Why Not Me (why can't it be me?) [Vini & Dalilah]

Kabanata 6

Of all the times sprain could happen to me, it chose this very fateful moment. Nilukob ng kaba at takot ‘yong dibdib ko nang biglang kumirot at namanhid ‘yong kaliwang paa ko. Perhaps it was because of the adrenaline, of the way I quickly jumped into the water to save Kisses.

I did not know!

Maybe, karma.

This was my karma.

Despite my best efforts to remain calm, panic still overwhelmed me. Sinubukan kong lumangoy patungo roon sa bahagi ng pool na maaabot ng mga paa ko pero hindi ako makakilos at lumulubog ako.

Panic worsen as I struggled against the depth of the water. With all the energy I could muster, I called out desperately, “Vini! Help! I sprained my ankle!”

“Enough, Dal! Grow the hell up! Not everything is about you! Stop pretending you’re drowning!” I heard him angrily said.

But I was not faking anything.

I was really drowning.

Sa muling pag-ahon ng ulo ko sa tubig ay natanaw ko siyang dire-diretso ang lakad habang buhat si Kisses at ni hindi man lang ako nilingon, siya na kumbinsidong pinepeke ko lang ‘yong pagkalunod ko.

Ramdam na ramdam ko ‘yong pagsabog at pag-agos ng maiinit na luha sa mga pisngi ko kahit pa nasa tubig ako. And with his cold and uncaring reply, my panic intensified. The pain in my entire left foot and leg was already excruciating, and an unsettling numbness began to creep in, adding to my distress.

“Help!” I cried out again. “Vini!”

I heard the noises of the kids in the shallow part but since the pool was big and I was at the farthest and deepest part, not to mention it was already night, no one seemed to see or hear me.

Despite the pain in my aching feet, I mustered all my strength to lift myself up and take a breath, but I still found myself sinking, water trickling into my nose. It felt as though the water itself had turned against me, challenging my will to stay afloat.

In that moment, time seemed to stretch into eternity, and the world faded away, leaving me alone in the midst of this struggle. Gasping for air, my lungs burning, I could feel the weight of the world pulling me down. Then, just when I thought I could not hold on any longer, a ray of hope appeared. Isang tinig ang sumigaw na nalulunod ako at ilang sandali pa ay may tumalon sa tubig para iligtas ako. As strong arms pulled me aboard, relief and gratitude washed over me.

“Doll! Shit! Daddy is here! Baby! Open your eyes! Do not you dare close your eyes on me! Fuck!” he said in a panic as he scooped me in his arms. “Dalilah!”

My head was fuzzy like waters had filled my skull as he carried me out of the pool. The battle against the water had left me exhausted and shaken, but I was alive, and that was all that mattered. Inilapag niya ako sa deck. Umubo ako nang umubo hanggang sa lumabas sa bibig at ilong ko ‘yong pumasok na tubig. Madali siyang lumuhod sa tabi ko at saka ako hinila sa isang sobrang higpit na yakap.