DINALA niya sa bibig ang bote ng alak at sunod-sunod na tinungga.
Isang mapait na ngiti ang sumilay sa kanyang mga labi habang nakatingin sa papalubong na araw. Its bold and brilliant light spreads across the sky and swathe the calm sea.
The sound of the waves as they hit the shore, the wind that sings beautiful melody and the rustling of the trees brought serenity and peace. But why can't he be as peaceful as the sea? He was like the roaring waves in an enraged ocean as her face kept on popping into his mind. Looking so radiant and sleek, but all ends in tragedy.
Inilapag niya ang bote sa buhangin na kinauupuan at itinukod ang mga kamay sa magkabilang gilid.
Wala sa loob na napasulyap siya sa kanyang kaliwa. And there she was, smiling while watching the sun as it descends from the earth's surface.
As the setting sun blossoms upon the horizon, the sky of fire came into sight, like the hearth in the wintry night. The colour of the sun that was about to sleep became her skin as she glows underneath it. Radiating some hue on her ashen skin.
"Why do you love the beach and the sunset?" he asked at her. She was fascinated by the sun and the sea more than anybody else. Her eyes always gleam when she witnesses how the sun kiss the vast ocean.
"The sea breeze calms me, the sunset push the negativities as all I could think is its beauty." He was looking at her as she was talking. The smile on her pale lips did not disappear in every word she utter.
"You are like the sun, you'll descend from the surface," he muttered bitterly.
She turned her head at his direction and flash a weak smile. It was weak, but how could it be as beautiful and calm as the sea that uttering a thousand promises. "I'll become the moon that shines the darkest night, Tyson. I'll keep radiating possibilities and hope from above."
"N-no, I'm not ready, Dianne. I will never be ready, I can't let you go," he cried. The steam of tears flowed faster than his heartbeat.
Her cold and trembling hand went up to his cheek and brush his tears away. Ngunit imbes na pagaanin ay lalo lang niyong pinalala ang sakit sa kanyang dibdib habang nakatitig sa maputlang mukha ng kasintahan.
"I will forever love you, Tyson," she muttered and brush her pale and shivering lips to his in a featherlike caress. Ipinikit niya ang mga mata at ninamnam ang sandaling paglapat ng mga labi nila.
Cold breeze fanned his skin when she removed his hands and lips on his face. Umayos ito ng upo sa buhangin at isinandig ang ulo sa kanyang balikat. Hinawakan nito ang kanyang kamay ngunit iyon man ay wala ring lakas. "Hasta la proxima vez, Tyson," she said in a very low voice which barely reach his hearing.
Lumaylay ang ulo nito sa kanyang balikat at tuluyang nawalan ng lakas ang mga kamay. Pinigilan niya ang sariling mapasigaw at bumulalas ng iyak dahil sa sakit.
He looked at her face as her breathing meets its end. A tear gushed down her cheek but her smile never falters. She look so serene, like the sun that descends the earth's surface.
"Till next time, Dianne," he murmured, trying to be as positive as she was.
She's gone, like how the sun vanished behind the vast sea.
Dianne suffered from leukemia since she was a child. She fought for nineteen years before she vanished into the depth of the ocean.
He can't stop himself from remembering her. She always loved the sea and the sunset, being there made him remember the time when they were still together. She's his first love and the only love of his life. She'll never love any woman after Dianne.
Muli niyang dinampot ang bote ng alak at dinala sa bibig habang nakatutok sa madilim na karagatan.
Tapik sa balikat ang kumuha sa kanyang atensiyon. Agad niyang tiningala ang may-ari ng kamay na iyon.
"Get up, man, we're going back to the yacht," Adonis said. He was one of his cousin who was younger than him.
"Let's go, Kuya." Si Tara naman iyon na hinawakan siya sa balikat at hinila patayo.
He was unwinding with them, island hopping and sailing the sea. Iyon ang huling islang hinintuan nila.
Hinayaan niya ang kapatid na hilahin siya patungo sa bangkang magdadala sa kanila sa yate na ilang metro ang layo sa pampang.
Nang makabalik na sila sa yate ay agad silang naghapunan, ang mga pagkain ay galing sa isla na pawang mga seafoods.
"Ano ba, Harrison, akin 'yang alimasag!" sita ni Tara kay Harry nang kuhanin ng huli ang natitirang alimasag.
