We are better than this...(Amephil book 2)

the shell

Narrator POV:

Philip looked back behind him making a tough decision if he should go back to the cabin besides...

it's sunrise...he should go back by now...

he felt his chest heavy and tight as his brown eyes stared at the direction as if he was in a trance.
he stared more before he thinks he saw someone.

Poland?

no that's not him, he swears, he went back to the cabin with Germany...
he stared more and he realized.

"Malay? indo?" he said in surprise.
"Why are you guys here? aren't you supposed to be at the ASEAN group to, you know to drink?"
he awkwardly smiles they only looked at him crossed arms.  "where have you been?" Malay questioned first "dude we were looking for you like, hours ago," indo said next.

his awkward smile lessens into a slight frown but it's still a smile nonetheless, "sorry about that" he chuckled, looking away from them just by looking at the sand for a moment and now towards the sunrise feeling the breeze.

He frowned that he made them feel worried about him...

Malay looked at Philip for a moment, taking a moment on how his acting....
it made the Malaysian frown as he seems worried for Philip's wellbeing...

Same for indo, he still held a strict face but nevertheless, he wants to know what Philip is thinking right now and it made his heartache seeing his nonrelated brother acting this way.

both of them know Philip is acting strangely in these past week but yet it never fails to make them feel worried but most of all useless for not helping their brother out in what kind of situation his dealing right now...

"Is there something wrong Philip?" surprisingly, indo is the one who asked, usually its Malay but indo just had enough seeing his brother acting so...

hurt...

Philip seems fine this past days, heck! his even smiling genuinely, but yesterday and even to this day...
his tone shifts like a car driving dangerously at the cliff.
Philip looked back at him shaking his head softly with a slight smile on his face.

"no...no there's nothing wrong. just me feeling tired guys, no big deal," he said casually as if it was nothing to him...his feelings are just...stupid in his own thoughts...

they already have their problems to deal with he just doesn't want to be the burden in the group...

Malay was quite while indo hold in his own words...
and gave a forced smile...

and it hurts indo's cheeks a little.

'How the fuck can Philip smile all the time?'

indo thought, he forces a chuckle"well if you are, then let's go back to the cabin, the group is waiting for the happy independence boy" indo said in a light tone, it made Malay looked at him in an unsure way, as if he knows what indo is feeling and at the same time blurry. but he plays along knowing why indo is doing this.

Philip is not the kind of person to open up, well he used to...but today even if you tried so hard to convince him otherwise he will reject your accusation towards him.

Philip was unsure if he should go back he just...don't want to see ame...

not because its ame's fault but...

Philip just thinks he ruined things enough for the both of them...

Philip smiled weakly and nodded his head...

the Filipino went towards them in between looking down at the sand tiredly while they're walking back to the cabin while indo and Malay looked at each otherr worriedly for Philip...

the walk is quiet...very unfortunate for the trio, there always considered loud, annoying and downright funny...

but now it...just seemed odd for both Malay and Indo but yet nether of them talk...

they both just think things will get worse if they try to make Philip talk and it doesn't seem like a good idea to the both of them...

Philip gave glances to indo and Malay he can't help but feel so...shit inside...

god, what did I do to deserve them...

he chuckled quietly and pathetically to himself...

he shouldn't be thinking like this, there his best friends for so so long...
and yet he sounds so ungrateful...

Indo cleared his throat trying not to be engulfed with the quietness.
Indo looked at both Malay and Philip with a slight smile...

He doesn't like the quietness, it bothers him too much.

"Have you eaten yet Phil?" Indo asked casually.
Philip was quiet for a moment but shook his head "I'm not hungry" he said quietly...

and again there quite and it made both indo and Malay frustrated but they held it in for there sake and Philip's.
Malay looked around the sand and the ocean and his eyes caught something.
he walks towards it and indo stared at him curiously and Philip glanced.

"Ohh, this looks cool," Malay said in a surprised but in an awed tone, indo and Philip walked up to him seeing whats all the commotion.
and as they saw it, Malay was holding a coral, a big one it made Philip looked at it in fascination but he hid it in.
"Remember that time we thought there was an ocean in these kinds of shells?" Malay asked with a smile.

"yeah, Philip freaked out and almost throw away the shell, he hates the sea" indo snickered, Philip smiled a little bit but his still preventing himself to crack.
"OHoHOhO I'm the ocean" indo jokingly said to Philip trying to make him scared "indo stop your making him scared" Malay giggled.

And that made philip feel...a little more okay...it made him feel warm actually, he just...wants to be okay again.
He can't help but smile a little...

Philip punch indo at the shoulder jokingly, cracking a soft smile giggling "shut up it was ages ago" he smiled.
it made indo and Malay feel relieved again, they smiled back.

"have you ever think there's something living in this shell before," Malay said curiously looking at the shell, we think for a moment.

"I dunno why I'm thinking like this but my mind went to North Korea," Philip said confused, we were quite again but Malay crack up and all of them laughed hard clutching their stomach.

"I mean, he is known to be the 'hermit kingdom' so pretty much your half right" Malay giggled.

They went quiet again but Malay broke the silence "do you guys wanted to keep this?" he asked looking at the shell he was still holding "Nah we should let it be, who knows? Maybe if we came back here again will see that shell" indo shrugged, he looked back at Philip.

"What do you think Philip?" Philip thinks for a moment " we should leave it here I guess," he said lightly finally feeling a little okay.
It made indo and Malay smile seeing Philip look at least fine.

Malay put it down near the shore gently, they walked away but Malay gave one more glance at it and walked away with the group.

Philip felt his stomach growled for food as he look down to his stomach, he looks up seeing indo and Malay smirking at him
" 'Not hungry' he said"Malay snickered Philip blushed a little feeling embarrassed.

" s-shut up" he huffed "food always does weird things to you huh?" indo chuckled.

"Welp! The last one to get there is a rotten tomato" indo yelled running "oh no you don't!" Malay yelled back running aswell catching up to him.

Philip looked back to the two who's running as fast as they can but philip can't help but smile "yup, still dorks" he chuckled.
He ran as well as fast as he can catching up to them.

"Hey, wait for me!"