Chapter Four

Margarita and her seem to be going abroad with the amount and weight of stroller bags. Her friend insisted that they bring a lot of clothes in case they can take a walk or stroll for a few days when they get there. She was carrying her travel backpack that was as big as Dora's. Her hygiene kits, two-piece that a friend forcibly inserted inside and some of her valuables were already there. On the other hand, her friend is the most excited of them. This morning, she was still restless in listing the shortcomings. Looking at the three stroller bags and a backpack it seems to be carrying the whole apartment.

She put aside the intense grief first; she won't let her downgraded heartbreak to eat her whole. Cassandra first focused her attention on what would happen to them when she and her friend arrived. Apparently, she's enjoying herself to the mood of traveling while listening to music.

Her eyes widened as the conductor's voice rang out. The friend's head rested on her shoulder and she slept soundly, maybe she was tired of taking picture she had taken earlier with the monopod she was carrying.

Cassandra rubbed her eyes and strode her sight off the bus. She saw a large signage saying they were in Sorsogon. She immediately aroused her friend, she was still sneezing, obviously confused by what she had done.

"Were here Margarita" She nodded at the signage. Her friend was immediately relieved and immediately encouraged. If before she was lousy, now she is just one step down the stairs. Their belongings were piled up there.

"Is everything here?" The conductor asked her. She just nodded. She smirked at her friend when she saw that she did not care about the equipment, she stretched first and the smile was even wider in the sinkhole. Maybe she was excited.

"Were here Cas, I am really excited for this. The air here is really fresh, tastes like Baguio." She sighed again and stretched again.

"Really Marga? You're not obviously excited." She answered sarcastically and took the backpack from the pile. But Margarita was right. Sorsogon is a place not to be reckoned with. The wind was still cold in the North Pole, fortunately she wore a thick jacket because otherwise she would have shivered in the cold.

"Come on Marga let's go, what time is it?" She was too impatient to wait she wanted to take a break from the long trip. She had to relax because her ass was already hovering from long time sitting on the bus.

"Relax Cas will follow us." Her friend answered comfortably. They hurried to the boat where there were many taxis and V-hire parked. It was noisy because of the mixed shouts of the conductors calling for passengers.

A few minutes later someone stopped in their opposite white van. She read the brand and she saw the signage Pamela's Paradise. The driver opened the door for them and loaded their belongings behind them before leaving.

"The pain in my ass earlier" Her friend starts. She wasn't paying attention to what Marga is talking all about. She’s focusing more on the subdivisions they are going through.

It was really peaceful she thought. It was far away from Manila where she could not sleep well because of the cracked voice of a neighbor who loves Karaoke. Add to that, the sudden shouting of anyone even at dawn because they were snatched by a bag or expensive earrings. Neighbors also know that there is nothing wrong with talking about anything but celebrating each other like bees. And finally, no Julius in Sorsogon. She is far from the person who has caused her heart to break.

"Cas hey! We are here." She bumped her head against the tinted glass of the van when her friend slapped her. "Here we are, don't space out." Her friend came out first.

After the driver took out the belongings, they went through the small hallway. She is busy looking up the decorative lights that serve as light for those dull flickering twigs. Moments later the wide space that Margarita called the receiving ground opened up to them.

Cassandra was very ecstatic as she looked around. The place is truly a paradise. The place where they now stand is surrounded by lights hung on the stems of trees like Christmas Trees. Every breeze she smells is also fragrant because of the amount of flowers. And to the other side is the only noise in the resort- the big fountain where the water gushed out. She was amazed on all corners, even though she had not yet explored other parts of the resort slash camp she was sure she would enjoy it.

"How do you like the place?" She sighed and watched the sudden emergence from the receptions area.

"Pamela, you've become so pretty over time. You’re beauty still hasn't faded" Marga hugged her immediately. Pamela looked at her behavior.

"Come here Cassandra," they whispered as they approached.

"You look blooming than before Pam. You've grown prettier as you get older." She complimented with a smile.

"Stop the compliments, anyway I heard what happen? Are you okay?" She was left silence after that. Obviously, she was badly hurt and she needs a break from all the pains. With her smile she was obviously not okay, she just really forced her own smile.

"Don't answer that. What a stupid question. Anyway let's go inside. I have prepared the cottage for you two." Her chest relaxed a little, she thought she would be saddened by crying earlier.

She just rested a little in the cottage. It's still 8 o’clock so she thought of going out to ventilate. Even though she was tired from the trip, she could not sleep, because she was still heavy-hearted. She was also alone in the cottage because Margarita left and went to the wine stall they passed by, obviously her friend was enticed there so she came back.

She sat on the bench in front of the wide beach front. The breeze was cold enough to make her reminisce of how cold Julius broke up with her. Her tears began to fall in silence, until here in Sorsogon, Julius is still the flesh of her brain and heart. She did not even know if she was still thinking about it as before. All to her was that memory she was little by little trying to forget.

She wiped away the tears, she has to be strong she is here to forget not to mourn. If she wanted to forget Julius, then she has to divert her attention.