"Hihimayan ko lang para 'di ka mahirapan. I'm a gentleman, lady."
"Whatever. Bilisan mo na!"
The corner of his lips twitched as he witnessed how his sister and friend quarrel.
Pagkatapos nilang maghapunan ay agad siyang nagtungo sa may upper deck kasama ang pinsang si Adonis. They've chatted over a bottle of bear. Ilang buwan din silang 'di nagkita nito dahil sa pangangarera nito sa ibang bansa at madalang lang kung makauwi sa Pilipinas.
Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali ay nagpaalam itong magpapahinga na sa cabin nito. Siya naman ay nanatili doon sa upper deck at ninamnam ang malamig na simoy ng hangin. Malalakas ang alon sa bandang iyon ng dagat subalit bahagya lang niyong naapektuhan ang yateng kanilang sinasakyan.
Hindi niya alam kung ilang oras na siyang nandoon nang marinig ang sigaw ng kanyang kapatid.
"Kuya, Red!" Kumunot ang kanyang noo dahil sa narinig na sindak sa boses ni Tara. "Hurry! Kuya, Red! Muli nitong tawag sa kanya.
Pumasok siya sa loob ng yate at ibinaba ang bote ng alak sa lamesa bago bumaba sa lower deck. Maging si Adonis ay naalarma at nakasunod sa kanya.
"What is it, brat?" tanong niya nang makalapit.
"I-it's your fiancée," sagot nito sa kanya na nanlalaki ang mga mata. Doon niya napansin ang babaeng itinuro ng kapatid na nakahiga sa lapag at walang malay.
Lumapit siyang lalo at nang matitigan ang mukha ng babae ay marahas na napasinghap. Agad siyang lumuhod at kinalong si Cameron na walang malay. "H-Hey." Tinapik niya ang pisngi nito ngunit sobrang lamig niyon.
"What happened to her?"
"I don't know." Binuhat niya si Cameron at dinala sa kanyang cabin. Nakasunod naman sa kanya ang tatlo na nagtataka rin kagaya niya. She groaned but she didn't wake up.
Nang malatag sa kama ay agad niyang tinakluban ng kumot ang katawan nitong halos hindi na natakpan ng suot na pulang bikini. Paano napunta si Cameron doon?
"H-help..." she uttered in her sleep and gasp as if she runs out of breath.
"Wake her up, Kuya."
Hinawakaan niya ito sa balikat at bahagyang inuga. "Wake up, Rain," katagang nanulas sa kanyang mga labi.
Unti-unti itong nagmulat ng mga mata. "H-help me..." anito sa paos na boses.
"You're safe," sagot niya na napakanuot ang noo sa inakto nito. What happened to her that she looked so scared? At paano itong naroon sa yate ni Harrison sa ganoong oras?
He had a lot of questions in his mind but before he could utter them, her eyes shut close. "Thank you," she murmured before going off to sleep.
Ilang sandali na siyang naroon ngunit hindi niya maialis-alis ang mga mata sa dalagang nakahiga sa ibabaw ng kama.
Isa ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit pinili niyang kumuha ng dalawang araw na bakasyon sa opisina kahit marami siyang papeles na dapat pag-aralan. Ginulo ng babaeng ito ang utak niya sa mga araw na nagdaan. The vacation was a breather, but who would've thought that he would see this woman right at their yacht?
Red blew a deep breath and was about to get off the bed when she grabbed his hand. Agad niyang ibinalik ang tingin dito sa pag-aakalang nagkamalay na ito. But Cameron was still asleep and her face was restless.
Muli siyang umayos ng upo sa ibabaw ng kama habang hindi inaalis ang kamay nito sa kanya. It felt like she needed someone to hold unto.
THE briny smell of the ocean and the sound of the crashing of the waves filled her senses as she gained her consciousness.
A groan came out her lips when she felt her body ached by her sudden movement. Her head, her limbs, her entirety screams soreness.
Mariin niyang ipinikit ang mga mata nang sumalakay ang matinding pananakit ng ulo. Kapagkuwan ay muli ring napadilat nang maalala ang nangyari sa kanya ng nakaraang gabi.
Napabalikwas siya ng bangon mula sa kinahihigaan at pinalibot ang kanyang paningin sa loob ng silid. At nang may maramdamang kakaiba sa katawan niya ay agad niyang sinipat ang sarili.
