In the ensuing scuffle, all the boys ram into each other, kicking and exchanging body blows accompanied by her cowardly offense on the side of pulling the bullies' hair or pushing or kicking them. Alisha wants to enter full-swing into the fight but decided to control herself because if her mother finds out she’s got bruises from fighting again, she’ll going to get the butt punishment, which is getting spanked multiple times in her behind with a flip-flop resulting in a bright red bum. 

‘Ugh, I don’t want that kind of punishment… and on the butt at that!’ Alisha shuddered, thinking about it.

So what Alisha did was she retreated a little then attack again once she finds an opening. She did this a few times until the lead bully caught her shenanigans. 

“Why you! Stay out of it!” The lead bully shouted as he grabbed her from the back, one arm setting around her waist, and the other circled her shoulders. Then he lifts her and throws her into the ground.

“Aw!” Alisha cried after she was thrown. It didn’t hurt so much contrary to what she expected because she landed on the side of her leg, but still, it hurts. Right then, the skinny boy heard her shout and immediately came to her aid by kicking the bully’s knee pit, which made him fall backward and toppled to the ground. 

“Oi! Oi! What’s going on there?!”

A passing villager caught sight of the ruckus they made. He immediately stormed in between the fight and put an end to it.

"Carlos?! It's you, boys, again! I will tell your mother on you! Come here!" Shouted the middle-aged villager who pacified their fight, then he leads the bully named Carlos away, the one who tossed her to the ground, towards the inside of the market by dragging him by the ear. Now that their leader is gone, the two other bullies don’t have the means anymore to fight, so they run along to who knows where.

‘Serves him right.’ Alisha amusedly thought as she looked at the wailing Carlos. She rose from her settling on the ground and dusted away the dirt on her knees. 

"Are you alright, miss?" The skinny boy timidly addressed Alisha as he dusted off the dirt from his arms and legs.

"Yes, I'm fine. How about you two?" Alisha said as she was checking the money in her pocket if it was still there and sighed a relief when she grabbed hold of the coins.

"You know, girl, you shouldn't have joined in the fight since we can take care of it, right, Daniel?" Said the other boy, the companion of the skinny boy named Daniel, as he was standing there, not tending to his bruises and dirt on his clothes. Daniel shakes his head at his companion.

"Anyway, thanks for standing up for me, but Thom is right, you shouldn't get involved in the fight. You might have gotten hurt badly." Daniel said as he looked her once over to check for visible injuries before lifting the basket he was holding earlier from the ground.

"I—"

Growl!

When Alisha glanced at the food tray Daniel was holding, her stomach immediately growled. She remembered she hadn't had any breakfast yet, so her stomach grumbled a complaint. It was so loud that Daniel and Thom plainly heard it. 

"You're hungry? Here. I'll give you this." Daniel said as he gave her one of the food in his basket tray. 

Daniel gave her a banana cue, a caramelized banana on a stick. It is one of Alisha's favorites, and she thought she wouldn't get to eat it again when she came on this island.

"Wow! I love banana cue! Thank you!" Alisha immediately grabs the stick from his hold and devours the snack. She was so hungry that she almost gulped it down like water. She made a fanning gesture with her other hand while eating the banana because it was piping hot on the inside.

"This is the first time I see a Kana eating a banana in seconds …...or any person for that matter," Thom whispered to Daniel while both of them observe her, but Alisha was able to hear it.

"My name is not Kana. It's Alisha, okay? From now on, call me Alisha." Alisha said after she finished eating, like what Thom said, the banana in seconds.

"I'm Thom, and this is Daniel. We were about to go inside to sell his food, but as you saw earlier, we were hindered by those guys." Thom shrugged before he took notice of his arm being dirty as he pointed towards the entrance. He started to sweep off the dirt from his body and clothes after that.

"What? Are you selling it? So I have to give you money then. How much was it?" Alisha immediately checks her pockets to fetch for a change, but Daniel interrupted her.

"No, it's okay. I gave you that for free." Daniel just waved at her and gave her a tight smile.

"But I feel bad since you're selling it… Oh! I know! I'll help sell yours then!" Alisha's excited at her ideas. Now she could help Daniel sell his food, and then she would not feel bad about it anymore.

"That's a great idea! How about that, Daniel? We might sell all of it in no time if it’s her, yeah? You might be able to buy your school supplies and flip flops today. Isn't it great?" Thom smiled as he nudged Daniel in the arm. 

When Alisha heard this, she immediately looked down at Daniel's feet and saw that he was wearing a worn down flip flops that looks like it’s going to break any second now. 

Alisha didn't even hide her shock. And due to this, Daniel became flushed with embarrassment. To think that half of the children living on this island are just walking barefoot, yet he still felt shame. He was bewildered that he felt this way even though he’s already used to people’s mockery and ridicule. 

"It's okay. I'm okay. You don't need to help." Daniel said while bowing his head. 

Alisha, being the stubborn one she was, grabbed onto each arm of Daniel and Thom to pull them towards the plaza.

“Come on! We don’t have any time to spare. I’m going to buy something as well after we sell your snacks.” Alisha cheerfully said. 

She was excited to help in selling because it’s her first time doing the real thing. She missed playing with her friends back in the city, and they usually play buyer-seller with rocks or soda bottle caps as currencies and leaves and manzanitas(berries) as goods.

Daniel and Thom were speechless and overwhelmed but didn't get to react as Alisha dragged them towards the market side of the plaza.

They settled in a spot where traffic is heavy and began selling the snacks. All passersby's heads turned to glance at Alisha, wondering why there was an American selling snack by the side of the road. 

And like any day, people would come over due to curiosity, and they would talk to her in English that is kind of absurd but amusing. There was one person who said in one breathe, Hi hallo, how are you doing? I'm fine. Thank you. 

Alisha couldn't retort to that. How could she when he already answered his own question? 

"Pffft! Hehehe."

Alisha turned to look at the two who were quietly laughing by her side. She asked them what's so funny.

"You sort of attract funny people, don't you think?" Thom was snickering while Daniel is trying to hide his smile.

"Hey! I'm trying to help here, and you're making fun of me. Do you need a beating?"

"No, ma'am!" Both of them shouted at the same time.

In just an hour, they're able to sell all of Daniel's snacks with extra coins because some people don't ask for their change. They were all at the peak of exhilaration, especially Daniel, because never he had an empty basket to carry back home before.

"Whew! It's all done! I had fun, but I'm going to go my way now. I still have to buy something. Bye! Laters~." Alisha waved at them as she runs off towards the wet market to buy ingredients. She didn't get to see the dumbfounded faces of the two boys she left behind.

Alisha bought all the ingredients, and it took her nearly an hour because she forgot her list her mama gave her, but she was able to remember it gradually, or so she thinks.

'Oh well, Good thing I have read the list. If not, I will be doomed.' Alisha thought as she was nearing the entrance of the plaza. 

She immediately stopped on her tracks when she got to see further the road, and the said forest that has mythical creatures dwelling in it.

'I totally forgot! Do I have to run again? I wish someone's with me.' Her wish has been granted a moment after she thought that when she heard a voice at her back.

"Alisha?"