Shipwrecked Hearts

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"Welcome to the crew." Maximo whispered to my ears after I gave my final answer, the warmth of his breath caressed my skin gently, giving me a tingling sensation that seem to evaporate my sanity.

"Boss, you can't be serious about bringing a girl into the family." May isang lalaking humarap. Tahimik lang naman ang ibang mga tauhan, tumingin lang si Maximo sa kan'yang na tila naghihintay ng kasunod sa sasabihin, "she probably knows nothing about ships, that makes her a liability, a hindrance."

Kumunot naman ang noo ko, "excuse me, stop talking like I'm not here! FYI, as in for your information, Isa akong kapitana ng barko! I know everything a man should know about a goddamn ship! So tell me, am I still a hindrance? A liability?" I challenged.

I don't know why I'm defending myself and seem persistent to join this pirate crew, for all I know I should be in a panic and thinking of ways to escape, right? But why am I not? Bakit tila gustong-gusto ko pang maging pirata? Aren't pirates bad?

Binaling ni Maximo ang tingin niya sa akin, his face seemed amused and amazed at my burst of emotions, "have anything else to say, Marco?" Maximo asked the guy.

Hindi umimik si Marco kaya naman nginisihan ko lang siya.

Boy, don't you dare underestimate a girl because she has tits and no balls. I gave him that kind of look.

"Back to the mission." Ani Maximo, tumingin siya sa kan'yang orasan, "we only have thirty minutes left until the sleeping gas stops working. We need to wrap this place up. Now."

Saktong iyon ay muling bumalik sa pagnanakaw ang mga pirata, tumingin ako sa paligid at saka lang napagtanto na kaya pala ang tahimik ng barko dahil lahat ay tulog, siguro ang narinig kong pagsabog kanina ay pagsabog ng sleeping gas, hindi siguro ako naapektuhan dahil nakatulog agad ako bago pa man pinasok ang kwarto ko ng usok.

"As for you, Starfish..." lumapit si Maximo sa akin, "pack your things. You have ten minutes."

I nodded obediently, tila nakalimutan ko na ang gutom na aking nadarama rin. "Okay." Aalis na sana ako nang hawakan ni Maximo ang braso ko, stopping me on my track. His grip was strong, the texture of his palm was rough but it was warm. Mahaba rin ang kan'yang mga daliri sapagkat sinakop nito pabilog ang aking buong braso.

"And don't even try to think of escaping. I won't give you an escort since I trust you as a new recruit of my crew. You don't wanna break that trust, Starfish." He added, I looked at his right green eye—since the other one was patched for who knows why, maybe to have a poor pirate-ish vibe? "Go now. I'll be waiting here." I felt my heart skip beats when he grinned.

"S-Sige, Maximo." Lumunok ako at tumingin sa kan'yang kamay na nakahawak pa rin sa akin.

"Oh, right." Aniya na tila naalala na hawak-hawak pa niya ako, nang ibaba niya ang kan'yang kamay ay tila nadismaya ako. I wanted him to put his grip back! I wanted him to touch me!

Oh, return to your senses, bitch! This guy is dangerous! Gorgeous, yes, but dangerous! I mentally said to myself. Sighing, bumalik ako sa aking stateroom. It's a good thing I don't unpack my things, it's a bad habit of mine whenever I go out of town or travel. Why? Aalis ka rin naman, bakit mo pa kailangang mag-unpack ng mga gamit?

Kinuha ko ang dalawang maleta ko, tumingin ako sa bar, I saw the poor alcohols waiting to be drank. Poor them, they deserve better than being displayed there! Kaya naman binuksan ko ang isang maleta ko at nagtanggal ng mga damit, pagkatapos ay pinagkasya ko lahat ng alak doon.

Nang tapos na ako ay lumabas na ako sa stateroom, both my hands were pulling two bags, bumalik ako sa food court kung saan sinabi ni Maximo na hihintayin niya ako, I don't know why but I was smiling and looking forward to it, he didn't need to tell me not to think of escaping, because I surely won't!