Shipwrecked Hearts

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It was only a speculation. And if ever it was true, who am I to care? I mean, I no longer have anything to do with my family. I made it clear to them after the escape. Wala akong pake kung nasa panganib nga ang buhay nila. Plus, as I've said, it was nothing but a speculation.

"Namutla ka, Starfish?"

Ngumiti lamang ako nang bahagya. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang aking sasabihin. Will I speak my mind off and just be honest with him? Or should I lie and shake it off? I unconsciously sighed, which raised Maximo's suspicion.

"I know something's wrong. You know how much I hate liars, right?"

I gulped. "It's... well, basing from what you've said—Nick's parents are dead, and so is Mermaid's and yours, I thought that there might be a possibility, just a tiny possibility that my parents' lives are in danger, too. Since we all share the same thing you said, that we were genetically designed by Excel to have the sixth sense you were speaking of."

"I've already thought of that possibility, too." He answered. Tumingin ako sa kan'yang at nanlaki ang aking mga mata. What was he saying? "But of course, I've kept my mouth shut since I didn't want to worry you. I know how much you despise your parents, but I also know that deep inside, you still have a heart that loves them. Love always conquer all feelings, this is why the idea of falling in love scares me. You scare me." Maximo's hands balled into a fist.

Hindi ako umimik. Bumilis ang pintig ng aking puso. Napatitig lamang ako sa pigura ni Maximo. My eyes landed on his heterochromia eyes—the green shades that reminds me of the meadows at spring, and the blue orb that seems to look like the horizon above, a sapphire, a true treasure. They were all looking at me with such intensity, enough to melt an ice cream. Oh, ice cream. I suddenly craved.

"Starfish, don't you worry. Your family is powerful. This is why they're still alive. If what you think is true, that perhaps Excel is behind the death of our parents, she can never touch them. That's the extent of your family's power." I know Maximo was trying his best to assure me. I know that he knows that I'm just lying that I don't care. Hindi naman ako ganoong anak. I still love my family no matter how bad they treated me.

Nag-isip ako ng masasabi. I just blurted out random things to change the topic. "Paano na si Marco?"

"There's no confirmation if he's dead or alive. Since I got out alive from the explosion, there's a high possibility that he survived." Pagpapaliwanag niya.

"And the Treasure Trove? I'm sure that Marco's crew and Pearl are on board that ship."

"It saddens me to say this but they somehow located and destroyed the tracker I placed in that ship. I have no idea where the ship is currently sailing at and to. I've lost an informant too, so I am completely out of touch. It's shameful, I know. Somehow, power seems to be not everything."

~~~

Maximo decided that we should settle to making things back to normal. Apparently, the voting of the right hand of the king has been finished and Joziah was proclaimed. Napalitan na rin ang informant, it was the embalmer lady who has no name but decided to use K for conventionality.

Somehow, the loss of the Polo brothers seems to have made a drastic impact. It shook the foundation of the order, made the people suspect each other, raise suspicion—who will be the next traitor?

It was night. Mula sa veranda ay nakita ko ang makulay na mga ilaw sa mga eskinita at daanan sa Jolly Roger, kitang-kita ko ang mga tao habang abala sa pagbili ng mga gamit. The trading is at its peak. Naririnig ko pa ang pinaghalong ingay ng mga tao sa s'yudad. I've never been there actually to buy stuff, but I remember my first day on this island, I walked by but never got the chance to see things for myself.

Kaya naman napagdisesyonan kong pumasyal. Maximo was nowhere to be seen, he is either on his quarters or busy doing his work as a king. "Ate Kira, saan ka pupunta?" Tanong ni Mermaid nang makitang nag-aayos ako. I was putting on a light makeup, s'yempre, dapat presentable na tignan ang reyna. I grinned at the thought.

"I'm going out to the town. Wanna come with me?"

Tumango naman si Mermaid. "Sige, ate! Gusto ko iyan. Pero magpaalam po tayo kay Kuya Alexander, neh?"

"Nah, we shouldn't bother him. He must be busy."

Tumango naman si Mermaid, pagkatapos ko sa aking pagpapaganda ay inayos ko na rin ang aking buhok at nagsuot ako ng makalumang bestida, though it seems new. It was a silky cream fabric, hinayaan ko si Mermaid na itali ang likod ng aking bestida, it was almost backless, to be honest. If not with the laces cross-stitched. I let my hair naturally fall. When I was finished, I wore a sandal and put the dagger belt around my leg. "Let's go."