Gleaming Part

....36

I was watching my friends run as they go to the water, I smiled and placed my arms on the back of the sand for support as I continue watching them.

Natawa ako bigla dahil nadapa si Thomas habang tumatakbo siya papunta sa tubig kaya nauna ang mukha niya sa tubig.

"May pumasok na tubig sa ilong ko!" Ngawa niya kaya mas lalo ako natawa. Cameron and Greg helped him to get up at namumula nga ang ilong niya.

Lumapit siya sa'kin at umupo sa tabi ko.

"Hindi na ako tatakbo papunta sa dagat. Ano ba kasi iyang aesthetic video na sinasabi ni Ashley. Ang daming arte." Natawa ako at kumuha ng tuwalya para sakaniya.

I gave it to him and he immediately took it. He patted his face dry while his attention is still on our friends having fun in the waters.

Napatingin siya sa'kin at kinalabit ako, "Bakit hindi ka sumama roon?" Napangiti ako at umiling.

"What's wrong, Cadie?" I looked at him because of his serious tone.

"Cadie." Tawag niya sa'kin.

"I'm still a coward to face everything. I still can't act that there's nothing wrong. Marami akong pagkukulang sakanila. I missed a lot of their amazing moments in life, kahit papaano ikaw ay updated sakanila, pero ako? I just say hi and I need to get back to study or continue with my healing." I explained.

"What matters is you're here now, yeah? You can't stick yourself to the past all over again just because you feel guilty you weren't there all the time for them. We have our lives to deal with too and they totally understand. Hindi mo lagi kailangan maging selfless for their sake. You have to put yourself first, in order to help others. You have been through a lot, Cadie. Maawa ka naman sa sarili mo." Inakbayan niya ako. He made me lean on his shoulder, "You have to set yourself free from those thoughts that aren't necessary to put your attention to, in the first place. Your dad is in prison, you're healing well, you can roam around already, you can trust people more, and you can show us your wings now. What are you waiting for, Cadie? Spread your wings. Fly. Explore. You're going to miss a lot of things if you won't go out of your comfort zone." He wiped my tears and kissed my forehead.

"You deserve every good thing in life, couz. Don't let anyone nor your thoughts stop you. I love you." I smiled and sobbed.

"Your girl is lucky to have you." I mumbled that made him chuckled.

"I'm luckier that I have a family who is strong, brave, wise, and beautiful inside and out." I giggled at what he said and hugged him from the side.

Hindi ko napansin na nakatulog ako, kaya napadilat ako at nagulat na hindi si Thomas yung bumungad sa'kin. I was using Eugene's lap as a pillow.

"Thomas told me to look out for you while you sleep. I'm sorry." He looked away.

I slowly sat up and noticed I was already in the boat.

I'm heavy, how did they manage to bring me up here?

"Thomas carried you here, while I lifted you up. We're already on our next island though." Napatingin ako sa paligid at napansin ngang nasa ibang isla na kami. It's so beautiful.

I looked at Eugene and he seems uneasy? I did make him uneasy. Should I just put my worries aside for a moment and just enjoy right now? I should right? Yeah, maybe I should. No, I really should

Napapikit ako at huminga ng malalim.

You got this, Cadie. You got this.

I looked at Eugene fixing our stuffs like a kid kaya nakagat ko labi ko para pigilan ang pagtawa.

"E-Eugene." I called him kaya napatigil siya at napatingin sa'kin.

"Hmm?" I smiled at him and pointed at my bag.

"Can you get my camera and come with me? I'll take photos, maybe videos lang. Also, can you help me?" Napatigil siya at ilang beses pa kinamot ang mata niya. Sinasabi ata nito kung nananaginip ba siya.

After a while he snapped back.

"Really?" Nakita kong lumiwanag ang mata niya.

I smiled, "Yeah, let's go?" Tumango naman kaagad siya at kinuha na ang bag ko.

He guided me to go down the boat and helped me pick some places where we can have photos and even film videos.

Natawa naman ako kasi gumagawa siya ng mga poses na gawin ko raw. I missed his goofy side. His goofy side that he only shows to me.

He might've noticed that I was staring at him. He stopped doing the poses and went near me.

"Bawas sa pagiging cool ko?" He asked while scratching the back of his neck.

Kumunot ang noo ko at natawa sa sinabi niya.

"Feeling." I mumbled.

His face showed me that he didn't like what I said.

"Hey! Hindi ako feeling. It's true." Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at in-on na ang camera ko.

"While being an intern, do you have plans on getting married?" Natawa naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"Boyfriend nga wala, pakasal pa kaya?" I angle my camera to get the scenery and captured it.

"What if may dumating sa buhay mo unexpectedly?" He asked again.

Tumingin ako sakaniya at ngumiti, "I really have no plans to settle down or to be with someone in general. My main goal in the first place is to become a doctor, to finish internship to become an attending doctor." Saad ko at kinuhaan siya ng litrato.

I looked at the picture and he looked serious.

Kinuha niya ang camera sa 'kin at siya na ang humawak nun.

"You never know what awaits you in the future, noh?" He mumbled that I immediately agreed on.

"Things may never go as you planned it to be." I remained looking at him.

"And I hope even though things, people, and the things you were used to having around leaves you, you will be reminded that you still have." I pointed at him.

"Yourself."

He smiled at me and help my index finger, "And I hope that, with everything you have been through. You will be reminded that you are still brave. You managed to heal all by yourself without us. You managed to smile despite of the horrors that happened in your past. You managed to reach your goal even though you were close to giving up."

He pulled me closer to him, "Always be reminded, that with or without us. We are still proud of what you have become. And of course, the Cadie that will be in the future. We still do love and care for her as much as she does for us. You still have not only yourself, but you have us." He looked at me straight in the eye and slightly smiled.

"Always and Forever."