In the middle of meddling with the stars and keeping the mood Cassandra heard cries from behind the trees. She was precautious walking towards it while examining who was there. To her surprise she saw a woman; she was wearing a fine ponytail with her short hair and uncontrollable crying. Full of courage Cassandra approached her, when her presence was felt she was even more surprised and immediately stopped crying and wiped her eyes.

"Sorry for interrupting but are you okay?" her approach while sitting next to the girl.

"Yeah I'm fine I just had a very rough day." Cassandra looked at her intently. She wasn't convinced by what she said as if it had a deeper problem. The girl averted her gaze but the swelling of her eyes was obvious just like her.

"By the way I am Cassandra." She opened the conversation again. She twisted the cradle to sway a little.

"I'm Valeria." The respondent did not look at her. Her instinct tells her that she has a deep problem and the first thing that comes to her mind is a man.

"Why are you here in this resort?" She asked. Pamela's Paradise also known as Camp Move On is a famous place for someone who wants to unwind and forget someone so she is sure that the woman will not be stranded in this place if isn’t for nothing.

"I just want to unwind things. I just want to forget." She felt even heavier in a sack of the NFA rice than her voice.

"Is that so? I think were on the same side of the boat, I came here to forget someone. My boyfriend who's now my ex broke up and cheated on me." She just calmly explained. She noticed that she was silent.

"Were three years in a relationship, regrettable isn’t it? That's really how life is, you'll just wake up one day and he'll tell you that you no longer have a spark in each other. Three years was too long to be called as puppy love. A 26 year old woman engaged in a serious relationship in the end is just puppy love! That's bullshit. Who is he fooling " She was gripping her phone tightly, she cried again as she remembered what Julius had said to her.

"I was so dumb to believe him that he was the one. Those trusts that I put through are just useless, I just wasted my three years on someone who really don’t love me." Her tears are now like heavy rains during a hard storm. She felt the hand groping behind her. When she looked at Valeria, she saw that she was crying just like her.

"Were suffering the same" The woman motioned. "I am also a victim of my boyfriend's infidelity." They are both crying now while talking.

Their conversation lasted longer before they finally separated. Cassandra seemed to be pulled out by a thorn from a thousand that pierced her heart when she told everyone else except Margarita. She also found out that Valeria was also a victim of infidelity like her and so she went to Camp Move On to unwind and join whatever it referred to earlier. At least she felt that she was not alone in the world struggling with pain. Some women are also like her, suffering from a traumatic heartbreak.

When she returned to the cottage, the food was ready. Margarita lay on the soft bed as she typed on her own gadget.

"Where are you from? I've been texting you before because Pamela is looking for you and I'm hungry too." Her friend asked while her attention was still on the device.

"I just went to the beach and went for a walk. I want to get some fresh air." She said and changed her sleeping bag. She was not comfortable wearing shorts because it was too short and not comfortable.

"Let's eat. I'm hungry too." She took a fork and ignored her friend. She was in the middle of her sulking when there was a knock on the cottage door. Her friend's brows raised and eyed the door quizzically before turning to look at her telling her by the looks that she would open the door. She dropped her spoon and hurriedly off the door.

"Yes." She was talking to a guy whose yellow polo and ironed gray slacks tells that it is one of the resort staffs. The man smiled at her.

"Good evening Ma'am. Miss Pamela sent me here to tell you that she wants to talk to you after you finished your meal. She will be waiting at the Heartache Conference Room." The staff eyed her friend and bowed to her signaling to leave.

"Thank you." When the door closed, the friend immediately teased her. If before she ignored him and focused on the gadget, now she is in a hurry to eat.

They found their friend Pamela sitting in front of the round table. She was inside what they called the Heartache Conference Room. Just like the word named after it there are painful quotes hanging on the wall. On her left she saw some odd paintings on the wall similar to the face of a woman who could not look her face in the amount of dark spots and seemed to be soaked in water. On the front wall is the drawing that accentuated her, it was a sketch of a dead flower, without lighter shades. Cassandra noticed that the furniture such as chairs, tables and lampshades are being decorated with hearts made of broken glass.

"What do you think of the place?" Pamela asked.

"It's very unusual, I didn’t know that this is your taste Pam." she notices that both of them has the same feeling. They both sat next to Pamela. She was sitting on the right side while her friend was on the left in front of them in the flower vase which looked like ten years after the flower had died in the drought.

"You've called us Pam. Is anything wrong?" Margarita asked.

"You've heard that my resort is very famous right?" They both nodded.

"This is what makes this place famous. Not just because this resort is beautiful, but because of the entertainment and events the resort has to offer. You've heard its nickname right?"

"Camp Move On?" She gulped. Pamela smiled at the two of them. Minutes later the door opened, she looked up to see someone enter and directly went to Pamela. It was the woman she saw crying a while ago- Valeria.

While sitting they were keeping the silence for a while mocking each other. Then Pamela started to talk, she introduced in front of them.

"Pamela Del Martin, I know all of you knew who I am. I am the one behind Pamela's Paradise as you commonly known as Camp Move On. Aside, nobody knows my husband is cheating on me for a long time" It paused for a moment. "Welcome to my resort and I hope you will enjoy and participate in the activities prepared." Cas was shaking at the whole thought. She thought she was happy with her Fil-Am husband.

