Shipwrecked Hearts

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Tahimik kong pinagmasdan ang aking sarili sa salamin habang sinusuklayan ako ni Pearl, "you seem happy, Kira." Sabi ni Pearl.

I bit my lips and blushed. "Do I?"

Tumango siya, "did something happen?"

Mabilis akong umiling dahilan upang makaramdam ako ng kaunting sakit sa ulo dahil tila nasabunutan ako. Right, Pearl was combing my hair!

"I'm sorry." I apologized to Pearl, ramdam ko ang kahihiyan na bumalot sa aking katawan dahil sa aking ginawa.

"Please, don't be. I should be the one apologizing." She countered. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa.

"Hmm, Pearl. What kind of a man is Maximo?" I asked, out of the blue.

Nang natapos na siya sa pagsuklay sa akin ay humarap ako sa kan'yang. She looked at me with her hazel brown eyes, "a jack of all trades, not a master of none, but a master of all."

"What do you mean?"

"He's simply like a living god." I don't know if Pearl was only exaggerating, but her face was deadly serious. "Anyways, I need to go now, Kira."

"Thank you, Pearl." I smiled. She nodded and bid her farewell, afterwards, she went out of my chamber. Nang naiwan naman akong mag-isa ay nakaramdam ako ng pagkabagot. Lumabas ako papunta sa aking veranda at umupo sa silya, the view was superb. I can see the lights from the ships surrounding the island.

It feels like I'm closer to the depths of heaven as well to where I was, it seems like the stars were graspable with my bare hands. Muli kong naalala ang mga katagang binitawan ni Maximo at ang halik namin.

I sighed. It seems like I am getting too attached with my life here. It's not like I'm planning on escaping. I haven't given any thoughts about that. Should I be?

I thought about my father, is he busy looking for me or campaigning for presidency? I just miss him so badly. I want to see him and tell him that I'm okay. I'm doing great. And that he needs not to worry for her unica hija's well-being.

When I got enough of the beautiful nightscape, I went back to my room. Humiga na ako sa kama at saka ko pinikit ang aking mata. Slowly, I felt the realms of dreamland reaching for my consciousness.

~~~

I woke up feeling the dryness of my throat, I looked at the grandfather clock, it was midnight. I yawned. Bumangon ako sa aking kama at saka sinuot ang tsinelas. Lumabas ako sa aking kwarto, I was greeted with the corridor, beside the pillars were torches that managed to dimly lit the place up.

Now where was the dining room again? I need a glass of water! Next time, I'll ask Pearl to always keep a pitcher at my room. Sobrang malawak pa naman ang palasyo.

Inisa-isa kong binuksan ang bawat pintong nalalampasan ko, hanggang sa nahanap ko na rin sa wakas ang dining room. I smiled, I took a glass of water and drank. I felt my thirst being quenched. I took another drink. And this time, I craved for it—for alcohol. I took the empty glass with me as I remember packing bottles of alcohol.

Just as I was about to go out of the room, I saw two shadows at the corridor, they seem to be talking.

"You can't break the order."

"I will if there's a reason." Sagot ng isa. "And the girl isn't a part of the order yet."

Kumunot naman ang noo ko, ano ang pinag-uusapan nila? Sumilip ako mula sa maliit na butas ng pintuan at nakitang si Marco ang isa. He was the guy who spoke first. I tried looking at the second guy but I can't see his face.

"Brother, you don't know who you are messing with. We must be loyal to Maximo's cause."

"You don't need to remind me of that." The man chuckled as he patted Marco on his shoulders, "and we won't betray Maximo, we will never do that when he has given us everything. But the girl Maximo has chosen. You know her, right?"

"Yes. I've been with her for quite a time." Sagot ni Marco. "She's quite amusing."

"Maximo asked me to have a background check on her, you won't believe me what I found out."

"What?"

"She's the daughter of the man who killed our parents, Mikhael Kara."