Shelter from the Burning Shore (Puerto Gallato Series I)

Simula

Sa ilalim ng mapagmasid na langit ay nais kitang ikubli,

Ngunit ang langit ay labis ang lupit, sapagkat pilit ka nitong inilalayo sa akin.

Akin kitang kukupkupin, sa dalampasigan ng aking naglalagablab na pag-ibig.

Pinagmamasdan ko sa aking harapan ang tila nagniningning na alon sa pampang. Kakatapos ko lang maglaba at maglalakad-lakad sana sa gilid ng dagat, kaso ayokong mapaso ang balat ko. I look at my weary hands from washing my clothes. Oh my, nang lingonin ko muli ang aking harapan ay nakita ko ang araw na unti-unting nagtago sa likod ng kulay abo at itim na mga ulap, nagbabadya ng umulan!

I quickly rose from the hammock, at tumakbo ng mabilis para makuha ang mga sinampay. Thank goodness I saved them all before the heavy rain poured. One thing I'll never get used to is how the weather of Puerto Gallato constantly changes.

I woke up early in the morning, doing household chores like sweeping the front yard, is what I did. Inilabas ko rin muli ang mga sinampay ko yesterday so they won't smell kulob.

"Good morning, Serena! Tara gala tayo!" bati sa akin ni Jolyn, my coastal friend.

"Ano ka ba, bakit hindi mo yayain yung boyfriend mong si Reynold? You two should be the one going out not the two of us." pabiro kong sabi at naglakad palapit sa duyan.

"Siyempre girls day out. Baka sumahod na yata 'to! Hahaha!" she laughed while following me. Jolyn is a local government worker.

Nag-agree ako tsaka ko siya inayang pumasok sa bahay para doon sana siya maghintay pero mas gusto niya sa duyan. I took a quick bath at nag-ayos ng kaunti. Since we're going to a cafe nearby I decided to wear a midi white embroidered dress and paired it with a simple brown sandals. I just combed my short bob hair, applied sunscreen to my face and whole body, a bit of lip balm and tint and I'm ready to go. Before going out of my room I just took my straw beach bag.

"Ang ganda mo talaga!" Sabi ng kaibigan ko. Kumpara sa akin, Jolyn have tan skin, curly hair, and big black eyes that compliments her overall look. Naka lightblue maong shorts lang siya and a large graphic sando.

When we arrived at the coffee shop agad-agad siyang nagpunta sa counter para umorder. We sat down near the counter. The shop is open-air so you can really appreciate the beachside. The warm sea breeze blows and you can smell the saltiness of the sea from it. It made me happy, I smiled.

Jolyn sat infront of me with a smirk. "Oh ano sayang-saya ka ano, nalibre na naman kita! Baka naman Serena ilibre mo naman ako next time, two years na tayong magka-kilala never mo pa akong nilibre." she said while pretending to sulk.

I laughed. "Well you know naman diba, my job is just tutoring. And matumal pa. Thank goodness we have a house here kahit hindi malaki, kaya wala akong rentang proproblemahin." What I told is the truth. Maliit talaga ang bahay na tinutuluyan ko, made of cements blocks and unfinished finishing and walang pintura, just simple windows and doors. But I am grateful for it. Back then, it was just a resting place lang talaga para kapag tinamad na pumunta sa mansion, doon na lang tutuloy.

I am not living in our mansion dahil baka suyurin iyon ng mga hunters looking for me. Anyway, what Jolyn brought was one iced matcha latte for me, iced coffee for her, and two croissants. I thanked her and as I was sipping my matcha I heard a familiar voice from my back that sent shivers down my spine.

"One iced coffee frappe for what name sir?" the barista asked.

"Ysaiah, Y-S-A-I-A-H."

For some reason, I lost my appetite. I tried to whisper to Jolyn that I want to go. When she heard me, she asked why. I told her that I think my stomach hurts so as a good friend, hinablot niya ang drinks at ang dalawang crossaints sa table.

When I got up, the man in front of me was looking directly into my eyes. I cannot breathe. I am so scared for my life right now, but I am very concerned for my friend Jolyn. What if she gets tangled up in my problem?

Without looking back, I immediately pulled Jolyn and quickly went inside the tricycle. "Hoy 'te, ayos ka lang? Dahil ba matcha yun? Namumutla ka, baka na LBM ka. Sorry inaya pa kasi kita." sambit niya ngunit dahil sa dami ng iniisip ko ay hindi ko siya magawang sagutin.

Nauna siyang bumaba sa akin. Ako naman ay nagpa-baba na lang sa kanto at binilisan ang lakad papunta sa bahay. Nang makarating ako ay grabe ay tibok ng puso ko. Para akong sasabog.

Kumakalma pa lang ako ay bigla na lamang umulan! Umuulan na naman! Teka yung mga sinampay ko. Oh no! I can't leave them outside, I did my best on washing them so hard. And bar soap, powder, and fabric softner are not cheap okay!?

I ran out and tried my best to carry all of them. When I got inside, I was so thankful na dry na sila and my clothes did not get wet. As I was organizing my clothes in the chair, I heard a knock. I don't want to open it but I heard Mang Jose's voice, tatay ni Jolyn that's why the uncomfortable feeling of mine subsides. When I opened the door I saw Mang Jose.

"Serena pasensya na sa abala, may gusto pa lang makakuha ng serbisyo mo. Yung tutoring? Ite-text ko sana kay Joselinda kaso na lowbat ako. Ang maganda pa eh sila raw ang dadalaw sayo! Galing pang-maynila, ano ayos ba?" Naka-ngiting balita ni Mang Jose.

"Oo naman po, kaso nasabi po ba kung kailan kami pwedeng mag-kita para sana maayos yung pag-uusap at makapag-handa ako. Papaki-usapan ko na lang na huwag dito kasi walang aircon hahaha. Alam mo na Mang Jose, kutis-mayaman hahaha!" biro ko.

"Huwag kang mag-alala, nandito yung may gusto sa iyo. Maaari ko na ba kayong iwan? Masesermmonan ako ng asawa ko nito Serena anong oras na eh."

"Hahahaha opo. Naku patay kayo niyan." Kumaway kami sa isa't-isa. At paglingon ko sa gilid ko ay para akong nilulunod. In a white tshirt, light blue maong jeans, and slippers, there is the man that's making my breathing difficult. He's looking at me coldly with those eyes as dark as the moonless night.

He suddenly starts walking towards me, halos idikit ko ng sobrang diin ang likod ko sa hamba ng pinto. He leaned his other arm on the door frame when he saw me trying to reach it.

Why now? I can't talk. Halos mawalan ako ng lakas para tumayo ng mabuti.

He sighed. "I've been holding back for so long, I won't let you ran away this time."

Tila ba kasing init niya ang dalampasigan kapag tag-init. Nakakapaso. Ayoko siyang hawakan. Pero gustong ako ay hawakan niya. Tila ba nawala sa isip kong mag-tago dahil sa lalaking nasa harapan ko.

My breathing hitched, hindi ko alam nanlalamig ba ako or naiinitan. Nanghihina ako at tila nanlalambot ang mga tuhod ko then suddenly everything fades to black.

Note: Pasensya po sa mga wrong typos. I'll try to fix it soon po. Thanks for reading.