Broken To Make Wishes

Chapter 09

A place where the shore meets the sea was the certain place that could sooth me. And obviously, this was not the place.

Nakanguso ako habang mahinang hinuhulog ang paa sa dagat. The underwater cave or so was half circle, with a curved rocky platform. May dalawang maliliit na ilaw para maliwanagan ang kuweba. I didn't really know what was it so let me just call it a cave because it looked like one.

There's a big hole in front, revealing the dark blue ocean. It's so creepy because I almost couldn't see anything under. Kung walang ilaw ay hindi na ako pumunta pa rito. The dark blue and green hues illuminated the whole place, making it less creepy.

Well, at least, it kinda looked my taste.

Napatalon ako sa gulat nang biglang umahon si Placido malapit sa akin. Napahawak ako sa dibdib dahil sa malakas na tibok nito.

"Ugali mo bang manggulat?!" singhal ko sa kaniya dahil sa kaba.

He laughed softly.

"Kanina ka pa nakatingin sa ilalim. Hindi ka ba maliligo? It's almost dark. Kung mamaya ka pa maliligo ay baka gagabihin ka."

"Excuse you, Architect, but I love dark. I don't seriously care if gabihin ako. If only..." Ngumiwi ako at tinignan ang paligid. "If only this is a normal beach and not some... creepy looking underwater cave or whatever."

Nagtaas siya ng kilay.

"So, you're afraid of the place that's why you're hesitating to swim?"

Dahil sa sinabi niya ay kaagad kong inalis ang see-through cardigan na suot-suot, revealing a black bandeau top and fitted mini shorts. I wasn't comfortable wearing bikini kaya buti na lang at may dala akong shorts o baka pinasuot na ako ni Yana ng isa sa mga bikini niya.

Placido's eyes drifted to my body but he lifted it to my face in a heartbeat. Hinulog ko ang buong katawan sa tubig nang walang pag-aalinlangan. Lalayo na sana ako nang hinawakan niya ang kamay ko. I frowned. May kinuha siyang goggles at isusuot na sana ito sa akin pero iniwas ko ang mukha ko sa kaniya.

I raised a brow.

"I can swim eyes wide open."

"Alam ko. Pero hahapdi kaagad ang mga mata mo."

"Mas maganda tumingin sa mga creatures kung walang nakaharang na goggles, Placido," giit ko.

He groaned. "Lyss, I know that. But, can you still see clearly if your eyes are red and filled with water?"

Nakipagtitigan ako sa kaniya. His eyes were reddish, maybe because he dived bare eyes. Ngumuso ako at hinayaan na lang siyang isuot sa akin ang goggles. His lips parted while staring intently at me.

"Ang ganda ng mga mata mo," he whispered.

I averted my gaze and felt my cheeks burning. Kinagat ko ang dila ko at kaagad lumayo sa kaniya nang naramdamang maayos na ang pagkakasuot ng goggles sa akin. Sumisid ako para mas lumayo pa sa kaniya.

I wondered, why did it hurt so much when you fell in love?

Simply because once you opened your heart to someone, you're giving them the right to hurt you. The right to live in your heart to eternity or leave it open and bleeding into infinity. The right to be your pillow when you're asleep and the right to be the water that would drown you deep. The right to embrace your scars and the right to cage you behind the conflagrant bars.

Because you wouldn't mind everytime he walked away for someone else, as long as his feet walked back to you. Because it didn't matter to you everytime he broke you, assuming that he would kneel down and collect your pieces. Because you acted like it didn't pain you everytime he left at your hurricanes and came back at your halcyons.