"Worry? For what?" I turn to him, nagtama ang aking mga kilay."For someone seeing you with a bikini. To be honest I despise it also. He said, and continued. "Women are precious, like a pearl. They are supposed to be covered. They don't need to show the whole world their beauty. Especially you," He looked at me genuinely.Ngumiti ako. Wow, I didn't expect that. Then he smirked, "Ako lang dapat makakita ng katawan mo." He winked at me, then it was followed by my hand meeting his face. He groaned in pain.I scrunch my nose in disgust. "Eww, that's perverted, Mister. I'm doing it for myself. Dahil ayaw ko." I retorted."Then let us change Snow if that's what you want, Luke." Hannah piped in. "Oh brother, alam kong gusto mo rin makita to." Hannah winked at Luke, then dragged me out of the pool, with Emma tailing behind."Nooooo! My Snow! Her beaaaautyyyy!" Luke yelled in so much anguish like he's in a soap opera, his hands held out. There was nothing I could do but look at him in sympathy
I glanced at my wristwatch para maiwasan ang tingin nya, "tulog pa sila cause its still early...like it's just six in the morning. And I hadn't gotten far this time..." I trailed off, pouting my lips.He ran his hand to his hair and shook his head, "Knowing you, you'll just disobey. And you really did. Don't do it again next time or else..." He narrowed his eyes on me. I stick my tongue out childishly at him.He then turned to the old man just in front of me who was looking at us quietly. The corners of his lips turned upwards, smiling. "Mang Ando." Tumango sya his head in acknowledgment.Instantly, as though they were longtime best friends, the old man, who now I know is Mang Ando, beamed at Eion. "Eion! Musta na anak?" (Eion! How are you, son?)Eion shrugged his shoulders in reply, "Ayos lang po." Then his eyebrows raised, "Kayo po?" (I'm okay. You?)Mang Ando chuckled lightly, "Aba't malakas pa." He then pointed at me, "Ingatan mo yang girlfriend mo, sa sunod baka mawala." (Still s
Magkano po?" (How much?) Eion asked the tricycle driver. The driver mumbled the price. Nagbayad na rin si Eion at di na kinuha ang sukli nya. Grabe talaga pag nakangat angat. "Why did you even invite me here, you know I might disturb you..." I spoke up as we walked inside the market. Nakatsinelas lang ako at dress. I pulled my dress to avoid the mud. It was rainy last night kaya basa ang daan."You don't want to?""No, I love to. I love to annoy you.""Ikaw lang kasi gising...""I see." So I'm just his option. Tsk.Thirty minutes later we were running around the wet market, buying fish, crabs, and seafood. It looks like The idiot just tagged me along because he wants me to carry the stuff. Napasinghap ako, "Lagi ka bang bumibisita dito?" tanong ko, starting a conversation.He grunted in reply, busy picking vegetables. I studied him. To Mario, the old man, the staff of the resort, and even here, he's really different. I mean, aside from him speaking so fluently in another language, i
Silence. Pumikit lang ako, too embarrassed to do anything. I just waited there, sitting like a child that was like waiting for his mom. The silence broke when the crowd started gossiping. Instantly, nakita kong may kumuha ng kamay ko.My breath hitched. Gosh, please let it not be some weird stranger.Too scared, I stayed in my position and didn't even peek at who the person was. "Geez, why are you so clumsy?"I almost jumped in joy at the voice, it was the first time I was happy to hear it. Kinuha ni Eion ang kamay ko. I took it hesitantly.Tumahimik lang ako. My once green dress that shone so bright was now dirty, so dirty that the only thing left clean was the top part, the whole down was drenched in the dirt that it turned black.Eion carried me bridal style, bumigay ng pagkain sakin, "Here."Tiningnan ko to. Everything was two. Not only one, but two. So he intended to give one to me, I see. He then grabbed the five heavy bags in his hands while carrying me, multitasking."We were
