CHAPTER 3

"How was your sleep last night?" the Captain asked.

"It was good not until I feel something weird in my feet, 'yun pala may bruise na." I narrated.

"Just don't force yourself to walk or run. I will ask Junger to assist you until pagaling na ang paa mo." he said at tumango naman si Junger na nasa tabi ni Benjamin.

"No need. I think I can handle myself." ani ko. Nakakahiya naman, parang pabigat lang ako dito.

"I know you can handle yourself but you can't handle yourself yet. Don't be stubborn, you're the only lady in this ship then expect that all the man in here will treat you like a princess." He told me.

I blushed on what he said. Nakakahiya talaga.

"Is there any rule that I should be aware of?" I asked him.

"Nothing much. Just be kind to everyone in the room. Do not make any stupid decision and let the crew do their own job. If you want to learn something, do tell." sabi niya sa akin while looking at me intently.

Woah. A pirate saying "just be kind"! I thought there will be rules like if you do something wrong they'll feed you to sharks.

"What?" he asked me, he probably noticed my expression.

"Nothing. I never thought that a pirate could be this kind." I told him honestly kahit na nanginginig ang kamau ko sa takot.

"We're not that kind, we're not that evil also. We're humans, we make mistakes. We're not that kind of pirate in the movies you saw or books you've read that will kill for a mere treasure." he told me.

Kinabahan ako dahil baka na offend siya sa sinabi ko, pero sinagad ko na para isahan nalang.

"But have you killed someone?" I asked him carefully.

"Of course, but I don't kill for no reason." patapos na sabi niya.

Tumango lang ako sa kanya saka tinapos na ang pagkain.

After we eat, binuhat niya na ulit ako pabalik sa kuwarto ko at inihiga ako sa kama.

I can't help but notice his nice and perfect body.

"What exactly happened to your feet?" he asked me after putting me down.

"Me and my brother were playing uno until the ship started sinking. While running, I fell into a hole where my feet got stuck and I can't get it back. My brother forced to get it out that's why it looked like this." I narrated.

"Uno?" he asked. Naka kunot pa ang noo, I find it cute.

"Yeah. You don't know that? It's a card game." ani ko.

"Where is your brother now?" he asked carefully, afraid to hit the wrong spot.

I don't know what to say. Until now, hindi ko parin tanggap na ganun 'yung nangyari. We were happy. 

Ganun pala talaga siguro 'yun. Masaya ka ngayon, you're gonna cry after. At hanggang ngayon, hindi ko parin maintindihan kung bakit ganun. 

"He's gone. The water was getting higher but he still got my feet up, little did I know that it was his feet who got stucked now

instead of mine. He left me no choice but to leave him there." I smiled painfully. 

Fauve lift his hands and brushed the side of my cheek. I didn't noticed that my tears were already flowing down my eyes.

"Do you want us to bring you back home? Where are you from?" he asked, like he's really persistent to take me home.

"No. You don't have to. I have no one to go home to anyway." I told him.

It was me and kuya, now that he's gone, I have no one.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You don't have to," I gave him an assuring smile to tell him that I'm fine although I'm slowly loosing myself inside.

"Do you love reading?" he asked me, trying to change the topic kasi ang bigat ng atmosphere.

"Yes. I read novels at home." tumango ako sa kanya.

"Alright, I got a note to read so I'll leave you here. I'll ask Junger to take care of you." he told me saka tumayo na.

"Fauve," I called him when he's near the door.

"Yes, milady?" he asked and turn around for me to see his handsome face. 

A visible adams apple that goes up and down when he swallow, his sharp edge jaw, red kissable lips, formidable nose and his eyes. 

Damn this pirate god.

"Thank you," I almost run out of breath when he smiled at me and his lips parted to say something.

"Denada." he said and smirked sexily. Damn, I will simp for him.

Oh no. What the hell Dwyn?

Ilang minuto ang lumipas at pumasok si Jungle sa cabin niya may dalang mga libro.

"Pasensya na po, hindi alam alam kung anong mga libro ang gusto mong basahin." sabi niya saka inilagay ito sa tabi ko.

I scanned the books. They looked interesting and it makes me wanna read them.

"Next time po, sasamahan kita sa library para ikaw na po ang mamili. Maganda naman po ang mga librong yan, nabasa ko na po silang lahat." ani niya.

"You're into books din pala," I commented.

"Opo, 'yung mama ko po kas mahilig sa libro at nagsusulat din po siya kaya bata palang ako, nagbabasa na po ako ng mga nobela." pagkukwento niya.

"Asan na 'yung mama at papa mo?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Wala na po silang dalawa miss. 'Yung mama ko po namatay noong ipinanganak ang nakababata kong kapatid na babae. Si papa naman po, iniwan kami noong nalaman niyang buntis si mama sa kapatid ko." nakayuko siyang nag kukwento.

Nakaramdam ako ng awa sa kanila. I figured out na he's 5 or 6 years old when their mother died and their father is nowhere to be found.

"We have the same faith," ani ko. He lifted his head and looked at me.

"I was five when my Mom and Dad died in a car crash, that was my birthday. I was with my Kuya all throughout these years but he died also on my birthday." kuwento ko sa kanya.

"Ibig sabihin, kaarawan mo po 'yung araw na natagpuan ka namin?" tanong niya sa akin.

Tumango ako sa kanya. I smiled at him painfully.

"Bakit hindi mo po sinabi sa amin?" tanong niya.

"Why would I tell you? My birthday is a curse." I chuckled without humor.

"You're wrong Miss. God gave you a chance to live for another year because he have a lot of plans for you." he said softly.

"Alam mo po ba, noong namatay si Mama, sinisi ko 'yung kapatid ko kung bakit siya namatay but Kuya Benjamin made me realize that it was wrong." he stopped and took a deep breath.

"Kinupkop niya kami ni Jina. Ngayon, si Ate Jasmine po ang nag aalaga sa kapatid ko tuwing naglalakbay kami. Kaya huwag ka pong mawalan ng pag asa sa buhay miss. May dahilan ang lahat simula noong sinagip ka ni Kapitan noong araw na iyon."   pagpapatuloy niya.

"What do you mean sinagip?" I asked him.

"Ahh... Hindi mo pa po pala alam?" tanong niya.

I shook my head.

"Nakasampa ka po sa isang lumulutang na kahoy na mula sa nasira na barko. Dumudugo po ang iyong paa at papalapit sa'yo ang mga pating. Hindi nagdalawang isip si Kapitan na tumalon pailalim saka languyin ang distansya mo at ng barko." pagkukwento niya ng nangyari na ikinagulat ko.

"We were all shocked Miss, but I want you to know that our Captain likes you. Baka hindi pa po romantically, but as a person po." sabi pa niya.