Sad to Belong

Chapter 10

"Move over!" someone shouted as the 4 of them are unloading their luggage off the boat habang si Riordan naman ay ihing-ihi na daw kaya't hindi na nakatulong. Napalingon si Zayelee sa pinanggalingan ng boses ngunit huli na para sundin ang sinabi nito. She was hit by a volleyball and lost her balance.

"Zayeleeee!" she heard her kuya Blaise shouted.

"Oh my goodness. Are you okay?" someone asked her. She had to close her eyes to clear her vision dahil hindi niya nakikita kung sino ito.

"I-I-I'm fine?" she answered, a little bit unsure. Zayelee is hypnotised the moment their eyes met dahil puno ito ng paga-alala at napakaganda ng kulay nito. 'Gaga, syempre natamaan ka niya eh' her mind interrupted. Bigla siyang napahawak sa kanyang noo dahil nakatingin doon ang lalaki. She flinched when she a felt a lump there.

"Oh you're not, stupid question." He muttered more to himself. Aakma na sana siya para tumayo ngunit nagulat siya sa ginawa nito. Binuhat siya nito in one swift move, like a groom carrying his bride. She squealed and looked at Saige asking for help ngunit binalewala lang siya ng mga ito pati na ng kanyang mga kuya.

"You better fix her!" sigaw ni E.J sa lalaki with a smirk. How are they, especially her brothers, trusting her to this guy?

"Please put me down." She pleaded but got nothing in return. She feels a little bit awkward dahil maya-maya'y bumubunggo ang gilid ng kanyang noo sa matitipunong dibdib ng lalaking ito. Tatanungin na sana niya ito kung saan siya nito dadalhin ng magsalita ito.

"I'll take you to the bar. I'll be needing an icepack or something for your forehead. It looks bad." Seryoso nitong sabi. She noticed a hint of an accent ngunit hindi niya ito ma-pin point kung ano.

"You can put me down you know. I can walk." She insisted ngunit mukhang hindi siya nito pinapakinggan. Hindi niya namalayang nakarating na pala sila sa reception area.

"Thanks." She muttered. Umupo sa tabi niya ang binata at kinausap ang bartender. She looks at him at pilit inaalala kung saan niya ito nakita noon pero kahit anong pilit niya'y hindi niya pa rin ito maalala. Patuloy pa rin siya sa pag-iisip na hindi niya napansing pumwesto ito sa pagkakaupo sa harapan niya. She was taken aback ngunit itinago niya ito. Hawak-hawak ng binata ang ice pack tsaka dahan-dahang inilapat ito sa parte na tinamaan ng bola.

"If only Riordan wasn't so careless." He once again muttered. Zayelee is a bit confused. If Riordan was the one who accidentally hit her, bakit siya ang tumutulong sa kanya ngayon?

"Riordan? Riordan Medina?"

"Yeah, he was coming out of the toilet and then, inagaw niya 'yung volleyball from me and played it which, obviously hit you. Pasikat masyado." he explained while checking up her forehead.

"You know him? I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to." Pagtatanggol niya kay Riordan.

"Whatever. I'm friends with him." Mabilis nitong tugon. Sinuri ni Zayelee ang binata to get a clue sa kung saan niya talaga ito nakita noon because she hated it when she can't remember something ngunit bigla niyang naisip na harap-harapan niya itong ginagawa at baka mapagkamalan siyang pinagnanasaan niya ito. But before she could take her eyes off him ay nahuli siya nito causing them to look at each other.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" malumanay nitong tanong. Akala niya'y magagalit ito sa kanyang ginawa ngunit mukhang hindi man lang ito nabigla.

"Nothing." She submissively replied.

"Tell me." He once again commanded.

"It's just... you look familiar. Have we met each other before?" Zayelee thought he will answer her but they were interrupted by a phone call.

Lumayo panandalian ang binata para sagutin ang kanyang telepono. Zayelee looked around her and realised na wala pang masyadong tao sa bar na'to. Napaka-aga pa nga naman para mag-inuman ang mga tao rito. Baka yung iba'y may kanya-kanya ng inumin sa kani-kanilang cottages kaya siguro'y mas gusto nilang i-enjoy ang view doon kesa ang magpakalunod sa alak sa ganitong oras sa bar. May iba pa bang kasama itong kaibigan ng kuya nila? Kung meron man ay sana'y magkakasundo silang lahat.

"Your bump seems looking alright. It'll fully heal later on. The coldness there will do as well. You need to rest now, you look tired." Pierce told her matapos itong makipag-usap sa kanyang telepono. Zayelee found herself liking this man's voice. It sounds manly and gentle but very authoritative. Even his demeanour speaks authority. 'Yung tipong maamo pero may pagka-suplado at the same time.

"You're friends with Riordan huh?" tanong nito sa kanya na ngayo'y naka-focus ang atensyon sa kanya habang hawak-hawak pa rin nito ang ice pack.

Tila parang pipi si Zayelee dahil hindi siya makapagsalita. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ganito ang kaniyang kinikilos lalong-lalo na sa harapan ng binata. What's wrong with me? Malakas yata talaga ang pagkakatama sa'kin 'nung volleyball.

Zayelee cleared her throat to make sure she still got her voice. "Uhm, just my brothers. We're more of acquaintances." Simple niyang sagot.

"I'm Pierce Esquivel. One of your brother's best friends." Tipid nitong pagpapakilala sa sarili. Nginitian niya nalang ito pabalik. Surely, this explains why they will be staying in the island for 3 days dahil may kaibigan silang isinama.

She doesn't know any of her brother's friends dahil hindi naman siya naninirahan sa Maynila. Their only closest friend she knew is Riordan na paminsan-minsan, sa pagkakaalam niya'y pumupunta sa Maynila para bisitahin ang kanyang mga kuya at ang kaniyang mga kamag-anak. Mukhang doon nga nakilala ni Riordan itong si Pierce.

"Okay, well, nice to meet you Pierce. Thanks for taking care of me." She smiled at tumayo na mula sa pagkakaupo. Nauna na siyang umalis para hanapin ang kanyang kaibigan.

Zayelee stopped and admired the place. This place is truly magical. "So relaxing."