Halos mawalan ako ng malay nang matapos niyang ikuwento ang lahat. Nanlamig lang ang katawan ko."Ano? Sobrang yummy diba?"Para akong masusuka. Parang gusto kong isuka lahat para hindi maproseso ng aking banal na tiyan. Pero tumigil ako. Ayokong ma-satisfy siya. Sa halip, uminom na lang ako ng tubig para mahugasan lahat, umaasang malalabasan lang ito."Malinis ba? At...ligtas?" tanong ko."Sa tingin ko." Sinabi niya. "May ilang naiulat na mga kaso tungkol sa ilang kontaminadong pagkain, ang ilan ay ipinadala sa isang ospital at nagkakasakit ng typhoid fever, ang ilan ay hindi man lang nakaramdam ng kahit ano, kahit na hindi alam ang sanhi pagkatapos ng mga araw, at lamang..." Siya ay natigil nang husto para sa epekto. , "namatay."kinilig ako. Napangiti siya dito. Wow, ang daming niloloko ko.Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Nagtaas siya ng kilay at nagpatuloy sa pagkain. The whole time I didn't bother looking at him as it sent shivers down my spine just watching him...eat that...so-calle
I cleared my throat, "Umalis ka na." Nagsalita ako ng malakas.May huminto sa labas, "Psh, I apologized already.""Basta...umalis ka," sabi ko ulit.Narinig ko siyang huminga ng malalim at nagtanong, "Ano ba talaga ang ginagawa mo diyan?" Ang pinto ay naiwang hindi naka-lock kaya madali para sa kanya na buksan ang pinto, pumasok nang walang pahintulot ko, at wala man lang lakas na natitira, hindi ko napigilang buksan niya ang mga takip, at nakita niya ang aking kalagayan.Ang kanyang reaksyon ay nananatiling neutral, ngunit ang kanyang mansanas ay tumaas-baba, "I gotta go."Kita mo? Takot na takot siya tapos iniwan niya ako.I sighed, feeling ko ako si Fiona na taga Shrek.****"Dito."Nagising ako sa boses ni Eion. Naguguluhan akong tumingin sa kanya, bakit siya nandito?Napatingin ako sa hawak niya, isang basong tubig, at isang maliit na gamot. "Allergic ka sa seafood no? Buti na lang may gamot galing sa lobby.""Huh?" tanong ko, still confused. "Inumin mo na lang ito." Umupo ako at
Nanlamig kami sa tabing dagat. Ang mga alon ay perpekto. At hindi ganoon kainit. Sumimsim ako ng buko juice ko at humiga sa upuan."Heto na naman ang buko juice mo maam.""Salamat, Mario ha?""Yes ma'am.""May tanong ako. Umupo ka.""Pero ma'am, may duty po ako.""Nevermind that. Kakausapin ko si Eion kung tatanggalin ka niya.""Pero-" Bumuntong hininga siya, "Fine po." Bahala na si Batman."Umagang iyon, abala ako sa pakikipag-chat kay Mario. Kahit papaano...pinilit ko siyang ibuhos ang sitaw at sikreto ni Eion, isa sa mga plano at checklist kong gagawin."I remember that time when my dad took me to teach me how to run that boat, and I took Eion with me since we can't be separated. Nagkabalikan kami na pinagalitan ni Uncle Adam na sinasabi si Eion this and that, and he can' hindi lumangoy kaya kami-Tumigil ako sa paghigop, "Teka teka teka. So sinasabi mong hindi siya marunong lumangoy?"Nanlaki ang mata ni Mario. "Shit." Napamura sya under his breath.Ngumisi ako sa reaksyon niya. "
Napabuntong hininga ako sa gulat doon. Wow, gusto ko ang batang ito.Tinuro niya si Mario. "Narinig ko po ksi yan kay Kuya Mario dati sa mga babae." (Narinig ko yan kay Kuya Mario dati sa mga babae.)Namula ang mukha ni Mario sa kahihiyan at nagtawanan ang mga bata. "Sige, stop na yan! Nakakahiya! Mam Snow hindi po totoo yan!"Pinaglaruan ko siyang tinaasan ng kilay. "Oh, nakikita ko."Habang patuloy na tumatawa ang mga bata sa mukha ni Mario, napansin ko ang isang babae sa likod ng mga binti ni Mario, na nahihiya na nagtatago sa akin. Hindi pa siya nagpapakilala. "Mario? Ano naman ang batang iyon?"Bumaba si Mario at nakita ang dalaga. He smiled gently at her and said, "Si Jenny po si maam Snow. Mahiyain talaga siya sa mga tao.""Ah sige." I cleared my throat at lumuhod sa lupa at lumapit sa maliit na babae. "Hi! Anong pangalan mo? Ako si Ate Snow. Hindi ako nangangagat." Ipinakilala ko ulit ito.Nanlaki ang mga mata niya at sinenyasan si Mario na lumapit. Lumuhod si Mario sa kanya a