many years all their hard works were finally rewarded. As some, all start to join with their families and friends that are so proud of them.
"Congratulations. Hon." Erin cheerfully went to Lucas as she pecks a kiss on his lips and put her arms on Lucas' shoulders.
"Rin-rin, I'm glad you made it here." Lucas then put his arms gently on Erin's waist.
"Well-well why would I miss my Lulu's graduation."
"I have a surprise for you," Erin said as she separates from Lucas' embrace. She stares at Lucas' mesmerizing black eyes. Lucas also does the same and stares at Erin's beautiful and innocent eyes.
"Ow really? And what is that?" Lucas looks at her with a slight grin on his lips as a sign of teasing her.
"Well. It will not be a surprise if I tell you now. Let's head there first." Erin said as she grabs Lucas' hands and pulled him towards her car.
"Now. I'm getting curious about that surprise." Lucas said with some feeling of excitement and nervousness at the same time.
"Yes! I'm sure you will never forget it for the rest of your life." Erin said as soon as they are now inside the car. She on the driver's seat while Lucas seat beside her.
She started to drive and after almost an hour and a half. Lucas was now confused as he seems to see the familiarity of the place they are heading.
"Rin-rin? Are we heading in that place?"
Instead of answering, Erin just gave him her precious sweet smile.
Seeing that Lucas held his confusion. No matter what, he trust greatly everything that Erin did. Since that is what he always does when they are young. And that's he showed how deep is his love for her.
The car finally stops in front of a very familiar rusty old gate. The gate that took away his freedom for five years. Lucas gave Erin a questioning look as to why they are here on his exact graduation day.
"Let's get out of the car first," Erin said with calmness in her voice.
As they go out, they stand hand in hand at the tall gate that has now signage of 'Do not enter here!' 'Restricted Area' and it was covered by lots of yellow tapes.
"I know this place only brings painful memories to both of us." Erin begins speaking as she squeezed her hand in Lucas' hand.
"But because of this place. I met you. I met the person who shows me what is real love is. If I remembered that was already ten years since that."
Erin remembered the time she prayed for someone to help them. To let Lucas be alive. Yes, that boy who got shot and almost died is no other than Lucas. And luckily someone saves and rescues them.
When they woke up at that time, she is now on a hospital bed. And beside her, on another bed was the boy sleeping peacefully and full of bandages. While she's looking to this poor boy's condition there's something on her soul that ignites. 'I'm alive because of him.'
She found out soon that the fire spread widely to the whole plantation and became hard for the plantation workers to stop it by themselves. This is also got the whole city's authorities' attention.
Since the news of the fire reaches the authorities. A police car that passed by, saw the two bloodied kids lying on the road. Inside is an old policeman. He helps the two kids and brought them to the hospital.
The old police for unknown reasons adopted the two of them when everyone has left no choice. Since Erin refuses to go to an orphanage he decided to adopted her along with Lucas which she insists.
Erin laughs remembering those times. Old gramps was a truly good person for him to accept all her demands back there. Which is why she is greatly grateful. She will be forever indebted to them.
She and Lucas become inseparable back then. Though they choose different paths in college, she became police just like the couple who adopted them. They really inspired her to pursue this career. While Lucas is a chemist since he is greatly curious about chemicals.
This plantation was now closed. Since after the fire, the authorities do a deeper investigation of the place and soon they found out that this place commences terrible child labor, human trafficking, and many more violations.
All the people behind this were put in jail.
"Well, that's true. Maybe if the unknown girl didn't treat my fever back then. Then I already died." Lucas said as he looks at the gates. This brought back Erin's attention to him.
Lucas could still remember everything here clearly especially the memories with Erin.
He doesn't have any parents and just stayed on the back streets. Then one day someone hit his nape really hard and he lost consciousness. The next thing he knew is he is on the plantation and started working there, got beaten up, and starved for five years. His life feels like hell but it changed when he met Erin.
One day, he felt that his body was very heavy. He couldn't move at all. He stayed in that situation for almost two days. And each day he felt much weaker. He started to have difficulties in breathing and felt dizzy all the time.
He really thought that he is going to die.
But then the cold he is feeling disappeared as a warm thing covered his body. He clutches on to it tightly, afraid that it would be gone.
"Hey, are you okay?" In the middle of his pain and sufferings, he heard a sweet voice of a girl.
But he couldn't answer. Because of the pain, he felt inside and out of his body.
This continued for many days. Until he is finally healed from the fever. Then finally he found out who is the one who helped him. He didn't imagine that's she such an angel that come and save his weary life.
He found out that the girl's name is Erin which he learned from her friends that she always with. But they never got to talk again until the escape incident happened.
"Silly. And you almost got killed because of that reason." Erin punched Lucas' arms lightly.
"Well. If I didn't do that I would not be with my moonshine now." Lucas said as he looks lovingly at Erin. Her black eyes are sparkling while her long hair waves with the wind. He grabs some strands of it and planted a kiss with it. 'It smells like lavender. He thought.
Erin's face turns red as she looks sideways to avoid Lucas' look because she felt shy. Lucas just suddenly laughs because the way Erin reacts really looks cute to him.
*Ehem* Erin coughs lightly. It's been a year now since he becomes his official boyfriend but still, she couldn't get used to these sweet antics of Lucas.
"Well. Enough with the reminiscence." Erin said.
Then she faced Lucas this time with her eyes full of determination.
'This is now or never.' She steeled herself.
"Lucas..." Before she could finish her words.
Lucas interrupted her as he suddenly knelt in front of her.
"Erin," Lucas began speaking then he brought out something from his pocket. He then stared at Erin's eye full of love and passion as he held high the item.
It is a small red box.
Seeing this, Erin held her breath as her heart beat faster. She felt butterflies swirling in her stomach.
"Will you marry me?"
Lucas looked at her with much tender love.
"Damn it! I thought of proposing first but you are the one who surprised me" Lucas still figuring out what the right words to say to her words. But glad he didn't make any comments and soon Erin said her next words.
"Of course it is a YES!!!" With full of fire within his heart, hearing her words Lucas' eyes become teary. But he held it in.
Lucas put the ring on her finger. Then after that, to much of Erin's surprise red balloons started flying all over the place.
She was so shocked to see this.
"Surprised, my moonshine" Lucas said then continue his words as he saw Erin's questioning face.
"Well, I kinda heard your plan from Liza and I can't let my moonshine be the one to only propose to me." Said Lucas while he winked at Erin.
"Damn Liza and her run off-mouth." Erin pouted.
Seeing this Lucas can't take it anymore. He grabbed Erin's waist while starring at her beautiful eyes. Within her eyes, he could somewhat clearly imagined their future together. He closed his eyes and seal his lips with Erin's soft and pink lips. He tasted her strawberry lip gloss. He is glad knowing that this beautiful woman is now his fiance, his half soul.
"Yey! Congrats to the new couple of the town! Future Mr. and Mrs. Maygram!"
Erin immediately separated from Lucas as soon as she heard those voices. It was no other than Liza and Carlo along with Tom and Fred who are now all grown-ups now. And their co-survivors from the plant.
Lucas just glared at them. While Liza gave Erin a hug.
"Congrats Bestie. So when is the wedding?"
"Well. That would be soon announced. " Lucas said as he hugged the waist of Erin possessively. Erin just blushed more as she looks away. And the rest of the group all cheered with them.