Shipwrecked Hearts

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Bumaba kaming lahat mula sa Royal Renaissance at lumipat sa mga maliliit na yate. Kailangan na naming lumipat ng sakayan dahil malapit na kami sa sibilisasyon. Hindi p'wedeng ipangalandakan sa buong mundo na mga pirata ang paparating. It will raise awareness and suspicion by the higher ups. We'd rather have the world be in oblivion so we can be freer. It's also probably better if people think pirates are just fictional and it remains that way.

"Heave ho!" The pirates chant as they swept our way across the waters. Pinagmasdan ko ang barkong nakadaong sa kalagitnaan ng katubigan. May mga naiwang magbabantay ng barko. Tahimik ko lang na pinagmasdan ang tubig.

The way the water distorted my reflection was like an illusion. I had my worries playing around my mind. Naguguluhan ako sa sarili ko, masyado kasi akong nagpaniwala na wala na akong pake sa aking mga magulang at kung ano man ang mangyari sa kanila... ngunit heto ako ngayon, dala-dala ang mga piratang naging tahanan ko.

Hindi ko namalayan na lumipas na pala ang oras. Saka na lang ako bumalik sa haplos ng riyalidad nang tapikin ako ni Maximo sa aking balikat. Masyadong naging malalim ang aking pagmumuni-muni at hindi na namalayan pa ang mga pangyayari. Agad ko namang tinignan ang paligid at nakitang nasa daungan na kami't nakababa na ang lahat sa bangka maliban sa amin ni Maximo.

Nasa puwerto na kami ng mga barko ng Sta. Klara. I see most of the cargo ships around with the label Marine Sky Corp. Halos lahat ng ito ay pagmamay-ari ni papa. Lahat ng ito ay mamanahin ko sana. My whole life was dedicated for the sole purpose of being the heiress of such corporation. But... there were detours and things just happened.

"Why are you dawdling, Starfish?"

"I'm sorry. I was just lost in thoughts."

He offered me his hand and I accepted it. Tinulungan niya akong tumayo at lumabas sa bangka. We blended quite well with the people. Tila mga turista lamang ang aming mga itsura dahil sa aming kasuotan. Kung sa bagay, dayuhin din ng mga turista hindi lamang ang bayan kung hindi ang buong lalawigan dahil sa mga magagandang lugar gaya ng baybayin.

I wore a Bohemian dress. Nagpalit ako sa master cabin ng Royal Renaissance kanina... it was a rose gold color with floral prints in different shades of red, si Maximo naman ay simpleng Hawaiian attire lang, isang delektibo at payak na puting sando at shorts na halos isang pulgada ang taas ng kan'yang tuhod. Ngayon ko lamang siya makitang magsuot ng ganito, he usually wears the typical pirate suit with weird embroideries. It was quite a sight.

His tanned and muscled arms were exposed in broad daylight. I can see the veins from the back of his joints streaming their way down to the back of his palms. And because his shirt was sleeveless, I could see quite a skin below his armpit. Oh, how I wish I can see his armpit too! I shook the distractions away and inspected him once more.

Hapit din ang damit niya kaya kitang-kita ang hugis ng kan'yang malapad at matigas na dibdib. Damn this hunky pirate! How can he wear simple clothes and appear so grand at the same time?

I sidetracked myself with the remaining. The rest of the crew wore their respective floral embedded clothes. But besides that, there was nothing special.

Or maybe there was... I saw Excel, she wore a plain off-shoulder and tucked it in with a high-waist ripped jeans. She matched it with a sunhat. She was an eye-turner. Gaya ko ay tila may iniisip din siya, tila may gumugulo sa kan'yang kaisipan. It must be something personal, she must still be mourning for Mermaid's death. I can't blame her. She was once a mother and she never got the chance to be one.

Kaya naman sa mga sandaling ito, wala akong ibang ninais din kung hindi ang bigyan ang mga magulang ko ng tsansa. Because it might be too late once... once the inevitable end draws near. Hindi mo alam kung kailan ka Niya kukunin. Things may happen when you least expect it to. All you can do is prepare and be ready. No regrets.

I looked around me again. I am familiar with the place. How can I not be? This was my hometown. This place was where I grew up. Naging tambayan ko ang tabing-dagat ng Sta. Klara. Most of my childhood was with dad. We used to pay visits to his ships and he would tell me stories that the cargo loaded within the metal boxes were shipped, either imported or exported.

And I remember telling him I wanted to be like him... I guess I became one, only worse.

Nakita kong lumapit si Excel sa isa sa mga mangingisdang malapit sa amin. Tila may tinanong ito sa kan'yang. But considering the distance, hindi ko naintindihan kung ano iyon. Isama na rin ang tunog ng paghampas ng mga alon sa buhangin ilang metro lamang ang layo mula sa amin.

Pagkatapos ay lumapit si Excel sa amin ni Maximo, "I've asked for the nearest hotel since it will be more convenient than going to Algaya. Ang sabi ay cottage lamang ang mayroon pero sapat na para ma-accommodate tayong lahat." She updated as she pointed everyone. "And the nearest one in town is at the Poblacion Resort Park. Maganda rin daw ang serbisyo. May night bar, restaurant, swimming pool, at casino."

I could have told Excel she shouldn't have asked since they were with me, but I didn't say anything else to respect her efforts to talk to the local personalities. Hindi nga pala nila alam na dito ako lumaki. Ang alam lang nila ay nandito ang aking mga magulang gaya ng sinabi ko. I should have elaborated.

"Well, then, take us there." Sagot ni Maximo. I heard him say something under his breath, that he should have taken Avalon with us.

"Iyon ang problema, Maximo... hindi ko natanong kung saan at kung paano." Excel sighed.

"Kailangan nating sumakay ng tricycle." Sumabat na ako. Tumingin naman si Maximo sa akin tila may narinig na hindi naintindihan. "In case you all did not notice, taga-dito ako. Alam ko ang lahat ng pasikot-sikot sa lugar. I grew up here. And as I said, we need to ride a tricycle. Walang dumadaan na bus dito dahil wala pa tayo sa national highway. Judging our number, I believe we'll be needing fifty tricycles."