CHAPTER FIVE
Calm Before the Storm
Nina Ailee de Valerio was practically friends with Death himself. She'd like to think that, at this point, it has become a sort of game between them, when their next encounter would be. Against all odds, she still managed to return to the living plane.
Ngunit sa bagong larong kinabibilangan niya, mas maliit ang tsansang maging matagumpay sila. Hindi niya alam kung may nakikinig pang santo o Diyos. But if there was, she would gladly exchange her life to save the one she could feel slipping away in front of her...
October 17, 2015; Saturday
Marina Beach Resort, Santa Barbara
"Gago ka talaga!" Tumatawang asik ni Ailee nang makaahon siya. She tried to shake off the hair clinging to her eyes. Despite being drenched, she had to admit that she felt decidedly more light after having one of the staff members cut her hair. "Pa'no kung nalunod ako?"
Lumapit sa kanya ang lalaki at dahan-dahang hinawi ang buhok na tumakip sa kanyang mukha. There was a slight smirk on his face as he stared into her eyes.
"Edi isi-CPR kita," sagot nito. "Problema ba 'yon?"
He then proceeded to make kissy faces which caused Ailee to roll her eyes and playfully punch his shoulder.
"Idi nahui, Mikhail," Ailee hissed, a grin on her face. Sinubukan niyang hanapin ang nalaglag niyang panali ngunit hindi niya na ito makita.
"Ano yun? Mali ata ako ng pagkarinig. I thought you were trying to say ya lublyu vas but I heard idi nahui," patuloy na pang-aasar ng lalaking nagngangalang Mikhail habang paalis sila ng pool.
Pabiro na lamang siyang inirapan ni Ailee. "Mukha mo ya lublyu vas."
Inakbayan siya ni Mikhail habang patuloy silang naglalakad patungo sa dining hall. Had it been any other man, she would've shrugged their arm off immediately and kicked them in the gut for good measure, but not Mikhail. He was a welcome presence. And the heat coming from his body was definitely a blessing, what with the cold air around them.
"Please, alam ko namang mahal na mahal mo ako," he stated confidently. "I mean, sino ba namang hindi mai-in love sa kagwapuhan kong 'to-aray! Ninalina, mapanakit ka talaga, ah!"
That earned him another punch in the gut. Ngunit sa kabila nito, hindi nabura ang malapad na ngiti sa mukha ni Ailee. There was just something nostalgic about being in the resort again and hanging out with Mikhail. It reminded her of better times. After everything she'd been through, she deserved this.
Nang sa wakas marating nila ang dining hall, a wide room with multiple tables and a really long one at the center, inabutan kaagad sila ni Mary Kate ng towel na tila inasahan na niyang may gagawing kalokohan na naman si Mikhail.
"Wow, ang daming pagkain!" masayang saad ni Reigne na dali-daling umupo. Ailee watched fondly as her friend's eyes grew wide as the staff put more and more delicacies in front of her. "Parang fiesta lang, ah. Paampon na lang kaya ako sa inyo, Ailee?"
"Sorry, wala kaming vacancy sa ngayon," natatawang sagot niya sa kaibigan.
Mikhail made a show of pulling a chair for Ailee at the head of the long table before taking his own seat on her right side. Sa kaliwa naman naupo si Cess na nakatitig kay Mikhail na animo'y kinikilatis ito. Hindi naman nagpatinag si Mikhail at sa halip sinalubong ang mga mata ni Cess nang nakangiti.
The others trickled into the room and took their seats. Ailee was initially worried that they wouldn't fit into the long table at the center of the Dining Hall but it was a miraculous fit. The last people to come in were Natalia and Clyde who seemed to be arguing.
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