Nanlalaki ang mga matang hinigit niya ang kumot at itinakip sa kanyang hubad na katawan. Muli niyang hinagilap sa isipan ang nangyari ng nakaraang gabi ngunit wala siyang natatandaang naghubad siya. She remembered the darkness, the mad sea, how she swam towards the light, the cramps and finally when she landed on the lower deck of the yacht. After then, only inaudible noise filled her half-conscious state-of-mind.
Ayon sa bahagyang pag-uga ng kinaroroonan, ang tunog ng mga alon at ang amoy ng dagat, alam niyang nasa yate pa rin siya.
Agad na lumipad ang kanyang paningin sa pinto nang bumukas iyon. Isang buntung-hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan dahil sa relief nang makita ang isang pamilyar na mukha na siyang pumasok. Nakangiti ito sa kanya na ikinagaan ng kanyang dibdib.
"You're awake," anito sa masiglang boses. "May masakit ba sa 'yo, Ate?" dagdag nito na lumarawan ang pag-aalala sa mukha.
"Aside from I can't barely feel my body, I guess my organs are intact so I'm good. Maganda pa rin," saad niya rito.
Isang alanganing ngiti ang sumilay sa mga labi ni Tara. "Are you sure? We're very worried of you. We saw you unconscious on the lower deck last night."
"My dad used to tell me that I'm a woman of valor, I'll survive every wave of life and I want to believe he's right," she uttered in silvery. Reminiscing a beautiful memory with his late father. "I'm glad I landed safely in the right place."
She heard her sigh and a smile was again plastered on her thin lips. Tara's lips resembled his brother's, suddenly, Red chiselled face that was void of any emotion entered her mind. She can hear his voice assuring her that she's safe and that he's right there. Her gaze went down to her palm as she can still feel his heat in her hand. Her unconscious mind knew it was him who consoled her last night.
"Here, wear this, Ate, I hope it'll fit." Ibinigay ni Tara ang dala nitong damit sa kanya. Inabot niya iyon at ngumiti rito. "Do you need help?"
"No, I'll be fine. Thank you."
Tara kissed her cheek before going out of the cabin.
Dahan-dahan siyang bumaba mula sa kama at napangiwi nang maramdaman ang sakit sa katawan, lalo na sa kanyang kaliwang binti. Lumakad siya sa isang pintong na nasa loob ng cabin na hindi masyadong kalakihan. Isa iyong banyo na ipinagpasalamat niya dahil makakapaglinis siya ng katawan.
She wonder where her bikini was or who take them off. Perhaps it's Tara, or could it be Red? She shivered at that thought.
Mabilis siyang naligo at isinuot ang damit ng kapatid ni Red. The t-shirt was small, it almost reached the seam of the shorts which was also small to her. Tara was shorter and thinner than her. Subalit mabuti narin iyon kaysa walang suotin.
Pagkalabas niya ng cabin ay agad niyang narinig ang mga tinig mula sa upper deck ng yate. Nasa bandang ibaba ang silid na pinanggalingan niya kaya kailangan niyang akyatin ang hagdan upang makarating sa itaas.
Isang alanganing ngiti ang sumilay sa kanyang mga labi nang agad na natuon sa kanya ang pansin ng apat na pares na mga mata.
"C'mon, Ate," si Tara na lumapit sa kanya at hinila siya papalapit sa kinaroronan ng tatlong lalaki. Pinaghila siya nito ng upuan at pinaupo bago naupo sa kanyang tabi. "This is Adonis Sanford," turo nito sa isang lalaki na may kahabaan ang nakataling buhok. The man smiled at her boyishly, his pearl teeth shimmered as it was kissed by the amber sun above them. "And this man..." turo ni Tara sa lalaking katabi nito. "...he's Harrison and he's nothing but a nuisance so don't mind him." The man just groaned in disapproval. "And of course, your fiancée."
Her face flushed in embarrassment when Tara pointed her fingers to Red's direction who was sitting across her. Her fidget eyes met his cold hazels. Coldness and heat were running down her spine as she was trapped in his gaze.
She was thankful that Tara cut her off from her reverie when her voice echoed the vastness. "Save your words for later, Ate, and let's eat. I know you're famished."
She nodded her head and settled her eyes on the grace above the table.