Pamela's counterpart then stood up and introduced herself. She was pretty, her lips were red on her body, she was obviously a fashion lover, and her hair was as black as her night.

"Olivia Clerian. 26. I know all of us came here for one common reason and that's to forget our bullshits. I am friends with Pam." She sat as if it did not care about the world.

"Valeria Valderama. 27. One of us has an idea of my heartaches for a reason. Olivia referred me to this place from a website" she looked at her behavior. Her friend followed, obviously counting it.

"Actually I am not on a heartbreak- yet." Cassandra was shocked. She was intently looking at her friend as she spoke. "I have to confirm yet if my suspicion is true. But I was thinking in advance, I do not want to suffer late, I will precede myself in moving on. By the way I am Margarita Sandejas. 27." Cassandra saw her friend's tears dripping. She thought that her relationship with "Oppa" was going well. She never saw her friend cry in one time because of the man, she was even the one who constantly burst into tears and advised her on all sort of stuffs. She did not know that someone was harboring this problem. That's why she was so excited that they came here to Camp Move On.

She was impressed when Pamela tapped her. She simply smiled at her. She was the next one to introduce.

"Cassandra Jilonan. 26. Bullshits, heartaches and break-ups name it, I am being surrounded with that. And I cannot wait to do something."

Then Pamela instructed them to hold each other's hands.

"We are gathered here to have a very important meeting. As you all know and here we are both unfortunate in love. Although most of us just now had the courage to open up about their problems but I want to tell you that we are here to support each other. “Cassandra felt she was not an outcast, she felt that everyone around her was on her side when she heard what she was saying.

"Were here for a common goal Pamela and that's to forget and partly revenge on our stupid partners. So whatever the initiation is I am on it." The self-proclaimed Olivia was very determined in what she was saying. She saw Valeria nod.

"Good. Because what we are talking about today is important. I would like to commend all of your efforts and cooperation in participating on the things I will be mentioning." Everyone was silent as Pamela picked up a piece of paper from the folder on the table. Actually all of them have white long folders that Cassandra had previously discarded to open.

"All five of us are staying in the cottage as you noticed separate from the regular customers of the resort." Cassandra didn't notice those up until now. That's why when she passed by the beach front earlier she noticed that there were no people. She also noticed a separate wall where she could hear on the other side that many were having fun.

"I let you stay on the cottage separate from the resort because you aren't just regular customers. Only a few enter here and those countless individuals are people who have experienced heavy heartaches and problems in their partners. People call this place as Camp Move On. And we five whose here are the people who have different kinds of pain who wanted to forget someone badly. "

Cassandra nodded, her friend gestured an eye on her. Her smile was bitter as she made eye contact with the women around him.

"I want you to open those folders and read it. I want you to tell me your sentiments before signing it." They opened the folder at the same time. Cassandra was carefully reading it. She was stooped when she finally gets the idea what the paper is all about.

Valeria reacted first.

"We are going to steal someone else's man?" Her face looked startled and she could not believe what she read.

"As I have said whatever the initiation I will do as it says." Olivia whom she had previously felt determined. She immediately grabbed the pen and signed. "Here I'm in."

"Men, have no right to hurt us. We deserve something better and we deserve someone. But we also deserve justice. It is not right that they alone have the ability to cheat, we have to do something." Pamela then signed the paper.

"If you really want to move on and forget someone in the most pleasuring way it would be the most convenient tactic. It does not mean that you are bad if you steal someone’s man. You are just making yourself healed and at the same time waking the woman up that men are not really loyal. There is no cheater if no one cheats. “Cassandra was surprised by what her friend said. When else has it been determined? Is the situation with Oppa really that bad?

"I'm in." Cassandra was even more surprised.

"Whatever as long as I can get revenge on Tim I will do everything." Then Valeria signed the paper. She is the only one left who has not yet signed.

The four of them are looking at her intensely. It was as if they are looking forward to what she had to say. She pouted for a moment and skirts the folds of paper. She couldn't decide instantly, as if she was afraid of what to do. Although she loved the idea because sure ball would divert her attention but she did not want someone to suffer because of her.

"I don't want someone to suffer." Pamela held one of her hands.

"Think about it as a wake-up call for girls that not all boys are loyal. Think of it as you are helping them realize before they could suffer the same heartaches as we had. Think of it." Cassandra thought carefully. The Julius who's very happy with someone else while she is miserable, the Julius who cheated on him who she taught was loyal she realizes one thing.

"I'm on." She grip the pen and signed the paper.

"Since we all agreed to this initiation it will be carried for a year, it's up to you whoever your target is ... A businessman, A man by profession or anyone you wanted to" seduce on "is your own free will. Just remember one thing, if you wanted to bewitch the man seduce him with all you might, live the character you will play. If you have to kiss him do it. Just don’t surrender it immediately so that the man will have a reason to find you. "

Cassandra thought. Will the character live? Now that's a challenge but she is excited about what can be done.

Everyone nodded and went out one by one. Cassandra chased after her friend. Her decision was complete and there was no delay.